Just something I was thinking about today... The communications infrastructure of New Orleans and surrounding communities has been obliterated. It occurred to me that it may be possible to provide outgoing phone capability using a few Asterisk servers, connected wirelessly (routing provided using NoCat, MIT Roofnet, or some other wireless routing implementation), and 20-30 SIP phones connected to each server. Using a couple good internet connections, one could theoretically use asteriskout.com or a similar service for the outgoing calls.
Some hurdles would need to be overcome: 1. Where to get the equipment. A basic setup for each point of presence would require 1 computer (preferrably a high-powered laptop, 20-30 low-cost SIP phones, and 1 ethernet switch to connect the phones. We would also need a means to provide high-gain 802.11b/g networking from the machine, or some other piece of equipment. 2. Power for the equipment. SIP phones are fairly low in terms of power consumption. IMHO, a single gas generator for each point of presence would be required. 3. Internet connectivity. Where and how would one provide internet connectivity to the nodes, and what would be the required bandwidth? Could a local ISP, satellite broadband, or telecom provider be contacted to provide the needed bandwidth? Who would pay for the service? 4. Funding and help. This would obviously cost time and money to implement. One could potentially solicit donations for equipment and money, and time from volunteers willing to assist in the rollout and management. 5. Security. Local law enforcement and/or the Army National Guard may be required to provide security assistance due to the anarchic state of the region. ----------------- It's just an idea I had. It may not even be feasable, or even worth it. I know that if I was stranded somewhere, I'd at least want to be able to contact family or loved-ones outside to let them know I'm ok. I'd be curious if anyone had some thoughts on the value and feasability of such a project as this. I live in Massachusetts, and have no ability to get down there myself at the present time, but I'd be willing to provide what I can with funding, equipment, planning, and remote administration if needed. ----- Jeremy _______________________________________________ --Bandwidth and Colocation sponsored by Easynews.com -- Asterisk-Users mailing list [email protected] http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-users
