Asterisk*

This week seems to be a week of me telling you about my new toys.  Today's new toy is Asterisk, a Linux software PBX designed to offer the features of a large expensive phone switch for the grand sum of free.

It offers many features found in proprietary PBX systems such as Voice mail,  IVR menus, call distribution and routing, and conference calling.  You might ask why I might require such a device, and its quite simple really.  My PSTN phones are on their last legs, however, for the price of a replacement phone,  I have been able to buy a PSTN interface card which allows me to receive and send phone calls into the Asterisk system.  Asterisk is then able to convert this 'old tech' call into a digital format and send it over an IP network, which is something that I've invested in heavily at home, having excellent wireless and fixed distribution around the house.  Not only that, but because a call becomes 'VoIP',  it means that I can in theory route phone calls out over the Internet to my 3G mobile whilst I'm out and about.  Because of this pervasive network, it means I can configure each computer, smart mobile with a client to act as a phone, or buy an IP phone for not much more than a standard phone, but with all the extra functionality available.

I am also able to take advantage of least cost routing, meaning that calls that qualify for 'free' in BT's Option 2 profile can go out over the PSTN, whilst International or 'peak hour's' calls can be routed via a more inexpensive or free provider using Voice over IP services, for example Skype.

One nice features that I'm looking forward to is being able to filter out calls, so callers that withhold their numbers will get played a message advising that I am a member of the TPS and if their call is in relation to sales, to remove my number from the list.   If they redial and present an unrecognised number, they will be sent to a mailbox to leave a message where I can decide whether I want to talk to them or not.  And finally, callers with recognised numbers (friends and family) will be put thru to the 'logged in' phones with their name and caller ID displayed to them.  Plus, because my satellite box is network connected, I can popup a caller ID on screen. If an answer isn't forthcoming within say 30 seconds,  they will be put to a mailbox for later call back. 

Any calls sent to a voicemail box, because they're recorded digitally, can be forwarded via e-mail, to be picked up whilst I'm out and about.  And because of the ability to forward calls across the Internet, my family can have one number and know that they should always try and contact me on that, no matter where I am. 

Having only received the PBX card yesterday, I've only got the inbound/outbound dialling and mailbox handoff working, but all of the above features are possible with a little configuration, so hopefully a few evenings configuration and testing should get me pretty much there!   Huzzah!