Can 3CX Be Configured For AT&T U-Verse?

[James Alex Gerard]

Dear All:

Although I've been able to handle most of my computer issues solo, this is one that I tried and tried to solve -- but admit my lack of success so far.

I have AT&T U-Verse. I'll plead some ignorance in the area of telephony. But I've come to understand that U-Verse is a VOIP service. Now, I can access my U-Verse via a web browser to handle telephone settings and actually place calls through the internet. But there's no keypad. So, once I call a number, I cannot enter ID codes, PINS, or access digits for calls that require them. Which I often need.

I've been seeking some softphone application that allows me to have a keypad. That way, I can place calls from the computer without having to use the phone. The Windows 7 dialer and other phone dialers I've tried always list the built-in 56K modem as the device, even though its no longer in use. None of them seem to recognize my Gateway "residential router" thing I have with U-Verse.

Again, I plead ignorance in the world of softphones. It's all new to me, and I'm doing my best to learn. I read about having to create some "ports" or something (tunneling?) with firewalls. But why would I have to do that?, since my current setup with my provider does indeed allow calls through the web browser?

Simply put: Can the 3CX VOIP Softphone be configured to use my internet/IP connection to allow me to it as a computer telephone? I did download and look at the 3CX application (which appears downright cool and versatile), but the settings have me befuddled.

Now, I did suggest to AT&T about developing a softphone computer application for U-Verse. It would assist me in my work and communications greatly. It would also be a great benefit to those with online radio blogging gigs. I realize I need a headset, and I plan to get one soon.

Any direction would be greatly appreciated. I always admit when I don't know things, and seek those who do for the best answers.

Thanks! 8)
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Computer Specs: Dell Studio XPS 435T/9000; Intel Core i7 CPU 920 (2.67GHz); ATI Radeon HD 4350 (with 3,323 MB graphics memory), 6 GB RAM, 684 GB Hard Drive; 64-bit operating system; Windows 7 Home Premium

 

[leejor]

First of all you need to find out if at&t will allow third party SIP applications/devices to register/work with their service, there is a good chance that they won't. If you are lucky enough that they do, then you should be able to use the 3CX softphone. You would need to get some information from them, such as the server address, your password, and your user name, if that differs from your phone number. The tunnel option on the 3CX softphone is only for use with the 3CX PBX.

 

[James Alex Gerard]

Thanks, leejor!

I admit I'm internet savvy, but ignorant in the ways of VIOP and SIP aspects. It does appear that there's a lot involved, so I do appreciate your reply.

I'll follow up with AT&T and inquire about the capabilities as you outlined for me.. But, like you noted, I won't get my hopes up. Hence the reason I submitted a concept to AT&T to develop a softphone application -- I see it as a virtual phone -- for use with the U-Verse VIOP system. It's one of the "missing links" in my computer setup, and at least would assist -- considering how my existence basically revolves around my PC and now dependent I am upon it to survive.

I recently created a "Google Voice" account as well. And that leads to another question: Can 3CX be set to work with Goggle Voice? If so, perhaps I can try that as an alternative for now.

 

[leejor]

Can 3CX be set to work with Goggle Voice? If so, perhaps I can try that as an alternative for now.

It can , if, Google Voice is a SIP application (I haven't used it myself). Some companies that previously used a proprietary VoIP "method", like Skype, have recently realised that there is money to be make by moving to an open system like SIP. That said, there are others that prefer to keep their system "closed' as it allows them to retain , not only compete control over the hardware and software, used but more importantly, to them, security.

 

[Montclairguy]

I'd like to get some clarification on whether Google Voice would work with the 3CX PBX as well. It is a SIP based service, and an excellent guide exists here on the history of it, and how to make it work with some other services

https://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0Ae8glDUXDsh9ZGR2eG43cjRfMzNkOTM4ZjNjeA&hl=en

 

[leejor]

I skimmed over the info at the link. Sounds like they are still a bit of a work in progress. If you are able to sign up and are given a SIP server address, user name and password, the same as you'd receive when signing up with any VoIP SIP provider, then i don't see any reason why you couldn't register a 3CX trunk with the service. That said, I have a trunk with SiPPhone (no longer giving out numbers), which was associated with Gizmo, they had blacklisted any registration attempts from a 3CX "device". Had to make a change to get it working. It sounds like Google is consolidating the whole group into Google voice.

 

[James Alex Gerard]

As per advice I've read here, I find out about SIP providers. It was new to me. I conclude no matter what the provider or soft phone device, it needs some SIP involvement.

Currently, from what I discovered, both sipgate and sipsorcery sites state that new "free use" registrations are suspended for now. Both cited increased volume, and that's understandable. I also found out that Google acquired Gizmo5 soft phone, and no doubt will be retooling it to integrate with Google voice. 8)

But, in the interim, I did discover Google Voice does have a phone dialer keypad. I will try that more intensively and see how that works in lieu of depending on my land line, 15-year-old "hard phone." The Google dial pad pop-out window is either a new addition or I just missed it for months before. I have four web browsers currently installed and being basically a Firefox-exclusive user on the web these days, I've learned to "delegate" Internet Explorer, Safari and Sea Money to other tasks (especially internet radio players, as I did with IE 8). Even Songbird has HTML web browsing abilities, but it's overall security would concern me. For now, I downsized the Sea Monkey window on screen and use its HTML interface as a soft phone display. As nuts as that sounds. :lol:

I did "pre-sign up" for "free" SIP service if or when it becomes available (I think a lottery is upcoming for new members). And leejor brought up a good point to me about "closed systems." I hadn't realized that before, and I can see why some providers would keep theirs as such and disallow some third-party soft phone access. If I understand a bit how such systems work. :x

But 3CX looks to be the way to go, I feel, because it looks like a complete, robust soft phone. And I'll stay on AT&T to get some development on a U-Verse softphone for its users. I'm sure other users could utilize it with their professional and personal work flows.

 

[mattscott]

I use an old Sipura SPA3000 as my home phone on U-Verse connecting to a 3CX PBX at my office. It works great. I did need to set the keepalive and STUN intervals pretty low though to get it to work consistently. That works with no modifications to my residential gateway.

I've had luck with other phones as well. I've tried an Aastra 6755i: http://www.mattscott.org/index.php/2009/10/04/att-uverse-vs-aastra-55i/ and it worked well. In this case though I had to make changes to the firewall on my RG to get it to properly translate the RTP traffic. That was unfortunate but was pretty simple. You may need to do something similar but you should be able to get it to work.

Matt