I have googled for sip channels and I still haven't figured out what they are. There are some provivders that provide 2,4, or unlimited channels when sign up for a sip account.
I think that they may mean that you can register you sip number 2,4, or unlimited times all running concurrently. Meaning you can make and receive multiple calls on the same sip number/account. Don't take this as the correct answer. I am still searching myself.
Could someone please clarify?
sip channels
Moderators: Bill Smith, Pilot
Yes, that is exactly what it means. A channel, when offered as part of a VoIP service package, indicates how many simultaneous calls the account (or phone number within the account) will handle without returning a Busy Signal to an inbound caller and a Congestion indication for an attempted outbound call. Some providers lump inbound and outbound channels together and some offer separate limits.
When not specified, it it commonplace for a service to provide 2 channels of service. This is on the assumption that you should be able to handle one call plus another Call Waiting incoming call or one call that you turn into a 3-way call, just like the equivalent services from Ma Bell.
When not specified, it it commonplace for a service to provide 2 channels of service. This is on the assumption that you should be able to handle one call plus another Call Waiting incoming call or one call that you turn into a 3-way call, just like the equivalent services from Ma Bell.
Sip ata and channels
Just my thinking
So if I have 4 channels.... that is the same as two lines..... my SPA 1001 can handle 2 lines. Can I setup the box to use line 1 and 2 on the same account and then use them at the same time?
So if I have 4 channels.... that is the same as two lines..... my SPA 1001 can handle 2 lines. Can I setup the box to use line 1 and 2 on the same account and then use them at the same time?
Re: Sip ata and channels
No, not quite. 4 channels is the equivalent of two lines, not the same as two lines. Generally, this means that you can have four simultaneous talk paths to the same device. Unless your provider permits simultaneous use of one account from two different client devices (The two Lines of your one ATA are considered as separate devices, even though they are inside the same plastic box.), you would need to assign different accounts to each Line of your ATA.kingjm wrote:So if I have 4 channels.... that is the same as two lines..... my SPA 1001 can handle 2 lines. Can I setup the box to use line 1 and 2 on the same account and then use them at the same time?
As to your comment of using the SPA-1001, how do you envision using four talk paths simultaneously on a device that has only one telephone connection?
5 way conference call on 4 channels
So in other words I can have a 5 way conference call on 4 channels. Unless the provider allows me to sign in with more than one device. On the spa 1001 I thought I could sign in twice and have a line one and line two. ie: two channels on each line.
So what good are unlimited channels? What kind of applications can these be used for? could I use one channel directly for faxes, or a modem.....?
So what good are unlimited channels? What kind of applications can these be used for? could I use one channel directly for faxes, or a modem.....?
More channels are appropriate when you are fronting many extension phones with a PABX, like Asterisk. The PABX can send different outbound calls from different extensions out via the same VoIP account at the same time and/or field simultaneous inbound calls to the same account and direct them to individual destination extensions.
Subscribing to more than two channels on an account that will terminate directly into one ATA is wasteful. Subscribing to four channels in anticipation of putting them all on two Lines of your SPA-1001 is likewise inappropriate, since you have only one physical telephone interface.
Even if you were to be able to establish two three-way calls on the SPA-1001 and mix them together, which I don't believe the SPA-1001 can actually accomplish, how often would that be your desired mode of operation? If you plan on doing that a lot I would recommend setting up an Asterisk and using its MeetMe conferencing feature to mix these people into one "group hug".
Subscribing to more than two channels on an account that will terminate directly into one ATA is wasteful. Subscribing to four channels in anticipation of putting them all on two Lines of your SPA-1001 is likewise inappropriate, since you have only one physical telephone interface.
Even if you were to be able to establish two three-way calls on the SPA-1001 and mix them together, which I don't believe the SPA-1001 can actually accomplish, how often would that be your desired mode of operation? If you plan on doing that a lot I would recommend setting up an Asterisk and using its MeetMe conferencing feature to mix these people into one "group hug".