Adventures in Asterisk/Trixbox PBX Telephony

In my last post, I talked about my personal goal to establish a PBX phone system using the open source Asterisk code (made user friendly via Trixbox.) I’ve decided not to go it alone, primarily because I’m porting my office number to the new VOIP service, Teliax and I can’t really have any delays in phone service. (translation: my main office phone number is being transferred from Bellsouth/AT&T to my new phone service provider, Teliax, a VOIP provider). I’m going to use SIP/IP phones in my new phone system and it’s just going to be easier to hire a consultant.

For less than the cost of two months of Bellsouth phone service, I’ll have established a fully functional PBX system using an old PC and the power of VOIP service and a IT consultant!

The consultant will take an old PC of mine (which could be purchased on ebay for less than $100) and turn it into a monster phone system which will be as feature rich as a $5,000 traditional PBX system and leverage the low cost of VOIP service.

Although I am using a consultant, I intend to supervise much of the install so that I can learn as much about it as possible, paying particular attention to the web access page which will allow me to make changes, add extensions, change my hold music, etc.

Some of the things I’ll be able to do once the system is in place:

1. Expected: Take a call, transfer it to another phone in my office.

2. Expected: Put someone on hold with custom music and announcements.

3. Expected: Integrate with MS Outlook so I can “click to call.”

4. Expected: Have each call metered for time.

5. Highly Anticipated: Make/Receive calls from my laptop using a softphone as though I’m sitting at my desk.

6. Highly Anticipated: Press an “Out of Office” button, and have calls forwarded to my cell phone (if I feel like working!)

7. Highly Anticipated: Having an unlimited number of simulataneous outgoing or incoming calls without paying for multiple phone numbers.

8. Possibility: Integrate metered calls into time and billing

9. Possibility: Have clients set appointments by using phone prompts (press “1″ to set an appointment, enter the date you wish to meet) and integrate with MS Outlook or other calendaring program.

10. Sure thing: No more phone bills in excess of $60.00 (The VOIP service plan I’m on is called “pay as you go” offered by Teliax. It’s 2 cents a minute incoming/outgoing domestic local/long distance and 2.9 cents incoming toll free calls. They also have a $45 package that has unlimited local, long distance and incoming toll free (up to 2500 minutes including 1000 inbound toll free minutes). For my office, that’s an average of 125 minutes each business day per month, way more than I need.

Once successful, I will release his name and contact info to anyone who wants him to come and turn your business phone headaches into a thing of the past. (I may charge a fee for releasing this godsend of a computer genius!)

Wish me luck and stay tuned!