Brand new to all of this - Can I do this with Asterisk?

Asterisk Asterisk General
1

Hey all,

I’m an amateur web developer and am very new to the PBX world but I have an idea for a phone/web application/service (very descriptive, I know…) and I am trying to figure out the easiest possible way to implement it.

Here’s what it would have to be able to do:

People can call a number from any phone. Once connected, they hear a pre-recorded audio message and can touch-tone dial a code that will cause a specific audio recording to be played based on which code they enter.

I would want to develop a web application with PHP/MySQL where I or another administrator could easily manage these audio files which are stored on the server.

The system would also need the capability to transfer the call to another number on the PSTN.

From my understanding, I could just install LAMP / Asterisk on an old box that I used to use as a PC - What I’ve yet to learn is how I can get this setup connected to the telephone network.

I currently live in a dorm room that doesn’t have a telephone jack (only internet) and so I was wondering if there is any way to set this up using a VoIP service such as Skype.

My thinking is that I could get a Skype-In number that people could call and then somehow integrate that with my Asterisk setup. The system could then use Skype-out to transfer the call to a number on the PSTN.

Is this possible? If not with Skype, with something else? That way I wouldn’t have to bother with analog telephone connectivity on my PC (which it currently does not have an interface for) and or the PSTN service and could simply use my internet connection.

Obviously I’m very new to all of this but I’m a computer engineering/computer science college student with a technical background and I’m a quick learner so if someone could maybe comment on my questions and point me in the right direction I’d appreciate it very much.

Thanks!

  • Dshap

EDIT: Ok, I just found this: blogs.digium.com/2009/02/23/skyp … sk-update/

Looks like I’ll have to wait to integrate w/Skype. Any idea how much something like that could cost?

Aside from that, is there any other way to get an Asterisk server connected to the PSTN via VoIP? Maybe Vonage or some other service?

2

yes, this is all 100% possible. There are many VoIP providers out there that will provide origination/termination to the PSTN. Almost all of them will utilize SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Here is a good list to get started:

sipcenter.com/sip.nsf/html/Service+Providers

You will probably have the easiest time getting started with one of the self-service pre-paid providers. Most of them allow you to order DIDs (phone numbers) online.

3

[quote=“g2010”]yes, this is all 100% possible. There are many VoIP providers out there that will provide origination/termination to the PSTN. Almost all of them will utilize SIP (Session Initiation Protocol). Here is a good list to get started:

sipcenter.com/sip.nsf/html/Service+Providers

You will probably have the easiest time getting started with one of the self-service pre-paid providers. Most of them allow you to order DIDs (phone numbers) online.[/quote]

Hi and thanks for the reply.

I just want to make sure I understand what you are suggesting for me…

I would pay one of these origination/termination providers to give me a phone number. People could call that phone number on the PSTN, the o/t company will convert it into SIP which they can send directly to my asterisk server which I am hosting (I can just treat that as an incoming call in asterisk) and then I can send them a SIP signal from my server which they can put back into the PSTN for example if I wanted to transfer a call to another phone number?

It seems as though these companies charge a lot for their services (i.e. not like the $10/month you need to get setup with a basic web application hosting platform)…although I can’t really tell because a lot of them just say something like “contact us for more information.” What is the payment structure usually like? Do you pay by the minute?

It seems as though if I waited for SFA to come out that I could do this for really really cheap (i.e. Skype-In/Out is $3/month for unlimited calling). But then again there is no real info about when SFA will come out so I would be tempted to try one of these o/t services if it’s reasonably affordable.

Any further information on this topic while I go off to read more would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

4

You will be able to find services for somewhere in the range of $0.005/min… and some will even offer unlimited trunks for $10/mo.

5

g2010, as an aside…

Where did you find these services? I have been happy doing burst outgoing on Flowroutes network for $0.0098/min. I have talked to a number of companies who offer metered trunks for 10$/month but not unlimited. Perhaps I am looking in the wrong place. :wink:

Oh and good luck to you dshap!!

6

Since I don’t need the skype-specific features of SFA (i.e. buddy list integration or the ability to call skype users), couldn’t I just use Skype for SIP?

All I want is an affordable way to connect my Asterisk server (that I am going to build) to the PSTN. Could I get a Skype-In number, pay the $3/month, and get unlimited calling and use Skype for SIP so that my server can reach the PSTN?

Asterisk Server --> “Skype for SIP” --> Skype-In/Out --> PSTN

Any suggestions/advice/information on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!