What happens if you take an Open Source PBX system (say Asterisk PBX, for example), add in a group of worldwide users that share their telephone resources a la Napster et al?

Simple – you get The Bellster™ Network’s Phone Sharing Service. Here’s the scoop, straight from the Bellster™ FAQ:

The Bellster™ Network’s Phone Sharing Service is a worldwide association of users who want to exchange small amounts of their local phone service in exchange for the use of each other’s phone server.

For Instance, Erik lives in New York City, and he gets free local phone service, his family is in Holland. Joe is an ex-patriot from New York living in Holland that calls New York on a regular basis. Using the Free World Dialup Phone Sharing Service, Erik shares his number. Joe also shares his number. When Joe calls New York, he uses Erik’s line and Erik uses Joe’s Line. The sharing is not done on a one-on-one basis, members share with the entire community and accumulate credits when their line is used. These credits can be used to place calls through other member’s phones. Free World Dialup maintains the tallies so that no line is used more than the owner has permitted.

Now that would be a cool thing to try out. I’m game if others are. Any takers?

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