Thursday, September 9, 2010

Make Asterisk Phone Systems An Integral Part Of Your Business Communications

By Adriana Noton

All business operations want to save money. One of the biggest office expenses can be the various aspects of telecommunication, from PBX setups to call center operations. Utilizing open source telephony, Asterisk phone systems have been under development since 1999, and can provide a wide range of services and applications. This free software can transform an ordinary computer into a communications server.

What exactly does the Asterisk system do that other systems can not? This software system is often referred to as a "development platform, " and it can be used to run everything from small business PBX systems to huge media servers. Open source technology, besides being free, is customizable and versatile. The Asterisk system uses Linux, the freely available source code that has challenged other major systems.

Originally designed for use with Linux, Asterisk can now operate with Mac OS X, Solaris, OpenBSD, and FreeBSD. It also can function with Microsoft Windows using a port designated Asterisk Win32. Asterisk software can allow an ordinary computer to act as a PBX or VoIP gateway, or a conference server. PBX systems based on Asterisk include nearly all of the same features found in proprietary setups. Among these are conference calling, voice mail, call distribution, and initial voice response on phone menus.

The original operating code was written by Mark Spencer of Digium Inc., in addition to contributions from open-source engineers worldwide. Asterisk is not a phone company in the sense that it manufactures telephone sets or physical components. Rather, it will provide the basic software building blocks for many communications systems, and can be constantly changed as conditions require.

Asterisk systems are excellent for call-center applications. Around the world, users have made the switch to Asterisk because it readily adapts to such existing features as remote IP agent capabilities, bulk dialing or advanced routing. There is no additional hardware needed for VoIP. The system does require cards and certain hardware devices for some interfaces, such as standard telephony cards. Support and sales of these items are provided by Digium, Inc., the parent company.

The system utilizes VoIP and PTSN drivers for interface cards, and handling and routing of both inbound and outbound calls. Tone generation, call billing details, and record and play media management functions are also featured. Conversion from one media format or protocol to another is possible, and the system can integrate both the database and Web Services. Asterisk is also able to handle single or multiple party bridging, and monitoring and recording uses.

Those wishing to set up PBX software can make use of a provided program called AsteriskNOW. When downloaded, this program allows system administrators to create solutions based on their own company needs. An easy to read administrative GUI, or user interface, makes the complexity of Linux and Asterisk easy to interpret. AsteriskNOW helps incorporate services such as VoIP or Skype Gateway, a call center ACD, a Conference Bridge, IP PBX, and others.

Many businesses around the world have made the decision to make use of the open-source technology that asterisk phone systems Toronto can provide. Whether you operate a call center, need a solution to your PBX problems or simply want to make use more efficient software, Asterisk open-source systems successfully integrates traditional PBX or voice systems with advanced VoIP setups for communications solutions both cost-effective and easily updated.

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