[asterisk-users] BLF Compatible Phones

[Steve Totaro]

On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 3:50 PM,  <dgray at xevio.com> wrote:
>
>  I am new to asterisk and am looking to setup a small office with 4-6 IP
>  phones and 4 analog lines from the local telco (primary line with HUNT
>  to the other lines). I am considering purchase of a Digium AEX800.
>
>  One of the features that will be important (particularly for the
>  receptionist desk is to show status of the other lines in use). I don't
>  want the receptionist to pick up a line if it being used.
>
>  Is there a list of phones that are BLF (Busy Lamp Field) compatible? I'm
>  assuming (after reading tons of misc articles) that this is what I need
>  in order for the receptionist not to pick up lines in use. If this is
>  not the case please set me straight.
>
>  I am considering the cisco 7960's, linksys SPA942, and possibly some
>  polycom phones. I was leaning toward the 7960 but I've read that it is
>  not BLF compatible. Are there any workarounds for this? I am new to the
>  game and would be grateful for any recommendations on which phones would
>  be the easiest to setup, etc. I currently have a working asterisk
>  install at home with a single cisco 7960 registered which isn't hooked
>  up to any trunks as of yet.
>
>  Thanks,
>
>  Dayton Gray
>

You select lines with a "Key System", a "PBX" simply uses a pool of
lines.  You may not even need or want any BLF (Busy Lamp Field) or SLA
(Shared Line Appearances) because Asterisk is a PBX (for the most
part).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_branch_exchange

"PBXs are differentiated from "key systems" in that users of key
systems manually select their own outgoing lines, while PBXs select
the outgoing line automatically. Hybrid systems combine features of
both."

Thanks,
Steve Totaro