Setting up DID for Calling Card IVR Application
- Add an IVR Application of type 'Calling Card' in 'IVR Applications' menu on the Web. After creation of the application use Advanced Parameters to customize the application for your needs.
- Use the 'DID Pool' menu to add a DID and assign your newly created Calling Card IVR Application to it.
Call routing setup (obsolete)
- Add vendor connection. Set the Asterisk's host/port in the Destination field of Vendor Connection (ex: 192.168.0.100:5062).
- Set the CLD Translation Rule for the connection to the value s/.*/callingcard/. Optionally the set of options can be specified in the CLD - see the specs below.
- Add route to this connection and specify the Calling Card Extension number.
Configuration options
Basic options:
Option | Meaning | Default |
Announce Balance | Whether to announce balance upon successful start of application | True |
Normal Calls Are Allowed | Only service codes enabled if this option is False No outgoing calls will be processed by this CC IVR application while only the Service Codes will be processed if that option option set to 'false' . | True |
Disconnect On Failure | Whether to drop the Calling Card session upon unsuccessful call attempt. Otherwise the application announces that the failure occurred and offers the user to enter another destination. | No |
Allow Empty PIN | Whether to permit to use the prepaid card accounts with empty PIN | true |
Preserve Original CLI | CLI from the initial call leg will be used to call destination if this option set to true. The calling card username will be used as CLI otherwise. | false |
Maximum Call Duration | Maximum call duration | 3600 seconds |
Card Number Length | Maximum number of digits allowed in a card number | 10 |
Number_Of_Attempts_To_Enter_A_Card | Maximum number of attempts to enter card number or PIN code | 3 |
Number Of Wrong Destinations | Maximum allowed number of unsuccessful call attempts in a row | 3 |
Number Of Timeouts | Maximum number of input timeouts | 3 |
Minimum Call Duration | Minimum allowed call duration (in seconds). If calculated maximum duration of the call to the requested destination is less than this value then the user will hear the prompt "You have insufficient funds to make this call" | 10 |
Minimum Card Number Length | Minimum number of digits allowed in a card number | |
No Seconds In Duration | Do not pronounce seconds while announcing call duration. If the duration is less than 1 minute then this option is ignored. | False |
No Hours In Duration | Do not speak out hours while announcing call duration, only minutes | False |
Announce Duration | Should the duration of the call be announced | True |
Call Several Destinations | Only one call attempt per session is allowed if this option is False. Equal to noredial option | True |
Outbound SIP Proxy | SIP proxy host:port to send the outbound calls to (this option can also be set from the command line). This option can be useful if the outgoing calls should be processed by the external switch\server instead of the built-in b2bua service for placing the outbound calls to your Vendors. | <Environment_IP>:5061 |
Disconnect Warning Time | Say 'Your call will be disconnected in N seconds' before the call disconnect | 60 |
Play Service Plan Minutes Only | Play service plan minutes instead of a sum of plan minutes and duration calculated by tariff. This option does not affect actual maximum duration of a call which is a sum of plan minutes and duration calculated by tariff. | False |
Destination Number Completion Regex | Treat the destination number to have been completed and immediately continue with the call when the input matches the given regular expression pattern | |
The Reason For Diversion * | The reason parameter for the Diversion SIP header | unconditional |
* starting from Sippy 2020
Trusted CLI related options
Option | Meaning | Default |
Enable CLI Registration | If the 'CLI Registration' sub application is enabled, then the corresponding IVR prompt will be played and the user will be asked to link its <ANI\CLI> number as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing. | |
Automatic CLI Registration | After calling card has been entered successfully, add the current CLI to the list of trusted CLIs for this calling card. If the authorization is successful after entering the <Calling Card\PIN>, then the user's <ANI\CLI> number will be added as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing. | No |
Silent Automatic CLI Registration | When this option is set to False the user will be prompted if he wishes to register his phone number (new in 1.7.1). The same as in Automatic CLI Registration, but the user will be asked whether its number should be added as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing | True |
