HN: Know of a telco with an API I can use to buy virtual phone numbers + query for logs?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=486684

by igglepiggle • 17 years ago

2 6 17 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm building a directory services application and I need an API to buy virtual phone numbers on the fly, which will just forward to a different number. I'd also like to be able to query the API for the number of calls received and their duration. I'm predominantly interested in the USA and UK.

I'd be very grateful if somebody could point me in the right direction.. my google-fu seems weak today.

r11t• 17 years ago

Have you looked into the open source Telephony/PBX solution "Asterisk"? http://www.asterisk.org/

It does not exactly fit your requirement of an API to buy virtual phone numbers but I believe you should be able to use it to cheaply setup forwarding service for phone numbers. I am not speaking out of experience but I think Asterisk might be able to do what you are looking for.

igglepiggle3• 17 years ago

Yeah the main problem is buying the actual numbers. We don't have a very complex requirement in terms of managing the calls - they'll all just get forwarded on to different numbers, so we don't really need to manage our own infrastructure.

staunch• 17 years ago

I don't know if it does quite what you want, but Twilio.com is worth checking out/asking if you haven't.

igglepiggle3• 17 years ago

Thanks for the comment - the site seems a little sparse on information but I've sent them an e-mail.

oldgregg• 17 years ago

I don't think they have an API, but www.voip.ms has been phenomenal for us. Really great design, great customer service, and CHEAP. Live chat them and see what they say, it would probably be easy just to hpricot a homebrew API with them.

igglepiggle3• 17 years ago

Thanks for the comment - they seem to have great prices and coverage.. and logs. Just what I was looking for!

HN: Know of a telco with an API I can use to buy virtual phone numbers + query for logs?

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