Web PABX Features
From Net2MAX
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1. Web PABX Features | |
Contents |
1 Quick Introduction
Web PABX gives the you the power and convenience of PABX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange) with the ease of use of point and click graphical web user-interface.
A traditional PABX is like a smart automatic phone answering machine handling phone calls for a group of phones. It is normally used by large organisations. Net2MAX's version of the PABX (Web PABX) is even smarter than traditional PABXs. It is web based and is designed for individuals and small organisations rather than large organisations.
Some functions for intelligent for handling of incoming calls, include:
- Caller Control
- Time Control
- Voice Mail
- Voice Menus
- Hunt List
- Broadcast List
Call Classification
People ringing your Web PABX will have different experiences depending on who they are, what time they called and what digits on the phone they pressed.
The following functions can be used to save both the caller and yourself a lot of time:
- Caller Identification automatically detect and check the caller phone number against a list of phone numbers you have predefined. And then transfer them to different destinations depending on who they are.
Special support is available for (1) those callers who do not disclose their calling phone numbers and (2) those callers who do disclose their calling phone numbers but their numbers are not specified on the list. These two groups of users can independently be transferred to different destinations. The system can optionally ask those callers WITHOUT calling phone numbers to enter their OZnumber and PIN in order to verify their identities so to transfer them to the correct destinations.
- Time Check looks up your group calendar and determine whether the current time of call means the current caller should be transferred to different destinations based on different time of the call.
This step is optional, if Time Check not defined then the caller will be transferred to the assoicated destinations at all times.
- Greeting Message plays a pre-recorded greeting voice message to the caller. For example to inform the caller of your identity (e.g. Welcome, thank you for calling John Smith) or to ask the caller to press different digits on the phone in order to be transferred to different destinations (e.g. for sales press 1, for support press 2).
This step is optional, it is possible to skip this step so that the caller is transferred directly to the destinations WITHOUT hearing any Greeting Message at all.
- List Selection takes the digit inputs from the caller and transfers the caller to the list of destinations associated with the digits that the caller entered. This step is optional, if the playing of the Greeting Message is skipped then no digit input will be processed.
Call Direction
After Call Classification, incoming calls can be directed to different groups of phone numbers in an intelligent manner.
- Call Orderly goes through all the destination phone numbers for a call and ring them in an order defined by you. If a phone number is BUSY or has NO ANSWER then the system will go to the next one on the list. If any phone answered then the caller will be put through and no further phone number on the list will ring.
This step is optional, you can have only one number on the destination list.
- Call Concurrently takes all the destination phone numbers for a call and ring them all AT ONCE. The first phone to answer (someone picks the phone up) will take the call. All the other phones on the destination list will stop ringing.
This step is optional, you can have only one number on the destination list.
By combining the Call Orderly and Call Concurrently features above, groups of phone numbers can be defined, so that when a call comes in, phone numbers in the same group are all ring together. The first phone out of the group to answer will pick up the call. Multiple groups can be defined so if one group of phones does not answer or is busy, different groups will be tried in predefined order.
Call Destination
Besides ringing Normal Phones (landlines and mobiles), Web PABX has a growing list of exciting alternatives that the caller can also be transferred to.
- Internet Phones can be freely intermixed with Normal Phones on the destination list. So, they can be rung at once together with Normal Phones or be rung at order before or after other destinations. Internet Phone from other networks and even using other protocols can be rung this way.
- Web PABXs are also valid destinations. This is useful when a complex PABX needs to be built by combining a number of smaller PABXs together e.g. departmental PABXs join forces to form a big enterprise wide PABX. Call transfers between Web PABXs are instantenous and total free - whether they are in the same city or across the world.
- Web IVRs are available for heavy duty applciations. They can perform complex interactive services for the caller from making payments, to checking emails, to surfing the web, sending and receiving voices, fax, sms messages etc. - all form the phone!
- Voice Recording to create different voice files is possible - both for caller leaving you voice messages or for you to leave voice messages for them.
- Voice Playing of any prerecorded voice files on the system is possible - those recorded by the callers or by you.
- Voice Mail takes voice recordings and send them to email addresses of your choice.
- Voice Conference provides a meeting place where all phone calls transferred to it can hear and talk to each other.
