Conceptual elements

A mailbox is a portion of disk space on PortaSIP which has been allocated for storing messages. Messages can be voice messages, faxes, or generic emails. You may set a quota (maximum allowed disk space) for user mailboxes, to prevent a situation where some users store too much information in their mailboxes, thus creating problems because the disk space is unavailable for other customers.

When a pre-defined number is dialed from any phone connected to PortaSIP, or calls to this number are received from an external network – PortaSIP launches an IVR application that is associated with this number.

When an incoming call is answered, an IVR (Interactive Voice Response) application is launched. This application defines how the call is to be further processed, e.g., what the user on the other end will hear. The IVR applications include, among others:

• Voicemail, allowing callers to leave a message which will be delivered to the user’s mailbox.
• Fax-to-email.
• Auto Attendant – a custom-designed set of voice menus (see the Auto attendant section for more details).
• Check balance/top-up account.
• Prepaid card.
• Conferencing.
• Sound quality check.

Each application normally has a set of parameters which customize its behavior (e.g., whether the prepaid card calling application should announce the available balance or not). Using the PortaBilling web interface, administrators can quickly and conveniently define how users access IVR applications.

The auto attendant is a flexible utility designed to provide IVR for callers and allow them to navigate among different options by pressing keys on their phones. Auto attendant capabilities include simple features such as playing a certain voice prompt to the end user or collecting his input, as well as more advanced features such as incoming fax detection or call queues.