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DIDX Supplying Answers and DID Numbers for International Audience

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August 21, 2008

DIDX Supplying Answers and DID Numbers for International Audience

By Tim Gray, TMCnet Web Editor


To the layperson direct inward dialing (DID) can seem a complicating affair. First, DID numbers are reserved for those connected to the traditional PSTN to call people connected to VoIP networks, and DID numbers from the PSTN network are reserved by the administrators of the VoIP network, and assigned to a gateway in the VoIP network.

 
The gateway will then route calls incoming from the PSTN across the IP network to the appropriate VoIP user. At the same time, calls originating in the VoIP network will appear to users on the PSTN as originating from one of the assigned DID numbers.
 
Wow! And that is before you even chose a service.
 
Joel Driver, CEO of the Ireland-based Webdream Solutions, had such a decision recently to make. He needed to complete several dozen individual master service agreements and interop with telcos for international local phone numbers with the lowest financial overhead possible but without sacrificing choice of quality.
 
"We use an asterisk server and being able to offer DIDs from so many countries via DIDX has enabled us to finally offer a fairly unique service - which is why people sign up with us, the quality and the quantity we offer,” said Driver. “We use the DIDX API for purchases and releases and to show availability and costs on our Web site. We decided to run cron queries on the DIDX API and cache results locally. This reduces load on the DIDX API and also makes our website more responsive."
 
Webdream Solutions initially chose to buy from a combination of DID resellers and CLECs at first, but said it was too expensive and time-consuming and sometimes impossible for a small startup like his.
 
However Webdream Solutions found that securing DID from any one area code in one country was time-consuming and expensive. They needed phone numbers from several dozen countries.
 
The company’s customers were ex-pats, entrepreneurs, non-profits, government, and SMB to larger who needed local phone numbers from several areas of the world. They demanded a local presence, a virtual office, a convenient way for those who are important to them, to start calling them with no hesitation. A local call is usually no extra charge; whereas, an international call is. Therefore, the end-user’s callers are much more likely to call a local number than to call an international number to reach the Webdream’s customers end-users.
 
DIDX appeared to offer the solution with a network of over 10,000 wholesale IP communications company members with a selection of DID from 55 countries and choice of providers, rates, and quality.
 
Once completed, his way of doing business evolved tremendously, he says. His customers previously had access to buy phone numbers from USA and a few European countries, but after DIDX activation, they were able to buy DID from 55 countries and 1000s of cities worldwide.

In addition, Drviver's Mydivert.com developed a business model that allowed them to avoid activation charges when their clients buy new DIDs (phone numbers) from them. They don't worry about incoming minute limits - this really had not been an issue for allowing them to offer unlimited minutes on all DIDs because most of its customers do not use over 5000 minutes per month. Joel's team keeps $25 talk time on DIDX just in case, but this has never been used to date.

In addition, Super Technologies, Inc.s care team (technical and customer support) is across the globe in New Jersey, Florida, Sharjah, Shanghai, Mexico City, and Karachi.

Don't forget to check out TMCnet’s White Paper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.

Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To read more of Tim�s articles, please visit his columnist page.

Edited by Tim Gray







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