Web PABX delivers the productivity gains of PABXs in an easy to use web based format. Besides ringing groups of phone numbers, there are also added functions like taking a voice message from caller then sending to an email address, recording and playing a library of voice messages to the caller, creating a voice conference room to support multi-party discussions and if required tranfserring the call to Web IVR (Net2MAX's Intervative Voice Respond system - which is the world's most advanced IVR).
Simple 3-Step Configuration
Using Web PABX to its full power is a simple 3 step process.
- [ Voice Greeting]
Define one or more Voice Greetings to answer the callers under different situations.
You can define as many Voice Greetings as you like, but you must define at least ONE for Web PABX to work. - [Caller Identification]
Define Caller Identification to determine which Voice Greeting to use for which caller.
You can define as many Caller Identifications as you like, but you must define at least ONE for Web PABX to work. - [Group Calendar]
Define Events in Group Calendar to determine which Voice Greeting to use at what time.
Optionally, some Voice Greetings can be defined in the Group Calendar for time driven responses
Usage Notes
Configuartion
The above 3 steps can be performed by logging into http://www.oztralia.com then going to Switch -> Web PABX
Assistance
Web PABX is new technology and very detailed instructions are available online with each of the 3 steps of configuration.
Like all Net2MAX Web pages, to activate on online help for those 3 steps, please click on Help logo on the upper right hand corner of the web page.
To turn online help off, click the Help logo again.
Usage Example
The Web PABX automatic phone answering machine is one of the things that sets Net2MAX apart. People ringing the Web PABX will have different experiences depending on who they are, what time they called and what digits on the phone they pressed.
A advanced call queuing system where groups of phone numbers can be defined. When a call comes in, phone numbers in the same group are all ring together. The first phone out of the group to answer will pick up the call.
Multiple groups can be defined so if one group of phones does not answer or is busy, different groups will be tried in predefined order.
When none of the defined groups answer... [to be continued]
2 Text to Speech
A lot of useful information are in text format and change dynamically. Web PABX's Text to Speech feature allows those dynamic text based information to be delivered by voice.
This is useful for such things as emergency notices (when there is no time to make a voice recording) or for fast-changing information (like account balances).
Integration with Web PABX allows textual information to be read out to the caller in real time from the Access Number.
The Text-to-Speech feature cna be access using the read: command.
- If the text after the read command contains the 3 characters "://" together then it will be assumed to be an URL and the URL will be accessed and the returning text will be read out.
e.g. read:http://www.sharemarket.com/value - If the text after the read command does NOT contain the 3 characters "://" together then it will be assumed just a normal piece of text and it will be read out.
e.g. read:how are you?
The language and the quality is controlled by the independent settings on the web under "Member Details".
Reading of English and Chinese text is currently supported. They are available in both low and high quality versions. The high quality version involves an extra charge.
3 Local Number Override
Allows the callee (receiver of the call, and normally the Net2MAX Member) to see the phone number the caller has called. It appears on the incoming CLI (Caller Line Identification) display, if the phone has this feature.
Without override, the callee will see the phone number the caller "called from". But with override, the callee will see the phone number that the caller has "called to" instead.
This override feature is great for seeing which phone number the caller has called BEFORE answering the call. Note, not all call rates will pass the CLI, so pick a call rate that support the passing of CLI (e.g. Premium Rate...but with higher charges).
To use it just set the "Number Mode" to "Override" under the Local Number page for the specific Local Number you wanted to "display" on the callee phone.
4 CLI for External Rates
When calls are made from Web PABX to destinations that are defined to be reached by External Rates (under Web Dialler) then the Caller Line Identification (CLI) is not passed along.
This enhancement will enable the callee to see the CLI of the caller, even though the call comes from Web PABX to the callee's destination phone using External Rates.
5 Send DTMF Tones
Allows Net2MAX Members to send DTMF tones AFTER the call is answered but BEFORE the 2 parties' voice channels are bridged. This is especially useful for automatic access to IVR (interactive voice response) systems. The member can simulate (pretend) punching in of digit sequences on the phone dial pad.
The following 17 tone digits are supported:
- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D * # w
Note 1: the w is NOT a real tone digit, it means to wait for 0.5 seconds. So 1w23 will send 1 then pause for 0.5 second before sending digits 2 and 3.
Note 2: A, B, C, D are special tone digits and are NOT supported on most general telephone equipment. They are provided here for completeness only (in case you are from the USA military or something).
The format within Web PABX is:
- dtmf:Digits_to_Send
Examples:
- dtmf:123
- dtmf:1w23
6 Remote Computer Control
This allows any application and database server on the internet to control Web PABX operations in real-time based on its own live operational data.
