PBXs & Trunks
This page lists the private branch exchange (PBX) systems and telephony providers used by the virtual assistant. Please refer to Key Notions for a definition of terms such as PBXs, DIDs, SIP, trunks, telephony provider and other features described in this section.
PBXs are used by the virtual assistant to make and receive telephone calls. PBXs provide SIP phone registrations and call switching. The system comes pre-integrated with ETS, a cloud phone system based on Asterisk, the world's most popular PBX software. The System Administrator can define and add other PBXs for resellers who need to offer the virtual assistant services on different PBX solutions on-premise or in the cloud.
Telephony Providers (TP) are the SIP Trunks used by PBXs to manage their phone numbers (DIDs) and to access VoIP telephone networks. For example, the virtual assistant may request the PBX to make local calls using one telephony provider and long distance calls with another.
From the PBXs and Trunks page, the System Administrator can:
- Create new PBXs and telephony providers.
- Delete a PBX or telephony provider.
- Modify the settings of a PBX or telephony provider.
- Export a list of PBXs and telephony providers in CSV or PDF.
- Search, filter and sort the list of PBXs and telephony providers.
Interface Overview
The PBXs & Trunks page accessible from the main menu has 2 tabs:
- PBXs: Lists all PBXs configured and tested to handle virtual assistant calls.
- Telephony Providers: Lists all telephony providers configured to handle calls with PBXs used by the virtual assistant.
List of PBXs
This page displays a list of PBXs with the following information (some headings are context-sensitive):
COLUMN HEADING |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Checkbox |
Check the box next to one or several items in order to apply certain actions (ex: export details). |
ID |
PBX unique identification number automatically assigned by the system at creation. |
Name |
Descriptive name of the PBX. Clicking this link opens the PBX Settings. |
SIP Address |
PBX SIP address used for telephone communications with the virtual assistant and the TP. Clicking this link opens the PBX Settings. |
SIP Host Name |
Name of the PBX server host (returned when resolving the SIP address). Clicking this link opens the PBX Settings. |
Failover Provider |
Backup PBX in case of failure of this one. Clicking this link opens the PBX Settings. |
Inbound TP |
IP address or hostname of the TP to be used by the PBX to receive inbound calls. |
Outbound TP |
IP address or hostname of the TP to be used by the PBX to make outbound calls. |
ETS |
Short for Evatel Telephony Switch. A checkmark in this column indicates that the PBX is used by the virtual assistant as its built-in telephony switch. |
Prov |
A checkmark in this column indicates that the PBX supports account provisioning from the virtual assistant's Web portal. Provisioning APIs (Application Programming Interface) usually require account credentials (username and password). |
Used |
A checkmark on this column indicates that the PBX is currently in use to prevent its deletion by mistake. |
Delete Icon |
Click the icon to delete this PBX. See Delete a PBX or Telephony Provider for details. |
List of Telephony Providers
This page displays a list of telephony providers (TP) with the following information (some headings are context-sensitive):
COLUMN HEADING |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Checkbox |
Check the box next to one or several items in order to apply certain actions (ex: export details). |
ID |
The TP unique identification number automatically assigned by the system at creation. |
Name |
Descriptive name of the TP. Clicking this link opens the TP Settings. |
Trunk |
Name of TP trunk. Clicking this link opens the TP Settings. |
SIP Address |
SIP address to communicate with the TP for outgoing calls. Clicking this link opens the TP Settings. |
SIP Host Name |
Name of the host returned when resolving the SIP address. Clicking this link opens the TP Settings. |
Failover Provider |
Backup TP in case of failure of the main one. Clicking this link opens the TP Settings. |
Interop |
A checkmark on this column indicates that the TP settings have been tested with the virtual assistant and are functional. |
Used |
A checkmark on this column indicates that the TP is currently in use (instead of defined but not yet used) to prevent deletion by mistake. |
Direction |
A down arrow indicates the TP handles inbound calls and the up arrow indicates that it handles outbound calls. |
Delete Icon |
Click the icon to delete this TP. See Delete a PBX or Telephony Provider for details. |
Create a PBX or a Telephony Provider
To create a new PBX or Telephony Provider to be used by the virtual assistant:
- From the main menu, click PBXs & Trunks.