CLI Registration Menu Extension Number | Extension number for the CLI Registration Subapplication. Exact extension number that can be entered to reach the CLI Registration Sub application while connected to that CC IVR application. | any value from 0 to 9 |
Trusted CLI Authentication | Allow to use Trusted Numbers for authentication. | False |
Minimum Valid CLI Length | Minimum CLI length that is allowed to trigger the Automatic CLI Registration. | 6 |
Password change
Option | Meaning | Default |
Enable Password Change | If password change enabled | True |
Change Password Menu Extension Number | Extension number for the Change Password Subapplication. | any value from 0 to 9 |
Billing related options:
Option | Meaning | Default |
Balance Threshold | If the balance of the card is below this threshold then the card number will be asked even if CLI authentication is successful. Please note that this option doesn't disable cards with the balance below threshold, it just forces the PIN to be entered despite the fact the CLI authentication was successful. If you want to disable cards with low balance, please use the Minimum Balance option. (new in 1.8) | The value of the Minimum Balance option |
Minimum Balance | If the balance of the card becomes less than the specified value then the card becomes unavailable. The balance can be specified with or without currency. Currency may follow the balance value, ex: '2 USD'. When no currency specified then the balance checked as an absolute value regardless of card's currency (updated in 1.7.1) | NULL |
Ignore Connect Fee | Do not use connect_fee in the duration calculations | False |
Say_Negative_Balance_As_Zero | When option is and if balance is under zero then say "You have zero dollars". Say "You have minus <amount> dollars" if this option disabled. | True |
Authentication
Option | Meaning | Default |
Use CLI Authentication Only | Only accounts with existing CLI mapping are allowed to enter. IVR system will authorize incoming calls by trust CLI method. | False |
CLI As Card Number | Try to use CLI as card number first before other methods | False |
Use VoIP Login As Card Number | Look for a calling card in the accounts table by the authname field (normally the username field is used). | False |
PIN-less CLI Authentication | Option applicable for any IVR application since 4.4, if any kind of CLI authentication has succeeded then do not ask for PIN even if it is set. The CLI authentication includes CLI As Card Number, Trusted Numbers and Smart Dial. | False |
Allow Own Accounts Only | Option applicable for any IVR application since 4.4, if enabled then only accounts of the customer that has created this IVR application would be allowed to use it. | False |
Custom scripts:
Option | Meaning | Default |
Custom Script To Check Destination | Set the path to the destination check script. Destination Check Script - is a Python script. The script is to be put into some file (/home/ssp/check_dest.py for example) and path to this script is to be added to the configuration. This file has to contain the function checkDestination() with six mandatory parameters - CLI, translated CLI, CLD, translated CLD, username of account making the call and original CLI of the IVR session. The function must return boolean value where True means that the destination is allowed and False - destination is prohibited. Script is loaded dynamically so there is no need to restart ivrd after the script has been changed. Should any problem occur during script load, the script is disabled and corresponding error message is written to the log. If any problem occur during script execution, the Calling Card application treats this as a prohibition to make call. | |
Custom Script To Change Announced Duration | Script to calculate custom duration to be announced to the user. Duration Script - The script is run with the following parameters: account's username, account's balance, CLI, CLD, calculated maximum duration (in seconds), i_tariff, translated CLI and translated CLD. The script must print to the stdout a duration that is to be announced to the user. Please note that the duration returned from the script does not affect the maximum session time, it only changes the duration announcement message. |
Hot Dial & Smart Dial
Option | Meaning | Default |
Enable Direct Hot Dial | Single digit destinations dialed from main menu will be treated as hot dial keys if this option is true | False |
