System information

zone controller answers, and then an additional digit is sent to select which zone the
page is to be sent to. Most zone controllers will allow for a page to all zones, in addition
to combining zones (for example, a page to both the new and used car sales
departments).
You could also have separate extensions in the dialplan going to separate ATAs (or
groups of telephones), but this may prove more complicated and expensive than simply
purchasing a paging controller that is designed to handle this. Zone paging doesn’t
require any significantly different technology, but it does require a little more thought
and planning with respect to both the dialplan and the hardware.
Conclusion
In this chapter we explored the features.conf file, which contains the functionality for
enabling DTMF-based transfers, enabling the recording of calls during a call, and con-
figuring parking lots for one or more companies. We also looked at various ways of
announcing calls and information to people in the office using a multitude of paging
methods, including traditional overhead paging systems and multicast paging to the
phone sets on employees’ desks. This exploration of the various methods of imple-
menting the traditional parking and paging methods in a modern way will hopefully
show you the flexibility Asterisk can offer.
236 | Chapter 11: Parking and Paging