| For midsize businesses, a time will come when | | | | With the ever increasing capabilities of desktop |
| they will be asked about moving to a Voice PRI | | | | fax server applications, it is also possible for |
| with their next service provider change or phone | | | | every employee to have their own fax number |
| system change. How does a business decide if a | | | | that delivers .pdf or other common format |
| Voice PRI is right for them? Let's take a look at | | | | attachments to their desktop via email application. |
| some of the unique benefits of PRI, and what | | | | Send and receive faxes from the desktop |
| they can mean to your business. | | | | without getting up, and without paying for |
| Let's get technical for just a moment to define | | | | additional dedicated fax phone lines. |
| PRI: | | | | 3. Call Tracking and Call Reporting: Along with |
| The primary rate interface (PRI) is a | | | | DID's, the enhanced capabilities of your phone |
| telecommunications standard for carrying multiple | | | | system to track your data with a PRI can be vital |
| DS0 voice and data transmissions between two | | | | to your operation. (Software often required) Ever |
| physical locations. All data and voice channels are | | | | wonder just how many outgoing calls your sales |
| ISDN and operate at 64 kbit/s. North America | | | | reps are making? Need to know how many |
| and Japan use a T1 of 23 B channels and one D | | | | incoming calls came in to customer service to |
| channel which corresponds to a T1 line. Europe, | | | | assist with staffing decisions? How many calls did |
| Australia and most of the rest of the world use | | | | you get on that last advertising campaign? With |
| the slightly higher capacity E1, which is composed | | | | DID level call tracking and reporting, you can |
| of 30 B channels and one D channel. Fewer active | | | | create a myriad of tools for your business to |
| B channels (also called user channels) can be used | | | | streamline operations like never before. |
| for a fractional T1. More channels can be used | | | | 4. Out of Rate Center DID's: Some areas call |
| with more T1s, or with a fractional or full T3 or | | | | them exchange numbers, foreign exchange |
| E3. | | | | numbers, Remote Call Forward numbers, etc. |
| Each B-channel carries data, voice, and other | | | | Essentially they are numbers in neighboring |
| services. The D-channel carries control and | | | | markets outside of your local phone company |
| signaling information. The Primary Rate Interface | | | | office that are forwarded to your location. The |
| consists of 23 B-channels and one 64 kbit/s | | | | local phone company will often charge a monthly |
| D-channel using a T1 line or 30 B-channels and 1 | | | | line charge in addition to any call volume charges |
| D-channel using an E1 line. Thus, a Primary Rate | | | | and mileage charges associated with the number. |
| Interface user on a T1 line can have up to 1.544 | | | | Those costs can be astronomical for businesses |
| Mbit/s service or up to 2.048 Mbit/s service on an | | | | that need a local "presence" in other markets. |
| E1 line. PRI uses the Q.931 protocol over the | | | | Locals in a market prefer to deal with someone |
| D-channel. The B and D channel sizes are | | | | who is also local, so having that local number is |
| dependent on the Framing format of the T1 | | | | essential. With a PRI, you can turn your out of |
| circuit. ie. Super Frame (SF) is a 56kb channel and | | | | area number into a DID and avoid mileage and |
| the Extended Super Frame (ESF) is a 64kb | | | | forwarding charges. For the right company, this |
| channel. Nearly all US carriers provide PRI via ESF | | | | can mean a difference of hundreds or thousands |
| format and B8ZS line coding. | | | | per year. It also opens up the ability to go after |
| In English? | | | | additional markets and have that "local" presence. |
| The Voice PRI is a high capacity communications | | | | For companies that relocate, their local phone |
| line designed to give the business user more | | | | company will often tell them they cannot take |
| features at a more competitive price with greater | | | | their number with them. By using a CLEC, it is |
| flexibility. The service is carried via T-1 line, and | | | | often possible to take your number with you to |
| gives the user calling capacity of 23 simultaneous | | | | another market and not incur the high costs |
| calls for each T-1 PRI line. This service is | | | | formally associated with doing so by forwarding |
| practically a must now for any company with 20 | | | | or telebranching. . |
| users or more depending on call volume. | | | | 5. CTI (Computer Telephony Integration): Many |
| Are there costs associated with a PRI? | | | | sophisticated business operations integrate their |
| Yes. In order for your phone system to interface | | | | voice and data infrastructures, and they require |
| or "talk" to the PRI circuit from your T-1 carrier, | | | | the ability to route calls based on database |
| your phone system must have a digital PRI card. | | | | lookups. Using DID's and the Caller ID of the |
| Not all systems have the ability to handle a PRI | | | | incoming caller, your system via PRI can actually |
| card, but most do. PRI card prices can range | | | | look up in your database which one of your |
| anywhere from $500 to upwards of $3,000 | | | | representatives has been dealing with this |
| depending on the age of the system and who the | | | | customer, and route the call directly to their |
| manufacturer is. Add installation costs, and it's a | | | | extension in a moment's notice. The user than can |
| decision that is carefully weighed against the | | | | see a screen popup on their computer informing |
| benefits. | | | | them of the status of this customer or account |
| What are the benefits of a PRI? | | | | before they even answer the phone! This feature |
| In comparison to an analog environment, the | | | | has limitless applications, but you must first |