Under Voice Greeting definitions, whenever "www" is defined as Caller Input, the input digits will be passed onto an external web site (e.g. http, https) and then the result will be used as the Command for Web PABX.
In the Command field the destination web site should be specified after the "www:" command. The Web PABX then will append 4 pieces of information to it and submit to the Member's web site:
- Input Digits (keys=)
- Caller Phone Number (ani=)
- Called Phone Number (dnis=)
- Session Identification (sessid=)
Examples:
- If you have the following step in your Web PABX
www 1 www:http://www.yourcompany.com/test.php?
then Web PABX will call web page
http://www.yourcompany.com/test.php?keys=xxxx&ani=xxxx&dnis=xxxx&sessid=xxxx
to get the resulting Command to execute
- If you have the following step in your Web PABX
www 1 www:http://www.yourcompany.com/test.php?yourreference=xxx&
then Web PABX will call web page
http://www.yourcompany.com/test.php?yourreference=xxx&keys=xxxx&ani=xxxx&dnis=xxxx&sessid=xxxx
to get the resulting Command to execute
Valid Commands:
All current Commands on Web PABX can be returned by the Member's own web site and executed:
- checkmessage:
- dial:
- dtmf:
- echo:
- goto:
- leavemessage:
- mail:
- message:
- play:
- read:
- record:
- room:
- screen:
the only exception is the www: command itself which should not be returned by the remote computer.
If Caller Input is not "www", you can still use "www" command. In this case, the value of "keys" will be whatever you defined under Caller Input. e.g. If you have Input Digits 123, the value of "keys" will be 123.
6.1 www: Command Applications
- Allows different Commands to be used under different situations in real-time based on the Member's own arbitrarily complex logic and processing.
- Allows Web PABX to collect data from the caller and then pass it back to the member to get appropriate responses (like reading out account balances to a specific caller through the text to speech function of the "read:" command).
- Allows Web PABX to control remote programs and devices easily (like turn on or off the air conditioning in a house when a phone call comes in).
6.2 www: Command Echo Server
We have set up a web site, that will accept and echo www: commands from the Web PABX:
http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=&command=&keys=&dnis=&ani=&sessid=
The variables keys=, dnis=, ani= and sessid= are appended automatically by Web PABX, you do NOT have to specify them in your www command.
There 3 main use of the echo.php web site:
1. If there is NO read= and NO command= then it will echo the 3 system auto appended variables. From you web browser type:
- Inside Web Browser: http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?keys=123&dnis=456&ani=789&sessid=222
- Return by Echo Server: keys=123, dnis=456, ani=789, sessid=222
The above is NOT for you to put inside your Web PABX, it is just so you can make sure that the echo.php site itself is working by typing it into your browser. It does NOT test out the Web PABX.
2. If there is NO read= but there IS a command= then it will echo only the value of the command. For exmaple, in your Web PABX you can have the following command:
- Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?command=dial:612&
- Return by Echo Server: dial:612
The above IS for you to put inside your Web PABX. Web PABX will append keys=456&dnis=789&ani=111&sessid=222 at the end of the URL automatically.
Since the www: command in Web PABX will run the result being returned by the echo server (with is the what you typed in after command=), it will actually run whatever you have there as a Web PABX command (in the above case "dial:612" will be executed).
3. If there is a read= then the web server will echo the value it received from Web PABX. For example, in your Web PABX, you can have the following commands:
- Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=command&command=123&
Return by Echo Server: read:123 - Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=keys&command=123&
Return by Echo Server: read:456 - Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=dnis&command=123&
Return by Echo Server: read:789 - Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=ani&command=123&
Return by Echo Server: read:111 - Inside Web PABX: www:http://www.net2max.com/webpabx/echo.php?read=sessid&command=123&
:Return by Echo Server: read:222
The above IS for you to put inside your Web PABX. Web PABX will append keys=456&dnis=789&ani=111&sessid=222 at the end of the URL automatically.
Since read: command in Web PABX will read out the result of the URL supplied (with text to speech engine), it will actually read out the value you specified in read= to you, so you can listen and test out the whole forward and return paths to see what values the Web PABX has supplied to the Web Server and what value has the Web Server returned.
6.3 Web Site Sample Script
The following is a sample PHP script that perform the Web Server side of processing. It is simply the echo.php file used in the examples above.
