Next Generation Telephony Systems and Services

DataTechLabs ArrowBilling supports DID (Direct Inward Dial) Number forwarding to ArrowBiling accounts. This guide provides information how it works and how it can be set up.

How It Works 

By DID Forwarding we understand call from external, non-ArrowBilling registered account received by Switch or Gatekeeper connected to ArrowBilling. This call may arrive by IP network from 3-rd party supplier (DID Provider - see Links section for links to DID Provider websites ). In order for ArrowBilling to accept call from DID Provider, there must be Account set up for DID Provider with appropriate privileges. Particulary:

• Authentication mode should be set by IP address (IP address of DID Provider). If DID Provider may send calls from multiple accounts, there should be one account for each IP address;
• Account should be enabled;
• There should be valid Rate table assigned to each of abovementioned accounts. Normally DID Provider is not charged for incoming calls, therefore Rate table with zero rates would be sufficient.

Once the account for DID Provider is set up, the calls from this Provider will be accepted to ArrowBilling accounts. Note that call dialing pattern should match the Account Alias in ArrowBilling and Account should be Authenticated by Number (ANI). If there are any prefixes present in the called-station-id, they should be removed at DID Provider's switch.

How to Set it Up DID providers account

1. Go to Rates and click Create New Rate table. This will be rate table for calls from DID Provider
2. Choose name for the Rate table and click Create
3. Add Base rate items. You will need one item for each starting digit of your DID account. For example, your DID Accounts starting with numbers 44xxx, 1212xxxx and 1202xxxx. You will need following rate items: 44, 1212 and 1202. You can set the Rate per Call and Rate per Minute to 0.00 (zero) - as normally you do not charge inbound calls from DID number.
   
4. Once Rate is done, please go to Carriers and click "Add New Carrier" icon. This will be carrier - DID Provider. Fill in name, address and other info. Make sure you allow at least 0.01 initial credit in order for calls to be allowed. Click "Save" button on right side.
5. Click newly created carriers name and go to "Accounts" tab.
   
6. Click "Add New Account" icon. Fill IP address of DID Provider here, choose type: "Originate", set Number of ports "ANY", select the rate you just created and put account status to Enable. Leave Routing group empty as since the accounts are locally registered, no explicit routing should be required. Click "Save" icon.
7. Repeat step 6 for other IP addresses this DID Provider may have.
8. DID provider is set up.
   

How to set up DID numbers itself

DID numbers itself are nothing more as any account in the system. For sake of simplicity we assume that there is account already created in the system which needs additional DID as alias.

1. Click the account
2. Choose "Aliases" tab.
3. Click "Add New Alias". Fill in DID number in Alias field. Choose password (if any), and set authentication type (username/PIN). Select Rate table (afftects outbound calls from this account alias). Do not change Account Group. Save when done.
4. Repeat step 3 for more DIDs to this account. 
   

You are done with configuration.

Making Tests

Once configured, you can make test calls. Note that calls can be seen in Calls->Traffic Log. Filtering by IP address (IP address of DID Provider) will give you list of DID Forwarded calls 

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