[kwlug-disc] VoIP questions

[Lori Paniak]

On Tue, 2010-01-05 at 13:07 -0500, Adam Glauser wrote:
> Lori Paniak wrote:
> > Maybe I can answer that...
> > 
> > The Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) gives you a bridge from
> > the POTS to VOIP through a Direct Inward Dialing (DID) number (telephone
> > number!).  You don't really buy a phone number - just rent it.
> > 
> > A non-toll-free number from a typical ITSP (unlimitel, les.net,
> > link2voip) costs $2.50-3.50 with ~2c/min for all calls.  Toll-free
> > numbers are also available at slightly higher cost.
> 
> Thanks Lori, that's exactly what I was looking for.
> 
> We're looking into VoIP choice for a small office.  If we decide we 
> don't need an auto-attendant, extensions and all that hoopla, would it 
> be possible to each have a DID from an ITSP?  That is, can you have 
> multiple SIP devices (softphones, probably) behind NAT, each of which 
> have their own DID?
> 

You could have each phone with its own DID, but that is not very
efficient. A DID from unlimitel is rated for 5 simultaneous calls by
default.  And then you get the single "office" number that can be used
for advertising, etc.

For a simple office, skip the low-level programming of Asterisk and load
a copy of trixbox CE or Elastix on an old computer with a couple of
NICs.  You'll get the "hoopla" with less hassle than separate DIDs. And
you will be able to transfer calls between extensions on your PBX.

Even with a PBX, you can have different DIDs going to different phones
(internally or externally!). Really, with something like trixbox, for
basic small office installs, you can have your cake and eat it too.
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