See asterisk.org for software PBX.
On 2/14/2006 10:54 AM, Humanplant wrote:
> Has anyone heard or have any experience with a company called SOHO-PBX?
> They are selling small PBX on ebay and have a website, http://SOHO-PBX.com.
> I am looking for exactly what they have, but hate to just jump into
> buying one (at around $80) without any information. It appears that
> they are centered in Hong Kong. It doesn't look like they are selling
> a bunch of their products on ebay, possibly due to the low cost and
> high shipping (ex. $10 for the pbx, $70 -- depending on model -- to
> get it shipped to USA) Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
> [TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: If you are seeking a _small_ PBX with a
> lot of programmable features (it defaults to 2 external lines and 6
> extensions; is intended _not_ for heavy traffic but rather for covering
> a large amount of space with the ability to call between 'extensions'
> and 'forward' the same extensions around in a flexible way and is
> totally modular, then you might want to consider 'Totalcom', a small,
> relatively light-weight unit which can hang on a wall in a closet
> somewhere distributed by Mike Sandman http://sandman.com/pdf/page76.pdf
> in his latest catalog. Mike is out of Roselle, IL and he does give
> very good customer service. It is not the least expensive either, but
> does a very good job. Totally non-blocking, and you can program many,
> many features. The one I have from him has a thirty-page manual with
> programming instructions, which are all done from a touch-tone phone
> which serves as an 'operators console'. He gets around $350 for his
> unit, but, as noted, is totally modular, take it out of the box, plug
> it in, and use it with no programming at all if you wish. As defaulted,
> either of the two incoming lines ring through on the 'operator'
> station, which is extension 100, also aliased to '0' from internal
> use. As defaulted, the extensions are 100 through 105, with
> extensions 106 and 107 also aliased to 'dial 9' and/or 'dial 8' for
> outgoing calls. With no programming at all, 'dial 9' simply toggles
> between whatever line is plugged into port 106 and 107 (or if you have
> two outgoing calls at one time)to each of them. One small programming
> change allows '9' to force calls out on one line, and '8' to force
> calls out on the other line. (I do it that way, with my 'local'
> Prairie Stream line going out on '9' and my Vonage line going out on
> '8'.) Incoming calls on either Vonage or Prairie Stream ring through
> a common audible to extension 100, but can be picked up from any
> extension by dialing '*70'. It is not, strictly speaking a PBX; it is
> more correctly, a 'line sharing device', and I have a bunch of modems
> sharing 'extension 105' with my fax machine on extension 104. I use
> extensions 100, 101, 102, and 103 around my house. For my needs, it is
> ideal, or maybe even a little bit overkill. With me, it is not a
> question of massive amounts of phone traffic, but my own inability to
> move quickly as needed to get to a ringing phone and also to have my
> Vonage long distance line and my local line both in easy reach from
> any phone in the system. PAT]
Dan (dan@nospam.com)