[VoiceOps] New to VoIP

[Peter R.]

Don't take this the wrong way but VoIP isn't best effort data.
There's WAY more to it than a couple of open source devices.
There's billing, E-911, directory assistance, LNP, DID's, CNAM, SS7, 
routing and trunking, and Insurance.
There are folks on this list that still have frequent issues.
Partner with someone that knows telecom and knows VoIP.
It can't be done well on the cheap.


Jonathan Jones wrote:
>
> On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 1:38 PM, Matthew S. Crocker 
> <matthew at corp.crocker.com <mailto:matthew at corp.crocker.com>> wrote:
>
>
>     Everything is software, a 'Session Border Controller' is software.
>      All software needs some hardware to run on.  You can get a SBC
>     that runs on Linux/PC server based hardware or you can get a SBC
>     that runs on dedicated hardware.  Your softswitch is going to need
>     several servers to run on as well.  The smallest
>     Broasoft/Broadworks implementation is 2 servers for the softswitch
>     running virtual servers and 2 SBC (Acme Packet). You can't get
>     into that type of a setup anywhere near $50,000 though.
>
>     For 2000 subscribers I would highly recommend you partner with an
>     existing VoIP provider and resell their service.  They can handle
>     all of the VoIP heavy lifting and send you the Call Detail Records
>     which you can then use to bill.
>
>     If you want to do it yourself you'll probably have to live in the
>     open source world to keep below the $50,000 limit.
>
>
>
> Thanks, I had been looking at the softswitch software route and had 
> been quoted a price of $12,288.00 for 1024 simultaneous calls. So I 
> figure $20k more or less for a softswitch that would do 2000 
> concurrencies, another $10k in hardware. Am I too naive to want a 
> software based solution to perform least cost routing, billing, 
> perhaps calling cards, etc.
>
> I've been looking into either Asterisk or Callweaver, OpenSIPS and 
> Soft-Switch.org for signaling. Am I again, naive or can it be done. If 
> not I don't want to waste my time nor money especially if I can do it 
> the right way.
>