Configuration - Inbound
Inbound call handling - listener threads
On launch of Softdial Telephony Gateway™ (STG), several threads are launched to 'listen' for incoming calls. The number of threads used for this purpose is set in the <reservedIncoming> configuration entry:
<!-- Reserve resources for 1 or more incoming calls, if no incoming calls wanted do not define an inbound route-->
<!-- APPLIES ONLY TO IP PORTS(TRUNKS)-->
<reservedIncoming>20</reservedIncoming>
When there are no 'inbound listener threads', the Aculab system returns BUSY to the incoming caller.
These threads are re-used after the incoming call has been handled and connected. If the number of threads available is too low for the volume of incoming calls, some calls may not be detected. To avoid this possibility, the above setting should reflect the maximum number of simultaneous incoming calls that are expected.
This only relates to the initial handling of the inbound calls by STG, not the entire call cycle duration.
- Using ProsodyS -
The current benchmarked maximum channel count per virtual DSP is 1200 channels (to ensure optimum performance). Having 20 channels allocated to inbound listeners will suffice for most users and will not have any serious performance implications for outbound. - Using ProsodyX -
Performance implications should be considered because the hardware imposes physical limits on the number of channels (around 120 channels per DSP).
portGroup settings
Inbound calls arriving at a specific port will be handled according to the portGroup setting for that port.
A portGroup that is required to handle inbound calls must contain an <inboundRoute> configuration specifying which route will process the call - in this example FromPSTN.
Multiple portGroups may be set up to handle inbound calls from available ports e.g. for IP ports, PBX ports or other PSTN port ranges.
<!-- Defines each group of ports that are connected to the same destination -->
<portGroups>
<portGroup name="PSTN">
<ports>
<resource>PSTN #1</resource>
</ports>
<inboundRoute>FromPSTN</inboundRoute>
</portGroup>
</portGroups>
Routing options
The most common ways of routing inbound calls in STG are:
1) Using queues
This method is commonly used where inbound calls are to be handled by the agents logged into inbound campaigns or blending between inbound and outbound campaigns.
In this case the call is passed to Softdial CallGem™, which manages the queue and campaign allocation logic.
The following <inboundRoutes> configuration in the STG config.xml file tells STG to pass the calls from the PSTN portGroup to Softdial CallGem™:
<!-- Inbound call routing definitions -->
<!-- Each port references one of these to determine how calls arriving at that port are handled -->
<inboundRoutes>
<inboundRoute name="FromPSTN">
<handler>Dialer</handler>
</inboundRoute>
</inboundRoutes>
Calls passed to Softdial CallGem™ via this route will be handled according to the
2) Externally via Softdial CallGem™
This allows direct forwarding of the call to a translated address while taking advantage of Softdial's call recording and reporting features.
The inboundRoute configuration in STG is the same as the example in 1) Using queues above.
The Incoming Call Route Editor in the Namespace must be set to re-route the calls externally (Fig. 1):
(See Inbound ACD Campaign - Call routing)
This setting passes the incoming calls back to STG with the option to record these calls by checking the Record Externally-routed call checkbox. Since these calls have been passed through Softdial CallGem™, reporting data can be extracted from the Softdial CallGem™ reporting messaging.
When the call has returned to STG, the routing features available in the STG config.xml file may be used to modify the number that the call will be forwarded to. There are two basic configuration options for this:
i. Using <route>
The example below shows how to route an inbound call with a DNIS of 5551212 to a number 1 301 555 1212
<route name="ToPSTN>
<targetPortGroups>
<portGroup>PSTN2</portGroup>
</targetPortGroups>
<acceptList>
<item>5551212</item>
</acceptList>
<Prefix>1301</Prefix>
</route>
ii. Using <addressTranslations>
The example below shows how to achieve the same translation using the addressTranslations configuration:
<addressTranslations>
<translate address="5551212" translated="13015551212">
</addressTranslations>
See also these Address Translation examples.
3) Internally via STG
This type of routing is used where all of the available trunks are connected to STG and there is a requirement to route calls directly e.g. to pass external calls to internal extensions.
Softdial CallGem™ is not involved in this type of routing; calls are handled 'internally' by STG. In this case, the inbound routes are configured as shown below.
<!-- Inbound call routing definitions -->
<!-- Each port references one of these to determine how calls arriving at that port are handled -->
<inboundRoutes>
<inboundRoute name="FromPSTN">
<handler>Internal</handler>
</inboundRoute>
</inboundRoutes>
The route configuration below forwards an incoming DNIS of 5551212 to an internal extension of 1212.
Any addressTranslations configuration is ignored in this case.
<route name="ToPSTN>
<targetPortGroups>
<portGroup>PSTN2</portGroup>
</targetPortGroups>
<acceptList>
<item>5551212</item>
</acceptList>
<stripPrefixes>
<item>555</item>
</stripPrefixes>
</route>