Can I get SIP, ATA or DECT to do this (no copper landline)?

I would like to modernise my several year old equipment and simplify my setup to use recent equipment and technologies. I get the impression VOIP/SIP has advanced greatly over the past few years.

I am hoping a SIP enabled DECT phone can do everything but also open to an ATA with standard DECT phone or something else if costs are significantly cheaper or required to meet requirements.

Have included requirements below in order of importance if I have to do without something.

1. Support at least two SIP providers with ability to choose which provider is used when making an outgoing call
2. Permanently block incoming numbers based on caller ID
3. If caller ID is not present (unavailable / international, withheld) ask caller to press a key to get through
4. Block dialling to specific numbers (e.g. premium, speaking clock, directory enquiries - I provide prefixes)
5. Automatically use a specific SIP provider for a call depending on number prefixes I provide (e.g. mobiles use SIP 1 and others use SIP 2)
6. Have some kind of interface so I can view / manage / backup all the settings / configuration easily

Thanks

Edited by think26872 (Tue 16-Nov-21 13:59:53)

I’m not sure you’re going to find all your required functionality in an ‘appliance’ approach (i.e. DECT base or ATA).

You could do all of the above (and waaaaaaay more) with a little box running Asterisk/FreePBX but there’s a bit of a learning curve. Not sure if you’re up for that challenge. It is very good though.

The Gigaset N300 is a VOIP DECT base station which will do will do some of what you want. It works best with Gigaset phones such as the C430. You can usually buy it together with a number of phones. It has an ethernet port for the VOIP connection and for access to the GUI.

I agree, I've not seen a handset that can do this but I do know that Asterisk will be able to do this.

Thanks
Dan

There are some very particular requirements above, that frankly I just can’t see any off the shelf box being able to do.

Yes all this is very do-able in Asterisk. I’ve done most of them, but as said, even with a webgui front end via FreePBX et al, there is a learning curve, if you haven’t any sort of comms / telephony background. It’s only fair to warn and set expectations.

Asterisk and the various wrappers, are offer a fully fledged “PBX in a box” (although I should be careful with that expression, given it’s the name of another very popular Asterisk distro).

Thanks for your replies.

I have an ATA that near enough does everything I list but it is a very old device and more than a bit clunky so wanted to know if there was anything more modern and is available.

I have only dabbled in VOIP for making calls at the moment but trying to prepare for no landline and get everything working before I take the plunge.

FreePBX is a possibility and I have been evaluating it but I am not sure it is the solution especially as configuration and complexity isn't exactly easy. It is fun giving it a try though.

In reply to a post by think26872:

I would like to modernise my several year old equipment and simplify my setup to use recent equipment and technologies. I get the impression VOIP/SIP has advanced greatly over the past few years.

I am hoping a SIP enabled DECT phone can do everything but also open to an ATA with standard DECT phone or something else if costs are significantly cheaper or required to meet requirements.

Have included requirements below in order of importance if I have to do without something.

1. Support at least two SIP providers with ability to choose which provider is used when making an outgoing call
2. Permanently block incoming numbers based on caller ID
3. If caller ID is not present (unavailable / international, withheld) ask caller to press a key to get through
4. Block dialling to specific numbers (e.g. premium, speaking clock, directory enquiries - I provide prefixes)
5. Automatically use a specific SIP provider for a call depending on number prefixes I provide (e.g. mobiles use SIP 1 and others use SIP 2)
6. Have some kind of interface so I can view / manage / backup all the settings / configuration easily

Thanks

My hosting provider is Voipfone and while I do have a Gigaset Wireless phone as part of my setup, the majority of my calls are handled by a desktop VoIP phone, the snom D385. So looking down your list of desires, I would say against your bullet point numbers the following:
1) No problem
2) No problem
3) If it is possible, I have no information
4) Probably possible but I have no need for that facility
5) Yes. No special prefix needed if a function key is used
6) Control panel provided but will probably take you a few weeks to learn your way around it to fine tune your installation.

A setting on the desktop phone is not a global setting for other devices on your network.

A major downside with Voipfone is there expensive, inflexible, call plans so much so that I find it cheaper to use their pay by call tariff. My ISP is Zen and they do offer 1000 minutes to landlines for £5.10 a month but not available if you don't have a landline..

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

The Gigaset N300 is a VOIP DECT base station which will do will do some of what you want. It works best with Gigaset phones such as the C430. You can usually buy it together with a number of phones. It has an ethernet port for the VOIP connection and for access to the GUI.

Thanks I had seen the N300 in my searches. If anyone has a N300 and can list which bits it can and can't do that would be great? Not sure if the N300 is still supported though. With everything moving to VOIP I am surprised there aren't more options. Thanks

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

My hosting provider is Voipfone and while I do have a Gigaset Wireless phone as part of my setup, the majority of my calls are handled by a desktop VoIP phone, the snom D385. So looking down your list of desires, I would say against your bullet point numbers the following...

This looks more like it and sounds promising thanks for the information. The main problem is the desk format instead of DECT but at least it looks like technology has moved on. I also have a bad feeling it is more of a business device and it will be expensive!

