Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: David Ptasnik Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Re: Info on Hotel PBX's Wanted Message-ID: <9707@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 13 Jul 90 23:07:34 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Organization: TELECOM Digest Lines: 35 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 482, Message 5 of 11 In article 9651@accuvax.nwu.edu appears: >I have an idea for a peripheral device for hotel telephone systems >The device would need to interface with the hotel PBX so that it >1. Selectively intercept calls coming in (local and non-local) based >2. Be accessible from any phone in the hotel by dialing some special number. >3. Determine the caller's number when accessed using the special >Ned Robie uunet!h-three!ned I'm not sure what you want this device to do, but it sounds like an automated attendant. There are a variety of them already in existence, and they interface with the PBX through single line station ports on the PBX. I am not aware of hotels using the service, they tend to be a very parsinmonious as a group (or at least they never bought anything from me, might be a personal problem - hmmmm). This device would allow incoming callers to dial a special number. The auto attendant. would answer the phone and ask the caller to dial the guests room number. If the system was sophisticated, had voice mail, and was integrated with the hotel's registration list, it could even let you spell a guest's name. The system would then ring the room. If there was no answer, it could take a voice mail message, X-fer the call to the front desk, or do other things. If a voice mail message were left, the system could activate the guest's message light, and allow the guest to retrieve the message, as though the guest had a personal answering machine. Is this the sort of thing you had in mind? If not, perhaps telling us the application, rather than the functions, woudl make it easier to respond. davep@u.washington.edu