Linking telecom to database (e.g. mysql)

what technologies are involved

[mgm_03]

Apologies if I've posted this in the wrong forum. I'm code in php/mysql.

I would like to know what technology(s) would enable a user to dial a phone number, then dial an "extension" number that retrieves data from a database and speaks the data back to the caller. An example of what I am describing is when you call an airline, dial the flight number, and you get a real-time update of that plane's progress.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

[mcavic]

You'd need a voice modem (or other telephony card) and software to control it. The modem/card speaks into the phone line, and the software decides what happens when a certain button is pressed.

If you're talking about plugging hundreds of phone lines into the system, there are large solutions out there... with T1 voice lines, I believe you can get up to 96 phone lines on one card.

Try searching for linux voicemail software to get started. I played with one that was fairly simple, and used standard voice modems, but didn't work all that well. I don't remember the name.