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Show HN: Baby's first international landline

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Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#21

Post by horseradish7k »

technofiend wrote: post #11

I love everything about this. I've often thought families that wanted to extend their network between trusted friends could set up a literal private branch exchange (aka PBX) with only their friends as fellow members.You have a way for people to call each other without handing kids a smart phone and can also avoid the inevitable costs and unwanted calls associated with real land lines.

almost if like they could be regional, for people within the same area... and there'd be a book with everyone's numbers...

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#22

Post by eastbound »

b_e_n_t_o_n wrote: post #10

For some reason I thought it was for toddlers to call other toddlers. I think if you were looking for a feature to add, it would be to let kids call their friends. Could lead to some cute moments :)

Oh yes then monetize the recordings! (Sorry, Silicon Valley PTSA kicking in)

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#23

Post by jeduardo »

One sidenote is that the Twilio part is harder than it looks. Not because of technical factors, but because of the paid requirement. Twilio refused to take my money and upgrade me to a paid account, even though they forced me to go to their confusing KYC procedure, where they asked me many times to provide the same set of documents. Support was useless, it looked like an AI bot repeating the same thing, but this was before the widespread usage of AI bots.

Eventually I gave up and went to Telnyx, which had a better KYC process and actual humans behind support that could resolve any quirks with KYC. Apparently not being born where you live breaks a lot of the automation behind some of these processes, go figure.

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#25

Post by mrweasel »

throw-10-13 wrote: post #24

Hardest part of this is getting a twilio account that actually works. One of the worst service providers ive ever had to work with.

That explains the pricing. I've been looking for a cheap way to get a SIP/VOIP connection, so the kid and I can play with some old phones she's been gifted. I really want to make one or two of them work, so she can do internal calls at home, and maybe call grandmam.

It's easy enough to get a VOIP account with a local company, but the pricing is just insane. I really wish I could find an ATA solution that can do internal call and use a SIM to call out. They exist, but the prices rather high.

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#26

Post by mrweasel »

protocolture wrote: post #15

>only permit calls to be made to an adult-controlled set of numbers timezones and “awake/asleep” schedules, to avoid calling Europe at their 1am prevent inbound calls entirely This is interesting. Was there a serious issue while using a regular landline? As a former toddler myself, I think that the worst I got up to was calling the radio station and giving bad traffic tips. My overseas family had such a long number,…

> Was there a serious issue while using a regular landline?

So a few other issues with landlines, in other countries:

1) Crazy expensive.

2) You can't sign-up for one anymore.

3) They may no longer be available. The cables have already been removed in some parts of Denmark.

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#28

Post by ale42 »

This is using Twilio, but given there's an Asterisk server behind, you can actually use any VoIP provider that allows outgoing calls over SIP right? Depending on the country you live in and/or where you want to call, you might get simpler & cheaper options (although for emergency service if you want to have it, which I think is important unless there's an alternative way to call emergencies around, it's more complicated).

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#29

Post by ssl-3 »

vermilingua wrote: post #13
superb_dev wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also if you want to test dial 911 I’ve been told you can schedule a test call with you local dispatch! I setup a phone system with Asterisk for fun a while ago and I avoided emergency calls because I didn’t know how to safely test it

You can, but you should prefer dialling 933 which will use the same routing infrastructure, and reads out the address that 911/933 believes is associated with your connection. Does not take time away from a human dispatcher so should always be preferred unless there is a critical reason to test 911.

Dialing 933 tests call routing and address reporting when dialing 933, but 911 and 933 are not the same number.

And one might assume that it should work the same....and it may in fact be the same once a call reaches the greater telephone network.

But calling 933 does not necessarily test 911 call routing as it relates to a specific pile of local gear.

So sure: One should call 933 as an informal test and make sure it produces a good report.

One should -also- call 911 and make sure that works correctly and that the result of a call is a good report, too (after calling the local non-emergency number for the PSAP and making arrangements).

It's perfectly acceptable, OK, and appreciated (by PSAP operators and supervisors alike) to ensure that 911 calling is tested and working, end-to-end, upon the implementation of any particular telephone system. (But again, please let them know about it, first.)

Lives do sometimes rely on 911 calls working properly, and an untested system is at best an unproven mystery.

Please test it. "It -should- work fine!" is not good enough.

Re: Show HN: Baby's first international landline

#30

Post by miki123211 »

mrweasel wrote: post #26
protocolture wrote: post #15

>only permit calls to be made to an adult-controlled set of numbers timezones and “awake/asleep” schedules, to avoid calling Europe at their 1am prevent inbound calls entirely This is interesting. Was there a serious issue while using a regular landline? As a former toddler myself, I think that the worst I got up to was calling the radio station and giving bad traffic tips. My overseas family had such a long number,…

> Was there a serious issue while using a regular landline? So a few other issues with landlines, in other countries: 1) Crazy expensive. 2) You can't sign-up for one anymore. 3) They may no longer be available. The cables have already been removed in some parts of Denmark.

In a lot of places a "landline" is:

a) a phone using the ITU protocols, connecting to the router over ATM, or

b) a straight up SIP / VOIP phone which just happens to be operated by your ISP, but which could, in principle, work anywhere, as long as it was connected to the internet, or

c) a cell phone in a landline-like enclosure, perhaps with a carrier-side restriction that prevents its SIM card from working outside its intended local area.

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