Asterisk VoIP

The absolute PBX (Private Branch eXchange), Asterisk runs on everything under the sun you might expect from a Private Branch Exchange is provided in Asterisk. Talk of Call Conferencing or for that matter Interactive system of Voice Response, or even Call Queuing! All features including Voice mail services come under the umbrella of this amazing software. With directory support three ways calling, ADSI, caller ID facility, SIP (as both the client as well as the gateway).

It incorporates comparatively low –cost hardware and has inter-operational capabilities compatible with most standards-based telephony equipment in the software. Asterisk runs on the Linux operating system and provides all features you can expect from any PBX and more. It also offers Voicemail services along with the Directory; it has got the support for 3-way Asterisk does voice over IP (VoIP), in three protocols, and can interoperate with almost all-using relatively inexpensive hardware.

Asterisk doesn’t require any additional hardware for the Voice over IP. To interconnect the analog and digital telephony equipments, Asterisk supports many hardware devices .The most prominent of is manufactured by Asterisk’s sponsors, Digium.

Supporting a vast medley of TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) protocols required in the efficient handling and transfer of the voice over telephone interfaces, It also sustains European and US standard signaling varieties that are generally used in common business telephonic set ups. This way it can bridge a gap between the VDIN (voice-data integrated networks) of next generation along with the pre-existing infrastructure.

It is now possible to merge voice ands data traffic flawlessly connecting unconnected, remote networks .The Inter-Asterisk exchange (IAX) Voice over IP protocol can also send URLs and unify them with images and voice traffic.

Allowing a switching core at the center to integrate with 4 APIs used for the modular loading of hardware interfaces, telephony applications, file format handling, and codes Asterisk has the capability to facilitate switching across all of the supported interfaces, What results is a diverse blend of telephonic systems that come together under the umbrella of one switching network.

Having been developed mainly on a GNU/Linux for x/86, Asterisk VoIP has a repute of being able to run on GNU/Linux for PPC along with Open BSD, FreeBSD, and Mac OS X Jaguar. In comparison to other platforms and standards based on UNIX-like operating systems this is easier to port for any skilled person with free time on his side.

Asterisk VoIP is unique in:

• Monitoring and recording of calls.
• Providing features like call holding facility even at times when the parent phone lacks it.
• Providing dial plans for choosing between among many VOIP providers.
• Defining pickup groups.
• Creation of call queues.
• Providing time sensitive rules.
• Reading and writing values to and from databases.
• Sending data to and reading data from an application having the ability to be controlled by an external manager application.
• Providing facility for speech recognition.

Some examples of Asterisk VoIP Applications are:

• Credit card/Prepaid calling.
• Dating service.
• Chat.
• Follow me.
• Call center (Asterisk agents)
• Games (Lost Vault, Taboo)
• Training
• Virtual Office
• Web calling/Presence

How does Asterisk VoIP help a super busy frequent flier?

An Asterisk VoIP user is called .The call is answered and asks the caller for their name. After the name is mentioned a message is played, requesting the caller for a moment before the call is located.

Next, Asterisk server calls the office telephone at a business’ headquarters, simultaneously at a branch office, and also rings the home telephone. The cell phone is also not spared of the simultaneous ringing. Incase the user cannot answer the calls after six rings; a message is relayed to the caller to leave a message in the voice mailbox.

If the user picks up any of the phones, the caller id of the caller is announced. To accept the call, the user has to press 1 or 3 to refuse the call. After refusal the caller is redirected to the voicemail box to record his message.