Phone Numbers

Phone numbers are how most calls come into the platform, so the majority of routing control begins here.

Phone Numbers and Routing

Phone number routing is how all inbound calls enter the system. RingRx exposes a very potent routing mechanism to direct calls entering the system.

Phone numbers have 2 destinations:

Extension:This is where voice calls to this number will be routed. This may be any extension on the system, including a User, Group, IVR or Fax
SMS Extension:This is where SMS messages to this number will be routed. This may ONLY be a User or a Group.

Note

Extensions may have many numbers pointed to them, but may only dial out, or send SMS showing one callerID number

In addition to the extension settings a number also has a forward setting. This setting contains a destination number or extension that overrides the normal routing. This is commonly used for temporary overrides to send calls to an answering service or other similar activities.

Each number also supports tagging, so if you wish to analyze call patterns based on geography or marketing campaign, you may utilize tags to group calls. Tagging is described in more detail here

In addition to the inherent routing capabilities of each number object, a phone number may have up to 300 routing rules.

Rules are evaluated in order of weight, executing all rules matching the prefix of the calling number until a rule that sends the call away is reached.

Important

It may be tempting to block problem callers using rules but remember they are global, so misconfiguration may lead to lots of calls inappropriately rejected. We recommend problem callers be blocked using privacy defender and personal blacklists the as the primary methods of defense.

Phone Number parameters

Phone Number

This is the phone number itself

Distinctive Ring

If the call routing to this number touches down on a supported device, we can make that device provide a different ring cadence

CNAM Prefix

Add a prefix to any caller name on calls routing to this number

This is useful for identifying to the eventual user which number was actually dialed

Tags

One or more tags (separated by spaces) that will go onto the call record of any call to this number.

Tags are cumulative.

Tagging is described in more detail here

Extension

What extension should calls to this number be routed to.

Nearly all services are available here

Group:Routes calls to a group
User:Route calls to a specific user
IVR:Route calls to an IVR
Park:Send calls directly to a park orbit
Fax:Send calls to a fax service

SMS Extension

What extension should SMS messages sent to this number be routed to.

Not all services can receive SMS so only:

Group:Route SMS messages to a SMS enabled group
User:Routes Users to a SMS enabled User

PBX Location

Associates the number to a location for the purposes of location based forwarding

Forward Destination

Alternate destination that calls should be sent to when forwarding is enabled.

This can be any number, even outside the account

This is also controlled by location based forwarding

Forward

Enables forwarding, overriding the normal routing.

This is also controlled by location based forwarding

Phone Number Rules parameters

Prefix

This is the calling number prefix to match. It accepts wildcards so, for example, 888* will match ALL numbers beginning with 888

Multiple rules can share the same prefix if multiple actions are desired.

Weight

Weight is the order in which rules will be executed. The matching rule with the lowest weight will be executed first, then execution will continue in order of ascending weight.

Action

This is what action to perform on the call when the prefix is matched.

Reject Busy:Calls will be rejected with a busy signal. This ends rule processing
Reject 503:Calls will be rejected as if the number is not in service. This ends rule processing
CNAM Prefix:Calls will be prefixed and rule processing may continue
Voice Captcha:Calls will be challenged by the voice captcha, if the test is passed rule processing continues, if failed the call is ended.
Route:Calls will be routed to the desired extension. This ends rule processing

CNAM Prefix

If the action is CNAM prefix, matching calls will have their caller ID name pre-pended with the configured value.

Extension

If the action is Route, matching calls will be sent to this extension, instead of wherever the number normally routes.

Reputation

If set, this rule will only engage if the callers spam score is above what is set here.

None:All calls are matched
Low:Callers with low or above spam likelihood will be matched
Medium:Callers with medium or above spam likelihood will be matched
High:Callers with high spam likelihood will be matched