Using My PC For Plain Old Telephone Service?

TheJerbear79 writes "I recently accepted a work-from-home job that will involve using my landline to talk to customers. When I log into the phone queue, my landline will ring, I'll put in a three digit code, and then calls are routed to the phone line I'm on. It essentially turns my landline into a softphone. Rather than using a regular handset or obtaining a nice business phone with a headset and speakerphone, I would like to use my PC's modem in conjunction with a normal PC headset and soundcard. I know the hardware is capable, but the modem didn't come with appropriate software. Has anyone found anything cheap/free that would suit this kind of usage? Just for clarity, I don't want to use a VOIP solution; I need to use my plain old landline. My reason is this: if I'm watching a movie or listening to an MP3 while I'm waiting for a call, I don't want it to ever be apparent to the person who is on the phone with me, and I want to route all the audio I use through a single headset. I've scoured Google for anything close to this application, and all I've managed to find is information on VOIP software or programs that turn my PC into an answering machine, neither of which will work."

Comments

I realise this is totally unacceptable

[sleeponthemic]

My reason is this: if I'm watching a movie or listening to an MP3 while I'm waiting for a call, I don't want it to ever be apparent to the person who is on the phone with me,

It won't be.. because you'll have paused it before answering the phone because you can't hear what they are saying if it is still playing.

Re:I realise this is totally unacceptable

[R2.0]

It sounds like you are doing customer service work at home, which is exactly what my wife does. So here's a hint regarding watching or listening to other media during your scheduled work hours - don't. First, your call volume is likely to be such that, unless you can comprehend media in 5 second increments, the experience is likely to be unsatisfying. Second, assuming you do run into some slack time, changing over from media to active customer service can be mentally jarring, and you are likely to fumble through your first few seconds of the call while you reorient yourself. My wife sticks to diversions on the computer - [alt-tab] is like a mental switch for her, and she doesn't get into anything too in depth.

As for hardware, buy the best CONVENTIONAL setup you can afford. A decent wireless handset and good headset isn't really that expensive, and it is equipment you are relying on to make your money - your customers (and employer) aren't going to take "hold on while I fix my software config" as an excuse. You emphasized that VOIP is NOT an option - my guess is that's an employer mandate? the reason for that is that they do not want their users to get to cute with the fancy getups.

There's a reason it's called PLAIN Old Telephone Service - running it through hardware and software so you can fill time with entertainment sort of defeats the purpose, does it not?

Your hardware probably isn't capable at all.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Dear slashdot, I have a work at home job and want to watch porn during business hours. How do I stop callers from listening in? My budget is exactly $0."

*sigh*

You probably can't get the raw audio from your modem. Hardly any modems do full-duplex audio.

Get a phone with a headset jack and an automatic audio switch.

If you really want to go ghetto you could have one earphone connected to your PC and the other to the incoming call. That's probably the cheapest way to make sure the callers never hear you listening to porn.

Re:Perhaps a better solution...

[Gordonjcp]

Yeah, that's what I'd do as well. Keep It Simple, and all that. Of course, another solution would be to mute the speakers before answering the phone...

Which OS?

[bloodninja]

Is this for your Amiga box, or the C64?

Really, if you don't tell us what OS you are using, it will be hard to suggest software. Not all /.ers still run slackware.

Re:Perhaps a better solution...

[Fex303]

What use would a piece of studio equipment (rack mounted, at that) have in his setup?

Because you can? I mean, come on, this is slashdot, we'd come up with a remote controlled robotic flyswatter that runs Linux and is also a webserver given the slightest opportunity.

And the OP only suggested using a sidechain "if you wanted to get really fancy". And it is really quite fancy. Also, it would make for an extremely elegant solution to the original question.

Re:Maybe it's not really a problem.

[urcreepyneighbor]

this guy will be doing a lot of "hard work" from home.

Better at home than at the office.