[asterisk-users] Understanding the right way to get started with multiple trunks/extensions

[Mark Rogers]

Background: I dabbled with asterisk years ago, and more recently have
more-or-less functioning IncrediblePBX systems for experimenting, but
I want to understand more so I'm now working with distro packages
(Ubuntu) and hand edited configurations files.

I have three SIP "trunks", each providing me with a UK telephone
number. They are for my home (1), my wife's home-based bookkeeping
business (2), and for taking support calls on from work (3). For
"handsets" I only really have mobile phones running SIP/IAX clients,
although I might put a "real" desktop handset on my wife's desk at
some point.

The objective is that my wife picks up calls to (1) or (2), I pick up
calls to (2) or (3), and maybe a colleague might also pick up calls to
(3).

I can see how to do this with call groups, but I would like to be able
to see at the handset which trunk the call has come in on, which I
don't think I can do that way?

Or I could just set up multiple connections in the SIP/IAX client, so
each trunk has its own extension and we each connect to multiple
extensions as required. That has the added advantage of making the
voicemail relate to which trunk the call comes in on, which is also
more appropriate here.

However, the latter option "feels" wrong somehow and I haven't found
any examples suggesting it's the right way to do things.

Also, I am keen to minimise battery overhead on the mobile phones - is
linking to multiple accounts is less efficient?

PS: Although I only really care about inbound calls at the moment, I
daresay I will want to handle internal calls at some point too,
although nothing stops me having dedicated per-user extensions as well
as per incoming trunk.

Mark
-- 
Mark Rogers // More Solutions Ltd (Peterborough Office) // 0844 251 1450
Registered in England (0456 0902) 21 Drakes Mews, Milton Keynes, MK8 0ER