Today we introduce our new feature "Webcall" that has been available to all types of PBXes accounts for the past few days.
It serves the following purposes:
Callers can reach you by name in the format pbxes.org/alias instead of phone number.
You may embed webcall into your own web pages by linking to pbxes.org/alias, by putting it into an iframe or by sending from your own HTML form.
The caller is called back using a trunk from your existing Outbound Routes. So these calls are toll free for your callers and can replace 800 numbers.
You can become reachable anonymously e.g. by publishing pbxes.org/alias in the profile of your social network. You can change or delete an alias at any time.
You may also use the webcall page on your own in the office or on when traveling. In the office it serves as an API to your office software. Calls can be generated by opening pbxes.org/alias?n=destinationnumber. From mobile, hotspot or internet cafe callbacks can be triggered by opening the URL.
How does it work?
For setup all you need to do is choose an alias name and add it to your extension or callgroup. Optionally your logo, photo or personal message can be added as well.
When someone reaches your page pbxes.org/alias they will be prompted to insert their phone number and click the "call" button. This results in your PBXes account to first call you and then call the number entered into the page. Once both sides answer they will be connected.
Both calls are placed through the trunks designated in your Outbound routes of your PBXes account, and will show the number entered into the page pbxes.org/alias as CallerID. For further info on CallerID please take a look at http://345946.n0h2l.group/forum/thread.php?threadid=166.
wow real cool feature and I have tried the following to create your webbased callback system.
go to inbound routing / addd incoming route
under trunk use your: username-callback (instead of callback you can also use another name)
click on callthru pin and set a pin number (choose carefull as an easy number can be misuded, I suggest 4 to 8 numbers)
Go to extensions:
add a new extension
set url (new feature) choose your name you want to use for pbxes.org/yourname
save and go back to the extension
change device options dial:
and replace by SIP/[email protected] (if you choose another name instead of callback please use that)
What this does is very simple.
You go to the webpage pbxes.org/yourname
fill in the number you want to be called back on.
pbxes will call you on the number and forward you to the extension. The extensions calls [email protected] and you are asked for a pin number.
type the pin number and you get the dialtone of the pbx.
This way when in a hotel having a room that has it's own tel number and webacces you can trigger a callback to that number.
You can trigger a callback to any number using the webbase url.
Visiting a friend and want to make a call, no problem just use the webbased callback and you will pay for the cost.
Or you have a roaming free cellphone like www.united-mobile.com now you can trigger your own callback using the web. Or if you have data access you just fill in the weblink to trigger the callback. This will only cost you the cost off data for the link.
But please be aware that anyone who has your pin number and webadress can use the callback. Therefore use a long pin to prevent misuse.
This post has been edited 3 time(s), it was last edited by bob on 25.05.2008 at 20:18.
I've been able to set up web callback using the procedure that bobmats outlined. The only problem I have, is that when I get to the callthru step, I don't get the initial prompt to enter my PIN. Instead, there's a pause and I get the message "Incorrect PIN". Then, I can successfully put my PIN in and make the call. This seems to be a timing issue. Is there some way to make the timing work better using this setup?
woody, i seem to have the same "problem" but it works.
I guess the way I setup a webcallback is not the intention of the system and just a workaround to get your own webcallback. As It uses internal extensions and forwarding this might be the reason.
Today we discovered another application of webcall: Dial-Out Conferences.
To use create an classic extensions that leads to a conference room, e.g. 200 leading to 8200. Now access the webcall of that extension. By entering phone numbers you can call the participants of your conference!
If you reached a voicemail and want to hang up a participant go to the conference menu by pressing '*' followed by '3' to eject the most recent participant. (This feature was added recently. To run the update please click Submit & Start in Personal Data.)
When I do it using my own form, it redirects the user to pbxes page. The last thing I want is to loose the user just like that. Is there any way so after submit it would sent the user back to the originating page?
Originally posted by doronin
When I do it using my own form, it redirects the user to pbxes page. The last thing I want is to loose the user just like that. Is there any way so after submit it would sent the user back to the originating page?
We have given a facelift to webcall today. There is a new parameter "embed" that allows for easy integration into other sites.
Create links as pbxes.org/alias?embed=1. The user will return to your site after entering his phone number, or when clicking the new Back button.
To integrate as a form input, e.g. on a contact page, add the following HTML snippet: <form action="http://pbxes.org/alias" METHOD="GET">
Please enter your phone number to get connected to me:<BR>
<input type="text" name="n">
<input type="hidden" name="embed" value="1">
<input type="submit" value="number">
</form>
Calls now include alias as CallerID, to identify calls from webcall pages.
Dial Out Conferences
