# Place a phone call on an alert **URL:** \ **Category:** Ignition\ **Created:** [June 29, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988 "2010-06-29T18:49:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/1 "2010-06-29T18:49:16Z")
Just got a request to have a system (which is been sent to the customer tomorrow 😒 ) place a phone call which must be answered when an alert goes off. Anybody done this? Recommended hardware? ---
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 11:04am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/2 "2010-06-30T11:04:50Z")
Sorry - it’s not currently possible to natively place calls in Ignition. You might be able to use a 3rd party app or autodialer. This [U.C.ME OPC client alarm application](http://www.controlsee.com/) was recommend from the PLCTalk forums. It does depend on your project using a classic OPC server. On the control forums the trend seems to be less phone alerting support in favor of email/text messaging. Usually when discussion about Dialogix/Win 911 or SCADAlarm comes up, it’s accompanied by frustrated memories. ---
**Author:** ![nathan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nathan](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/nathan)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 11:06am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/3 "2010-06-30T11:06:33Z")
This got me thinking about Ignition plugin ideas that use VoIP. For example, a plugin that worked with a Google Voice account to make voice enuniated alarm calls. Or one that uses a [Skype API](http://skype.sourceforge.jp/index.php?Skype%20API%20For%20Java%20(English)) This should work equally well with a hosted service or your own equipment. [orderlycalls.sourceforge.net/](http://orderlycalls.sourceforge.net/) [asterisk.org/asterisk](http://www.asterisk.org/asterisk) ---
**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/4 "2010-07-08T10:53:34Z")
Thanks Nathan, There are a couple of good links there. I think the best thing is to shell out to an external dialing program to place to call. Now for stage two. The customer wants the alert acknowledged when someone answers the phone. How can I do that? ![:scratch:](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/1X/76d1620bec252bfac07050c889ff5a91dc8a9c25.gif ":scratch:") ---
**Author:** ![bryan\_cook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a8b319/32.png) [@bryan\_cook](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/bryan_cook)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/5 "2010-07-08T13:14:03Z")
Wow, sounds like some wild stuff! Ran a quick Google, came across [TringMe](http://tringme.com/)… noticed their [API documentation](http://tringme.com/docs/tringmeapi.pdf) has a section on Real-time Status Notifications … might be worth a look. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![DennisWomack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@DennisWomack](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/DennisWomack)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/6 "2010-07-08T14:03:14Z")
You might want to take a look at a service called PhoneFactor. [www.phonefactor.com](http://www.phonefactor.com) It is intended for login authentication, but it might also work for what you want Acknowledged alarms. You could send a text to the phone, via email and then send a phone factor for acknowledgement. They have drivers for several different software environments. The price is right. Another option is some hardware made by Spectrum Controls. It is basically a cell phone hung on ethernet. Via ethernet you control the phone. I hope this helps. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/7 "2010-07-13T15:52:42Z")
One other point I forgot to mention - no internet access. the gateway lives on an isolated network. ---
**Author:** ![Robert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e95f7d/32.png) [@Robert](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Robert)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/8 "2010-07-13T23:15:48Z")
Found an interesting solution from these guys [http://www.barnett-engg.com/index.aspx](http://www.barnett-engg.com/index.aspx). They have a modbus interface 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DaneOverfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@DaneOverfield](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/DaneOverfield)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:39pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/9 "2012-01-05T20:39:28Z")
TopView SQL from Exele can do this by accessing the SQL tables in Ignition instead of using OPC [exele.com/Products/TopView/topview\_about.htm](http://www.exele.com/Products/TopView/topview_about.htm) ---
**Author:** ![DaneOverfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@DaneOverfield](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/DaneOverfield)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2012, 12:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/place-a-phone-call-on-an-alert/1988/10 "2012-02-17T12:59:31Z")
We have added some details of integrating TopView SQL to Ignition. [exele.com/Products/TopView/s … /index.htm](http://www.exele.com/Products/TopView/solutions/ignition/index.htm)