atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums VOIP Phones & IP PBX VoIP & Cloud Phones, Hosted PBX, General IP Phones Why don't IP phones have universal many DSS buttons like digital system phones?

Not a problem! It is truly amazing what you can do with Asterisk.

Ok I'll bite:
Take this key system, https://www.necunifiedsolutions.com/Downloads/PDFs/UBSD/0893060_Aspire_S.pdf then compare this feature list:

https://www.asterisk.org/features


How about actually justifying your opinion? This is generally how discussions are held. Not that I don't like Asterisk, as I have had a linux box running Asterisk (and updated) for a few years. I mearly don't see where you are coming from to make that statement.

Weiss,

Please post for we the unlearned will be able to learn.

There are many of us out here that have limited experience and would love to see the comparison here on the board, I'm sure.

Will be awaiting the info,

KLD

Arrgggg.... Okay. I'll explain because it appears you are missing the concept of what Asterisk actually is.

Asterisk is a development platform first off. Albeit, one that comes preconfigured with many common options and features one might expect or desire in a phone system (as you managed to find on the Asterisk features list... see also Trixbox, formerly Asterisk@Home, for a simple install that works for many of the more common situations with many more added "features"). From there, you can configure it yourself (assuming you have spent the time to learn how, which doesn't take long at all). Being an OPEN system, you can change just about anything you want through programming changes or through configuration script edits. You can also allow other systems (computers, other software, other phone systems, etc.) to control, communicate with or serve info to your Asterisk system through a multitude of ways. Quite simply, you can do basically anything with it.

Can Asterisk do all the neato stuff listed in that nifty little NEC pdf? Absolutely! Do you need all of that for every installation? NO! Do you sometimes need "other stuff" that the NEC can't do? Of course! With Asterisk, you customize it to do exactly what you want and nothing more. We're not talking about a cookie cutter solution here. We are talking about a solution that can easily be TAILOR MADE to fit the needs and desires of the customer/user. If you decide later to add a "feature", you program it in, use any number of free scripts, controls or software most of which is FREELY available, or if it's a simple thing (like most of the NEC "features"), you add a couple of lines to the config and you're done. You don't have to buy an addon module or a software update.

I regret to admit that the one "feature" Asterisk is lacking is LIMITS. Limits on voice mail ports, number of voice mail boxes or messages per box... All of which that NEC system "features". 16 IP Terminals as a MAX? Are you kidding me? The list goes on...

Also, Asterisk can use more or less any codec/protocol you can throw at it. It appears, at least according to the literature, that the NEC is stuck with H.323. YUCK. <sarcasm>Boy that sure is state of the art stuff there. </sarcasm>

If I haven't "justified" properly, please, let me know. I'll try to do better.

Umm, I took the list of features right off the Asterisk site. I have a hard time believing you can duplicate every feature of a small "key" system in every way seeing how I have had an Asterisk system running for some time (notice I was simply making a point of features NOT size as the system in the pdf is of course small). Not that it's bad at all..quite the contrary, I am not trying to say that, but to come here and say you can duplicate the exact feature of every system out there I have to take issue with from a technical and professional stance. If you can you have my complete attention

BTW, where are your digital phones for Asterisk? The ones that can run on a single pair of wire 2000+ feet away from the nearest power source? The NEC does support g7.29 and most common protocals and codecs...simply older pdf and software revision and it IS a small key/hybrid after all.

"If I haven't "justified" properly, please, let me know. I'll try to do better."

Please indulge me I am listening and learning....

weiss don't let us scare you off you will find a lot of negative feelings for voip here but there is also a lot of people wanting to learn more about it this type of discussion can teach us all something :thumb:

Like I said I am listening. I am not by ANY means a linux/unix guru, and getting Asterisk up and stable was a PITA...and alot of seaching the open source forums. I do NOT want to scare off a potential source of info on this system...I just want to see HOW you can make it happen from a hardware/topology/software way.

How about those Asterisk gateways that are required to sit between your box and the telco? We've had more than one company call us after using one of those Asterisk boxes and having quality of service problems on PSTN calls. Also I'd like to hear you explain how you write a script that will allow for hands free intercom, softkey navigation of voicemail menus etc. I could go on but will stop here. Bottom line is that Asterisk is cool because it's open source but that's about it. What engineering group stands behind you when there are problems that your company can't solve by itself?

we're using the ShoreTel system, which has both the point and click software, and also has hardware-based DSS buttons available (the BB24).

both/either work well, it is simply that different users prefer varying solutions -- but we're used to that, right? whatever keeps 'em happy and working is good with me. if it comes down to money, I let the user and their management justify/not justify.

Even Alcatel ip phones have all the facilities which is available in normal digital phones,it has very good models,with 12 to 24 buttons DSS,menu driven parameters,voicemail accessing key etc.