asterisk users - Mar 2009 - Multi-tenant with receptionist features for managed service

Dear all,

I'm currently researching options for a MT asterisk gui/system for a
small business centre that will have 12 units in it. Each unit will be
configured for one extension.

The system there will have a max of 12 concurrent calls to PSTN
provided via an ADSL/SDSL link to our VoIP provider in the UK, using
g.711, maybe g.729 dependant on networking costs. Fallback will
be to 4 analogue lines should this go down.

What is key is billing information and the ability for a receptionist
to see all active calls and do transfers etc. Much like the Flash
Operator Panel. Desktop Software may also be needed for this purpose
or can be done via a traditional bank of lines on an IP phone
accessory module.

If anyone has any ideas on the best way to put this together, I'm all ears
;-)

I was going to use an OpenVOX card and Dell T100 box, with 12 Aastra
53i phones. There's a ?4k budget for this (still waiting for more into)which
will include the networking connection and equipment. If I can afford it I
normally go Sangoma with Echo cancellation, but as it's a fallback service,
so I'm not bothered.

I think I've covered everything. There will be many more business
centres to come as this first project will be the blueprint one. The
end goal is to also move this to a data centre and not have it on site
with the pstn fallback options, but use redundant links to our DC.
Like a mini-ITSP for our area. I haven't figured the receptionist part
for that bit yet though ;-)

Thanks,

Gavin.

P.S. I have thought about pbxinaflash and a2billing, but I'm not sure
if it would not be clunky for a novice to handle (receptionist). I may
go down that route and hire the FreePBX team to fill in the mixing pieces
of Multi-tenant if they are interested.

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009, Gavin Henry wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I'm currently researching options for a MT asterisk gui/system for a
> small business centre that will have 12 units in it. Each unit will be
> configured for one extension.
>
> The system there will have a max of 12 concurrent calls to PSTN
> provided via an ADSL/SDSL link to our VoIP provider in the UK, using
> g.711, maybe g.729 dependant on networking costs. Fallback will
> be to 4 analogue lines should this go down.
Gavin,

You won't get 12 concurent G711 calls over a standard ADSL line in the UK. 
If you're on an ADSL2+ service you may get up to 1.1Mb/sec upload speed, 
but even then, 12 * 80 = 960Kb/sec which is really pushing it, so use 
G729, or get that 2Mb SDSL line in. Make sure it's a decent ISP too. Using 
IAX will give you a few extra channels though as the IP overhead is less.
> What is key is billing information and the ability for a receptionist
> to see all active calls and do transfers etc. Much like the Flash
> Operator Panel. Desktop Software may also be needed for this purpose
> or can be done via a traditional bank of lines on an IP phone
> accessory module.
Have a look at: http://www.astassistant.com/ rather than FOP. Even has a 
Linux client which is nice...
> If anyone has any ideas on the best way to put this together, I'm all
ears ;-)
The consultant in me says "Pay someone to do it for you" :) However
it's
not that hard to do and setup if youve done something similar in the past 
- and your budget is tight. If you know you're going to get more of these, 
then go for it - spend your time on the software and front-end for the the 
first one, then the rest are clones...
> I was going to use an OpenVOX card and Dell T100 box, with 12 Aastra
> 53i phones. There's a ?4k budget for this (still waiting for more
into)which
> will include the networking connection and equipment. If I can afford it I
> normally go Sangoma with Echo cancellation, but as it's a fallback
service,
> so I'm not bothered.
When budgets tight - I've deployed a lot of Grandstream phones - might 
give you a bit more breathing space if you use (eg) GXP280's for the 
client phones and a GXP2000 + button box for the receptionist.

You can save money by building your own hardware too. Atom mobo, 1GB of 
RAM and an OpenVox card running oslec is still overkill for this. I mostly 
use 1GHz VIA boards for these sort of projects with up to 60 extensions.

Billings a PITA and other than what I've written myself, have never found 
anything that works the way I'm happy with... Good luck!

> I think I've covered everything. There will be many more business
> centres to come as this first project will be the blueprint one. The
> end goal is to also move this to a data centre and not have it on site
> with the pstn fallback options, but use redundant links to our DC.
> Like a mini-ITSP for our area. I haven't figured the receptionist part
> for that bit yet though ;-)
Personally I'd stick the box on-site and have a central peering server or 
2 in the DC - well that's how I do it ;-) You'll struggle to get
properly
redundant links in that budget range too - one JCB can ruin everyones day!

Cheers,

Gordon
-- 
www.drogon.net

For MT check out Thirdlane's MT PBX:

http://www.thirdlane.com/products/thirdlane-pbx-mte

I use the PBX Manager which it's based on and it works very well.
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