Hi Dave, You've come to the right place! There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you get a handle on the configuration files, it's easy to build yourself an IVR.
Asterisk allows you to write AGI scripts, which are essentially the same as CGI's on a web server. That's how you would implement most of the features you mention, and Perl is great for that (google for Asterisk::AGI) As for handsets -- how many are we talking about, and how do you want to connect into the phone network? (i.e. VoIP, T1, individual phone lines, etc...) I personally run Asterisk on Ubunutu 5.04 Hoary Hedgehog with a 2.6 kernel without any issues, and Digium (the company behind asterisk) develops on Redhat Fedora with a 2.4 kernel. I haven't scheduled any more workshops yet, maybe sometime after Dec 12th? I don't know anything about connecting to the 10-4 network. Cheers, Simon P. Ditner On 12/2/05, David MacGuigan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I am new to the list and have joined since I wish to experiment with IVR and > hope Asterisk is a good way to do so. Other features of Asterisk will be > handy to have also. As well as learn something about VoIP. > > Anyway, I would like to create an IVR system that: > - allows the caller to identify themselves (id/pin) > - accesses an SQL Server DB, > > - allows them to hear the account status - allows them to hear their > current bookings > - allows them to book new trips (perhaps by talking to an operator) > - allows them to cancel trips (perhaps by talking to an operator) > - optionally call them prior to an upcoming trip > > The overview IVR documentation for Asterisk is sketchy, so I need to ask > does this seem like a reasonable thing to do with Asterisk? > > If so: > > I will be using analogue phones. > > I would like to know a good card to buy and where I can buy it. From what > Iittle I have been told the Sangoma cards are a better bet for analogue > quaility. > > Can someone recommend a card model to purchase, give me a rouch guess as to > the cost, and suggest a place to get one? (I live in the south-east end of > the old city of Toronto but can drive anywhere in the GTA if need be.) > > Any recommendations on the linux distro to use? I've downloaded a Asterisk > live cd iso but haven't burnt it yet. Likely I'll script in perl since I am > familiar with it (unless there are compelling reasons to use something > else). > > Thanks in advance, > > Dave > > P.S. > Are there any install workshops coming up? > > Is it possible to access Bell's 10-4 network through Asterisk?
