"Outgoing Call Routes"

[VOIPoBrandon]

How about offering a 'nice' auto-block of 242, 246, 264, 268, 284, 345, 441, 473, 649, 664, 670, 758, 767, 784, 787, 809, 829, 867, 868, 869, 939 area codes unless somehow expressly requested to be authorized. Might save some mighty big billing surprises from NANPA countries other than Canada and the U.S.A.

This should already be in effect, let me know if otherwise .
________
500

[VOIPoTim]

This should already be in effect, let me know if otherwise .

Yeah alot of little things like this are already done. Let's just cite learning experiences at "the other company" in the early days.

[quattrohead]

Wow, thats an interesting lesson for today. They should have shoved all those area codes in the 900 range to keep it easier for muts like me to remember. Why are there gaps in the codes ?
http://www.areacodehelp.com/where/wh...rea_code.shtml

[gbh2o]

Wow, thats an interesting lesson for today. They should have shoved all those area codes in the 900 range to keep it easier for muts like me to remember. Why are there gaps in the codes ?
http://www.areacodehelp.com/where/wh...rea_code.shtml

Well, it's up to each country to control their internal phone structure and rules. Some just allow grossly excessive tariffs on us foreigners. _We_, the U.S.A. that is, is not in a position to dicatate to them. In any case blame the plan on AT&T! Here's the reference for many good things about our numbering system:

http://www.nanpa.com/

[gbh2o]

This should already be in effect, let me know if otherwise .

How do we dial one of these countries if we have a legitimate reason? ;-) There are always the popular Bahamas. Of course no one would ever have a reason to call the Cayman's!

[fisamo]

Hello Fiasmo,

This was my exact concern, as far as customers blocking calls that they did not "intend" to block. Which is why I'm asking you guys. However I do see a point to using X as a single digit, however I think we're on the same page, just slightly different angles.

However I think we can make a solution for all three angles available that I can see.

I think if we introduced, three symbols into the routing scheme, which we can conveniently "not advertise" the more advanced/confusing methods.

What I was thinking was perhaps introducing the following symbols: * % X

What do they do? Well, I think as for the asterisk the easiest method of application, that makes sense would be seen above in my "NEW METHOD" idea.

Which works as follows, say you wanted to block, all 714 area code calls, it could simply be put as 714*. Or say You wanted to block all 249 exchange calls, you could simply put ***249. Now say you wanted to block all calls ending in 249, you could simply do *******249. Now we can also introduce the X method, which would act as a SINGLE digit wild card, with NO padding, such as the * pad's to the right, to fill up digits up to 10 digits in length. So say you wanted to block ANY call that was three digits, and ended in 11. You could do X11, i.e. would block/route/etc 411, 911, 511, 611. Now say you wanted to block all 919 area code calls you could do the same, 919XXXXXXX, and 249 exchange, XXX249XXXX, and all calls ending in 249 - XXXXXXX249. So essentially still integrating your suggestion, as I would like to keep it as simply put for the more basic users. However, I'd still like to cater to the more advanced users as well. The THIRD Method, would be the % sign, what exactly would it do? Say you wanted to do Block, all calls with "714" in the number, we would simply do %714%, or say you wanted to block all calls with 714 or 949 in it, %714%949%. As for international, what I was thinking is maybe something where, we would use the same symbols, except, they would denote that the call is international with a +, or 011 sign. So say that they wanted to block all calls to country code 44, they could do the following:

01144* [block all calls to country code 44]
+44* [ ditto ]

Nothing is set in stone yet, but still looking to draw more ideas about the custom call routing and exact functionality. Let me know what the rest of your guys thoughts are! Also Fiasmo, what do you think about this? Like I said I'm on the same page with you as far as, it could create more problems, then it helps, with giving them to much control. "I'm not getting calls from XYZ", I only blocked "ABC". When they don't know what they might have really done.

If you want to use all three wild card symbols (X for single digit 0-9, * for one or more digits, % for 0 or more digits (or to enclose a pattern to look for)), that's fine. In that case, your radio button should give the following two choices: "Simple domestic call rules/blocking" (only wild card allowed is X; all entries must be 10 characters in length), or "Advanced call rules; international call rules" (all three wild cards allowed, length of pattern string is not fixed at 10 characters). On the "Simple" call rule page, you'd include information that each entry is ten characters, X matches 0-9, and you'd provide clearly written examples such as the following:

• 919XXXXXXX blocks ALL CALLS from 919 area code.
• XXX249XXXX blocks ALL CALLS from ALL AREA CODES, where middle 3 numbers are 249.
• XXXXXX1234 blocks ALL CALLS from numbers ending in 1234.

You could write similar 'help' prompting for the advanced page as you did in your message above.

The other concern I want to throw your way is the watch-out that you should not allow users to block 911 dialing, and that return-calls from a PSAP, such as if my 2 year old dials 911 and hangs up, should override any custom call routing. I have a few thoughts on that--check your PMs.

[TimW]

I don't think you can block these area codes. My understanding is that the area codes are completely valid, and there are many "normal" lines in these codes. The rates to these area codes are not necessarily high. It just happens that these area codes happen to be used by the scammers as well.