|
Direct Inward Dial Numbers, How to Obtain:
DIDs numbers are provided as an extra option to
PRI or
SIP business telephone service. DIDs are available only with SIP or PRI. It cannot be purchased as a standalone product.
Direct Inward Dial Uses:
DID numbers, also referred to as DIDs, enables each employee, fax number, or individual department within a company to have their own complete local phone number, without the expense of providing a phone line for each of these individuals or departments. With DIDs, a company can have far more phone numbers, than phone lines.
DID Example:
For example, a company which never uses more than 20 simultaneous phone paths (voice lines), but has 200 employees, 200 DIDs could be obtained for about 16 dollars per month. By comparison, voice paths (voice lines) cost an average of about $20 to $25 per telephone line.
How Direct Inward Dial Numbers Are Routed:
Incoming DID calls are automatically routed over open voice lines by the PBX (private branch exchange) of the company. A PBX is a peace of on-premise equipment that routes phone calls and facilitates phone features such as call transfer and caller ID.
DID Usage Cannot Exceed Number of Paid Phone Lines:
The use of DIDs works well as long as the number of incoming calls does not exceed the number of paid voice lines. In the above example, if the company only pays for 20 voice lines, but 25 calls are attempted, five calls will be dropped. For most companies, not all employees use their phones simultaneously. Each company has unique calling patterns, but overall, the industry average is about 4 to 1. For every 4 employees, one is on the phone at any given time. With this ratio, if a company has 20 employees, five would be on the phone at one time. In calculating a ration of voice lines to DIDs however, it’s safest to base the ratio on worst case scenario. Most companies would prefer to have a few voice lines sitting idle rather than risk having calls with valuable customers or other business associates dropped. Direct inward dial number only work for incoming calls.
Direct Inward Dial Can Only Be Used for Incoming Calls:
Outgoing calls cannot be made via a DID. Only voice lines can facilitate outgoing calls.
Virtual DIDs:
With virtual direct inward dial numbers, also referred to as remote DIDs, a company can have local phone numbers in other locations of the United States, that will ring into the business like a local number. For example, a company in Seattle, could have remote DIDs for Denver, Atlanta and Miami. Customers in these three cities could call a local number, and reach the Seattle company for free, like a local call. Another advantage of virtual DIDs is that with the above example, the Seattle company could appear to have a local presence in Denver, Atlanta and Miami. Remote DIDs cost about $5 each. Each of these DIDs can facilitate 2000 minutes of calls each month. If a company has higher usage, virtual DIDs can facilitate 15000 minutes per month be purchase for $30 per month.
International Virtual DIDs:
International remote direct inward dial numbers work like domestic virtual DIDs. For example, with international remote DIDs, the Seattle company could use direct inward dial, to have local numbers in Paris, London and Hong Kong, through which customers in these cities could call Seattle for free, like they are making local calls. The Seattle company could also appear to have a local presence in these three cities located half way across the world away. International virtual DIDs cost about $30 per month, and will facilitate 2000 minutes per DID.
To check prices and availability for any of the services listed above, please use the pricing tool at the top of this page. Its free, real-time, easy to use and there is no obligation.
(Click here to return to top of page)
 |
|
|