In reply to a post by think26872:

In reply to a post by trolleybus:

My hosting provider is Voipfone and while I do have a Gigaset Wireless phone as part of my setup, the majority of my calls are handled by a desktop VoIP phone, the snom D385. So looking down your list of desires, I would say against your bullet point numbers the following...

This looks more like it and sounds promising thanks for the information. The main problem is the desk format instead of DECT but at least it looks like technology has moved on. I also have a bad feeling it is more of a business device and it will be expensive!

I have used most of the phones in the snom range with an upgrade to a D385 due in December. There isn't much change out of £200 though. What is very popular with readers of this forum is the Gigaset VoIP wireless bundles, the more you pay, the better the handset. I personally have the N510 IP PRO. It is know that using Voipfone as your hosting provider, almost all of your desires can be meet if you get the configuration right.

My setup has the desktop phone and the Gigaset unit in a group so that incoming calls rings both devices at the same time; either can answer the call. For outgoing calls on the Gigaset unit, it is set to be able to choose any SIP configuration but with a default SIP choice. In the Gigaset range of base stations, I could see little point in having an answerphone facility as all that is handled by Voipfone and I could see no advantage in having a secondary PSTN style facility either fed from the master socket or a 'Digital Voice' service available from the router, but that's my personal choice.

Answers for N300 below in blue.

In reply to a post by think26872:

1. Support at least two SIP providers with ability to choose which provider is used when making an outgoing call

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

2. Permanently block incoming numbers based on caller ID

No

In reply to a post by think26872:

3. If caller ID is not present (unavailable / international, withheld) ask caller to press a key to get through

No

In reply to a post by think26872:

4. Block dialling to specific numbers (e.g. premium, speaking clock, directory enquiries - I provide prefixes)

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

5. Automatically use a specific SIP provider for a call depending on number prefixes I provide (e.g. mobiles use SIP 1 and others use SIP 2)

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

6. Have some kind of interface so I can view / manage / backup all the settings / configuration easily

Yes

In reply to a post by dect:

Answers for N300 below in blue.

In reply to a post by think26872:

1. Support at least two SIP providers with ability to choose which provider is used when making an outgoing call

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

4. Block dialling to specific numbers (e.g. premium, speaking clock, directory enquiries - I provide prefixes)

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

5. Automatically use a specific SIP provider for a call depending on number prefixes I provide (e.g. mobiles use SIP 1 and others use SIP 2)

Yes

In reply to a post by think26872:

6. Have some kind of interface so I can view / manage / backup all the settings / configuration easily

Yes

Trying to find a manual so I can get an idea on how to configure my requirements but I cant find what I need.

I am guessing I need one that goes through all the options in the web gui but my searching is failing me?

Have tried the obvious places but can find nothing that goes into any meaningful detail?

Can anyone help with a download link for the manual I need?

Thanks

https://gse.gigaset.com/fileadmin/legacy-assets/Cust...

There is an N300-ip-user-manual. If you tell me your email address perhaps in a private message I could send you a copy.

Thanks but apart from a few pages difference that looks like one of the ones I have already found. Despite it being nearly 200 pages there are only 30 odd pages around pages 136 - 166 on the web interface considering the number of options there isn't much detail at all.

Thanks for the offer but I have one with IP in the title and it is only 24 pages and doesn't have much detail. The other manual mentioned above does go in a bit more technical detail but for whatever reason I was expecting more information.

In reply to a post by dect:

1. Support at least two SIP providers with ability to choose which provider is used when making an outgoing call Yes
4. Block dialling to specific numbers (e.g. premium, speaking clock, directory enquiries - I provide prefixes) Yes
5. Automatically use a specific SIP provider for a call depending on number prefixes I provide (e.g. mobiles use SIP 1 and others use SIP 2) Yes
6. Have some kind of interface so I can view / manage / backup all the settings / configuration easily Yes

If anyone else is interested (around pages 136 - 166 your manual may differ):

Search for Connections for how to setup Fixed Line, Gigaset and/or VOIP connections (Settings - Telephony - Connections)

Search for Dialling Plans you get more information but there isn't a great amount of detail and you basically need the device in front of you to see what functions are actually available as the manual doesn't provide any real detail at all. (Settings - Telephony - Dialling Plans)

Search for Save & Restore to confirm you can save and restore settings. (Settings - Management - Save & Restore)

Pity there isn't a configuration for Incoming calls so you can control what to accept / deny sort of the opposite of Dialling Plans.

In reply to a post by think26872:

...and you basically need the device in front of you to see what functions are actually available as the manual doesn't provide any real detail at all.

To be fair that's quite typical, especially for a consumer level devices like this.

The N300A's provide a very good level of VoIP and call handling functionality for what really is a bargain price.

Additional feature sets for inbound call handing etc start to bleed into software PBX territory - where the sky is the limit in terms of functionality as you build all your own customised call handling patterns, routes, etc etc.

A lot of the pages in the configuring UI have a question mark (top right) that you can click on that opens an additional page that explains the settings on that page in more detail but you need the product in front of you to be able to see that extra info.

If your minimum requirements need some form of incoming call management (e.g call blocking or press a key to continue) then this is not the product for you.