[Tfug] VoIP/PSTN bridges (?)

[Bexley Hall]

Hi Nick,

--- On Fri, 8/31/12, Nick Lopez <nick at the.glowingmonkey.org> wrote:

> > Nowadays, something like the first device would be used to
> > connect a VoIP PBX to the PSTN.  Something like the second device
> > would be used to connect a VoIP PBX to a traditional station set.
> > (Though I won't add the VoIP compatibility requirement to the
> > mix as I can work around that).
> > 
> > - What are each of these devices/functionalities called?
> 
>    That magic term your looking for is ATA
> (Analog Terminal Adapter).

Ah, thanks!  (maybe Analog Telephone Adapter?)
 
> > - What likely products should I investigate?  (size, cost)
> 
> I have an old Sipura SPA3000 I use for messing around with stuff, it
> has an independent FXO & FXS port. It can answer calls from
> MaBell^WUSWest^WQWest^WCentury Link and send them to your asterisk box
> for interrogating the caller, then when your Asterisk contortions have
> deemed the caller worthy it can forward the call over to the FXS port to
> ring your phones. A quick perusal of voipsupply only turns up one
> current ATA that has both FXO & FXS ports, that is the successor to my
> old SPA3000, the Linksys SPA3102
> (http://www.voipsupply.com/linksys-spa3102) for $70.

OK, this is a free-standing beast... talk to it over the wire, etc.
I *think* that's the "safer" (more flexible) approach.  What
downside does that entail?  (latency, etc.)

> Jumping up to a 2 in/2 out VoIP gateway kicks it up to $315
> (http://www.voipsupply.com/audiocodes-mp-114-2fxs2fxo).

<frown>

> You might be able to find something along the lines of what you want
> cheap from Grandstream, but be warned, they're cheap for a reason.

I've only encountered a couple of their products (never had to *use*
any) and they seemed very "oriental"... e.g., the prompts weren't
even in English (despite being marketed to an English customer
base).

> If you're looking more for an internal PCI/PCIE card it looks
> like they aren't any cheaper new, but I know somebody trying to
> offload an old digium 4-port analog card.

A friend has offered a 4 port card (no idea as to the FXO/FXS mix
supported) for me to experiment with.  I am, however, concerned
that, as a long term solution, this is an unwise move.  It seems
like it ties me to a particular hardware *and* software implementation
that I might not otherwise have chosen.  Contrast this with a
device that has RJ45/11 in/out and stands alone...

Obviously, more research is required on my part!  After a nap...  ;-)

Thx,
--don