14 - Adding Digital Telephony

Abstract

This chapter describes the technology involved in making a computer perform a task that is done everyday—answering the phone. Systems such as these can be used to assist any organization's customer service activities, providing scalable call routing, and can answer simple queries without requiring full-time phone operators. The applications of such a system are virtually unlimited because it can be used to provide information and services to people who cannot or do not have time to log into the Internet. They are used in cinemas, ticket booking agencies, and mobile phone top-up centers. The focus is on using the telephony application programming interface, but it is possible to control a modem by issuing COM port commands. These will provide the ability to dial telephone numbers and control the physical connection to the phone line.