Reception Network

[Bondizzo]

Is there a solution out there that can solve the following problem.

You have 1 receptionist and currently 1 telephone number. Is it possible for the receptionist to handle calls for say 3 different companies using the same line ? When the phone rings it should let her know which company the call belongs to. Can this be done using voip ? I'm assuming you'd have to register for 3 numbers.

 

[kilos]

Solution 1:
You can get 3 Telkom phone lines plugging into an Asterisk PBX. (Atcom IP PBX IP04) + 3 FXO port modules, local supplier UTAR systems or Evenflow

Get your receptionist a VoIP ie Snom 360 so that she can see which line to answer, Press Button A for Company A.Snom 300 would also work.
LCD display can be programmed to say which company line is calling .

Install Snom 300 (+-R900 from Evenflow dealer pricing) on LAN for each companies VoIP extensions.

Solution 2:
Purchase this MyPBX Embedded IP PBX 4 x FXO Appliance from Scoop with all the necessary VoIP phones

Have no experience with the above devices, not Asterisk based

Their are other solutions available like a hosted Asterisk PBX from Connection Telecom all depends on how many extensions there are,
do you require a call billing system like A2Billing or another billing system

There are many more options just my 2c worth

 

[mister]

If you don't want to go the voip route, you can install an ISDN line which can handle two calls at a time. You can then register up to four additional numbers for the line. You can then plug in an ISDN modem and see the caller ID data. You can see the FROM number, and the TO number, so you would know who the call is for.

 

[Bondizzo]

If you don't want to go the voip route, you can install an ISDN line which can handle two calls at a time. You can then register up to four additional numbers for the line. You can then plug in an ISDN modem and see the caller ID data. You can see the FROM number, and the TO number, so you would know who the call is for.

cool, didnt know they still exist.

 

[Bondizzo]

Solution 1:
You can get 3 Telkom phone lines plugging into an Asterisk PBX. (Atcom IP PBX IP04) + 3 FXO port modules, local supplier UTAR systems or Evenflow

Get your receptionist a VoIP ie Snom 360 so that she can see which line to answer, Press Button A for Company A.Snom 300 would also work.
LCD display can be programmed to say which company line is calling .

Install Snom 300 (+-R900 from Evenflow dealer pricing) on LAN for each companies VoIP extensions.

Solution 2:
Purchase this MyPBX Embedded IP PBX 4 x FXO Appliance from Scoop with all the necessary VoIP phones

Have no experience with the above devices, not Asterisk based

Their are other solutions available like a hosted Asterisk PBX from Connection Telecom all depends on how many extensions there are,
do you require a call billing system like A2Billing or another billing system

There are many more options just my 2c worth

Lots of good info there, dont require any billing system, the persons should just answer incoming calls, follow ups will most likely be by email.

 

[labratza]

yeah alot of companies are still using them

 

[kilos]

Especially PRIMARY rate at 30 channels and BASIC BRI rate at 1 channel = 2 lines.
Allows you to setup up Direct Inward Dialling (DID) - direct to an extension

 

[gmza]

Switch Telecom (www.switchtel.co.za) have a hosted pbx solution that will allow you set this up really cheaply.

For R400/month (including VAT), you can have 4 incoming lines and 10 different numbers (each of which you can associated with a different company).

Best of all, as you grow, you can add extra phones/receptionists; up to 10 in total with no extra monthly cost. Furthermore, you can also get an automated attendant for after hours or when you can't take calls (e.g. if you're already on another call or have popped out to the bathroom), all at no extra cost.

This is all scalable as well. More lines, more numbers, etc, at a slight extra cost (R25/month extra per additional line beyond the first 4 and R50/month per additional 10 numbers).

The once-off cost would be only the cost of an IP Phone: ~R1,000 for a regular one, but you may want to spend more and get something really nice if you're planning on juggling lots of calls.

 

[kilos]

Thanks Greg for the posting - you can advise best on what ADSL account they should get to offer the lowest latency with minimal shaping

Do you offer DID for which cities ? Joburg, Cape Town
Sorry I see your answered my question on your website

Switch Telecom offers numbers in the non-geographic ranges (087 550 xxxx) as well as geographic numbers in the following codes: 010 (Johannesburg), 012 (Pretoria), 021 (Cape Town) and 031 (Durban).

 

[gmza]

SAIX accounts are usually best. IS is pretty good too.

Where the account is going to be used purely for VoIP, SAIX local-only is ideal. Given the volumes expected from 1 phone, 1GB per month is fine.

If the account is going to be used for VoIP + browsing/email a regular SAIX shaped account is fine. Keep in mind that SAIX only shape the international component; the local bandwidth to/from VoIP switching centre is unshaped.

Yup, DID availability is exactly per your quote!

 

[imel]

Use the MyPBX device from Scoop. IT can handle 4 incoming Analogue lines straight out of the box, and it is dead easy to show on the handset which line is ringing and even display the company name to answer the call in.
Just completed a similar installation for a local small biz, using three existing analogue lines and some new SIP handsets.