Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!iuvax!rutgers!netsys!vector!telecom-gateway From: menges@menges.cs.unc.edu (John Menges) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Automated Telephone Calls Message-ID: Date: 23 Apr 89 00:29:01 GMT Sender: news@vector.Dallas.TX.US Lines: 36 Approved: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@vector.dallas.tx.us X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 143, message 4 of 7 I'm looking for a box to do the following: - Initiate and receive voice telephone calls (one at a time is ok). - Speak messages (from arbitrary text, not pre-recorded) well enough for a small number of experienced users to understand. Better speech preferable, of course. - Interact with user by speaking messages, receiving responses via DTMF tones, and determining its sequence of actions accordingly. - Interact with a computer (preferably via TCP/IP, but serial line or file system (TOPS or NFS) is ok). Can send call progress and DTMF responses to computer, can receive call initiation info (phone numbers, arbitrary messages, interaction scripts, etc.) from computer. Preferably can do so during a conversation and determine its sequence of actions accordingly. Can notify computer when it is busy. Immediate application is network/host monitoring by computer (UNIX), which notifies operations personnel via email, syslog, and/or telephone of abnormal events and receives authorization code and "what to do" commands via DTMF. Alternatively, operator can call in to request certain status or that certain actions be taken. The more direct the connection between the controlling computer and the voice line, the better. E.g., it would be best if the box only speaks and decodes DTMF tones, and the computer makes decisions, tells the box what to speak, etc. Does anybody have experience with such a box? How about the Teleflex from Information Systems International Inc.? A big disadvantage of this box is that the connection to UNIX is less than direct, as it communicates with a MacIntosh. Ideas? Is there a better newsgroup for this? I'm interested in all such systems, regardless of cost, but what I put together will probably have to be < $10K. Primary consideration is how easy it will be to put together.