- Click the tab corresponding to what you want to add: PBXs or Telephony Providers.
- Click the New button.
- Fill in the fields as required. See PBX Settings and Telephony Provider Settings for details.
- Click Save to create the new call restriction.
Delete a PBX or Telephony Provider
Warning: Deleting a PBX or TP will affect all users of the deleted PBX or TP.
To delete a PBX or Telephony Provider:
- From the main menu, click PBXs & Trunks.
- Click the tab corresponding to what you want to delete: PBXs or Telephony Providers.
- Click the icon in the row of the item you want to delete.
- A confirmation window will open.
- Click OK to confirm the deletion.
Modify a PBX or Telephony Provider
To modify the settings of a PBX or Telephony Provider:
- From the main menu, click PBXs & Trunks.
- Click the tab corresponding to what you want to modify: PBXs or Telephony Providers.
- Click the name of the PBX or Telephony Provider you want to view and edit.
- Modify the fields as required. See PBX Settings and Telephony Provider Settings for details.
- Click Save to create the new call restriction.
Select Default Telephony Provider
You can choose the default telephony provider to be assigned to new VAR accounts.
To select a default telephony provider:
- From the main menu, click Profile and go to the Telephony Provider Used section.
- Select a telephony provider from the dropdown list. The list is populated from the PBX & Trunks page. If the required telephony provider is not in the list, you will need to add it before proceeding. See Create a Telephony Provider for details.
PBX Settings
PBX Section
Switch Model
From the dropdown list, select the switching system used by the PBX. This list contains PBX types whose integration with the virtual assistant has been developed and tested.
Name
Enter a descriptive name to identify the PBX.
Type
The system allows you to manage only PBXs using cloud switches operated by telephony operators and telecommunication service providers.
On-premise legacy PBXs are not supported.
Switch IP Address
Enter the IP address of the switch. For example: 225.101.1.136.
Host Name/Domain
Enter the host name or domain of the switch. For example: switch.domainname.com or 225.101.1.136. Leave this field blank if the switch does not use a host name or domain.
SIP Port Number
SIP clients typically use TCP or UDP on port numbers 5060 or 5061 to connect to SIP servers and other SIP endpoints. Port 5060 is commonly used for non-encrypted signaling traffic whereas port 5061 is typically used for traffic encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS).
International Prefix
This field is blank by default.
The International prefix is the sequence of digits to dial when calling international phone numbers. The format of the international prefix may vary from one PBXs or telephony provider to another. For example: one telephony provider may require the sequence "01133" for calls to France from North America, while another may require "+33".
SIP Extension Provisioning Section
ETS
ETS is short for "Evatel Telephony Switch". Check this box if the PBX is used as the virtual assistant's built-in switch.
Enable Account Provisioning
Check this box if the PBX supports remote provisioning by the virtual assistant to create and manage users and service features. Remote provisioning is performed using Web Services to login and manage accounts and features on the PBX. You may need to provide the following information to access the PBX using Web Services:
- Web Service URL to connect to the PBX provisioning service
- Username and password of the account authorized to access and provision the PBX.
Web Service URL
Enter the URL for the virtual assistant to access and provision the PBX using Web Services. For example: http://123.45.6.78:80/provisioning/server.php or http://switch.domainname.com/provisioning/server.php.
Username
Enter the username of the account to be used by the virtual assistant to access and provision the PBX using Web Services.
Password
Enter the password of the account to be used by the virtual assistant to access and provision the PBX using Web Services.
FTP Site - Phone Boot Files
The FTP site is where SIP phones get their boot and configuration files. Boot files contain the configuration parameters of each telephone device that can register on the PBX: registration parameters such SIP server, username and password, user language and features, etc.
Test Connection
Press this button to check if the credentials and connection with the PBX are properly configured.
