How this Feature will help you

It allows you to easily control the types of calls your Users make or receive, such as international ones.

How to set up and use this feature

Click on the Calling Rules settings icon on the Features page.

There’s a navigation sidebar for the four main customisable settings, simply click on the one you’d like to manage:

• Outgoing calls
• Incoming calls
• Authorisation codes
• Transfer numbers
• Digit strings
• Digit plans

Outgoing calls

There’s a list of the types of calls you can manage, which can be done by simply clicking the ‘Manage rules’ button.

• UK numbers – includes these geographical numbers; 01, 02 and these non-geographical ones; 03, 05 – except 0500.
• Mobile numbers – includes all mobile numbers – except 070.
• International numbers – includes all international numbers starting with 00 or +, and international freephone, but not +44.
• Freephone – includes 0500, 0800, 0808, 116xxx, 144, 150, 151, 152, 154, and 1571.
• Directory enquiries – includes 155, 192, 195, and 118xx.
• Operator assisted – includes 100, 198, and 1800x.
• Service numbers #1 – includes 0843, 0844, 0845, 0870, and 123.
• Service numbers #2 – includes 0871 and 0872.
• Premium rate & personal numbers – includes 070 and 090.
• Site calls – includes calls between Users on the same Site.
• Other numbers – includes all other numbers that do not fall into the categories above.

Click the ‘Manage rules’ button. For each type of number you have six options:

• Allow – the call is automatically authorised.
• Restrict – the call won’t be put through and the User will hear an announcement saying it isn’t allowed.
• Authorisation code – only Users with a code can make this type of outgoing call.
• Transfer #1 – the User will be transferred to an Administrator that can update the Calling Rules settings to ‘allow’ the call if it’s deemed necessary. Click on the ‘Transfer numbers’ navigation link to input the number.
• Transfer #2 – as ‘Transfer #1’ but a different number (Administrator) is contacted to vet the call.
• Transfer #3 – as ‘Transfer #1’ but a different number (Administrator) is contacted to vet the call.

Select an option from the drop-down menu for each type of number, then hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

User Forwarded Calls

Similar to ‘Outgoing calls’, you can ‘Allow’ or ‘Restrict’ a User from forwarding their different types of calls to certain destinations.

Click the ‘Manage rules’ button. Select ‘Allow’ or ‘Restrict’ from the drop-down menu for each type of call, then hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

User Forwarded Calls by someone else

You can ‘Allow’ or ‘Restrict’ a User from forwarding calls they receive from other Users on the same Site to external numbers.

Click the ‘Manage rules’ button. Select ‘Allow’ or ‘Restrict’ from the drop-down menu, then hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

Incoming calls

There’s a list of the types of incoming calls you can manage, which can be done by simply clicking the ‘Manage rules’ button.

• Within Site – includes calls between Users on the same Site. 
• Outside Site – includes calls from anyone outside the Site. 
• Reverse charge call – the call receiver pays the charges.  

Action options

You have two- three options for each type of number:

• Allow – the call is automatically authorised.
• Partial – allows calls from a defined list.
• Restrict – the call won’t be put through and the User will hear an announcement saying it isn’t allowed.

Select an option from the drop-down menu for each type of number, then hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

Authorisation codes

If you’ve selected the ‘Authorisation code’ action option for any outgoing call types, click the ‘Add codes’ button.

Add authorisation codes

Type in the code, which must:

• Be 2–14 digits long.
• Use numbers only, without spaces

Then add a description.

You can add multiple authorisation codes.

Hit the ‘Save’ button once you’ve finished.

Status

You’ll then be redirected to the authorisation codes main page where all your codes will be listed. By ticking the corresponding box you can ‘delete’ any codes.

Transfer numbers

If you’ve selected the ‘Transfer #1/2/3’ action option for any outgoing call types, click the ‘Manage numbers’ button.

Manage transfer numbers

Type in the number the User will be transferred to if they make the selected type of call. You can do this for up to three numbers if you’ve chosen more than one transfer option.

Hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

Status

You’ll then be redirected to the transfer numbers main page where all your numbers will be listed. Click the ‘Manage numbers’ button to update these at any point.  

Digit strings

Apply rules to a string of telephone number digits, such as restricting calls to a certain area code.

Click the ‘Add digit string’ button.

Type in a name, followed by the digit string.

You can use the asterisk symbol (*) as a wildcard digit. For example, 0800*.

Hit the ‘Submit’ button once you’ve finished.

Status

You’ll be redirected to the main digit strings page where you can delete or manage them.

To delete one, tick the corresponding box next to it and click the ‘Delete digit string’ button. 

To manage a digit string, click the settings icon. Update the digit string and hit the ‘Submit’ button.

You can manage the rules for your digit stings on the ‘Digit plans’ page.  

Digit plans

Create and manage the outgoing and incoming call rules for the digit strings you’ve set up.

Outgoing digit plans

Click the settings icon for the digit string you want to manage.

From the drop-down menu, choose what option you would like to use when any outgoing calls match this digit string. i.e. Allow. Restrict etc.

Hit ‘Save’ once you’ve finished.

Incoming digit plans

Click the settings icon for the digit string you want to manage.

From the drop-down menu, choose if you’d like to ‘Allow’ or ‘Restrict’ incoming calls matching this digit string.

Hit ‘Save’ once you’ve finished.

How to set up and use this Feature – on an IP Phone

Any calls made from a user’s device will be screened by this feature and the following will occur where it finds one of these settings:

• Allowed – calls will connect correctly
• Restrict – calls will not be connected, and the user will hear an automated announcement
• Authorisation Code – the user will be prompted to enter a code before the call is connected
• Transfer the user will be transferred to another user to another number

How to set up and use this Feature – on an Application

The same behaviour explained above will occur here. 

Additional information

The ability to customize calling restrictions for individual users is not yet available, so for now these restrictions apply to all users on a Site.