Section 5.8. Key Issues: Telephony Applications

5.8. Key Issues: Telephony Applications

Telephony apps are programmed functions for the voice network. In Asterisk, sometimes commands used in the dial-plan configuration files, including extensions.conf , are called, merely, applications. This is somewhat of a misnomer, since the dial-plan commands themselves are just functional pieces of greater overall telephony apps.

Indeed, it's even correct to say that the dial-plan itself is a telephony application, albeit a more complex, more global one. Usually, at least in this book, a telephony application refers to a group of functions working together to produce a desirable result, just as all of the applications discussed in this chapter can be achieved by piecing together different software and hardware tools in the VoIP family.

Here are the most important points about telephony applications to remember when replicating them in a VoIP network:

• Telephony applications are distinguished from PC applications because they are centered on direct, real-time spoken communication between people. This is such a natural and organic process that failure or performance problems are never tolerated as they may be with PC apps

• Most telephony applications stem from the dial-plani.e., users access applications as a result of rules established in the dial-plan.

• Intercom calling, conferencing, voice mail, and automated attendant are telephony apps

• Administrative features such as call logging are telephony apps, too, because they are functionality resulting from the dial-plan configuration

• Call centers are offices with a large concentration of phones, telephony applications, and very large inbound hunt groups or outbound operators