Auto answer for speaker system

[adamlaydon]

we are currently running hosted PBX with Polycom SIP phones which has been fairly easy. We run into the problem with a lot of customers wanting the ability to have overhead paging or speaker systems in shops and warehouses. We have tested the Cisco SPA112 but have yet to discover a way to have the signal from the SIP phone to go directly through to a speaker system without having to be 'answered'. Any product suggestions that provide this ability or workarounds would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam

[Dan Lukes]

It seems you are trying to replace Polycom's native SIP phone by inapropriate kind of product. Suitable replacement for native SIP phone is an other native SIP phone - e.g. a device from either SPA3xx or SPA5xx product line. It is possible to arrange call asking autoanswer  on it.

The SPA112 is SIP-to-POTS bridge (POTS is acronym for Plain Old Telephone System - e.g. old analog phone). There is no way to ask autoanswer over POTS interface. Well, you can assemble system with autoanswer feature, but the core of the system needs to be autoanswer-capable phone connected to SPA112, not the SPA112 itself. SPA112 is not appropriate choice for you.

[adamlaydon]

Unfotunately that is the point. We are working with an old overhead system that runs off POTS. The point is, we are providing SIP service but also need to provide paging to their current system in the warehouse. So, we do need to convert the SIP to POTS and then have a way of automatically signalling in order to broadcast.

[Dan Lukes]

"runs off POTS" ?

Sorry, English is not my native language. Just to avoid a misunderstanding - did I understand correctly that the overhead system is using another signalling protocol than POTS ? You can't connect non-POTS device to POTS peer as the devices will not understand each other.

Well. What signaling protocol the overhead system is using on the wire ?

If it is legacy speaker system with a central amplifier with line-in input, you may be searching for something like this:

Public announcement system - snom PA1 or 2N® SIP Speaker or SIP-enabled IP V2 Loudspeaker Amplifier or 8180 SIP Audio Alerter or PagePro IP Model VIP-204

[adamlaydon]

Dan,

Sorry for the misunderstanding. The customer currently has all analog phones and the speaker system is tied into that. We are trying to replace all analog connections with Polycomm Soundpoints.This is where the issue is. The customer wants to be able to pick up the ip phones and be able to send signal to the speaker system to be broadcast throughout the shop or warehouse.

So essentially we need to convert SIP back to POTS and then have the speaker system know when it is being triggered if this is at all possible.

[Dan Lukes]

How it help to you converting the SIP to POTS if the speaker system in question is not POTS compatible ? Different voltage, different current, different impedance - and no compatible signalling protocol.

Well - I'm just guessing. You still didn't described how the speaker system is connected to (current) phone system.

If it is utilizing the POTS interface now, then I wish it will work with SPA112 as well with no special arrangement required.

I sent you few references to SIP->(a speaker system) bridges. They may or may not be compatible with the speaker system in question. Unfortunately, we cant decide it is solution or not unless we know the requirements of speaker system we are speaking about.

By the way, this thread is off-topic here. We are not speaking about IP Phone but we are considering SPA112 which is ATA device. Please move it (menu in upper-right) to . In proper forum someone other may give you more appropriate advice than me.