[Asterisk-Users] RE: What technology could my phone company be using?

[George Bean]

To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
From: Doug Meredith <doug.meredith at skyridge.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 12:58:35 -0400
Organization: Skyridge Systems Inc.
Subject: [Asterisk-Users] What technology could my phone company be
using?
Reply-To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com

>I live in New Brunswick Canada.  The phone company is Aliant.  When
>you set up business service here, you can go with either analog or
>digital lines.  This isn't a T1 or ISDN.  They are talking individual
>lines direct to handsets that they provide.  They offer the digital
>option with even very small ( 2 - 4) number of lines.

>What technology could this be?  Is there any way to connect such a
>line to Asterisk?  PBX vendors that I have talked to in the past say
>that we can bring the Aliant digital lines straight into their PBX.
>We would like to do this with Asterisk, but can't figure out what the
>technology is.  (ever try to get technical info from the phone
>company?)

The end user deskset is most likely a conventional POTS set or an ISDN
device. Very, very few LEC's or CLEC's are delivering small business
dialtone on alternative technologies. Aliant could be using ISDN for
this service. ISDN desksets can be programmed to answer multiple
directory numbers and multiple desksets can be bridged across a single
ISDN line. The Aliant switch can be programmed to pass calls between
desksets and supply set to set intercom services.

The best way to determine what technology Aliant is using is to find
somebody with the service, get the manufacturer & model number off the
termination device(s) and do an Internet search. If your search doesn't
yield a datasheet that lists the technology employed then post the
information to this list. Someone is bound to know something about the
hardware and thus the technology employed. 

As long as Aliant is employing POTS, ISDN, T1/PRI, or E1 technology
Asterisk can be connected to the Alliant switch. If by some chance
Aliant is using a VOIP technology you may be able to connect Asterisk
directly to their system if you can ascertain the necessary parameters.

Regards,
George Bean
Puwaba Technologies