Play promt and end call after credit is used.

[Lucas451]

We are currently trying to set up a CallFlow that queries a user's credit balance on an incoming call with an http request and then starts a timer based on the credit balance as soon as the call has been transferred. Unfortunately, we cannot find a way in the Call Flow Designer to play a prompt and end the call after the credit has expired.

Is this even possible with the 3CX system?

 

[edossantos_sipcaller]

You can't do that. The CFD app will lose control on the call as soon as it is transferred. You would need to remain in the loop, but that's not possible.

 

[Lucas451]

You can't do that. The CFD app will lose control on the call as soon as it is transferred. You would need to remain in the loop, but that's not possible.

Yes, that's what I suspected. Many thanks for the answer.

 

[edossantos_sipcaller]

No problem. The only way to do something like this would be creating a SIP Client, that is an application that connects as a SIP extension and can handle the call. You can't do this with the CFD.

 

[VoIPTools]

You absolutely can do this, but it will require a combination of a Call Flow Designer (CFD) application and a custom service that employs the 3CX Call Control API. Here is how I would outline the process:

1. Route the calls to a CFD. The CFD could either ask for an account number, or could look at the caller's phone number to identify the contact.

2. The CFD can look up the contact's account and identify the remaining balance. Using text-to-speech we could let them know their current balance. If funds are available, then transfer the call to a queue?

3. The service application can then log and monitor the call.

4. When the contact has exhausted their available funds, we can divert the call to an IVR that says they ran out of funds.

5. We could then transfer the caller to a CFD that assist them with charging up their account.

 

[Lucas451]

You absolutely can do this, but it will require a combination of a Call Flow Designer (CFD) application and a custom service that employs the 3CX Call Control API. Here is how I would outline the process:

1. Route the calls to a CFD. The CFD could either ask for an account number, or could look at the caller's phone number to identify the contact.

2. The CFD can look up the contact's account and identify the remaining balance. Using text-to-speech we could let them know their current balance. If funds are available, then transfer the call to a queue?

3. The service application can then log and monitor the call.

4. When the contact has exhausted their available funds, we can divert the call to an IVR that says they ran out of funds.

5. We could then transfer the caller to a CFD that assist them with charging up their account.

Okay. That's great news. So we would need to combine the CFD with the Call Monitor API.

Yes so basically if they have enough credit they can enter a pin to get transfered to an agent. Then the API would end the call once the credit is to small. So let's say if the credit falls under 5 seconds the call gets ended and they need to buy new credit before making another call.


Thank you for the outline of the process. We will try to figure out how to combine the CFD with the API.

 

[VoIPTools]

If you need help with development, that's what we do full-time.

 

[Lucas451]

Approximately how much would such a feature cost if you were to implement it?

 

[Riusep]

With 3CX, you can definitely query user balances and manage calls, but playing a prompt and ending the call after the credit expires might be tricky. You might need to use a combination of Call Flow actions and maybe some custom scripting to handle the timer and call termination.

 

[edossantos_sipcaller]

Approximately how much would such a feature cost if you were to implement it?

You should contact him privately to get a quote.

 

[VoIPTools]

As with any custom development, the devil is in the details. The first step is to work through the precise requirements and get them written down. Nothing is more frustrating for both the end-user and the developer than to realize that an important detail was not discussed. Nobody likes revisiting the funding aspects of a project.

If you would like to pursue the project with us, contact me directly using the information below in my signature block.