Enable Hot Dial | If the Hot Dial subapplication enabled. Enable Direct Hot Dial option is applied for accounts which use Hot Dial feature. In this case, single digit destinations dialed from main menu will be treated as hot dial keys. For example account uses Hot Dial Key 5 with Destination number 123456. Pressing 5# in Calling Card IVR initiates call to the 123456 destination if Enable Direct Hot Dial = True and returns error if Enable Direct Hot Dial = false (by default). | True |
Hot Dial Edit Menu Extension | Extension number to edit the Hot Dial keys | |
Hot Dial Menu Extension | Hot Dial extension number | |
Limit Hot Keys | If true then only keys 1, 2 and 3 can act as the hot dial keys | False |
Smart Dial Exclusive Mode | Should the Smart Dial DID be shared amongst many accounts. This option should be left false by default. If it is set to true, only 1 account will be able to add DID number assigned to this IVR application as Smart Dial number. | False |
Top-Up
Option | Meaning | Default |
Enable Top-Up feature | If the Topup subapplication enabled | True |
Top-Up Card Length | The maximum allowed number of digits of top-up card | 10 |
Top Up Menu Extension | Extension number for Top-Up Card Subapplication. | any value from 0 to 9 |
Black List
Please note that attempts to enter numbers less than 4 digits long are not treated as fraud activity. Only numbers more than 3 digits long trigger black list.
Option | Meaning | Default |
Enable Black List | If the blacklist feature turned on. | False |
Number Of Attempts To Blacklist | How many wrong calling card numbers should be entered in a row to blacklist the current CLI. | 3 |
Miscellaneous
Option | Meaning | Default |
Use Word PIN | Enable one-step authentication. With the Use Word Pin option set to false the PIN would be asked after entering the card number for accounts that have PIN configured. Case PIN is not set for Account, authentication will proceed without it, unless Allow Empty PIN is set to false, in such case call would be dropped with PIN set request. Thus if you need to add extra security to the system, setting this parameter to False would be a good idea, as it'd require entering both card number and a secret PIN of that card. Also applicable to Top-Up IVR application, to enable top-up vouchers PINs. Use word PIN in all phrases regarding card number. So for example phrase "Enter card number" will sound "Enter PIN code" and so on... Please note that this option disables the password check. | True |
Suppress Pound Phrase | Do not say "...followed by the pound key" when asking destination number and PIN | False |
Enable Custom Greeting | If the custom language independent greeting enabled (it is played at the very beginning of the application before the language selection) | No |
Custom Greeting File | Path to the custom language independent greeting audio file (it is played at the very beginning of the application before the language selection). Path has to be specified omitting the file extension, in the same folder there must be versions for all needed extensions (sln, g729, possibly g723). Example: /usr/home/ssp-root/my_custom_prompt | |
Early Greeting Prompt ID | The Prompt ID to be played before the language selection menu. This prompt cannot be localized. See an example at the end of the page. This option let you use the custom greeting when you're calling to the IVR app. | |
Late Greeting Prompt ID | The Prompt ID to be played after the language selection menu before balance announcement. This prompt can be localized. See an example at the end of the page. | |
VoodooVox Source Key | The source key for VoodooVox Ads | None |
Default Calling Card Language | Default fall back language | en |
Fallback_To_Default_Calling_Card_Language | Whether to fall back to default language after the maximum number of wrong attempts to select the language have been made. | No |
Say 'No Card' On Low Balance | Say "Wrong card number (PIN code)" instead of "There is no available balance left in this calling card". (New in 3.0) | True |
Destination Check Script
This is a Python script in the following format. The script is to be put into some file (/home/ssp/check_dest.py for example) and path to this script is to be added to the configuration. This file has to contain the function checkDestination() with six mandatory parameters - CLI, translated CLI, CLD, translated CLD, username of account making the call and original CLI of the IVR session. The function must return boolean value where True means that the destination is allowed and False - destination is prohibited. This script is loaded dynamically so there is no need to restart ivrd after the script has been changed. Should any problem occur during script load, the script is disabled and corresponding error message is written to the log. If any problem occur during script execution, the Calling Card application treats this as a prohibition to make call.