You can use any language you like (does not have to be PHP) and of course add in complex database access and application logic. You can also use https instead of http for security.
<?php
if (!(isset($_GET['read'])&&trim($_GET['read']!="")&&$_GET['read']!=null))
{
if (!(isset($_GET['command'])&&trim($_GET['command']!="")&&$_GET['command']!=null))
echo "keys=".$_GET['keys'].", dnis=".$_GET['dnis'].", ani=".$_GET['ani'].", sessid=".$_GET['sessid'];
else
echo $_GET['command'];
}
else echo "read:".$_GET[$_GET['read']];
?>
7 Voice Message Box
7.1 Voice Message Box Password
There is a password protecting your Voice Message Box from access from the phone. You can change it from the web (after you logged into http://net2max.com) or from the phone (using "checkmessage" command in Web PABX)
The default Voice Message Box Password for is the same as your PIN. You are advised to change it as soon as you can.
7.2 Check Message Command
Check Message Command is for the Member herself to check voice messages left for her and also to manage her voice message box.
The following voice menu will be available to the caller after the correct "voice message box password" has been entered:
- 0 - Management Voice Message Box
- 1 - Record your voice message box annoucement
- After recording a message
- 1 - Accept
- 2 - Review
- 3 - Re-record
- 5 - Change your voice message box password
- * - Return to the main menu
- 1 - Record your voice message box annoucement
- 1 - Read Voice Message
- 4 - Play previous message
- 5 - Repeat current message
- 6 - Play next message
- 7 - Delete current message
- * - Help OR Rewind (if pressed during message playback)
- # - Exit OR Forward (if pressed during message playback)
- * - Help
- # - Exit
7.3 Leave Message Command
You have a choice of what to play to the caller BEFORE she start to record a voice message for you.
Web PABX will normally play an Instruction voice file before play the BEEP to indicate that the recorded has been started. This Instruction is standard and cannot be changed by you. The instruction voice file say something like:
- Please leave your message after the tone. When done, hang up, or press the hash key.
You can however record your own Announcement voice file to be played BEFORE the Instruction voice file. In order to use this "Play Announcement" feature, you must have recorded an Announcement voice file first using the "checkmessage" command.
For each leavemessage coomand you can independently set the type of voice files to be played or not to be played to the caller before the BEEP sound (to indicate start recording):
- No Announcement, Play Instruction (default)
- No Annuocement, No Instruction
- Play Announcement, No Instruction
- Play Announcement, Play Instruction
7.4 Email Voice Messages
All the voice messages you received on your Web PABX can OPTIONALLY be emailed to an email box of your choice.
Incoming voice messages stored inside Web PABX may be deleted after 30 days, if you need a permanent copy please set up an email box and forward it there.
8 Dial: and Screen: Command Options
- Dial:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option:DTMF_option
- Screen:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option:DTMF_option
8.1 Ring Timeout
Specify how long Web PABX should ring the destination number before going to the next step.
The Command Format within Web PABX is:
- command:phone_number:ring_timeout
Example with ring timeout of 10 seconds:
- screen:89906091132:10
- dial:89906091132:10
Example with ring timeout of 30 seconds:
- screen:89906091132:30
- dial:89906091132:30
8.2 Announce Voice File to Callee
Allows the callee (normally the Net2MAX Member) to listen to a specific voice file BEFORE speaking to the caller. This allows the system to announce a specific message to the callee (for example, the message may be some information about the nature of the incoming call).
This feature is also great for message announcements or broadcast, like dialing a lot of retail shops to tell them about a price rise of a certain product or the changing of status of a certain situation.
The format within Web PABX is:
- command:phone_number:ring_timeout:announce_file
Example with announce file:
- screen:89906091132:30:welcome
- dial:89906091132:30:welcome
Example without announce file:
- screen:89906091132:30
- dial:89906091132:30
Callee Control
AFTER hearing the relevant announcement file, the callee can chooses to press 1 to accept the call ot press 9 to reject the call.
If the filename starts with the underscore character _ then there is NO need for the callee to press 1, the call will be accepted automatically.
Example with _ at the beginning of announce file:
- screen:89906091132:30:_welcome
- dial:89906091132:30:_welcome
In these cases with _ in front, the callee does NOT have to press 1 to accept the call.
