PBX to 3B2

[Carlo Milono]

In article <1672 at msa3b.UUCP> kevin at msa3b.UUCP (Kevin P. Kleinfelter) writes:
>Our AT&T sales thing wants to sell us a 3B2, to hook to our AT&T System 85
>PBX. This will provide us with the incoming phone number, and the extension
>to which it was connected.  This is something we'd like to do.
>
>The trouble is, they want $80,000 for a 3B2 to do this, and I think it could
>be done by a $1000 cheap PC, with a serial port.  The 3B2 connects to the
>PBX via a DB25, which the sales rep assures me is asynch serial.
>
>I COULD put a line monitor on the line, and reverse engineer the protocol,
>but I'd like to get the protocol spec.  The sales rep seems to go blank at
>this point.
>
>What protocol is used here?  Hey, we're commercial -- give me a part number
>and we'll order the protocol spec.
>
There are *two* offerings that include the use of a 3B: 
	- Call Detail Recording Utility
	- ISDN Gateway

For CDRU, the interface is async, but you won't get the caller I.D. as
far as I know unless you are in a private network.  This arrangement is
used to fine tune your topology as well as to get 'client billing' info
for billback arrangements (like lawyers do...).

The ISDN Gateway has the ability to pass information on the Caller I.D.
and capture it.  I believe the protocol is BX.25 (notice the B?).  This
product has many features that allow it to interface with an SNA mainframe
for example, so that an ACD group will have agents given the phone call
along with a 3270 screen of the customers' info - not only can they greet
you on the phone (via a digital display), but they also have your info
on their CRT!

As an alternative to the CDRU, you can put a serial printer on the port,
or a simple data capture device.  The parsing depends on the type of call
record, whether ISDN, or type 12, for example.  IF you have multiple sites
then you will most likely need a poller, or CDRP.  These typically use
the DDCMP protocol and can be used by AT&T to diagnose troubles in your
network before they affect your business...there are collection devices
from other companies that are cheaper, but are usually used for small
offices (<S85 class).
-- 
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|                   Carlo Milono                                           |
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| Hobbes: "Life in the Great Suburban Outback is certainly fraught with    |
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