VOIP to On-Air?

[NolaJ]

Seeking some advice/how-to from the seasoned pro's...

My office is switching to a 3cx VOIP platform soon...we currently have 4 office lines that we also use for on-air. The lines in the studio are connected to a 5-line Getner punch box.

I believe the VoIP phones will be grand stream gxp2100 4-line...how would we be able to get callers on the air using the Getner box or would I need something different?

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[chriscollins]

The VOIP service should come into a regular phone jack after it is routed. You should be able to plug that into the Getner. In the early VOIP days, we did that. VOIP was in it's infancy then and we ended up going back to regular lines... At the very least, the VOIP company should be able to give you a little box that terminates that extension/number into a standard jack.

While I haven't researched it, it seems like I saw a hybrid by Telos that can accept VOIP as well. We had the little black box and it worked pretty well. I would imagine at some point, we will revisit VOIP.

At any rate, I'd love if you come back and post your actual solution here. Most people don't post the solutions.

 

[bradgoehl]

Chris has it right, I just put in a Mitel VOIP system. Your system should have the ability to bring you POTS lines to the punch box either natively or via some type of expansion box. Just tell your vendor what you need.

 

[kharnack]

Hi, RadioJ, Chris, and Brad.

Indeed, the easiest way to keep using an on-air talkshow/hybrid system with a new VoIP phone system is to have the VoIP system installer give you some "POTS ports". These are technically called "FXS" or "subscriber" ports. They will give you dial tone and behave just about like a regular POTS line from your telco. POTS-connected talkshow systems from Telos, Comrex, Gentner, JK and others should work fine with this kind of FXS port. Realize that your VoIP installer may charge you handsomely for this option - or it may be free or nearly free. YMMV a lot.

If you're using an open source VoIP PBX like FreePBX, then you can provide your own FXS adapter. Some are well under $200 for the hardware. I have a Grandstream HT704 connecting my $35 Raspberry Pi PBX to my Telos Hx6 phone system. Total investment for the phone "switch" and the Grandstream was under $150. I only point this out to say that it's quite possible for radio engineers to make their own business phone systems (VoIP) that then connect to either new or legacy on-air talkshow equipment.

Lastly, Telos does make a new talkshow system that natively connects to SIP (VoiP). It would simply plug into the same IP network that the 3cx is on, or alternately it could get SIP service from a SIP provider over your Internet connection.

I'll be doing a webinar in the next few weeks on this subject. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter, or follow Telos Systems on Twitter for an update on when that'll be. You might also subscribe to the Telos Systems YouTube channel where any webinars done will be saved.

Best!
Kirk Harnack
VP - Telos Systems

 

[TomDee]

We just upgraded from copper to VoIP with Vonage and I installed 3 three 2 line ATA's and added a 12 port RJ14 harmonica to the line-in 50 pr amphenol connector and the audio quality is amazing bandwe plugged into the first 6 ports but the calls show up on lines 1, 3, 6, 7, 9 & 11. Has anyone else done anything like this?

Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks

TomDee
Austin, Tx