VoiSmart® vGSM-IIe is a new redesign of the vGSM card with improved functionalities and performance, in particular it has quad band GSM engines, single antenna for multiple GSM modems, and external access to the SIMs.
VoiSmart vGSM-IIe is a 100% Asterisk compatible PCI express bus card, for multiple channel (up to four) GSM communication management. The vGSM-IIe brings the state of the art functionalities and performance, in particular it supports full digital audio handling, SIM routing and remotization, an additional physical serial port for each module, several signalling LEDs and much more.

VoiSmart vGSM-IIe card is a PCI express adapter capable of making GSM network services available to the hosting system. It may be used in several applications: voice, data and SMS gateways, SMS interactive systems, remote control, etc... This board allows systems integrators to transform highly priced fixed to mobile voice traffic into a much cheaper mobile to mobile call management, with considerable savings. No external gateways needed in your Asterisk PBX.
100% compatible with EU, US, Brazil and Japan and GSM networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz modules are available). SMS are handled in native modality, thanks to a new Asterisk application for messages TX and RX, available free together with this board. VoiSmart vGSM-IIe board is supplied with GPL open source drivers, it is compatible with all Linux / Asterisk systems, managing kernel versions from 2.6.x (or later).
The new vGSM-IIe board support the SIM multiplexing. This feature allow to connect any SIM in any cards on the BUS PCI express to a modem in any other card. SIM server functionalities for remote and central storing of any number of Smartcards/SIM are also supported making the vGSM the choice for termination applications.
Why vGSM-IIe is far more than standard IP/GSM adapters
•    Single Antenna for 4 GSM modems
•    Excellent audio quality thanks to digital audio, no interferences
•    Full SMS support, SMS are handled in native modality
•    Support for GPRS data handling
•    Flexibility in handling calls, LCR and CDR support
•    Suitable for “Carrier grade” applications, fully tested in many termination networks and industrial applications worldwide
•    SIM server support
•    Several signalling LEDs for extensive and secure monitoring of modules and card's state

SIM servers

The vGSM-IIs cards are the only cards on the market to have the hardware support to be natively interfaced to a remote SIM server. How does the SIM server interface work?
Once you route the GSM module's SIM interface to the respective internal vGSM SIM controller, the module will communicate with an emulated SIM card. The insertion signal will be controlled by the software and the software will be able to access the I/O, reset and supply lines state, thus, responding as a real SIM card would.
A SIM client application will access the SIM controller on the card and the SIM server in order to present the needed data to the GSM module, including the identification and authentication data present on the real SIM installed in the SIM server.
What vGSM-IIs does more than competitors.
No Asterisk patches required: vGSM software (composed by kernel module and Asterisk channel driver) does not require any Asterisk patching, so you can stay up2date with the Asterisk versions without waiting for a new driver release to come out.  Asterisk 1.2.x and 1.4.x support: vGSM software does not have 2 different patches for Asterisk 1.2.x and 1.4.x, the same software works with both Asterisk versions.
No zaptel based drivers: vGSM drivers are not based on Zaptel, but on VoiSmart developed architecture, so you do not have the classical zaptel issues like:
•    Timing problems
•    High irq loads
•    irq conflicts
•    vGSM cards can share irqs without problems, even with Zaptel cards (in fact it is possible to run up to 16 cards on one box)
•    vGSM cards do not have the huge 1000 irqs/second like Zaptel cards, so the load is very low on the system

Software features

•    Hot-swap of the SIMs without stopping & restarting
•    Monitor all GSM network information (it can be used like a GSM network tester)
•    Full SMS support also with exotic charsets
•    Possible to send SMS not only from the Asterisk CLI (like competitors) but also from Asterisk manager (see http://open.voismart.it )
•    Possible to receive SMS and forward them as the user likes
•    Possible to force GSM network codec (if operator allows it)

Technical Specifications

•    Single Antenna for 4 GSM engines
•    Up to  four MC55i GSM modules.
•    PCI v2.2, 5V or 3.3V signaling
•    Dimensions: 145mm x 107mm (PCB) , 157mm x 132mm including SIM holder,bracket and connectors
•    Little-endian and big-endian modes directly implemented in hardware.
•    Output power :
      o    Class 4 (2 W) for EGSM850
      o    Class 4 (2 W) for EGSM900
      o    Class 1 (1 W) for GSM1800
      o    Class 1 (1 W) for GSM1900
•    100% Linux/Asterisk Compatible
•    Antenna connector: female SMA 50 ohm.
•    Two independent serial ports to each GSM module
•    Hot swappable SIMs
•    Full-mesh hardware cross-connection between modules, SIMs and SIM UARTs
•    Programmable clock generator with 3.5712, 4, 5, 7.1424, 8, 10, 14.28, 16 and 20 MHz outputs
•    3.0V and 1.8V SIMs supported
•    2048 bytes RX and TX FIFOs for improved jitter tolerance
•    Hardware a-law and u-law companders/decompanders available on each FIFO
•    LEDs for extensive monitoring of modules and card's state
•    LED security (data cannot be easily extracted from the LED light output)
•    Operating temperature: -20 °C to +45 °C
•    Storage temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C

For further information and updates: http://open.voismart.it