asterisk users - Jan 2007 - Is there a low cost cell phone base station for asterisk ?

I don't really know the name of what I want to look for but maybe 
someone could tell me if it would be available.

I have a number of old analogue cell phones laying about here and I was 
thinking it would be useful if I could set up a short range base station 
for them that would cover maybe an acre or so.  What I would like to be 
able to do is use it to connect into Asterisk and this way have a useful 
wireless extension-phone range.

I do know that there are WiFi IP phones available but based on the 
connection range to our WiFi access points it seems limited as is our 
existing wireless handset (POTS).

Any thoughts, suggestions ?

Mike

On Tue, Jan 09, 2007 at 05:11:55PM -0500, M.Hockings wrote:
> I don't really know the name of what I want to look for but maybe 
> someone could tell me if it would be available.
> I have a number of old analogue cell phones laying about here and I was 
> thinking it would be useful if I could set up a short range base station 
> for them that would cover maybe an acre or so.  What I would like to be 
> able to do is use it to connect into Asterisk and this way have a useful 
> wireless extension-phone range.
Where are you. Generally you cant do that sort of thing as you don't
have a license to operate in those frequencies.

In the UK you definately don't (each cellphone has a license attached to
it, it's just the operator pays the license fee). You cant get a license
to operate a base station.

Even if you could, running a basestation tends to need a hell of a lot
of infrastructure behind it: -

 Basestation or BTS

 BSC (basesite controller) - generally can control up to about 100 BTSs.

 MSC (mobile switch centre) - like a telephony switch, connects BSCs and
 PSTN.

 HLR (home location register) - database of registered phones. Might
 need a VLR if allowing roaming.

 SMSC (short message service centre) handles SMS.

 Lots of glue ...


Steve

-- 
NetTek Ltd  UK mob +44-(0)7775 755503
UK +44-(0)20 79932612 / US +1-(310)8577715 / Fax +44-(0)20 7483 2455
Skype/GoogleTalk/AIM/Gizmo/Mac stevekennedyuk / MSN steve@gbnet.net
Euro Tech News Blog http://eurotechnews.blogspot.com

M.Hockings wrote:
> I don't really know the name of what I want to look for but maybe 
> someone could tell me if it would be available.
> 
> I have a number of old analogue cell phones laying about here and I was 
> thinking it would be useful if I could set up a short range base station 
> for them that would cover maybe an acre or so.  What I would like to be 
> able to do is use it to connect into Asterisk and this way have a useful 
> wireless extension-phone range.
> 
> I do know that there are WiFi IP phones available but based on the 
> connection range to our WiFi access points it seems limited as is our 
> existing wireless handset (POTS).
> 
> Any thoughts, suggestions ?
You would have to talk to the FCC if you want to operate on any 
frequency those phones might support.

M.Hockings wrote:
> I don't really know the name of what I want to look for but maybe 
> someone could tell me if it would be available.
>
> I have a number of old analogue cell phones laying about here and I 
> was thinking it would be useful if I could set up a short range base 
> station for them that would cover maybe an acre or so.  What I would 
> like to be able to do is use it to connect into Asterisk and this way 
> have a useful wireless extension-phone range.
>
> I do know that there are WiFi IP phones available but based on the 
> connection range to our WiFi access points it seems limited as is our 
> existing wireless handset (POTS).
>
> Any thoughts, suggestions ?
>
> Mike
You have a few options...

Firstly I would suggest throw away or donate the old phones.  There is 
much better technology then Analog Cellular.

Simple Choice 1:
   Get new GSM phones subscribed on the same carrier and a GSM 
terminal.  Make sure the phones all have free in-network calling 
(assuming that option is available in your country).  Also setup the GSM 
terminal on the same group and hook it up to your asterisk server (think 
of it as a cellular extension).  Lock the phones so that they can only 
call each other and the GSM terminal.

     Cost: (assuming 5 phones & 1 terminal) ~$2000 to start and 
$150-200/mo.  YMMV

More complex choice 2:
     Get an RF engineer to design you a real WiFi coverage footprint and 
Wifi phones.

    Cost: $4000-7000 (or more) for consultation, hardware and setup.  No 
reoccuring charges (hopefully).

> The phone in question just prepended 010whatever to ALL phone numbers
> dialled, which makes it pretty crappy to use with a line that does not
> allow for network selection codes, or on lines that need a "0"
for a
> POTS line.
You could use it as an extension on Asterisk and strip that pre-pended
number from your dialed number.

Nice way to screw their attempt to screw you :)