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What Companies Can Utilize Direct Inward Dial
DIDs are not available with analog telephone service but are readily available with
PRI or
SIP telephone service. Most companies have the option to select PRI, analog, or SIP service from a variety of providers. The most prevalent limiting factor in this choice is the type of PBX owned/used by the customer. To use PRI service, customers must have a PBX with a PRI card. For SIP, customers need a modern IP PBX that is SIP compatible. For customers who do not have a PRI card for their PBX and do not have an IP PBX that is SIP compatible, analog service is the only option, unless the customer is willing to invest in upgrading their PBX.
DIDs are Offered With Either SIP or PRI Phone Service
Customers who have PBXs which are PRI or SIP compatible, can obtain DIDs with their SIP or PRI service. Direct inward dial numbers are complete local phone numbers which a customer can obtain in addition to the actual phone lines (trunks) they are paying for. For example, a customer who has purchased a 24 line PRI circuit, has 23 usable phone lines (with PRI the 24th is used for administering the other 23). If this customer has 75 employees, and no more than 23 use their phones at the same time, with DIDs, each of these employees can have their own direct inward dial numbers. When each employee receives a call on his/her DID, the call is routed through one of the 23 PRI channels.
How Many DIDs Will Each PRI or SIP Circuit Support
When assessing how many DIDs a PRI circuit will facilitate without dropping calls, the customer must calculate how many employees will use their phones simultaneously in a worse case scenario. Some companies such as call centers may have 2 to 1 ratios, for ever two employees one will be on the phone. Other industries such as manufacturing plants may have ratios as high as 30 to 1 (for every 30 employees one of the 30 will be on the phone). Theoretically, a company with a 30 to one ratio could support up to 690 DIDs with one 23 channel PRI circuit. Whereas, a company with a more intense ratio like 2 to 1, would need to pay for a PRI circuit for each group of 46 employees. Properly computing how many DIDs each PRI will support for your company is essential because if users attempt to use more DIDs simultaneously, than there are paid channels to support, then calls will be dropped. So for example, in the case where a company has a 23 channel (phone line) PRI, if 30 simultaneous incoming calls are suddenly attempted with DIDs, seven of these calls will be dropped.
Direct Inward Dial Prices
Each provider charges slightly different rates for DIDs but generally the costs are similar. Usually, DIDs cost only a few dollars per month for a block of 100.
Domestic Virtual Direct Inward Dial Numbers
With SIP service, companies can now obtain direct inward dial numbers for geographic locations other than where their business is physically located. For example a company located in Dallas, could have DID numbers in virtually any other major city in the US. This allows the Dallas company to have DIDs and thus the appearance of a local presence in other locations. Another advantage of virtual DIDs is that if the Dallas company has a major clientele in another location, like Boston, a Boston virtual DID would allow this clientele to call the Dallas company with a local call at no charge.
International Virtual DIDs
International virtual DIDs work like domestic virtual DIDs. With an international virtual DID, the company in Dallas could have local phone numbers in cities like Paris or London that will ring from these cities to Dallas like a local phone call. With international virtual DIDs, companies in the US can have the appearance of a local presence in most major cities throughout the world.
To check prices and availability for any of the services listed above, please use the pricing tool at the top of this page. It’s free, real-time, easy to use and there is no obligation. Or, if you have questions regarding direct inward dial numbers, please enter your US location into the pricing tool above
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