How to set up a calling card

Calling cards is a popular VoIP service offering the possibility of making calls from regular phones or mobiles through access numbers. DID numbers are offered by DID providers and local telecommunication companies.

Every call coming from a DID provider is processed by VoipSwitch through the IVR module.

A user can select one of the available access numbers to use.
Each access number can point to a scenario in a different language;
for example, a number from Madrid can be operated by the IVR in Spanish

You can configure the Calling cards service in 3 easy steps:

Setting up access numbers
Setting up PIN/PINless scenario
Generating PINs in bulk

1. Setting up access numbers

In order to set access number you need to add a new wholesale client which is used to authorize incoming calls from PSTN. To add the new wholesale client go to Clients -> Wholesale clients

Then click on the button ADD and to create new Wholesale account

After opening the new form enter login, password, select the currency and tariff

Note: Usually a tariff and incoming calls, from the provider of the access number, consists of prefixes 1-9 with rates 0.00 as you don't pay for incoming calls to your system.

After creating the new account you need to configure additional settings so you could use this account for your calling cards service. First find the account using Search option and then click on the account to edit additional options

Now go to IP numbers and click on ADD

In the window New IP number add the IP address of your DID provider and click Create. Keep the field Authorization prefix empty. In order to add more IP addresses repeat the same procedure.

In the window New IP number add the IP address or a Range of IPs of your DID provider and click Save. Keep the field Authorization prefix empty. In order to add more IP addresses repeat the same procedure.

Now go to General and first tick the option USE PIN authorization which is required for Calling Cards service. Next under Codecs set the necessary audio codecs and click Save

2. Setting up PIN and PINless scenario

PIN scenario

The first step is to configure your Routing plan.

In order to configure routing plans go to Routing -> Routing Plan

Now click on ADD

In the new window fill all the listed fields and press Save

Prefix - enter access number
Route type - Voipbox
Language - choose language
Scenario - PIN

To define DID rights for calling cards, go to DIDs → Access Numbers and define who can use the DID number.

The phone number dropdown will only display a list of DIDs that have the “PIN” scenario selected in the routing plan.

There are 3 assignement options:

Owner – the DID can be used by everyone in the system
Reseller – the DID will work only for the selected Reseller (Level 1)
LOT – the Calling Card will work only for the selected LOT name

PINless scenario

Configuration of the PINless scenario is similar to the PIN scenario. The only difference is necessary Voipbox scenario.

You can use one of the below scenarios:

PIN ANI_only - this scenario authorizes clients only by Caller ID. If client's number (a number set in "Authorized caller IDs"), who dials access number, is not found in your system then the call is disconnected by the system.
PIN + register + only once - this scenario asks a client about PIN and then it adds client's ID to "Authorized caller IDs". Customer caller ID is saved in the system after first successful call. Next time when the client dials access number he will be authorized by his caller ID so he won't need to enter PIN again.

Note: Please make sure that your DID provider identifies clients IDs properly. Some providers might send the wrong number or use "anonymous".

In order to verify/add/edit "Authorized caller IDs" go to Clients -> Retail clients, select a client and go to Authorized caller IDs tab

Adding PIN to a client

To add pin to the account go to Clients -> Retail clients, select a client and under General tab

3. Generating PINs in bulk

Th3. Generating PINs in bulkere acaess anumbers

With LOT generator you can generate a number of retail client accounts with predefined settings. All generated clients are assigned to a lot.

In order to open the bulk generator go to Clients -> LOT Clients and click on ADD to initiate the process

First set a name for the PIN package of PIN cards and click on Next.

Now you need to set the following settings:

Use time limits - this option allows you to set a limit on time periods.
Activate on first account use - this option allows to activate cards once used for the first time.
Activation date - this option triggers the activation of the calling cards on a specified date.
Expiration date - this option allows you to set the expiration date of your calling cards (which haven't been activated through "Activate on first account use".)
Active time - this option allows you to set date after which an account will be deactivated (starting from the activation date).

Now set the number of clients and click Next

Funds and tariffs

In the next step you can choose currency, tariff and funds. If the reseller was chosed in one of the previous step. The reseller will be able to manage his accounts using the VSM resellers’ panel but won't see the lot on his lots list. Before choosing a tariff, a currency has to be specified and afterwards a tariff can be selected according to the chosen currency. If a reseller was selected, the choice will be narrowed to his available tariffs.

Logins

On this screen you can set login generation rules

Number of characters - here you can define the lenght of the generated logins
Starting characters - here you can define the initial signs of logins
Use numbers - it forces the generator to use numbers
Use uppercase letters - it forces the generator to use uppercase letters
Use lowercase letters - it forces the generator to use lowercase letters

Next screens are dedicated to password and serial number generation. Settings are similar to the previous step.

Passwords

Serials

PINs

Here you can define the rules for generating PINs . If you tick Use empty the other options won't be available.

Note: PINs are used only if the access number is set in DIDs ->Access Numbers.

Prefixes

Here you can choose a caller ID, dialing plan and tariff prefixes

Connection settings

At this stage you are able to specify the maximum number of concurrent calls per client.

Codecs

You can define here the primary codec and list all additionally supported codecs

On the last step, when you click Next a summary window will appear. If the selected configuration is as it should be, with nothing else to change, you can trigger the generating process by pressing the Submit button.