Asterisk regulation issues

MrGray

MrGray

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Telkom's suddenly harrassing us and some of our partners about needing SF71 forms and and an LMO license for our Asterisk boxes. But it seems that the SF71 form only applies to traditional hardware PABX systems and not software telephony servers, and the LMO is only for installers of traditional PABX systems - the requirements for an LMO license and the SF71 forms don't even make sense for an Asterisk box.

Any suggestions on how to deal with this as it seems they are trying to make life difficult for anyone who installs Asterisk for themselves or for others?

My understanding of the situation up to now has been that, just as with any other telephony equipment a company might choose to connect to the PSTN, all you need is a TLTE certificate to show that the device has been approved for use with the PSTN.

The reality is that there is not much difference between plugging an analogue/ISDN/ADSL modem or plugging in a Digium telephony card, so these regulations are clearly way outdated.
 
I wonder how Clayton from OpenVoice and
& Steve Davies from Connection-Telecom are handling
Telkom as they must be bumping heads with Telkom big time.
I believe one of them got their device ICASA approved

Presently in Zambia and one of the govement agencies
got funding for an internal VoIP system that went to tender

Cost: US$500k for a 80 extension Cisco 7960 IP phones & Cisco
Voip router, could have done it for far less with Cisco IP Phones
and an Asterisk PBX. I heard about it too late :-(
80 x Cisco 7960 IP phones: $300 = $24k (exclu duties)
 
I know OpenVoice actually went to the trouble of getting a switching system licence from ICASA, but I'm not sure if the SWS license applies to ALL Asterisk servers or just OpenVoice's specific one as they put together a special PC that doesn't even look like a PC and runs off a compact flash card i/o of a HDD.

The problem, I think, is that the regulations do not cater for a software PABX that can use one of many kinds of interface card for the PSTN interface. You can get a TLTE certificate for each type of interface card (and they almost all have been certified) - but then there is also something called a SWS (switching system) license for an entire PABX platform.

Since there is a lot of official confusion over whether a PC is a PABX and whether you just need TLTE certified interface cards or a whole SWS certificate, and also whether installers need a LMO (Line Maintenance Operator license), Telkom seems to be taking advantage of the confusion and attempting to convince people that using Asterisk is not legal.
 
This issue seems to span more than just SA, the bigger telecoms companies are concerned everywhere. The reality is that VOIP will replace PSTN. There is no way to regulate it.. and thats where the big telco companies are concerned. Voice calls account for most of their revenues.

You see... telkom has a hold on the broadband market. If it looses that hold... it runs the risk of not only losing out on that revenue... but also the revenue it gets from its PSTN... The thing we need to be concerned about is them blocking/port shaping/cutting off VOIP ports/traffic... if they arent port shaped already... Thats their next logical step, but there will always be a way around it.

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/communications/networks/0,39020345,39169458,00.htm

The future is bright... you can now run SIP clients on your mobile phone. Even Nokia has realised it and is embracing it.... http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/0,6566,1_44,00.html

Imagine that, your phone connects over 3g/hsdpa to your asterisk server and voila.. voip over mobile.

My advice... dont panic... Its something that is inevitable and they are just trying to hold onto as much revenue as possible. Set a president.
 
Last edited:
BradDC said:
Imagine that, your phone connects over 3g/hsdpa to your asterisk server and voila.. voip over mobile.
Click to expand...

They're making WiMax VOIP phones also! If WiMax takes off and is cheap enough the cell networks are going to struggle because in a couple of years everyone is going to be making mobile IP calls. Can't wait.
 
I've found the same problem with Telkom, apply for a dead standard ISDN line or lines with hunting and DDI.

When they ask what it's for, tell them it's for a fax server, they'll complain but won't ask for any SF71 or LMO.

I don't have any advise for existing lines which have benn marked as PABX as there is a different division dealing with those lines.

D
 
When we replaced our telkom PABX system with asterisk and converted our lines to pots (plain old telephone system) I just told the techie we were installing normal landlindes. THANK GOODNESS.
Garp, I would suggest phoning one of the industry players such as Connection Telecom, they obviously dealt with something like this before and are very helpful.
I would think the problem that telkom is "trying to generate", is not with the Asterisk software, but rather the hardware card, such as Digium or samgoma PCI cards. I'm not sure if these have been ICASA approved yet, but I would think one of the industry players would have by now.
damn that telkom
 
Ask Telkom to provide you with a request for the SF71 and LMO in writing.
Then send them off to Rob and Steve at Connection-Telecom.

This is what they told me to do if I was asked.
I was asked, and then I asked them to provide it in writing. A few days later, still with no letter, they went ahead anyway and did the installation.

They didn't seem happy with commiting themselves to the piece of paper...
 
Has a solution to this problem ever been found.

some help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hi Guys

The LMO license (SF71) applies to any device which connects to a Telkom line.

This is license does not only apply for PABX`s; this is for gateways; digium cards, anything that connects to a Telkom (PSTN) line.

A LMO license can only be issued to a device which is Icassa Type Approved; thus it would pressure under vendors; distributors to have their equipment Icassa type approved.

The LMO license only applies to the company doing the installations; e.g. I have one which is only valid for when I or any colleague of our company does installations - not any of our resellers can benefit from our LMO license as they would need to have their own LMO license.

The costs involved is something like R 1200.00 per annum (there is a once off fee as well) which is worth paying to prevent having this continuous issues.
 
WildPikachu said:
Dirk, if people wanted to apply for an LMO license, how/where would they get the forms?
Click to expand...

You can talk to Nadia Moodley at Icassa; she will email you the application form (she handles all LMO license application/renewals), alternatively PM me for an application form
 
dmatthysen said:
You can talk to Nadia Moodley at Icassa; she will email you the application form (she handles all LMO license application/renewals), alternatively PM me for an application form
Click to expand...

I phoned Nadia yesterday for the correct forms to complete, received it, completed and sent back.

Received a replay from her today that the system we are applying for is not Switching Systems.

Any thoughts

Regards
 
Received a replay from her today that the system we are applying for is not Switching Systems.

Regards
Click to expand...

This is the digium PCI cards; yes? Are they Icassa Type Approved?
 
We went through the same thing ordering a PRI from Telkom for a * Box. Endless issues...

I got all the ICASA Certificates for the Digium cards that we used, and Connection Telecom signed our SF71 on our behalf. Sent it all to Telkom, the PRI was aprooved, and they gave us a waiting period of up to 1 year to wait for a PRI Installation :(

Needless to say, we cancelled the contract, went to NeoTel and had a working PRI within a week... I haven't looked back since :) :)
 
I know, Digium and Sangoma are approved but ICASA is full off crap. They want us to license the entire box.

Neotel, why didn't I think of this, brilliant, that's the route we will take then.


Thanks all
 
Nope, they didn't care too much, but then again, they also knew the digium cards we use are ICASA Aprooved - they use asterisk themselves in some of the call centers...
 
Neotel has a type approval process where you can type approve your solution - free of charge...
 
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