| benefits of a PRI are many. Hunting groups, DID's, | | | | determine if the protocol between your database |
| call tracking and call reporting, CTI, out of rate | | | | and phone system is compatible. Common |
| center DID's, pulsed digits, call routing, less taxes | | | | protocols are TAPI, TAPI 2.x, TAPI 3.x, H.323, |
| and reduced costs are all chief reasons to | | | | and others. |
| consider Voice PRI. | | | | 6. Outgoing Caller ID: In large corporations or |
| 1. Hunt Groups: In an analog environment, it is | | | | organizations with several companies under one |
| typical to have a linear or circular hunt group for | | | | roof, it is imperative to have separate outgoing |
| all incoming calls, and possibly for outgoing calls. All | | | | Caller ID appearances. With PRI, you can assign an |
| incoming calls start from the top of the "hunt | | | | individual company name and number pulsed out |
| group" and work their way down to the bottom. | | | | by phone or phone group level, all while leveraging |
| A ten (10) phone line hunt group would allow an | | | | the same telecommunications PRI circuit. |
| organization to have 10 simultaneous incoming calls | | | | Do you want all calls to go through the |
| with a single main number. Outgoing calls would | | | | switchboard? Then assign the same Caller ID to all |
| then pick up the last of the ten (10) lines in the | | | | phones as the main outgoing Caller ID for your |
| "hunt group" and work their way up towards the | | | | company. All callers returning calls will have the |
| main or first line in the hunt group. The goal | | | | calls routed as you program. With PRI, you |
| obviously is to have a large enough hunt group so | | | | maintain total control, and can make programming |
| that the incoming calls and outgoing calls never | | | | changes as often as needed or desired. |
| cause you to use all of your capacity. This is | | | | (Programming typically must be performed by a |
| called "line pooling" in an analog environment. | | | | trained technician) |
| If you have multiple businesses or departments, | | | | 7. Reduced Cost: Growing businesses choose |
| you will often have separate "line pooling" hunt | | | | Voice PRI for all of the above reasons, but |
| groups. Changes in configuration and capacity | | | | perhaps most importantly for cost reasons. If you |
| have to be made through your carrier. Private | | | | have been operating in a similar capacity analog |
| lines are typically left off the "hunt groups" at | | | | environment, but without the benefit of all of the |
| additional costs. With a PRI, you can have multiple | | | | above features, your scenario would look |
| hunt groups all programmed from your phone | | | | something like this: |
| system. Your basic rule is that you can make or | | | | 23 analog lines monthly charge each: $30 (23 x |
| receive a total of 23 simultaneous calls in | | | | $30 = $690) |
| whatever configuration you want per PRI, and | | | | Service Line charges per line: $6 (23 x $6 = $138) |
| they can be bonded. Do you want 10 different | | | | Features charges: ??? Caller ID is often extra, but |
| hunt groups for 10 different departments? No | | | | comes with PRI |
| problem. Need a dozen private numbers? No | | | | Additional taxes: ??? Depends on carrier and Bell |
| problem. You don't even have to call the carrier, | | | | region |
| as the programming is done at the PBX level. | | | | Calling charges: ??? Depends on carrier, region, and |
| 2. DID's: Direct Inward Dial numbers are key for | | | | negotiated rates |
| any growing organization. Direct Inward Dial | | | | $690 for 23 analog lines |
| numbers are typically assigned in blocks of 20, | | | | $138 for service line charges |
| and are designed exclusively to work with digital | | | | $828 before features, taxes, and calling charges. |
| voice circuits like PRI. Most carriers limit the | | | | Most T-1 carriers we deal with now offer PRI for |
| number of DID's per PRI circuit to 200, but we've | | | | around $500 a month plus a line charge equal to 5 |
| seen some rare cases where 400-600 have been | | | | channels of the PRI. (Around $30) PRI has Caller |
| allowed. Did you catch that? | | | | ID included automatically, although some carriers |
| "I have 23 channels on a PRI for simultaneous | | | | charge an additional fee for Caller ID Name and |
| phone calls, but you can give me 200 phone | | | | Number. So for $530 per month, you get all of |
| numbers?" | | | | the above mentioned features, typically more |
| Yes, that's right. You literally can assign everyone | | | | competitive calling rates, reduced taxes and line |
| in your organization their own phone number AND | | | | charges, and a bottom line difference of around |
| their own fax number if you want. Phone | | | | $300 per month. So..... |
| numbers run around $5 a month per block of 20. | | | | When should I move my business to a Voice PRI? |
| "Why would I want all those numbers?" | | | | When it costs less to be digital over analog, or |
| Do you consider service a priority? Then perhaps | | | | whenever the benefits of the additional features |
| you insist on your clients not having to deal with | | | | outweigh any additional costs associated with the |
| automated attendants. With DID numbers, your | | | | service. Additional options are now available with |
| incoming caller can bypass the automated | | | | fractional PRI circuits, integrated voice and data |
| attendant and have their call routed directly to | | | | PRI circuits, and voice compression high capacity |
| your representative of choice. In a world of | | | | options that have made the service affordable for |
| automation, large companies wouldn't do without | | | | most businesses. Your telecommunications |
| it. Is your receptionist inundated with calls and a | | | | professional can help you decide which option is |
| professional call transferer? Bypass the need by | | | | right for you. |
| routing the call directly to their party. | | | | |