Answering Machine Issue On Large Number Of Calls

[yanky]

We are trying to best tweak the system to handle our outbound calls. We are having issues with VG(dialogic) thinking that live people are answering machines. And answering machines are live people. We are on VG 6.

 

The majority of our call recipients are either soft spoken or they have loud background noises(TV / Radio). We are looking for the best way to handle the settings in VG.

 

We want to hang up if an answering machine is detected, but with our current settings, we hang up on live people. Or the call recipient needs to say 'hello' 3-4 times loudly before the greeting plays.

 

We searched this forum, but nothing that would fit our situation. We have searched and found some settings that Dialogic would recommend, but don't know what you currently have them set as. I am assuming that when voiceguide starts, it writes out DX_ options to the card.

 

We would welcome any recommendations to be able to handle this issue.

 

thanks,

yanky

 

 

[SupportTeam]

To achieve professional results on outbound calls it is best to use ISDN lines.

 

When using ISDN lines the system will know exactly when call is answered (when the handset is picked up) and then can either try doing live/machine detection or just start the script right now if you set the live/machine detection to Disabled.

 

Then in the script you can can say something like this in the first module "This is a call from XYZ, please press any number on your phone to continue". Then live people who press a key to continue will go on to next module otherwise VoiceGuide will timeout awaiting an answer and hangup.

 

I am assuming that when voiceguide starts, it writes out DX_ options to the card.

The DX_ options in Config.xml and ConfigLine.xml are written to cad/lines at startup time.

 

The live/machine detection parameters can be further tuned using the parameters in the DX_CAP structure which can be set on a per-call basis in the "Call Options" field. You can try changing these values if you want, but in practice the Dialogic's default settings tend to overall work work best for a wide range of situations.

 

There are about 30-40 settings in the DX_CAP structure, all of which are accessible to you, so you will have total control (on a per-call basis) over how the Dialogic card can do the detection.

 

For more information on the fields in the DX_CAP structure you will need to read Dialogic's documentation - see the "Voice API" file.

 

To change setting to your value (instead of using the default) you will be able to use an expression like this in the "Call Options" field (same field where CallerID to be used on the outgoing call is specified):

 

<DX_CAP><ca_cnosig>500</ca_cnosig><ca_pamd_failtime>200</ca_pamd_failtime></DX_CAP>

[Guest jdiegjdieg]

We are having this problem as well, but are not able to change to ISDN immediately.

Can you suggest vg.ini settings for the AM detection that will consider almost every call to be a live person?

We are really only concerned with the live calls in our situation, so we can sacrifice having "half messages" on answering machines if we can be relatively sure that live people will be greeted immediately upon pickup without a delay.

I think we are looking for a sensitivity/delaylength that will make the noisy calls still appear to go silent.

I have been testing this by fiddling with the numbers, but calls are being dropped and I am causing great frustration to the calling department and to the recipients.

Where can I start?

[yanky]

To Support:

So ISDN is better than T1? We currently have 4 T1s connected to our VG system. I don't think we will be changing to ISDN.

We will be testing the DX options later this week.

THANKS

[yanky]

Silly question, but are the DX_CAP structure settings available for all configline.xml or just the ISDN line files?

[SupportTeam]

ISDN is better. When using ISDN lines the system will know exactly when call is answered (when the handset is picked up) and then can either try doing live/machine detection or just start the script right now if you set the live/machine detection to Disabled.

 

DX_CAP settings will be used regardless of line type over which the call is made. But playing around with DX_CAP settings is not likely to result in big improvement in 'machine vs live' discrimination.

 

The way to fix the issues that you are encountering is to use ISDN and use the approach outlined before.

[yanky]

Issues we have with converting lines to ISDN...

we would lose 4 lines(1 from each T1), so instead of 48, we would have 44.

we have 4 additional T1s that are exactly configured the same for our PBX, we would lose the ablility to swap if needed for backup

** I am looking into cost...

 

I am looking to change the following and want to verify the <> xml coding. in the outdial.xml per call

(these were provided from support doc on 'Tuning Call Progress Analysis' from an Application Engineering @ Dialogic)

pvdthresh(recommened to change from default 30 to 5000)

pamd-maxansiz(recommened to change from default 125 to 159)

pamd-maxans2(recommened to change from default 50 to 159)

pamd-maxans3(recommened to change from default 220 to 159)

pamd-maxsil(recommened to change from default 30 to 45)

pamd-silthes(recommened to change from default 30 to 5000)

<CallOptions><DX_CAP>

<ca_pvdthresh>5000</ca_pvdthresh>

<ca_pamd_maxansiz>159</ca_pamd_maxansiz>

<ca_pamd_maxans2>159</ca_pamd_maxans2>

<ca_pamd_maxans3>159</ca_pamd_maxans3>

<ca_pamd_maxsil>45</ca_pamd_maxsil>

<ca_pamd_sil_thres>5000</ca_pamd_sil_thres>

</DX_CAP></CallOptions>

 

would this be correct?

 

[SupportTeam]

The <CallOptions><DX_CAP> quoted looks like a valid structure that should be accepted by VoiceGuide v7, and VoiceGuide v7 should then set the relevant fields to the values that you have specified.

 

This will not work on v6. v6 does not allow you to set the <DX_CAP> structure.

 

[yanky]

So first we need to Upgrade to 7...

This will not work on v6. v6 does not allow you to set the <DX_CAP> structure.

 

Then, unless we convert our lines over to ISDN....

 

DX_CAP settings will be used regardless of line type over which the call is made. But playing around with DX_CAP settings is not likely to result in big improvement in 'machine vs live' discrimination.

 

These settings may help, no guarentees...

 

OK, way too many changes and $$$. Are their any plans to support DX changes in the upcoming releases of VG6? Is there a VG7 lite with just those features?

 

If VG6 doesn't mess with the DX settings, what if we were to write C code using the Dialogic API, using the dx_setqualtmplate function.

 

Thanks,

yanky

[SupportTeam]

Are their any plans to support DX changes in the upcoming releases of VG6?

No. No further features are added to v6. v6 will soon not be sold.

 

If VG6 doesn't mess with the DX settings, what if we were to write C code using the Dialogic API, using the dx_setqualtmplate function.

Don't know if that would work.

[yanky]

We don't need all the features, enhancements, and capabilities of VG7; is there a subset of the code we can put in place to fix these things?

[SupportTeam]

What you mean by "subset of the code"? Are you asking if there a version of v7 with reduced features? VoiceGuide comes in two versions: Professional and Enterprise. The list of features available in each version is detailed on this web page: http://www.voiceguide.com/vgFeatures.htm