Duration Script
The script is run with the following parameters: account's username, account's balance, CLI, CLD, calculated maximum duration (in seconds), i_tariff, translated CLI and translated CLD. The script must print to the stdout a duration that is to be announced to the user. Please note that the duration returned from the script does not affect the maximum session time, it only changes the duration announcement message.
Database usage
The application uses the accounts table for authentication purposes, to retrieve the value of the user's balance, to make balance transfers and to change password.
The calling_card_cli_map table is used to store CLI-to-CallingCard mappings. These mappings are used to automatically select the calling card account based on the CLI of the user.
Use of multiple instances of Calling Card Application
The application can be configured not only via central configuration but also by CLD rewriting. This allows to use several differently configured instances of application within the same server. The CLD options always override the corresponding global configuration options.
The following parameters are accepted.
chpassext<ext> | Specify the Change Password extension for this instance |
cliregext<ext> | Specify the CLI Registration extension for this instance |
directhotdial | Destinations 1, 2 and 3 dialed from main menu will be treated as hot dial keys if this option is specified |
earlymedia | Use early media mode till the destination has answered |
greet<i_ivr_prompt> | Use prompt from the ivr_prompts table as a greeting (new in 1.7) |
hotdialext<ext> | Hot Dial extension number |
hotdialeditext<ext> | Extension number to edit Hot Dial keys |
keepcli | Use original CLI to call destination |
lgreet<i_ivr_prompt> | Use prompt from the ivr_prompts table as a late greeting. This greeting is language aware, unlike the greet option (new in 1.7). |
nocardenter or climaponly | Exit immediately if no CLI mapping has been found |
nochpass | Change Password extension is disabled regardless if it specified or not |
nocliauth | Do not try to use CLI as card number |
noclireg | CLI Registration extension is disabled regardless if it specified or not |
nodial | Disallow outside calls. This is useful if service codes only are to be available. |
nohotdial | Disable Hot Dial fetature, both dial and edit keys capabilities |
nokeepcli | Use calling card username as CLI to call destination |
noplaybalance or nobalance | Disallow balance announcement |
noplayduration or noduration | Disable call duration limit announcement |
noredial | Hangup after the call attempt regardless it was successful or not |
notopup | Top-Up extension is disabled regardless if it specified or not |
planminutes | Play service plan minutes instead of a sum of plan minutes and duration calculated by tariff. This option does not affect actual maximum duration of a call which is a sum of plan minutes and duration calculated by tariff. |
playbalance | Allow balance announcement |
topup | Start Top-Up Card subapplication instead of main Calling Card loop. All functionality except Top-Up Card is disabled. |
topupext<ext> | Specify the Top-Up extension for this instance |
trustcli | CLI mapping is trusted so the PIN is never asked |
trycliauth or cliauth | Try to use CLI as card number first before other methods |
All other two-character parameters are treated as language list specification.
