1.14.1 Calling cards

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 (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Then click on the button New and select the option New in order to open a new form (Figure 2).

Figure 2

After opening the new form enter login, password, select currency and tariff. Then tick Active and click on Create to create the account (Figure 3).

Figure 3

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 (Figure 4) and then click on the account to edit additional options (Figure 5).

Figure 4

Figure 5

Now go to IP addresses and and click on New (Figure 6).

Figure 6

In the window New IP number add the IP address of your DID provider and click Create. Keep the field Authorization prefix empty (Figure 7). In order to add more IP addresses repeat the same procedure.

Figure 7

Now go to Advanced and first tick the option Enable PIN authorization which is required for Calling Cards service. Next, set the necessary audio codecs and click Save (Figure 8).

Figure 8

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 (figure 9).

Figure 9

Now click on New -> Add (Figure10).

Figure 10

In the new window fill all the listed fields (Figure 11) and click Create:

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

Figure 11

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 Services (Figure 12).

Figure 12

Adding PIN to a client

Depending on the configuration* of the used access number, a code (PIN) can be defined in the field Password of a retail client or in the field PIN (*this option is available if the access number is set also in DIDs -> Assignment).

To change a client's PIN in the field Password go to Clients -> Retail clients, click on the selected client (use the Search window to filter out the client). go to More and select Reset password (Figure 13).

Figure 13

In the new window tick the option Change SIP password, enter the new password and click on Reset password (Figure 14).

Figure 14

To change a client's PIN in the field PIN (when the access number is set also in DIDs -> Assignment) go to Clients -> Retail clients, click on the selected client (use the Search window to filter out the client), go to Services, enter PIN code in the field PIN and save the settings (Figure 15).

Figure 15

3. Generating PINs in bulk

With bulk 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 -> Bulk generator (Figure 16).

Figure 16

Now click on New to initiate the process (Figure 17)

Figure 17

First set a name for the PIN package of PIN cards (Figure 18) and click on Next.

Figure 18

Now you need to set the following settings (Figure 19):

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).

Figure 19

In the next window you can choose if clients' logins, passwords and serials should be generated or loaded from a txt file.

Import from file

If the option load from file is chosen, you will be able to load data from an existing file with a special format (Figure 20).

Figure 20

The format of the file must follow the folllowing exmaples:

login;password;serial

Retail_1;Sye2#66d;1

Retail_2;Ns425uT3;2

Retail_3;1^gjF33d;3

Wizard generation

If wizard generation is chosen, the next stage will include rules for:

Funds and tariffs
Logins
Passwords
Serials
PINs
Prefixes
Connection settings
Codecs

First set the number of clients and clickt Next (Figure 21).

Figure 21

Funds and tariffs

In the next step you can choose currency, tariff and funds (Figure 22). If a reseller hasn't been chosen before, it can be done at this stage. 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.

Figure 22

Logins

On this screen you can set login generation rules (Figure 23).

Figure 23

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 (If this option is ticked the sequential generation option will appear (Figure 24))
Use uppercase letters - it forces the generator to use uppercase letters
Use lowercase letters - it forces the generator to use lowercase letters

Figure 24

Passwords and Serials

Next two screens are dedicated to password and serial number generation. Settings are similar to the previous step. (Figure 25 and Figure 26).

Figure 25

Figure 26

PINs

Here you can define the rules for generating PINs (Figure 27). 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 -> Assignment.

Figure 27

Prefixes

Here you can choose a dialing plan, tariff and caller ID prefixes (Figure 28).

Figure 28

Connection settings

At this stage you are able to specify the maximum number of concurrent calls per client and choose the option Ringback (Figure 29).

Figure 29

Codecs

You can define here the primary codec and list all additionally supported codecs (Figure 30).

Figure 30

On the last step, when you click Next a summary window will appear (Figure 31). If the selected configuration is as it should be, with nothing else to change, you can trigger the generating process by pressing the Generate button.