[Asterisk-Users] * Busy-Redial ??

[Chris A. Icide]

On 01:04 AM 6/29/2004, Florian Overkamp wrote:
 >Hi,
<snip>
 >> busy, so you hang up and dial *XX12125551212 and hangup again, then * would
 >> continue to retry calling the number until either it rings or a timeout is
 >> reached, if it rings * then calls back the exten that made the *XX call and
 >> bridges the two channels (maybe even with a distinctive ring). If 
anyone has
 >> any suggestions on how to accomplish this please let me know.
 >
 >I have not implemented this, but it should be doable by creating a file in
 >the spool directory. You really just need to tinker around with contexts and
 >actions to do 'the right thing' (tm).
 >
 >An AGI script to generate the spool file would probably do the trick.
 >

Doing this using an analog Zap channel x100p, tdm400..  will be 
problematic, as Asterisk's ability to determine if the line has been 
answered on an analog zap channel is less than perfect.  You could easily 
implement a feature where you could preform redial on busy when using a 
channel that provides signalling to indicate the call progress, especially 
if you didn't mind having the calling channel staying connected.

.call files might be able to work, but I still can't think of a method to 
allow the call to progress until the far end begins to ring BEFORE inviting 
the originating channel from the first transaction.

And finally, what kind of call handling do you want if the far end answers 
before the originating end picks up?  Music on hold, special message, or 
just ringing?

While asterisk is quite flexible, and you can almost always find a way to 
do something, I suspect to make this work in a way that handles the whole 
process in an understandable and acceptable manner is going to be quite 
complex and probably a masterpiece of duct tape and bubblegum.

This is a feature that would probably best be designed as an Asterisk 
application, and yet even then, the analog channels will be problematic.

-Chris