VOIP capable PBX integration

We are currently using a VOIP capable PBX system provided to us via Fonality. I am interested in the following: Will your product integrate with a VOIP PBX via TAPI and does it require a SIP acount?

Voicent release 6 supports 1) Voice modem, and 2) VOIP through Skype.

If you are using Skype, you do not need PBX system. All you need is internet connection.

You can use voice modem based solution for any PBX system, as long as the PBX system supports analog telephone line. You can connect a voice modem to an analog phone line to make phone calls.

We are planning to support SIP. But this feature is not available in the current release.

Posted in Gateway, Skype, Voice Modem |

VoiceXML bargein

We’re setting up a program that will call paitients to remind them of appointments. I’m trying to set it up so that they can confirm the appointment, and also replay the message if they missed it. The VXML file is being generated dynamically through PHP, and this is what it looks like after it’s created:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vxml version="1.0">
<form id="MainMessage">
<block id="start"gt;
This is a call from Dr. Somebody's Office for Patient Name You have an appointment on Monday June 2 at 1:00 pm
</block>

<field name="confirm">
<prompt>
Please say, confirm, to confirm this appointment, or call the office at 1234567890.
</prompt>

<grammar>
confirm
</grammar>

<filled>
<if cond="confirm == 'confirm'">
<var name="recno" expr="1" />
<submit next="vxml_autoremind_confirm.php" namelist="recno confirm"/>
</if>
</filled>
</field>
</form>
</vxm>


This seems to work perfectly, except that I’m having some trouble with a few things. First, some of your documentation on your website doesn’t seem to match up, and I’m not sure which features work and don’t work… for example, in the “prompt” tag, I don’t seem to be able to use “bargein” or “bargeintype”. Is there any current documentation that tells me what is/is not valid?

In general, Voicent only supports some VoiceXML tags. The supported tags are listed online in the VoiceXML reference. The main reason some of the tags are not supported is that voice modem (and Windows unimodem driver) does not support full duplex audio. The “bargein” attribute is an example.

If you are using speech recognition for interaction, “bargein” does not work. But if the program is expecting DTMF input, then the audio playing can be “barged in” using the pound (#) key.

Starting from release 6, when the system uses Skype (or SIP) , “bargein” can be supported. So this feature will be implemented in our future releases. But there is no date set for that.

The other problem is that I can’t seem to use any “goto” tags – if I try to give the user a method to replay the message from the beginning using “goto”, the call just hangs up at that spot.

Using the above code, I tried adding things like:

<goto next="start" />
<goto nextitem="#MainMessage" />

etc, but each of them just cause the call to end abrubtly. Any way you can shed some light on this?

Goto tag is supported. You can check the the log files for more information. The log files are under
C:\Program Files\Voicent\gateway\logs

Another way to replay the message is use the <clear> tag.

Posted in Developer |

Autodialer: Skype caller ID display

What phone number will contacts see when making outbound calls with SKYPE?

Normally, it will display something like: 000012345, or call on the caller ID. But you can easily set it up to display your SkypeIn number or your cell phone number. To do so, please select the Account main menu from the Skype window, then View Account Information, then select Caller Identification

Since calls are tranferred to my headset, will I really need to purchase a “SKYPE headset” – the headset that plugs into the sound card?

This is normally not necessary. If your calls are transferred to your cell phone, for example, you just need to pick up your cell phone and answer the call. Or you can transfer it to another Skype account, running on the same or different computer, you can use regular computer microphone and speaker to talk on Skype. If you want, you can get any regular computer headset.

I have a Linksys WRT5RG. The cable that runs between the modem and the router is Cat 5. Will this setup provide the Voice Terminal function?

You actually don’t have to worry about voice terminal when you are using Skype. All you neeed is internet connection for your computer. (Voice terminal is necessary when using a voice modem, which requires analog phone line.)

Posted in Auto Dialer, Skype |