[Asterisk-Users] SIP "agent" phone w/ headset

[Tom Rymes]

Colin,

Is there any reason why you couldn't just set up a T1 card and  
channel banks (as many as needed) and use your exisiting "agent"  
phones via zap channels?

Tom

On Aug 17, 2005, at 11:59 AM, Colin Stefani wrote:

> Thanks for the feedback
>
> Just for a background, one of the reasons for "redundancy" (notice the
> quotes ;-) is that the PC is setup as a kiosk style application in  
> which
> we do a shell replacement with the Windows Explorer, so instead of a
> desktop, the user gets a dedicated application which is very "thin"
> client like. The reason we're wary of integrating voice in this
> application, which is certainly doable with one of the various  
> SDK's out
> there, is that we also host an Oracle forms client interface as  
> part of
> this and this thing is a big ol' pig and screws up the PC on a regular
> basis (it's not my product so there's not much I can do but cope with
> it).
>
> Anyway, the users are very low level users and do not know much about
> PC's, so at the slightest hint of an issue they just punch the reset
> button on the pc and reboot it (or unplug it, or...you get the idea).
>
> Yes, your assumptions are correct in that these "agents" are in a
> receive only situation, with very limited call function capabilities.
> The end goal is that the software client running on the PC will be  
> able
> to control the extension and act like a manager for that phone  
> unit. I'm
> probably asking to stretch what is out in the market right now, but  
> I'd
> be remiss for not looking.
>
> Most likely, we'll end up with a soft phone embedded in the client
> software, but I'm not looking forward to dealing with USB headsets.
>
>
> Colin Stefani
> Tideworks Technology
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
> [mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Michiel
> van Baak
> Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 4:23 PM
> To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
> Subject: Re: [Asterisk-Users] SIP "agent" phone w/ headset
>
> On 16:01, Tue 16 Aug 05, Colin Stefani wrote:
>
>> I have a call center where we're looking at converting it from a
>> traditional PBX w/ digital phone "agent" sets (keyless phones) that
>>
> have
>
>> headsets to a SIP based environment.
>>
>> I am having trouble finding anything on the market that resembles  
>> this
>> in the VoIP world.
>>
>> For reference, we're currently using Inter-Tel Agent Sets, which are
>> basically a digital phone with out any keypad, buttons or handset,
>>
> just
>
>> a line input and a headset jack. I need the equivalent.
>>
>> I know the first thing you think is why don't you use the agent's PC
>>
> as
>
>> the VoIP client and do a softphone, however I need to protect the
>>
> caller
>
>> from getting cut off should the PC crash/die/etc. While paranoid it's
>> something where a regular endpoint like an ATA or SIP phone would be
>>
> the
>
>> best option.
>>
>
> SIP phones and ATA's can die too.
> * can die too
> heck even your power can go down (hurricane, terrorist
> attack, etc, etc)
>
> A properly configured pc with a softfone can be as stable as
> a normal phone, it all depends what the users are doing with
> it (I have had bad experience with pc's where users can
> install their own stuff etc).
> I have a workstation with an uptime of over 500 days. This
> email was written on it.
>
> The problem will be the 'without keyped, buttons or
> handset'. I'm not aware of a SIP device that has only a line
> button and a headset and nothing else.
> Judging on the setup you outlined, the agents are not able
> to transfer the call to admin/other_user/parking_slot. They
> are only able to receive calls, and that's all.
>
> If so, you can create them as 'user' only in sip.conf
> That way they are only able to receive calls, but not make
> calls. The interface to * is something you choose.
> Of course phones/ATA's are less error-sensitive as pc's,
> cause you can configure them. Just make sure noone can guess
> the username/password for the ATA/phone config interface.
>
> Hope this helps,
> -- 
> Michiel van Baak
> http://michiel.vanbaak.info
> michiel at vanbaak.info
> GnuPG key: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup? 
> op=get&search=0x7E0B9A2D
>
> "Why is it drug addicts and computer afficionados are both called
> users?"
>
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