asterisk users - Oct 2008 - Advice on ISDN and Asterisk in the UK

Hello all
 
What I'm looking for is some plain speaking advice on ISDN.
 
Currently using 4 analog lines connecting via a four port TDM400P FXO card.  We
need to physically move our installations, and on requesting the analog lines be
moved - our telco (BT) is suggesting we replace our analog lines with ISDN2.  We
would have 3 x ISDN2 connections, giving us six voice channels.  They've
even offered us free installation of the lines (as opposed to a ?560 charge for
moving the analog lines!)
 
What hardware would you recommend in the Asterisk box?  I don't mind
admitting I'm a newb and a lot of the info I've found is over my head. 
I've been looking at a TE410P - would this achieve what I want which is to
connect the 3 ISDN2 connections, giving me six voice channels?
 
Assuming the TE410P is what I'm looking for (or an equivalent -
suggestions?) what are the basic points for what I would need to change in my
current config?
 
Any help or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated :-)
 
Cheers
 
Phil
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Phil Knighton wrote:
> Hello all
>  
> What I'm looking for is some plain speaking advice on ISDN.
>  
> Currently using 4 analog lines connecting via a four port TDM400P FXO 
> card.  We need to physically move our installations, and on requesting 
> the analog lines be moved - our telco (BT) is suggesting we replace 
> our analog lines with ISDN2.  We would have 3 x ISDN2 connections, 
> giving us six voice channels.  They've even offered us free 
> installation of the lines (as opposed to a ?560 charge for moving the 
> analog lines!)
>  
> What hardware would you recommend in the Asterisk box?  I don't mind 
> admitting I'm a newb and a lot of the info I've found is over my 
> head.  I've been looking at a TE410P - would this achieve what I want 
> which is to connect the 3 ISDN2 connections, giving me six voice channels?
>  
> Assuming the TE410P is what I'm looking for (or an equivalent - 
> suggestions?) what are the basic points for what I would need to 
> change in my current config?
I recommend the Sangoma A500 with Echo Cancel.  The TE410P is not what 
your are looking for since its for PRI service.  What BT is offering you 
is BRI service.  The Sangoma Wiki will tell you what configs need to me 
made.  http://wiki.sangoma.com/sangoma-wanpipe-smg-asterisk-bri-installation

Andres
http://www.neuroredes.com
>  
> Any help or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated :-)
>  
> Cheers
>  
> Phil
>
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On Fri, 24 Oct 2008, Phil Knighton wrote:
> Hello all
>
> What I'm looking for is some plain speaking advice on ISDN.
>
> Currently using 4 analog lines connecting via a four port TDM400P FXO 
> card.  We need to physically move our installations, and on requesting 
> the analog lines be moved - our telco (BT) is suggesting we replace our 
> analog lines with ISDN2.  We would have 3 x ISDN2 connections, giving us 
> six voice channels.  They've even offered us free installation of the 
> lines (as opposed to a ?560 charge for moving the analog lines!)
BT are sounding desperate! (And why go from 4 channels to 6?) Also watch 
out what they tie you in for - I suspect they'll offer the free 
installation if you sign up for a 5-year contract. One of my clients was 
offered that recently...
> What hardware would you recommend in the Asterisk box?  I don't mind 
> admitting I'm a newb and a lot of the info I've found is over my
head.
> I've been looking at a TE410P - would this achieve what I want which is
> to connect the 3 ISDN2 connections, giving me six voice channels?
Same hardware you currently have, but with an ISDN2 card rather than 
TDM400.

I use the mISDN drivers, and for the most-part they seem OK. Last one I 
bought was an openVox B200P from Voipon.co.uk. You'd need the B400P for 6 
channels (3 ports)
> Assuming the TE410P is what I'm looking for (or an equivalent - 
> suggestions?) what are the basic points for what I would need to change 
> in my current config?
Compile/install/load the mISDN drivers and then add in the configs. It's a 
bit fiddly, but seems to work OK. I did have some compile issues with the 
latest mISDN drivers though.

Or port it into VoIP and wave at BT ...


Gordon
--
www.drogon.net

Phil Knighton wrote:
> Hello all
>  
> What I'm looking for is some plain speaking advice on ISDN.
>  
> Currently using 4 analog lines connecting via a four port TDM400P FXO 
> card.  We need to physically move our installations, and on requesting 
> the analog lines be moved - our telco (BT) is suggesting we replace our 
> analog lines with ISDN2.  We would have 3 x ISDN2 connections, giving us 
> six voice channels.  They've even offered us free installation of the 
> lines (as opposed to a ?560 charge for moving the analog lines!)
Wow, you are lucky.

I used to have an ISDN-2 line into my home office. BT wrote to me about 
2 years ago and said they were discontinuing the service. They converted 
my dual channel BRI back into a single POTS.

I built a little Asterisk server, stuck an X100p in it for backup calls 
should my broadband go down (on a separate POTS line) and got two 
non-geo 0844 IAX trunks for free instead.

Who lost out there then?

Cheers

Alan

On 24 Oct 2008, at 17:00, Phil Knighton wrote:
> Hello all
>
> What I'm looking for is some plain speaking advice on ISDN.
>
> Currently using 4 analog lines connecting via a four port TDM400P  
> FXO card.  We need to physically move our installations, and on  
> requesting the analog lines be moved - our telco (BT) is suggesting  
> we replace our analog lines with ISDN2.  We would have 3 x ISDN2  
> connections, giving us six voice channels.  They've even offered us  
> free installation of the lines (as opposed to a ?560 charge for  
> moving the analog lines!)
>
> What hardware would you recommend in the Asterisk box?  I don't mind  
> admitting I'm a newb and a lot of the info I've found is over my  
> head.  I've been looking at a TE410P - would this achieve what I  
> want which is to connect the 3 ISDN2 connections, giving me six  
> voice channels?
>
> Assuming the TE410P is what I'm looking for (or an equivalent -  
> suggestions?) what are the basic points for what I would need to  
> change in my current config?
>
> Any help or suggestions would be gratefully appreciated :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Phil
Couple of things to look out for :
	1) FAX! If you currently have a fax on any of the 4 analog lines,  
then moving to ISDN will
require you to do a major dance to get it working with any degree of  
reliability. (same goes for
dialup modems, creditcard processing machines, alarm systems, sky  
boxes etc)
	2) There really isn't any competition in the ISDN BRI market in the  
UK - once
down that road you are tied to BT.
  If you do want to go to ISDN, think seriously of getting a PRI (30  
channels) with only a few channels
'lit'. The normal minimum is 8 out of the 30, but I once persuaded NTL  
(as was) to put up a 6 line
PRI. All the telcos have PRI offerings, and the cards for asterisk are  
cheaper than the equivalent
BRI card.


  In your situation I'd be taking 2 analog lines and an ADSL, use the  
ADSL to make voip
calls through a good VoIP provider and the 2 analog lines for  
emergencies, faxes and failover.


Tim.
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