How multichannel phone number works. Multichannel number: why does a business need it and how to connect it? Advantages of digital telephony MGTS

Probably each of us got into such a situation that they call your mobile number while you are talking to another person. The result of this sad picture is short beeps on the phone, dissatisfied customers and a drop in sales. And this is not gud. Who is guilty? What to do? We will not answer these questions, but today we will talk about how to make sure that you can always be reached by phone.

The first thing you can do when solving this issue is to install the IP PBX and connect an ip-operator that can submit mobile communications via SIP (sip).

In our example, we took IP PBX OKTELL and MULTIFON from Megafon. Megaphone is the only one among " big three”, the first to make a breakthrough in the field of connecting mobile and sip telephony, and offered the market something that they had been waiting for a very long time, but could not get. The multiphone is connected as a service to the basic tariff and allows you to make calls from computer to computer for free, and you can “throw your SIM card into the bucket”, while all calls to mobile, city, regardless of your location, whether you are in Africa, Turkey or in Perm, will be charged the same. Roaming nervously smokes on the sidelines. Therefore, we can talk about the appearance of a Russian analogue of Skype, only cheaper.

And by screwing the appropriate PBX, the multiphone will allow you to make multi-channel mobile communications. That is, several people can call you at the same time and they all get through.

This is possible due to the fact that all calls are not through a SIM card, but through the SIP protocol and the ability of the PBX to receive calls over several lines. You can also connect to your “number” via the Internet using any SIP device or softphone. If this is of interest, then read on how to do it in practice.

To begin with, you must have any SIM card from Megafon (long forgotten or recently purchased). Then go to the operator's website, download and install the application "Multifon", the default is "Light". Next, register, usually the login is your phone number, you specify the password yourself, the main thing is not to forget it! Then we insert the SIM card into the phone, we are waiting for an SMS with a confirmation code. Next, enter the code. After that, if we no longer need the SIM, we put it in the closet. Now we set up our account on the sip device, in our case, PBX. To set up a multiphone in alternative programs and SIP phones, follow these instructions.

Use the following parameters (settings):

Username:<имя пользователя в МультиФон>(in the format 792xxxxxxxx) Password:<Пароль>(the one entered during registration) Domain: multifon.ru Port: 5060 SIP-Proxy (Outbound Proxy): sbc.megafon.ru (or 193.201.229.35), Proxy port: 5060

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Recently on Habré there was about “unusual” DEF numbers. Under the unusualness was hidden "multi-channel" - the ability to receive several parallel calls to the number (and the call center operators will talk on them). As many as five simultaneous conversations and an exclamation point at the end of the phrase! Under the cut, I will talk about multi-channel not from a marketing, but from a technical point of view. How do operators “receive” calls, how does an “unusual DEF number” differ from a “regular ABC number”, and is it a lot or a little - as many as five parallel calls? By the way, why exactly five, and not twenty or one hundred?

Telephony guts: E1, PRI, SS7, SIP

The telecom operator handles incoming calls to the number. This is the central concept of telephony, from which everything else grows. Conditional operator Horns and Hooves announces that it will service incoming calls to the number "+1234567890" and charge 10 kopecks per minute for this. Now, if you type the specified string on your mobile, then your telecom operator will somehow notify Rog that there is incoming call and it would be nice to do something with it. For example, signal back "call accepted" and start receiving the voice stream. Or, without accepting the call, send your voice stream "the subscriber is temporarily not a subscriber."

Physically, telecom operators in different countries use different things. Most often, this is the "Primary Rate Interface": a physical interface with guaranteed packet delivery and dedicated channels of 64 kilobits. At the junction, operators put boxes like this one, which are interconnected by funny SCSI-like cables. One box typically handles 4 to 16 E1 connections, each with 32 channels for voice, lightly compressed g.711, and signaling. Total more than 500 parallel calls per box.

In the honorable second place is SIP with a joint through a regular ethernet network or even the Internet. There are no "channels" here, everything depends on the software, the channel width and the power of the computers. And the decency of ISPs, who sometimes set up QoS (but more often not).

Number is a text string

In fact, not always, SS7-ISUP has many different options for presenting “who we are calling”, but in general case you can expect just a text string. What will be written there: "84951234567", "+79261234567" or something else - this is how operators and regulators in a particular country and region will agree. And yes, we do not have a single standard “for the whole world”.

The division into "city number", "ABC geographically specific number”, “mobile number”, “DEF geographically indefinite number” - it is conditional. Nothing more than an agreement between operators on the format and who will pay how much for servicing this particular number, plus nuances like open and closed numbering or that within the same city you can call without the prefix of this city. Provided that all operators were able to agree on this and correctly configure their software.

And what about multichannel?

So we have 2 facts:

1. The operator maintains the number and can receive incoming call requests. For money.
2. The number is a text string. different numbers differ only in the agreement of the operators on how to receive calls to them and how much money to take for it.

As you can see, nothing portends the "only one call per number" restriction. And there really is no such restriction! Any room has an “innate” multi-channel nature. Restrictions can only be on the side of the equipment (not enough physical E1 connections) or logical (this is a cell number. The subscriber is already on the phone. What to do with 10 more incoming calls to the same number?).

In practice, up to 100 parallel calls to one number can be expected to work correctly. If the number of calls is very large, the operator initiating the call (for example, this mobile operator) will not be able to distribute it to the receiving operator, and back we will hear a rare earth error “sorry, all lines are busy”.

