Console channels allow calls to be placed to/from ALSA or OSS devices, using audio input/output devices as telephony devices. This allows a headphone and microphone plugged into a sound card, for example, to be used as a softphone. Calls can be placed and digits can be dialed from the Asterisk CLI, using the "dial", "answer", and "hangup" CLI commands.

There are currently two kinds of console channels in Asterisk:

• OSS channels

These handle calls placed to/from OSS devices (largely considered obsolete). OSS channels are configured in oss.conf.

• ALSA channels

These handle calls placed to/from ALSA devices. ALSA channels are configured in alsa.conf.

For information on how to use console channels from the Asterisk CLI, see the dial CLI command.

With 1.2.x versions of Asterisk, only one console channel can be created, and only one call can be placed to/from the console channel at a given time. If the console channel is in use when an incoming call is routed to it, the destination will be treated as busy. Only one of either the ALSA or OSS channel drivers may be loaded (in modules.conf) at a given time.