[Leaplist] Meeting 3/19/09: Asterisk and VOIP

[Jesse Rhoads]

Jason, I've never seen you at a LEAP meeting!  I may make some slides, 
sure. 

Discussion of different service modalities is a good talking point.  
Each situation can present a different set of variables.
POTS is still very win for reliability, but can get high on costs.  
Getting a PRI circuit can get pricey too.  Just depends on your needs, 
cost/benefit, etc.

There is no getting away from taxes unless as you said, you take it 
offshore.  Any legitimate domestic business/provider should charge you 
FCC, State, and Local telco taxes as required by law.

-Jesse



Jason Boxman wrote:
> Jesse Rhoads wrote:
>> LEAPers,
>>
>> Thursday's presentation will be on Asterisk, the premiere FOSS 
>> project for VOIP.
>> I will talk about some of the various technologies, the distros that 
>> have been made, the architecture involved, various service providers, 
>> and have a live demo.
>> I will be bringing in a phone server, a wireless router, and some 
>> phones to play with.
>>
>> If anyone has had questions about Asterisk or VOIP, feel free to 
>> email me in advance so I can be prepared to answer coherently.
> <snip>
>
> Ugh, the first meeting I actually can't attend.
>
> Will there be any slides or anything?  I want to replace three Embarq 
> lines (2 voice, 1 fax) with VoIP somehow.
>
> I can figure out the Asterisk part eventually, but I have no clue what 
> to do about service providers, as we need both in-bound and out-bound 
> VoIP.  If it isn't cheaper than Embarq, there isn't much point in 
> switching.  (Our Embarq DSL is only 1.5/384K, so I think I need to 
> have BrightHouse install a cable line, too...)
>
> What's the deal with the tax issue?  It seems to apply to unlimited, 
> but not metered plans (and not to providers outside the US at all)?  
> About 1/3rd of the Embarq bill is taxes, which is insane anyway, and a 
> principle reason for switching.
>
> Ugh.
>
>


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