CDR Management Section
Bill Calls
Check this box if you want the PBX to log detailed records for calls made by the virtual assistant for call accounting and billing purposes. By checking this box, detailed information on all calls handled by this PBX will be available to the Web portal and billing module. In general, only one PBX is used for accounting and billing purposes.
Access Mode
By default, the Provisioning option will enable the Web portal and billing module to retrieve data directly from the PBX using Web Services or APIs.
Select CSV File if you prefer to get the information in a comma-separated file format and manually upload it to the billing module or any other billing system.
CSV File Type
This field is relevant only if you set the Access Mode field to CSV File.
The default setting is None which corresponds to a universal format. Other options include supported custom formats from known providers.
Filename
This field is relevant only if you set the Access Mode field to CSV File. It is blank by default. Enter a different value if you want to customize the name of the CSV file to be downloaded.
SIP Interop Section
Default Inbound Provider
This dropdown field applies only to the built-in PBX and is used to select the telephony provider that will handle inbound calls. The available options are populated from the list of telephony providers. Select the telephony provider that handles inbound calls.
Default Outbound Provider
This dropdown field applies only to the built-in PBX and is used to select the telephony provider that will handle outbound calls. The available options are populated from the list of telephony providers. Select the telephony provider that handles outbound calls.
Blind Transfer Method
Use this dropdown list to select the blind transfer method used with this PBX. When the virtual assistant blind-transfers a call to a phone number, it frees its voice channels and no longer supervises the call. The communication between the caller and the other destination is established and managed completely by the PBX.
Refer: The REFER method connects the transferred call to its requested destination and frees the virtual assistant resources (voice channels) from the call. The system uses the Refer method by default because it takes up less system resources.
Re-invite: The RE-INVITE method enables the virtual assistant to free its audio channels but requires it to stay on the call to be notified of signaling events such as hangup in order to control calls and log their durations.
SIP Interop Tested
Check this box to indicate that the PBX settings have been tested and are functional.
Keep Original "TO" Header
The TO field in SIP headers indicates the IP address of the call recipient. Usually the SIP header information changes as the call flows through various call routers. Setting this "Keep Original To" parameter to Yes means that the PBX will not change the original TO field.
This field is set to No by default. Change it to Yes if the PBX keeps the original TO field unchanged.
"FROM" Field Must be PBX User
The FROM field in SIP headers provides information on the caller including the calling number and optionally the display name (For example: sip:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Some PBXs accept calls only from their registered users, while others accept all calls from specific servers (Trusted Peers).
Check this box if the PBX accepts calls only from its registered users. Uncheck this box if a trusted peer relationship exists between this PBX and the virtual assistant.
From Field Format
This field specifies the phone number format required by the PBX in its FROM field:
- Select "As dialed" if the PBX expects the format used to dial numbers based on the country and region. For example 0113321551212 is the format dialed for a number in Paris (France) from a system based in North America.
- Select "Universal" if the PBX expects the standard E164 format without the '+' prefix. For example 3321551212 is the Universal format of the same number in Paris (France).
By default, the format is set to As dialed.
Format of Called Number (Request-URI)
This field specifies the called number format required by the PBX in its Request URI field:
- Select "As dialed" if the PBX expects the format used to dial numbers based on the country and region. For example 0113321551212 is the format dialed to call a number in Paris (France) from Montreal (Canada).
- Select "Universal" if the PBX expects the standard E164 format without the '+' prefix. For example 3321551212 is the Universal format of the same number in Paris (France).
By default, the Called Number format is set to As dialed.
SIP headers: The following checkboxes specify the SIP Header information supported by the PBX for call accounting and call transfer management.
History-Info
Check this option if the PBX uses the History Info header field to provide information about the call history such as its origin and its transferors if any. The History Info data is useful for call accounting, for call info display on call center agent monitors and for managing potential call looping situations: User A transferring a call to User B who transfers it back to User A.
Diversion
Similar to the History-Info header, the Diversion header provides information about the call history. It specifically indicates if the call was diverted from its original destination before being transferred and provides the details of such diversion.
Check this option if the PBX uses the Diversion header field to provide information about transferred calls.
