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adding SAIL/Asterisk to an existing hardware PBX

Offline the_owl

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adding SAIL/Asterisk to an existing hardware PBX
« on: June 14, 2008, 11:09:39 PM »
As some of you may have read in another post - I am deploying a SME/SAIL/Asterisk box to a local charity with multiple sites.  Help on this forum has proved amazing to date, may i pick your brains once more?

With your help I have configured and deployed a server in a the head office of a local charity, who are now benefiting from free calls to their branches over the 'net via IAX softphones.

Back at Head Office they are using the softphone system to communicate with brances but also have a PBX with hardware extentions internaly - as you may have guessed they have asked if it is possible to join the two! - idealy without any new expensive H/W and without disrupting their current setup - as this is my first experience with asterisk/SAIL on any server I am out of my depth and in a steep learning curve so over to you!!!

As I have said before, I have many years in IT, working with both home users and small businesses, so am quite happy to get my hands dirty if needed.  I just have never got involved in telephony before (wish I had though")

Is this even possiible? or am I hoping for too much? - Will provide details of the PBX system when they can work out where it is located!

Many thanks again for all your help...

Offline SARK devs

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Re: adding SAIL/Asterisk to an existing hardware PBX
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2008, 11:23:13 AM »
Quote
Is this even possiible? or am I hoping for too much?

It's possible and we've done a few of these before.  To do it properly, you will need a PRI termination on the legacy switch and a PRI card fitted to the asterisk box.  A cheap PRI card for asterisk will run you about $200.  The PRI termination on the legacy switch will cost whatever the vendor charges.  You can then plug the two switches together and start flipping calls back and forth.

Kind Regards