asterisk users - Sep 2009 - Allowing multiple callers to join a public speaking session...?

Hi All,

As is obvious by my joining the list, I'm interested in learning more  
about Asterisk.  I have downloaded the PDF manual (for version 1.4)  
and am beginning to go through it.  What I'm looking for in the short- 
term, however, is a more concise reference for common Asterisk  
configurations and setups.

I currently have a non-profit client to which I am donating work.   
They are looking to allow callers to listen in to public speaking  
sessions.  They currently have a single phone line with call waiting  
and are using an archaic one-person switch to then allow folks to call- 
chain via 3-way calling.  What they want is basically a "switchboard"
that allows multiple people (5 to 10) to call in at a time of their  
choosing and begin listening to the "in-progress" session.

My first question would be:  Is Asterisk the proper tool for this job  
(or is there something else you'd recommend)?  A follow-up question  
would be:  What kind of cost is involved in a small setup of this  
nature?

Your input is much appreciated.

Best,

Michael
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An Asterisk MeetMe conference sounds like the ideal sort of scenario for 
you, allowing people to join in or drop off during a session as they 
please.


N.


lists at mgreg.com wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> As is obvious by my joining the list, I'm interested in learning more 
> about Asterisk.  I have downloaded the PDF manual (for version 1.4) 
> and am beginning to go through it.  What I'm looking for in the 
> short-term, however, is a more concise reference for common Asterisk 
> configurations and setups.
>
> I currently have a non-profit client to which I am donating work.  
> They are looking to allow callers to listen in to public speaking 
> sessions.  They currently have a single phone line with call waiting 
> and are using an archaic one-person switch to then allow folks to 
> call-chain via 3-way calling.  What they want is basically a 
> "switchboard" that allows multiple people (5 to 10) to call in at
a
> time of their choosing and begin listening to the "in-progress"
session.
>
> My first question would be:  Is Asterisk the proper tool for this job 
> (or is there something else you'd recommend)?  A follow-up question 
> would be:  What kind of cost is involved in a small setup of this nature?
>
> Your input is much appreciated.
>
> Best,
>
> Michael
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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In my opinion, Asterisk would be an acceptable, if not proper tool for this
task.    If the sessions aren't live, you might be better off offering them
as podcasts.  But since you posted the question here, the simplest way to
offer this would be to connect an asterisk installation to 5-10 SIP DID's
and offer the sessions as a conference call.   You could probably do this
for $200-500 USD per month, possibly less with a hosted asterisk solution.

 

  _____  

From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of
lists at mgreg.com
Sent: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 12:19 PM
To: asterisk-users at lists.digium.com
Subject: [asterisk-users] Allowing multiple callers to join a publicspeaking
session...?

 

Hi All,

 

As is obvious by my joining the list, I'm interested in learning more about
Asterisk.  I have downloaded the PDF manual (for version 1.4) and am
beginning to go through it.  What I'm looking for in the short-term,
however, is a more concise reference for common Asterisk configurations and
setups.

 

I currently have a non-profit client to which I am donating work.  They are
looking to allow callers to listen in to public speaking sessions.  They
currently have a single phone line with call waiting and are using an
archaic one-person switch to then allow folks to call-chain via 3-way
calling.  What they want is basically a "switchboard" that allows
multiple
people (5 to 10) to call in at a time of their choosing and begin listening
to the "in-progress" session.

 

My first question would be:  Is Asterisk the proper tool for this job (or is
there something else you'd recommend)?  A follow-up question would be:  What
kind of cost is involved in a small setup of this nature?

 

Your input is much appreciated.

 

Best,

 

Michael

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On Wed, 2 Sep 2009, lists at mgreg.com wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> As is obvious by my joining the list, I'm interested in learning more
about
> Asterisk.  I have downloaded the PDF manual (for version 1.4) and am 
> beginning to go through it.  What I'm looking for in the short-term,
however,
> is a more concise reference for common Asterisk configurations and setups.
>
> I currently have a non-profit client to which I am donating work.  They are
> looking to allow callers to listen in to public speaking sessions.  They 
> currently have a single phone line with call waiting and are using an
archaic
> one-person switch to then allow folks to call-chain via 3-way calling. 
What
> they want is basically a "switchboard" that allows multiple
people (5 to 10)
> to call in at a time of their choosing and begin listening to the 
> "in-progress" session.
>
> My first question would be:  Is Asterisk the proper tool for this job (or
is
> there something else you'd recommend)?  A follow-up question would be: 
What
> kind of cost is involved in a small setup of this nature?
>
> Your input is much appreciated.
>
> Best,
>
> Michael
Hi Michael,

Yes, I think you are on the right track.  A "Meetme" conference is
what
you need, and perhaps a service to provide a DID number that would allow 
multiple people to call in to your conference at the same time (without 
purchasing POTS hardware, dealing with echo issues, etc.).  Checkout 
"www.ipcomms.net".  I use them for a number of DID services.  Their
rates
are decent and their support folks know asterisk.

Cheers,

j

MeetMe agreed, but depending on how many people you expect to be listening,
i think you can do this on a "virtual" server with minimal bandwidth,
you
can probably do this very very cheaply, or even find someone that will host
it for free since it's non profit, unless of course you're talking about
hundreds of people listening... but for ~20 i don't think it will cost too
much at all, and i'm talking "not much" in the non profit sense,
so i don't
think you'd need hundreds... one of the servers i manage costs ?40/month
(1and1) which is currently handling over 100 calls with no complaints at
all, so you should certainly be able to get something much cheaper than
that, and i'm sure i've seen ISPs doing free services for non profit
organisations in the past.

Cheers

Geraint

2009/9/2 lists at mgreg.com <lists at mgreg.com>
> Hi All,
>
> As is obvious by my joining the list, I'm interested in learning more
about
> Asterisk.  I have downloaded the PDF manual (for version 1.4) and am
> beginning to go through it.  What I'm looking for in the short-term,
> however, is a more concise reference for common Asterisk configurations and
> setups.
>
> I currently have a non-profit client to which I am donating work.  They are
> looking to allow callers to listen in to public speaking sessions.  They
> currently have a single phone line with call waiting and are using an
> archaic one-person switch to then allow folks to call-chain via 3-way
> calling.  What they want is basically a "switchboard" that allows
multiple
> people (5 to 10) to call in at a time of their choosing and begin listening
> to the "in-progress" session.
>
> My first question would be:  Is Asterisk the proper tool for this job (or
> is there something else you'd recommend)?  A follow-up question would
be:
> What kind of cost is involved in a small setup of this nature?
>
> Your input is much appreciated.
>
> Best,
>
> Michael
>
> _______________________________________________
> -- Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com --
>
> AstriCon 2009 - October 13 - 15 Phoenix, Arizona
> Register Now: http://www.astricon.net
>
> asterisk-users mailing list
> To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit:
>   http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
>
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