P-Asserted-Identity
The P-Asserted-Identity header field is used by trusted SIP peers (typically intermediaries) to carry the identity of the user sending a SIP message as it was verified by authentication.
Check this box if the PBX supports the P-Asserted-Identity header field.
Authentication Method
PBX systems need to check the identity of any party requesting to make a call using its resources and network. This is mainly for security and call accounting purposes.
When selecting SIP Registering or User, you will be required to provide a username and password.
- None: No specific authentication needed. This is usually the case when a trusted peering relationship exists between this PBX and the virtual assistant.
- SIP Registering: SIP authentication required. The virtual assistant must provide a valid username and password in order to make calls through this PBX.
- User: Only registered users can make calls on this PBX. Each user gets authenticated individually with its username and password. This is usually needed when call accounting and call control is done by the PBX.
Telephony Provider (TP) Settings
Telephony Provider Section
Provider Model
From the dropdown list, select the switching system used by TP.
Name
Enter a descriptive name to identify the TP.
Trunk
Enter a descriptive name to identify the trunk.
Switch IP Address
Enter the IP address of the switch. For example: 225.101.1.136.
Direction
The direction option determines if the telephony provider handles only inbound calls, outbound calls or both. Select the option that applies.
Host Name/Domain
Enter the host name or domain of the switch. For example: switch.domainname.com or 225.101.1.136. Leave this field blank if the switch does not use a host name or domain.
SIP Port Number
SIP clients typically use TCP or UDP on port numbers 5060 or 5061 to connect to SIP servers and other SIP endpoints. Port 5060 is commonly used for non-encrypted signaling traffic whereas port 5061 is typically used for traffic encrypted with Transport Layer Security (TLS).
International Prefix
This field is blank by default.
The International prefix is the sequence of digits to dial when calling international phone numbers. The format of the international prefix may vary from one PBX or telephony provider to another. For example: one telephony provider may require the sequence "01133" for calls to France from North America, while another may require "+33" or "33".
PBX and Failover Used Section
PBX Used
This field is set to ETS by default, the built-in PBX used by the virtual assistant.
Failover Provider Used
This field allows you to identify a backup telephony provider in case the current telephony provider is down. Select a telephony provider from the dropdown list. The list is populated from the list of telephony providers under the PBX & Trunks page. If the required telephony provider is not in the list, you will need to add it before proceeding. See Add a Telephony Provider for details.
Provider API Section
Some telephony providers offer an API to enable the virtual assistant to order and release phone numbers (DIDs), enable SMS and fax services, port numbers (LNP) or set 911 services online. If this is the case, fill in the fields containing the URLs and credentials to access and use the provider's Web Services or APIs.
Username
Enter the username provided by the telephony provider to access and use the provisioning APIs.
Password
Enter the password provided by the telephony provider to access and use the provisioning APIs.
DID API URL
Enter the URL to use for new phone number (DID) provisioning.
SMS API URL
Enter the URL to use for sending text messages (SMS).
Fax API URL
Enter the URL to provision fax features on phone numbers (DIDs) managed by the provider
LNP API URL
Enter the URL to provision line number porting (LNP) requests. This service enables customers to keep their telephone number when switching from one telecommunications service provider to another.
911 API URL
Enter the URL to provision 911 features. This enables the virtual assistant to specify the address where the user can be located in case of emergency.
SIP Interop Section
SIP Interop Tested
Check this box to indicate that the PBX settings have been tested and are functional.
Keep Original "TO" Header
The TO field in SIP headers indicates the IP address of the call recipient. Usually SIP header information changes as the call flows through various call routers. Setting this "Keep Original To" parameter to Yes means that the TP will not change the original TO field.
This field is set to No by default. Change it to Yes if the TP requires to keep the original TO field unchanged.
"FROM" Field Must be PBX User
The FROM field in SIP headers provides information on the caller including the calling number and optionally the display name (For example: sip:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
Some TPs accept calls only from their registered users, while others accept all calls from specific servers (Trusted Peers).
Check this box if the TP accepts calls only from its registered users. Uncheck it if a trusted peering relationship exists between this TP and ETS.
