So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good? Reliability? Functionality? Customization's? I am coming from a Nortel world, were you pay for everything, and you can't delve into the software. But it seems that customization would be a great thing. Like, setting up a war-dialer to customer lists, incoming/outgoing faxes (that's possible with Asterisk, right?) and making your own cool voice mail stuff. But before I delve into it, I thought a question to the community would be in order. 2 more questions. 1 - Can you really make free outgoing calls from let's say Portland OR, to Frankfurt Germany? 2 - What would it take to set one up? cards / computer power / pricing on software? What has your experience been? Thank you for taking time to look at this post! Eugen
Hi Eugene, Yes it's that good. All the functionality you posted is possible. Regarding your international calls, nothing more is required than two asterisk servers (one at each location) and a broadband connection - cards are only used to connect into pstn or isdn. Why don't you start with a preformatted iso like trixbox or druid and then jump into coding your own once you know what you are doing. Regards, Dean Collins Cognation Pty Ltd dean at cognation.net +1-212-203-4357 Ph +61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial).> -----Original Message----- > From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com [mailto:asterisk-users- > bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Eugen Soare > Sent: Thursday, 10 April 2008 2:47 PM > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > Subject: [asterisk-users] Is Asterisk really good?? > > So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good? > > Reliability? > > Functionality? > > Customization's? > > > I am coming from a Nortel world, were you pay for everything, and you > can't delve into the software. But it seems that customization wouldbe> a great thing. > Like, setting up a war-dialer to customer lists, incoming/outgoing > faxes (that's possible with Asterisk, right?) and making your owncool> voice mail stuff. > > But before I delve into it, I thought a question to the communitywould> be in order. > > 2 more questions. > > 1 - Can you really make free outgoing calls from let's say PortlandOR,> to Frankfurt Germany? > 2 - What would it take to set one up? cards / computer power /pricing> on software? What has your experience been? > > Thank you for taking time to look at this post! > Eugen > > _______________________________________________ > -- Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com -- > > asterisk-users mailing list > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
On Thu, 10 Apr 2008, Eugen Soare wrote:> 1 - Can you really make free outgoing calls from let's say Portland OR, > to Frankfurt Germany?No. There is no free lunch. It takes electricity, bandwidth, and depending on who you want to call in Germany, termination. Thanks in advance, ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Steve Edwards sedwards at sedwards.com Voice: +1-760-468-3867 PST Newline Fax: +1-760-731-3000
BTW Eugene, was just reading Tom Keatings blog (he's a pretty well known reporter around here), he was just talking about a new commercial appliance called CogoBlue that you could send to the person at the other end if they don't know anything about voip or pabx's to make it even easier for them to setup calls at their end. http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/asterisk/ispbx-launches-asterisk -appliances-with-cogoblue-asterisk-gui.asp Cheers, Dean> -----Original Message----- > From: Dean Collins > Sent: Thursday, 10 April 2008 2:51 PM > To: 'Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion' > Subject: RE: [asterisk-users] Is Asterisk really good?? > > Hi Eugene, > Yes it's that good. > > All the functionality you posted is possible. > > Regarding your international calls, nothing more is required than twoasterisk servers> (one at each location) and a broadband connection - cards are onlyused to connect> into pstn or isdn. > > Why don't you start with a preformatted iso like trixbox or druid andthen jump into> coding your own once you know what you are doing. > > > > Regards, > > Dean Collins > Cognation Pty Ltd > dean at cognation.net > +1-212-203-4357 Ph > +61-2-9016-5642 (Sydney in-dial). > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com[mailto:asterisk-users-> > bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Eugen Soare > > Sent: Thursday, 10 April 2008 2:47 PM > > To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion > > Subject: [asterisk-users] Is Asterisk really good?? > > > > So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good? > > > > Reliability? > > > > Functionality? > > > > Customization's? > > > > > > I am coming from a Nortel world, were you pay for everything, andyou> > can't delve into the software. But it seems that customization wouldbe> > a great thing. > > Like, setting up a war-dialer to customer lists, incoming/outgoing > > faxes (that's possible with Asterisk, right?) and making your owncool> > voice mail stuff. > > > > But before I delve into it, I thought a question to the communitywould> > be in order. > > > > 2 more questions. > > > > 1 - Can you really make free outgoing calls from let's say PortlandOR,> > to Frankfurt Germany? > > 2 - What would it take to set one up? cards / computer power /pricing> > on software? What has your experience been? > > > > Thank you for taking time to look at this post! > > Eugen > > > > _______________________________________________ > > -- Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com--> > > > asterisk-users mailing list > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
Remember - True TELCO grade systems simply cannot be compared to anything else. You want the reliability , uptime, and all the bells and whistles of true Carrier Grade Hardware/Software then you pay for it. If you want something "you" can tinker under the hood with and do some cool stuff with, Asterisk is it. BUT - by it need NORTEL PBX reliability or the power and flexibility of a big Rockwell ACD, get out your check book. The two are not the same. Eugen Soare wrote:> So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good? > > Reliability? > > Functionality? > > Customization's? > > > I am coming from a Nortel world, were you pay for everything, and you > can't delve into the software. But it seems that customization would be > a great thing. > Like, setting up a war-dialer to customer lists, incoming/outgoing > >
Asterisk as a PBX is fantastic. It offers the features found in the most sophisticated traditional Until now the third party PBX configuration software has not had the sophistication of Asterisk product itself. Check out cogoblue.com It is a visual drag and drop configuration tool that is powerful yest simple to use. Eugen Soare wrote:> So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good? > > Reliability? > > Functionality? > > Customization's? > > > I am coming from a Nortel world, were you pay for everything, and you > can't delve into the software. But it seems that customization would be > a great thing. > Like, setting up a war-dialer to customer lists, incoming/outgoing > faxes (that's possible with Asterisk, right?) and making your own cool > voice mail stuff. > > But before I delve into it, I thought a question to the community would > be in order. > > 2 more questions. > > 1 - Can you really make free outgoing calls from let's say Portland OR, > to Frankfurt Germany? > 2 - What would it take to set one up? cards / computer power / pricing > on software? What has your experience been? > > Thank you for taking time to look at this post! > Eugen > > _______________________________________________ > -- Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com -- > > asterisk-users mailing list > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users >
On Thursday 10 April 2008 15:43:33 John Signorello wrote:> Asterisk as a PBX is fantastic. It offers the features found in the most > sophisticated traditional > > Until now the third party PBX configuration software has not had the > sophistication of > Asterisk product itself. Check out cogoblue.com It is a visual drag and > drop configuration tool that > is powerful yest simple to use.Common ethics would require you to post a disclaimer that you are behind cogoblue, not a satisfied independent customer. And again, you are posting advertising on a non-commercial list. -- Tilghman
On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:46:48 -0700, Eugen Soare <eugen.soare at gmail.com> wrote:>So this is just a general question, Is Asterisk really good?Yes, but you should also look at an alternative that used Asterisk as a reference (www.freeswitch.org), and make an informed decision.