8.3 Fake Caller Ring Tone and Music
Allows Net2MAX Members to specify playing ring tone or music to caller until the call is answered. This is especially useful when routing calls through VoIP providers with long call connection times. The caller will NOT hear long silence when waiting to be connected, they will hear either ring tone or music.
The format within Web PABX is:
- command:phone_number:ring_timeout:announce_file:ring_option
ring_option can be used for the Dial and Screen commands. When used, the ring_option can be either "r" for ring tone and "m" for music, but not both.
Example with ring tone or music:
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome:r
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome:m
- screen:89906090112121:30::m
- dial:89906090112121:30::r
Example without ring tone:
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome
- screen:89906090112121:30
- dial:89906090112121:30
8.4 In-Call Member Menu
You can press 3-digit key sequences while on the phone to tell Net2MAX to perform operations for you DURING your call.
This solves the problems with some traditional and VoIP phones that do NOT support In-Call features (like call transfers and recording etc.). Sometimes even when they do support In-Call features, they use their own interfacing (like special buttons or key sequences) that are totally incompatible with each other.
Net2MAX now provides a member based In-Call Features which is IN ADDITIONAL to all the features on your traditional or VoIP telephone handset. It gives In-Call features to phones that do NOT have them and provide additional STANDARD In-Call features across all phones that have them.
If you handset HAS similar function, then this is NOT designed to replace your handset features (like SIP transfers etc.), those should ALWAYS be used first. But this is a good fall back if the feature on your phone does not work (especially when your call is placed across multiple networks).
Currently Supported In-Call Features:
3 digit key sequence:
- *0* Terminate Current Call
- *1* Blind Transfer Current Call
- *2* Attended Transfer Current Call
- *3* Start Recording Current Call
You can press the above 3-digit key sequence at any time DURING a call.
- Terminate Call allows the initiator to cut the call cleanly (especially in countries or on networks where analog hang-up signals are not being process properly).
- Blind Transfer allows the call to be transferred DIRECTLY, without the initiator having to speak to the destination third party.
- Attended Transfer allows the initiator to speak to the destination third party BEFORE the actual transfer takes place.
- Call Recording allows the initiator to start storing a copy of any further the conversation on the call to the Web PABX directory of the member.
The configure your In-Call Member Menu on the Web PABX page, you need to add more options at the back of your "Dial:" or "Screen:" commands:
- Dial:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option
- Screen:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option
Examples:
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome:m:t
- screen:89906090112121:30::m:t:w
- dial:89906090112121:30::::w
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:tT:wW
Call Transfer Enabling:
- Disable (DO NOT add t or T option to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable CALLER to initiate Transfer (add T options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable CALLEE to initiate Transfer (add t options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable EITHER to initiate Transfer (add both t and T options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
Call Recording Enabling:
- Disable (DO NOT add w or W option to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable CALLER to start Recording (add W options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable CALLEE to start Recording (add w options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
- Enable EITHER to start Recording (add both w and W options to the Screen: or Dial: commands)
8.5 DTMF Tones
Allows Net2MAX Members to send DTMF tones to caller or callee AFTER the call is answered but BEFORE the 2 parties' voice channels are bridged. This is especially useful for automatic access to IVR (interactive voice response) systems. The member can simulate (pretend) punching in of digit sequences on the phone dial pad.
The following 17 tone digits are supported:
- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A B C D * # w
Note 1: the w is NOT a real tone digit, it means to wait for 0.5 seconds. So 1w23 will send 1 then pause for 0.5 second before sending digits 2 and 3.
Note 2: A, B, C, D are special tone digits and are NOT supported on most general telephone equipment. They are provided here for completeness only (in case you are from the USA military or something).
It is possible to send DTMF tones to the caller, the callee or both.
The format within Web PABX is:
- Dial:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option:DTMF_option
- Screen:Phone_number:Ring_timeout:Announce_file:Ring_option:Transfer_option:Record_option:DTMF_option
Example sending DTMF to callee:
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(123)
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(123)
Example sending DTMF to caller:
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(|123)
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(|123)
Example send DTMF to BOTH caller and callee:
- screen:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(123|123)
- dial:89906090112121:30:welcome:r:::D(123|123)
9 Web Interface
If you are configurating Web PABX from the web, you do NOT need to remember any of the commands and their format above!
The above are mainly for people who write programs to drive the Web PABX remotely from their own computers.
For most end-users, just use the drop down boxes on the Web PABX web page - nothing to remmeber ... a few clicks and you are done!