Example of CLD rewriting rule:
s/.*/callingcard_en_th_ru_cliregext003_trustcli_noplaybalance/ |
- there is a minutes plan configured in the service plan of the account
- service plan status is suspended
- account's balance is equal to zero
Late Greeting example (new in 1.7)
Late Greeting lgreet feature allows to make announcement after calling card has been identified and before the balance played. To play the audio the IVR Prompts facility is used. The facility allows to specify a language specific versions of the prompt. Here is how one can prepare a prompt to work as a Late Greeting:
- Create a prompt with the default audio recording
For<=2022 systems:
$ /home/ssp/scripts/ivr_prompt_utils -E I_ENVIRONMENT -c default_audio.sln late_greeting 'Long description' New prompt created with i_ivr_prompt = 29 |
For>=2023 systems:
$ /usr/local/bin/ivr_prompt_utils -E I_ENVIRONMENT -c default_audio.sln late_greeting 'Long description' New prompt created with i_ivr_prompt = 29 |
- As you see the prompt created and was assigned an identifier of 29. Add all needed localized recodings to this prompt (Thai and
Chinese are showed in the following example):
For<=2022 systems:
$ /home/ssp/scripts/ivr_prompt_utils -u 29 -a thai_audio.sln --lang=th IVR prompt updated $ /home/ssp/scripts/ivr_prompt_utils -u 29 -a chinese_audio.sln --lang=zh IVR prompt updated |
For>=2023 systems:
$ /usr/local/bin/ivr_prompt_utils -u 29 -a thai_audio.sln --lang=th IVR prompt updated $ /usr/local/bin/ivr_prompt_utils -u 29 -a chinese_audio.sln --lang=zh IVR prompt updated
- Now you've prepared the prompt and can start to use it. Modify your CLD translation rule to include lgreet29. So the final rule
may look like:
s/.*/callingcard_en_th_zh_ja_lgreet29/ |
- As you see the Japan and English languages are included here also but we haven't prepared the corresponding localized prompts.
In this example the users of the Calling Card that have chosen Japan or English will hear the announcement in the default
language (the audio from the default_audio.sln file).
- Please note that the *.sln files must contain audio in signed linear format. Almost any audio format can be relatively easily
converted to the signed linear format. Here is an example how to covert 'file.wav' into 'file.sln':
/usr/local/bin/sox file.wav -t raw -s -2 -r8000 -c1 file.sln |
Early Greeting example (new in 1.7)
Early Greeting greet feature allows to make announcement before the user proposed to choose a language. The procedure of setting up the greeting is very similar to the Late Greeting except the language specific audio is not needed. Here is how to prepare a prompt to work as an Early Greeting:
- Create a prompt with the default audio recording:
For<=2022 systems:
$ /home/ssp/scripts/ivr_prompt_utils -E I_ENVIRONMENT -c greet_audio.sln early_greeting 'This is an early prompt' New prompt created with i_ivr_prompt = 30 |
For>=2023 systems:
$ /usr/local/bin/ivr_prompt_utils -E I_ENVIRONMENT -c greet_audio.sln early_greeting 'This is an early prompt' New prompt created with i_ivr_prompt = 30 |
- The prompt is ready. Modify your CLD translation rule to include greet30. So the final rule may look like:
s/.*/callingcard_en_th_zh_ja_greet30/ |
Notes
- CLI Registration extension relies on correct CLI delivery to the application. Sometimes the CLI is not delivered correctly, or when PSTN user blocks his CLI some bogus CLI is delivered instead. This may result in user registering this bogus CLI and other users not being able to use the service when they also have CLI disabled. Therefore routing shall be configured to block any suspicious CLI, for example the following CLI Translation Rule could be used to only pass 10-digits numeric CLIs that start with 0:
s/(^0[0-9]{9,9}$|^).*$/\1/ |
Calling Card application allows the user to disconnect outgoing call by pressing pound sign twice in a row (##) during any phase of the call. If you want to deny some CLI the possibility of adding itself to the trusted numbers (someone calls to the DID, that is assigned to Calling card IVR application in our system, authorize using some account "Please, enter your PIN code" and then can be prompted whether he wants to add the number he calls from as a trusted one) you'll have to do the following: 1. Find out the CLI you want to ban 2. Add the CLI translation rule to the specific DID number you want to be affected by the change, e.g. to ban CLI 33nonymous from adding it as a trusted one you'll need to add the following translation rule: s/^33nonymous$/Anonymous/ As a result if the incoming CLI = 33nonymous it'll be rewritten to Anonymous, which is not allowed to save itself to the trusted numbers by default. No other CLI will be affected by this change.
Calling Card options explanation
1.Normal Calls Are Allowed
Only service codes enabled if this option is False
No outgoing calls will be processed by this CC IVR application while only the Service Codes will be processed if that option option set to 'false' .
