networkwasher

Ok. Thank you for all the help. We are definitely going to get the system that you and I have discussed above. Now it is just a matter of raising the funds throughout the church.

If I have any more questions, I will post them in this thread or create a new thread if need be.

Thanks again!

Great!

I have a couple more questions.

We are thinking of purchasing the Small Interactive System license of IVM (70 OGMs, 8 mailboxes), but we will only have three or four phones. How do you go about accessing the mailboxes while on the system. Example: Phones 1 - 3 are assigned mailboxes, but I want to check the messages on mailbox 7 using phone 1. I assume on the external side of things, you simply call the main phone number and enter a code to access a mailbox, correct?

Also, how does faxing work using IVM and the IP Phones? We have a very, very basic (read old) fax machine that we use about once a week for sending faxes. This machine is not network enabled. For receiving faxes, we use a GoDaddy service that accepts the fax, turns it into an email, then forwards that email to a specified email address (quite similar to eFax). Would we still be able to send faxes using our current machine, and would anything need to be changed in order to do so?

Thanks again for the help and information.

I'm starting to catch on!

So, to sum everything up, I will need the following items:

1 Computer to run the phone system (recommended specs?)

1 Axon license

1 IVM license

1 Copy of Carousel

IP Phone (3 in my case)

Telephony Board

Switch (my router and current switch are indeed full)

Is this everything?

How easy is the installation and configuration of Axon, IVM, and Carousel?

Also, I don't need an IP Phone for every mailbox do I?

Thanks so much!

Ok, I think I am starting to put everything together. I like the idea of the digitial IP phones. Let's say I went with those. My connections would look like:

Router (LAN) < Individual handsets

^

PC

^

Telephony Board

^

Telephone Service

So, the computer would connect to the router like a normal PC and the software auto detects the available handsets?

If this is the case, how will the rest of my network react to the implementation of this system? (We currently have two network printers, a NAS, 3 desktops, and many notebooks).

Thanks so much, pythonpoole. Your help is working!!

Hmm... well, maybe not. How would it work without the software additions you mentioned? (how I would experience calls when they come in and how the phones connect to the whole system) Can I use standard handsets?

Alright... so does a handset also connect to the board? The following diagram is what I currently have in my mind - could you confirm?

Hello all!

I am very new to this whole area of technology and I'm considering getting a setup using IVM Answering Attendant at my church. Please see the following thread for more information: http://tinyurl.com/52xy5c

My current question concerns possible telephony board options. Which boards have you found to be the easiest to use with IVM? Also, what kind of a computer is needed to run these boards along with IVM (how powerful)?

I appreciate any and all input.

Thanks!

pythonpoole -

Thanks again for the reply. I will open a new thread and see if I can get some input on Telephony Boards for use with IVM.

Since this card plugs directly into the PC, does this mean you run a phone line (cord) to the computer, then plug your phone directly into the computer? I am still having a hard time connecting the ideas of the computer and the phones.

Thanks so much!

It sound's like IVM is the perfect solution for your needs. It's main purpose is to act as an IVR system where people call in and select various menu options for information, bookings, order taking, voice mails, or to be transferred to a live person.

 

In terms of equipment, there are 3 different ways of connecting IVM up to a phone line:

 

A) Voice Modem

Advantages: Quite cheap (around $35)

Disadvantages: Audio quality varies and is generally ok, but not fantastic. Cannot transfer call to a live person on an internal extension.

Other: Uses existing phone line from your normal Telecom (e.g. at&t, bell, bt, telstra etc.)

Info: All you require is a TAPI compliant voice modem and you're ready to start taking calls. Simply install the modem on the computer running IVM, and connect it to an existing phone line. IVM should then be able to answer calls and detect user input for menus.

 

Telephony Board

Advantages: The more professional option, higher audio quality, can handle more than one phone line simultaneously, can transfer to live agent extensions

Disadvantages: High cost (upwards of $200)

Other: Uses existing phone line from your normal Telecom (e.g. at&t, bell, bt, telstra, etc.)

Info: Much like the Voice Modem option, once the board is installed and connected to a phone line it's ready for use with IVM.

 

C) VoIP

Advantages: Quite cheap (some services even offer free private incoming phone numbers and you don't pay a dime to use the service), Can handle several simultaneous calls at a time (depending on provider), Does not require purchase of additional equipment, or the purchase of phone lines from your existing Telecom

Disadvantages: Requires a high-speed Internet connection, and is not recommended for Satellite connections (like a satellite phone, there may be delays in transmission. If the line is solely being used for an automated menu IVR system, this delay may be acceptable and go by unnoticed). Audio quality can vary significantly based on conditions of the network/Internet connection or even your geographic location in relation to the provider.

Other: Generally works well for most users and organizations who have a high-speed connection and a basic understanding of computer networking

Info: Unlike the other methods, this one requires no purchase of additional hardware or equipment. IVM can connect directly to a VoIP service to answer phone calls. Many VoIP services offer very cheap rates in comparison to the major Telecoms and some even offer free incoming phone numbers.

 

Note that although Vonage is technically a VoIP service, it is atypical in comparison to others. Vonage locks their hardware so it can't be used with other equipment or software like IVM. In essence, Vonage can be treated as a normal analog line similar to the one you may have from your current Telecom provider. Thus in order to connect a Vonage line to IVM you would have to use either method A or B. P.S. Vonage is also one of the more expensive VoIP services (it is also the most well known).

Thank you very much for the fast reply! I am very happy to hear that IVM would suit my needs. From your information, I have already given up the idea of VoIP, as it does not seem feasible with our current internet connection. So, we will most likely go with the telephony board. Would it be possible for you to suggest an entry level product? Also, some general information such as what exactly it is, how it works, and how it is installed would be greatly appreciated.

Once I have this telephony board, how is it that I set everything up? I am not able to make the connection between the phone system and the computer system. Would I need a dedicated computer just for the phones? If so, how powerful?

Thanks again. Your help is greatly appreciated!!

Hello everyone!

I am a new discoverer of the IVM Answering Attendant software and just generally new to the telephony world. Perhaps you guys can give me a bit of help.

Honestly, I do not know if this software is exactly what I need, so I will start off by stating my needs. I would like to implement some sort of answering service for my church that allows for multiple voice mail inboxes. Please see the following example call.

----------

Caller: *Dials phone number*

Answering Attendant: Thank you for calling xxxx church. To reach the pastor, please press 1. For information about the next mobile food pantry give-away, please press 2. For information about our weekly food pantry, please press 3. For food pantry delivery service, please press 4. For daycare inquiries, please press 5. For all other questions or comments, please press 6.

Caller: *Presses 4*

Answering Attendant: Thank you for calling about your food delivery. Under normal circumstances, your food will be delivered by 5 PM every other Saturday. Please feel free to leave a message about food deliveries after the tone, or press 1 now to return to the main menu... Beep.

----------

So, is this situation possible with IVM Answering Attendant? If so, what specific equipment will I need to purchase? My church (located in the United States) currently has a traditional Land Line and receives internet service via satellite. If we implement this software, I assume I will need to switch to a VOIP service. If this is indeed the case, would the Vonage service be sufficient?

Also, in general, how does this service work?

I truly appreciate any and all information that you can provide. As I have already stated, I am rather new to this whole area of technology.

Thank you in advance for replying.