Intercom/Paging w/ Aastra VOIP SIP Handsets w/ Asterisk Server
Our ISP/Hosted VOIP PBX provider is just finishing up the installation of about 45 new Aastra handsets running the newest firmware w/ SIP. Two of the phones are the 57i and 57i CT. All the other phones are the 9143i model.
They've figured out how to 'intercom' individual handsets but we need to 'intercom' various 'groups' of handsets. This I've been told is actually called 'paging' using multicast packets. We've been told that in order to intercom to groups, we must utilize 'paging/multicast' and program a key on each phone for each 'group' of handsets. We were hoping to have an 'intercom' group with a specific extension number and then simply hit the intercom button + the 'group' intercom number. Our ISP has tried to assign an extension to several handsets but when we try that, only the 1st handset get the intercom and all other handsets don't.
We don't want to tie up additional 'soft keys' on the 9143i and we are running out of 'softkeys' on the 'sidecar (560M)' of the 57i handsets for these 'paging' groups.
Is there any way we can get these 'intercom groups' to not tie up any more keys on the Aastra phone handsets?
NOTE: Our ISP is using a 'full-blown' Asterisk implementation. Not a 'bundled/pre-packaged' one like Trixbox, PBXInAFlash, etc.
Thank you in advance for anyone that has a chance to reply!
They've figured out how to 'intercom' individual handsets but we need to 'intercom' various 'groups' of handsets. This I've been told is actually called 'paging' using multicast packets. We've been told that in order to intercom to groups, we must utilize 'paging/multicast' and program a key on each phone for each 'group' of handsets. We were hoping to have an 'intercom' group with a specific extension number and then simply hit the intercom button + the 'group' intercom number. Our ISP has tried to assign an extension to several handsets but when we try that, only the 1st handset get the intercom and all other handsets don't.
We don't want to tie up additional 'soft keys' on the 9143i and we are running out of 'softkeys' on the 'sidecar (560M)' of the 57i handsets for these 'paging' groups.
Is there any way we can get these 'intercom groups' to not tie up any more keys on the Aastra phone handsets?
NOTE: Our ISP is using a 'full-blown' Asterisk implementation. Not a 'bundled/pre-packaged' one like Trixbox, PBXInAFlash, etc.
Thank you in advance for anyone that has a chance to reply!
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Does this work with other brand phones? Granstream Budgetone in my case... ?
It does work with Polycom for sure. The phone needs to support auto answer functions.
This page seems to indicate it's possible with the Grandstream's too, if you have a new enough firmware.
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+Grandstream+Paging
This page seems to indicate it's possible with the Grandstream's too, if you have a new enough firmware.
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Asterisk+Grandstream+Paging
Thanks for the comment. Grandstream's site says that BT-100 and BT-200 support auto-answer function.