[VoIP] New exchange connects +44 295 76 XXX

[Ian Jolly]

Welcome to Kierien deep in rural Herefordshire - another UAX13 just about connected to CNET.  On 0295 76 XXX  as Sulgrave - with the Asterisk being set up as its GSC - Banbury (0295 XXXX).

We spent yesterday playing with a new asterisk box and connecting it up to a new broadband connection.  

On the initial attempt to load Linux/asterisk a week or two ago, we had no success.  So I brought the PC home and Peter Duffield offered to have a go with it.  It ended up being a problem with the hard disk if I remember correctly but Peter cracked it getting the programs loaded and set up the TDM card - a ZapMicro version of the TDM400 with one FXS and one FXO - working.

I then wrote the configs and had the Asterisk working no problem at home -  

But it wouldn't dial out when connected at Kierien's.  Whilst me laptop with its softphone of Mold (0352) worked OK and we had all the relevant ports open/forwarded still no lick.  It turned out to be a problem which Mr Asterisk came up with the answer for - Tnx Jon - I'd have never found it !!  I'll remember next time.  

We had a number of other minor problems as well but after a pub lunch (at about 3pm to 4pm!) all was eventually sorted out except for one problem!  One problem was traced down to the old mechanical "Regenerator No1" misdialling. That was cured by replacing them with No 5 electronic regenerators.  The outgoing calls go out via Level 1/0 relay sets which re-insert the previously dialled digits. This makes writing the configs a bit easier!  Another was a lack of 48 volts on the FXS - that turned out to be a faulty plug on the patch lead which we were using to connect it to the UAX.

Incoming calls are pulsed from the FXO port into the UAX on an incoming Group Selector (with Level '0' barred - as it should be!) .  The calls to 290 rang the telephone but on 'Called Sub Answer' most of the calls drop out immediately.  A similar thing happens on 299 - inverted ring tone was received from the UAX or the call drops out. On several occasions, a call was setup to 290 but suddenly part way through the call it would drop out.  

However time ran out and I had an over two hour drive home and managed to get home just before my coach turned into a pumpkin!

The Asterisk may not be up and running as Kierien has quite a bit of tidying up of the cabling - we just had things lashed up to try it out.  

The UAX will be moving later in the year so but it is another welcome addition to CNET. The U13 was originally at Sulgrave in Oxfordshire parented on Banbury (0295) off Level 76.  It currently consisted of a C unit, two A units and a B unit fitted with the junction hunters and Level 1/0 relaysets plus a Test Selector.  It is all housed in the nearest replica of an old GPO brick 'A' type building that I've ever seen!  It is slightly longer than an 'A' type building as it has a 'power room' with Lister diesel generator fitted!  

Hopefully we'll have cracked the remaining problem before too long.  Meanwhile the Asterisk may be down whilst improvements are made.

Ian