Reality Check: FreePBX for external VM service

Hello FPBX world,
I manage a TDM switch for a hospital.
We want to add an additional VM service for special messages.

Would this work:
Patch SLI (POTS) extensions (on a roll-over number) into FreePBX via FXO interfaces.
Collect VM messages to multiple FreePBX extensions.
Provide client access to the FreePBX VM messages via LAN web interface.

I have the hardware for this and have latest FPBX distro up and running.
I just would like a reality check verification before I invest more time in the setup.

Any recommendations are appreciated.

Bruce

Can’t speak on your POTS and FXO setup, but I am curious what you mean by “Provide client access to the FreePBX VM messages via LAN web interface.
Are you giving access to the built in FreePBX GUI? Admin or UCP?
Or are you building out a custom Web interface to access this?

FreePBX allows for emailed VMs. Just set the email in the extension, and set file attachments to YES. Not sure if this fits your use case, but if you’re just trying to get voicemails to certian people, I think this is your easiest option.

You could also use the Asterisk IMAP support and store all VMs directly in an email mailbox and have filters to route the voicemails accordingly.

You can also go really wacky and use a combo of all this and the FreePBX API along with some custom code to store VMs in a totally different location, run scripts on them, etc. (I do this, see post here.)

Lots of options once you get calls routed to the PBX.

You should make sure your solution supports disconnect supervision, from the TDM switch, otherwise you will be totally reliant on the voicemail application to clear the call.

Ohhh yes indeed. Thank you for making that point !!!

Hi, Thanks for the reply and link to the description of your most innovative approach.
I really did not have a clear idea of how to provide access to these VM messages nor had I considered the possible option of transcribing them. The purpose of this VM system is to receive the massive amount of junk calls that our receptionists have to deal with.
Based on your example it seems that leveraging the native email features of FreePBX will be the most practical starting point. I’d like to just dump the VM files in a folder that can be browsed via HTTP over our Intranet and automatically be deleted after a period of days. If they were transcribed that might make them easier to review so I will look into that too.
Thanks again for sharing your example. I may reach out to you for some further advice soon.
Best Regards.

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Glad these posts could be of some help to you. I am happy to discuss anything further if you’d like.
One thing I will add, is my solution is incredibly convoluted and I really would not recommend it unless you’re using PBXact Cloud with no SSH access. It sounds like you own/have access to your server so this won’t be an issue.

Given that, and given your requirements in your reply–I personally would go one of two routes.

  1. Create a bash script that will move voicemails from the PBX /var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/default to your intranet server (or other location) --assuming your network is configured for this and the two are on the same subnet.

  2. Not sure what email services you all use, but if Outlook (and probably others too), you could set the PBX to send voicemails to one email address and then just share out that mailbox to the users you want to review the voicemails. If you want transcription, you could combine that with GitHub - simontelephonics/transcribe-with-azure that would inject the transcription into the email.

Depending on what TDM switch you have, you might be able to use FreePBX as a VM solution and have message waiting lights light if you need.

Curios what switch you are using?

Yes, I agree; your solution is an achievement of innovation and adventure that is beyond the scope of my mission, but very interesting to read about!

I think your option #1 is what I will presue. I own the network so I can do most anything I need to.
I will keep you in the loop as I progress with the project.

The other option is to consider replacing the native VM system in my TDM switch with FreePBX. The TDM switch itself is not going away anytime soon; it’s a solid workhorse.

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It’s an NEC IPK-I with a T1/PRI trunk interface, 48 PBX stations and 48 SLI (POTS) stations.
It has been VERY reliable and the staff has been generally satisfied with it despite the limited feature set.
It’s also very inexpensive to operate and that has kept it around since it was donated to the facility about 12 years ago.

I’m currently using a 4 port native VM system (Elite Mail) and I have the legacy NEC hardware to expand to 8 ports
but would be more interested in a way to interface the system into a modern VM if that could be accomplished properly.

I have not had much time to research this subject so any tips or insights you may have would be most appreciated.

Oldie but goldie

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It has been VERY reliable and the staff has been generally satisfied with it despite the limited feature set.

I can’t think of any legacy PBX system that wasn’t bulletproof, which is why there are so many still in use today. Using FreePBX to interface with them and add more current feature sets to them is a great way to extend their life even longer, and gives you a head-start along the inevitable upgrade path.

Just my 2¢.

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