Forward a PSTN call to VOIP provider

[aznarepse]

Hi all,
I am new here, please forgive any sillyness...
I just set up a SPA 3012 and 3CX in a 2003 server box. So far all is working almost as I wanted.
I got stuck at a forwarding fancy action...

-I have setup the SPa3012 as a ATA to make calls from my normal PSTN line to a VOIP provider via 3CX and it works. There is an extension for this and an Outbound rule.
-I have also set up 3CXsoftphone to make calls through a VOIP provider via 3CX. Again there is an extension and an Outbound rule and it works fine.
-I have also set up the SPA as gateway with a virtual extension number and it is registered.

What I intend is to be able to call to my own landline when I am away and get to a menu (Digital receptionist) that will give me the oportunity to dial another number and use the virtual extension of any of my VOIP providers to get my call (the new number) through IP. I will only get the cost of the call to my landline, which is local.
I can only see routing options from the gateway to internal extensions or to the digital receptionist, or to a number.
If I select to route to an extension or digital receptionist it works... I just cannot how to offer a new tone and the possibility to place a call through the VOIP.
I am aware I can do this with the SPA 3012 alone, but I was hoping to be able to do it in 3CX in order to have more control over which VOIP provider I use.

Any advice?
Many thanks in advance!
adan

 

[abc123]

I think there are a few ways to do this but here is one that will work.

Enable "Allow outbound calls from voicemail" in 3cx. Then when you get to the DA you can dial the voicemail extension (99, 999, 9999 etc depends on your digits in 3cx). This will then ask you for the extension and pin for the voicemail. then you can make an outbound call from there. If you use prefixes you can choose your outbound rule accordingly.

I have to ask 2 questions though. Why a PSTN landline? VOIP lines are usually much cheaper and you can port your number for little or no cost. Secondly, why not use a remote extension (softphone, softphone on mobile such as android iphone etc or a normal phone)? It can usually plug in most places where you get an internet connection and work from there.

 

[aznarepse]

Hi Mark,
thank you very much for your post! I am going to try right away!
I am sure you are right regarding the total migration to a VOIP line. I am just starting and using the resources I have, but I am positive that I will end up with only a VOIP line.
With regard to the softphone in the mobile phone I am not sure though. I have a contract in which I pay nothing to landlines and I can just set up the dialing in the address book of the mobile with all the digits needed to get to my landline and routed to the final phone number. Thus, I can call from any location, no matter what kind of connection I have through the VOIP account.
Best,
Adan

 

[abc123]

You may have to restart your services when you make that config change (I dont remember off the top of my head).

With that cell phone contract then yes, stick to calling a number from your cell phone. We often use a specific Digital assistant to get to voicemail from outside for out clients. We often have a dedicated number which goes to this DA directly (this has a message that says " you have reached this in error, please press 1 to be transferred to the correct person" in case anyone outside the company calls it)

 

[aznarepse]

Hi Mark,
many thanks for your wisdom! It indeed works!
There are a lot of keys to press in the phone, so I have directly redirected the inbound call to 999.

Just for curiosity, are there other options?
In the log I can see when 3CX forwards the call:
Refer: from=<sip:[email protected]:5060>;tag=1d29887f; to="SPA-3102"<sip:[email protected]:5060>;tag=7900d41e; RefTo=<sip:00phonenumber@127.0.0.1:5060;user=undefined>
Whish seems to be pretty straight forward...

All the best and thanks again!
Adan

 

[aznarepse]

Sorry, it's me again!
I was just thinking that I can create an extension for any common number that I call. So, I can call to the land line that will connect to a Digital assistant that will give some choices to connect to different extensions, even by name, and then that extension will be configured as away and in forwarding rules set to an external number (the one that I actually want to call)...
I am going to try it!
Many thanks again!
adan

 

[abc123]

Be careful with that, as someone may dial your number in error and get the same access to call those numbers. Your customers/friends may not appreciate it.

 

[aznarepse]

I was just writting this and got your reply! You are right!
It works as well! The problem is that there is not security on it. You only have to choose and get transfered. I think I can get some security by identifying the inbound number and assigning a rule to it. That way only that number can acces to the Digital assistant... I guess
Many thanks!

 

[aznarepse]

One more way to get the security would be to set few nested digital assistants. Let's say, for a password 1111, we would need four DA: the first one would give way to the second one after receiving 1 and so on... at the end, there would be another DA that would transfer the call to the selected extension.
... I guess

 

[abc123]

by the time you go through all those hoops you might as well go via voicemail and enter the pin - better security