Pre-sales advice on USB Telephony Boards

bookman

Pre-sales advice

I would like to use IVM with a Laptop.

1. Hence, I'm restricted to a USB CAHTA Boards - TELCTAUSB2, TELCTAUSB4

I have noticed that these are non TAPI compliant. (I'm unsure of the significance of this Non TAPI compliance in relation to the use of IVM 4.02)

2. I only intend to configure IVM as an Infoline so that people can call in to hear pre-recorded messages (they will have to make choices of which message to listen to by keying in a number or number sequence).

3. After listening to the message, they can then choose to listen to another message or leave a voice message on the system or just exit the call.

4. What I would like to know is will TELCTAUSB2, TELCTAUSB4 be suitable boards I can use so that Key presses will be properly detected and the respective OGM runned.

5. My understanding is that since the TELCTAUSB2, TELCTAUSB4 boards have drivers that are specially written to work with IVM 4.02, the fact that TELCTAUSB2, TELCTAUSB4 are non TAPI compliant is unimportant so long as I'm only interested in using IVM 4.02 with it. Am I correct ?

6. I currently use a digital voice line (it is supplied by my cable TV supplier) and I connect my standard analog phone through a port on the back of a Motorola SBV5120 Surfboard Cable Modem - ie a Normal analog phone is used to make and receive calls. Will I be able to use this line as the line I plug into the TELCTAUSB2, TELCTAUSB4 card.

That is if I purchase either a TELCTAUSB2 or TELCTAUSB4 and use it with IVM 4.02 on a laptop, I can achieve what I want as stated above in points 1 to 6. Am I correct ?

Also, will the fact that TELCTAUSB2 or TELCTAUSB4, being NON TAPI compliant result in any features of IVM 4.02 being non functional ? And if so, what features are affected ?

[deleted]

IVM 4.02 and CAHTA boards are fully compatible, the fact that the hardware is non-TAPI is not an issue.

Where are you located? For the CAHTA board to correctly detect DTMF/end of call tones it will need to be configured for the tones your phone provider uses, other than that everything should work!

bookman

OK. Thanks for the quick response.

With the world being so globalized, I'm wondering if IVM's implementation is country dependent. Today I may be in one country and say I implement it successfully and then I relocate to another country. Would my implementation of IVM still work properly because my phone line provider has now changed ? Would I be in for a shock ?

I will have to mull over how I can implement IVM so that it is country independent.

Perhaps, instead of using a Telephony Board, a better way may be to have multiple SkypeIn numbers so that others from their respective countries could call the respective "local numbers" so they are not subject to expensive overseas call when they call into IVM to listen to an Infoline runned through IVM.

Would I then still need a Telephony board ?

Would IVM be able to respond to key presses from someone calling into a SkypeIn number ?

Has anyone had a successful implementation using IVM with SkypeIn when keypresses are accurately recognized by IVM ?

In essence, what would I need to successful run an IVM based Infoline system, beside IVM software - do I need some additional software from NCH or any other hardware ?

pythonpoole

If you go the traditional route (analogue / hardware), and you decide to move countries... depending on where you end up moving, you *may* have to change some regional settings to adjust for the tone differences /call features etc. For example, Caller ID in the UK works differently to Caller ID in the US, and the dialtones/busy tones/engaged tones are different in Australia compared to the US and Canada. Just so long as the modem/hardware is programmed/configured for the new country specific settings, there should be no problem. All this configuration is done with the hardware drivers, independent to the IVM software.

VoIP lines (similar to skype.. simply phone lines that work by sending digital call data over the internet) using the SIP protocol are a good option to consider.

Benefits of using VoIP lines:

- Often half the price or cheaper than your current telco provider to call out

- Can have several inbound phone numbers to your infoline, and they do not necessarily have to be numbers with your local area code. For example, I could live in Area code 213 and have a 416 area code number for people to call in on. I could also have phone numbers in different countries to let callers call in at the cost of a local call. Prices vary for inbound numbers, but typically range anywhere from $0.00 (FREE, but you don't get to choose the area code) up to about $15/month per line all with unlimited incoming calls usually. Average is about $8/mo

- Can have multiple phone-lines without needing to purchase additional lines (some VoIP providers let you have a certain number of communication channels in use at a given time period, so you could have multiple calls coming in at the same time without a problem).

- Very portable. Move countries? no problem, just turn on the IVM computer at your new destination and your back in business. Due to the digital nature of VoIP lines and how they work over the internet, there are no restrictions* to where you can use the VoIP services. Also, as a benefit, you are not required to re-configure settings for different countries as the digital VoIP lines send the data such as key presses and caller ID information as digital data and commands rather than simply playing tones etc. over analogue lines.

- No need to purchase additional hardware

- Can still hook-up traditional analogue phones if needed (with ata adapter)

bookman

Thanks pythonpoole for the detailed post. Much appreciated.

Am I correct to surmise that IVM works well with VOIP providers like SkypeIn and no additional hardware like a USB Telephony Board is required. Basically buy IVM, get a SkpyeIn number (or some other VOIP line) and one can be in up and running with an Infoline that can respond to key presses.

Would you be kind enough to suggest a VOIP provider that works with IVM. Would SkypeIn be such a facility ? Any others with a good coverage in the Asia Pacific Region, ie from South Asia all the way to Australia and NZ.

One of the key issues that I see is voice quality and whether IVM can accurately recognize key presses whether from call from landlines or Mobile phones to the VOIP number.

pythonpoole wrote:

Can have multiple phone-lines without needing to purchase additional lines (some VoIP providers let you have a certain number of communication channels in use at a given time period, so you could have multiple calls coming in at the same time without a problem).

Can you suggest a VOIP provider that allow multiple phone-lines without needing to purchase additional lines ?

Any help and suggestions are much appreciated.