2. Outbound SIP Proxy
SIP proxy host:port to send the outbound calls to (this option can also be set from the command line)
This option can be useful if the outgoing calls should be processed by the external switch\server instead of the built-in b2bua service for placing the outbound calls to your Vendors.
3. Enable CLI Registration
If the CLI Registration sub application enabled
If the 'CLI Registration' sub application is enabled, then the corresponding IVR prompt will be played and the user will be asked to link its <ANI\CLI> number as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing.
4 Automatic CLI Registration
After calling card has been entered successfully, add the current CLI to the list of trusted CLIs for this calling card.
If the authorization is successful after entering the <Calling Card\PIN>, then the user's <ANI\CLI> number will be added as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing.
5.Silent Automatic CLI Registration
When this option is set to False the user will be prompted if he wishes to register his phone number (new in 1.7.1).
The same as in 4th case, but the user will be asked whether its number should be added as the 'Trusted Number' to the used <Calling Card\PIN> for further possible PINless dialing
6 CLI Registration Menu Extension Number
Extension number for the CLI Registration Sub application
Exact extension number that can be entered to reach the CLI Registration Sub application while connected to that CC IVR application.
7 Trusted CLI Authentication
CLI mapping is trusted so the PIN is never asked
That option enables the PINless dialing based on the Trusted Number. If the user has already entered the <Calling Card\PIN> successfully during the previous session and its <ANI\CLI> has been added to the Trusted Numbers of the used <Calling Card\PIN> and if that user calls the CC IVR application second time using the same <ANI\CLI>, then no PIN will be asked (no authorization) in such case, so that it will be only asked for the destination number to call.
8. Use CLI Authentication Only
Only accounts with existing CLI mapping are allowed to enter
You IVR system will authorize IVR call only by trust CLI method.
9. Custom Script To Check Destination
Set the path to the destination check script
Destination Check Script - This is a Python script in the following format. The script is to be put into some file (/home/ssp/check_dest.py for example) and path to this script is to be added to the configuration. This file has to contain the function checkDestination() with six mandatory parameters - CLI, translated CLI, CLD, translated CLD, username of account making the call and original CLI of the IVR session. The function must return boolean value where True means that the destination is allowed and False - destination is prohibited. This script is loaded dynamically so there is no need to restart ivrd after the script has been changed. Should any problem occur during script load, the script is disabled and corresponding error message is written to the log. If any problem occur during script execution, the Calling Card application treats this as a prohibition to make call.
10 Custom Script To Change Announced Duration
Script to calculate custom duration to be announced to the user.
Duration Script - The script is run with the following parameters: account's username, account's balance, CLI, CLD, calculated maximum duration (in seconds), i_tariff, translated CLI and translated CLD. The script must print to the stdout a duration that is to be announced to the user. Please note that the duration returned from the script does not affect the maximum session time, it only changes the duration announcement message.
11 Enable Direct Hot Dial
Single digit destinations dialed from main menu will be treated as hot dial keys if this option is true
Enable Direct Hot Dial option is applied for accounts which use Hot Dial feature. In this case, single digit destinations dialed from main menu will be treated as hot dial keys. For example account uses Hot Dial Key 5 with Destination number 123456. Pressing 5# in Calling Card IVR initiates call to the 123456 destination if Enable Direct Hot Dial = True and returns error if Enable Direct Hot Dial = false (by default).
12 Smart Dial Exclusive Mode
Should the Smart Dial DID be shared amongst many accounts
This option should be left false by default. If it is set to true, only 1 account will be able to add DID number assigned to this IVR application as Smart Dial number.
13 Early Greeting Prompt ID
The Prompt ID to be played before the language selection menu. This prompt cannot be localized. See an example at the end of the page.
This option should let you use your custom greeting when you're calling that IVR application.
14 VoodooVox Source Key
The source key for VoodooVox Ads
This option is related to the VoodooVox ads provider. Please contact us if you need more details about it.