From Field Format
This field specifies the phone number format required by the TP in its FROM field:
- Select "As dialed" if the TP expects the format used to dial numbers based on the country and region. For example 0113321551212 is the format dialed for a number in Paris (France) from a system based in North America.
- Select "Universal" if the TP expects the standard E164 format without the '+' prefix. For example 3321551212 is the Universal format of the same number in Paris (France).
By default, the format is set to As dialed.
Format of Called Number (Request-URI)
This field specifies the called number format required by the TP in its Request URI field:
- Select "As dialed" if the TP expects the format used to dial numbers based on the country and region. For example 0113321551212 is the format dialed to call a number in Paris (France) from Montreal (Canada).
- Select "Universal" if the TP expects the standard E164 format without the '+' prefix. For example 3321551212 is the Universal format of the same number in Paris (France).
By default, the Called Number format is set to As dialed.
SIP Header: The following checkboxes specify the SIP Header information supported by the TP for call accounting and call transfer management.
History-Info
Check this option if the TP uses the History Info header field to provide information about the call history such as its origin and its transferors if any. The History Info data is useful for call accounting, for call info display on call center agent monitors and for managing potential call looping situations: User A transferring a call to User B who transfers it back to User A.
Diversion
Similar to the History-Info header, the Diversion header provides information about the call history. It specifically indicates if the call was diverted from its original destination before being transferred and provides the details of such diversion.
Check this option if the TP uses the Diversion header field to provide information about transferred calls.
P-Asserted-Identity
The P-Asserted-Identity header field is used by trusted SIP peers (typically intermediaries) to carry the identity of the user sending a SIP message as it was verified by authentication.
Check this box if the TP supports the P-Asserted-Identity header field.
Export PBXs and Telephony Providers
The Web portal allows you to export the list of PBXs and telephony providers in CSV format (comma separated file) or PDF.
Export to a CSV file
To export a list of PBXs or telephony providers to a CSV file:
- From the main menu, click PBXs and Trunks.
- Click the tab corresponding to what you want to export: PBXs or Telephony Providers.
- Select items to export:
- One or several items: Check the box next to the name of the item to export.
- All items: Check the box at the top of the list next to the ID header. All boxes will automatically be checked. You may also leave all boxes unchecked to select all items.
- Click the CSV button to open the export window.
- By default the file is named PBXs.csv or TelephonyProviders.csv and ready to be saved to a directory on your computer.
- Change the file name if needed but keep the CSV extension. Example: rename PBXs.csv to MyPBXs.csv.
- Make sure that you are saving the file to the desired directory.
- Click Save.
Export to a PDF Document
To export a list of PBXs or telephony providers to a PDF file:
- From the main menu, click PBXs and Trunks.
- Click the tab corresponding to what you want to export: PBXs or Telephony Providers.
- Select items to export:
- One or several items: Check the box next to the name of the item to export.
- All items: Check the box at the top of the list next to ID Number header. All boxes will automatically be checked.
- Click the PDF button to open the export window.
- The PDF document will automatically open in a new window and be saved to a default directory of your computer.
Search PBXs and Telephony Providers
The Web Portal allows you to quickly find items either by searching for a keyword or by filtering the list based on the type of item.
Search
Click the tab corresponding to what you want to search for: PBX or Telephony Provider.
- The list's first row contains blank fields in which you can type a keyword to search for a specific item. For example, type "Broadsoft" in the Name column and press enter to view all items containing the word "Broadsoft".
- To remove the search filter, delete the keywords typed in the list's first row and press enter.
Filter PBXs and Telephony Providers
You can filter the list based on certain features (ETS, account provisioning and used).
Click the tab corresponding to what you want to work with: PBX or Telephony Provider.
- Some headings in the list's first row contain dropdown lists enabling you to filter the list based on certain features. For example, select "Yes" under Prov to show only the PBXs for which account provisioning is enabled.
- To remove a filter, select the blank option at the top of the dropdown list.
Sort PBXs and Telephony Providers
You can sort the items alphabetically or numerically (as per the type of information in the columns) by clicking on any column heading in the list.