How we do it at Voximplant

For each incoming call, we create a separate JavaScript session where the code you uploaded is executed. And already he decides what to do with this call. For example, if this is a retailer's number, then you can make an HTTP request to the backend, find out the status of the order by the number, and if the calling customer has an order, synthesize it by voice and offer to do something, for example, change the time.

You can send a call to the call center, the cloud can call PSTN ( telephone network public) and on SIP. Or you can assemble a call center yourself - there are ready-made "batteries" for the message queue and an SDK to receive calls in web browsers and mobile applications.

In general, real-time JavaScript “next to” a call allows you to do a lot of interesting things even before “multi-channel” hits the living people of a call center, technical support or telemedicine. For example, you can get the workload of the call center with an HTTP request (or directly from JS, if the message queues are ours), and if there “the operator will answer in more than ten minutes”, offer to call the client yourself. The JavaScript session can safely continue its work after the caller hangs up. Having received the user’s consent to call back (for example, by recognizing an affirmative answer or asking to enter a number from the phone’s keyboard), the session sends a request to the waiting queue or call center, waits as long as necessary, and after connecting with the operator synthesizes what will happen now, calls back from the memorized phone number, synthesizes what kind of call it is and, finally, connects the operator to the person. JavaScript is power.

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The key to the success of any business is operational communication with customers and partners. multichannel telephone number necessary to maintain a solid business image and ensure competitiveness. This is one of the established standards of communication, without which the company will not be taken seriously.

Let's be honest: in modern conditions, the "busy" signal heard by the client is a reason to contact another company. A modern PBX will not only keep your customers, but also attract new ones.

Multichannel telephony: what is it and who needs it

A multichannel number is a telecommunications line organized in such a way that several subscribers can simultaneously dial the same number. This effect is achieved by distributing incoming calls to free telephone sets. This is beneficial for the company, since the line is laid once, and if necessary, the required number of additional devices can be connected to it. Customers, in turn, see that they are interested. These two factors provide high level service, which means - increasing profits and business efficiency.

Calls are distributed using hardware or via web technologies. A virtual multichannel number has a number of advantages: at lower costs, you can get a higher speed of communication with a client, and when you move your office, you won’t have to order “cable work” again. This technology is especially widespread among IT companies, information service providers and international companies. But even for a small company that often moves from office to office, a virtual multi-channel number can facilitate working conditions. If some of your employees work remotely, multi-channel telephone communication with them is feasible only with the help of web technologies.

What gives the connection of a multichannel number

Let's say your company is offered a service virtual PBX requiring neither cables nor expensive equipment. It will be easier to make a decision if you imagine the advantages of such a decision:

• You can answer calls in any convenient way: not only from landlines or mobile phones, but also from computers or any gadgets connected to the Internet and equipped with a special software. The quality of communication will be equally high, regardless of the number of simultaneously received calls.
• A virtual multi-channel number is paid from a personal account on the provider's website. But that's not all: in the same personal account, the manager can see call statistics, manage various functions, and form groups of employees.
• Calls are automatically recorded in MP3 format. This allows you to both save information and maintain corporate communication standards. A warning that a call may be recorded keeps both employees and customers within the bounds of courtesy.
• Calls between employees of the same company are free. For a large organization, this is a significant savings on communication services, especially if its offices operate in different cities or countries.
• A virtual multichannel number is not tied to a specific physical address, it is saved when changing office or city.
• One virtual number allows you to serve up to a hundred clients at the same time - the only question is the number of staff in your company. As a rule, the basic tariff includes 2-5 virtual numbers, and it is available even to those who are just starting their business.
• You can easily connect the voice menu function. Automatic call redirection to one or another department relieves the secretary and ensures more efficient work of the entire company.
• Planning advertising campaigns will be faster with the involvement of call statistics from your personal account.

When deciding how many internal numbers your office needs to operate, consider not only the number of employees, but also the number for fax and other office purposes.

So, in itself, a virtual PBX is an effective and worthy solution. Perhaps it is already working successfully for your competitors.

Choosing a multichannel phone number

The very sequence of numbers that the client is typing can be attractive to him to varying degrees. For example, on free numbers received 30% more calls. A memorable number works effectively in the service sector - for example, if a client urgently needs food delivery to the office or home, a taxi, an appointment with a doctor, equipment repair. In such cases, there is not always the time and desire to look for a number in the phone book.

• 8 800 - if the number starts with these numbers, you can call it for free, even while in roaming or another region.
• 8 804 differs from 8800 in that it can be configured to be detected when making outgoing calls.
• Landline phone number creates a solid image, associating clients with a stable office, no matter how the company's work is actually organized. This number has fewer numbers and is easier to remember.
• Premium room. Memorability can be achieved using the so-called silver, gold or platinum numbers. These are sequences of numbers in which there is some logic. Repeating numbers or simple sequences can be used - for example, 555-82-82 or 234-56-78. The more repeating numbers, the easier it is for the client to remember them. However, the purchase of such a number will cost the company more. Sometimes a beautiful number is connected for the duration of a project or advertising campaign so as not to overpay for it, working as usual.

If your company already has an effective phone number that is familiar to customers and partners, you can make it unified by activating the call forwarding service from the new multichannel.

How to connect a multichannel virtual number

This can be done right at your workplace by going to the provider's website. You need to register, select a number and tariff, enter Personal Area and pay for the service. Don't forget to include call forwarding numbers, fax number and address Email. It is useful to immediately create a greeting for subscribers.