Setting up DID for Calling Card IVR Application

1. 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.
2. Use the 'DID Pool' menu to add a DID and assign your newly created Calling Card IVR Application to it.

Call routing setup (obsolete)

1. Add vendor connection. Set the Asterisk's host/port in the Destination field of Vendor Connection (ex: 192.168.0.100:5062).
2. 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.
3. Add route to this connection and specify the Calling Card Extension number.

Configuration options

Basic options:

Trusted CLI related options

Password change

Billing related options:

Authentication

Custom scripts:

Hot Dial & Smart Dial

Top-Up

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.

Miscellaneous

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.

All other two-character parameters are treated as language list specification.

Example of CLD rewriting rule:

s/.*/callingcard_en_th_ru_cliregext003_trustcli_noplaybalance/

The balance of account won't be played in the following cases:

• 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':

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.

  Undefined

   

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.