Call status for answering machine and live pickup

Question:

I’m using the gateway VB API to initiate phone calls at other locations. I’m having an issue with determining if the caller answers the phone or an answering machine. The return value always seems to be “Call Made”. I was expecting to see “answering machine” or something like that for the response.

Answer:

The handling of answering machine or live human is different from other call status, such as line disconnected, no answer etc. The reason is that the gateway gives the application a chance to play different messages (different starting vxml files) for answering machine and live human.

When a call is first make, it is assumed to be live human, so the startvxml or starturl for live human is used. Once the system detects that the call is answered by an answering machine or voice mail system, it discards the original vxml files, and query the application for answering machine vxml files.

If you are using ‘startvxml’ file, then the system will try to fetch a vxml file names:

[startvxml]_ans.vxml

So if your startvxml file is myapp.vxml, then the answering machine one is myapp_ans.vxml.

If you are using ‘starturl’, then the same URL is queried again, but with parameter ‘ans=t’.

In any case, the answering machine status is passed before other call status.

For more information, please see the outbound call tutorial, and on topic Play different messages for live human pickup and answering machine

The starturl says that the parameter “ans=t” is passed. What vxml file is then passed? I did a demo and passed the vxml file I wanted for a live answer but let it go to voicemail, it played the message and didn’t play the __ans.vxml. How do I specify which ans the starturl will use?

The answer is that the starturl specifies a dynamically generated vxml file that is used for both answering machine and live human pickup. It is normally NOT a static file but a piece of program that can produce a vxml file. For example, if you are using a web server that supports JSP, than the starturl usually refers to a JSP file. This JSP file generates different vxml output based on passed parameter ant=t.