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Call Processing
Call Processing involves using the Import File process to import a raw Calls file from a Vendor or from a switch.
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The following is a listing of the Call Statuses and what they mean:
Raw - Call successfully processed from Import File, but has not yet been Rated.
Duplicate - Same Call Start Time, Duration, Origination Number, and Destination Number as a previous Call. Duplicates do not appear on the Bill.
Error - An error occurred during the Import File processing. This will re-try each night.
Unrecoverable Error - An error that cannot be fixed, so it will not try again each night.
Rated - Call has been successfully Rated, but has not yet Billed.
Rated Unbillable - Successfully Rated, but Rate specified 'Do not bill', so this will not appear on the Bill. This is not an error.
Rating Error - An error during Rating. This will re-try each night.
Billed - Once Billed, a Call cannot be deleted or re-processed.
Billing Error - Indicates an error during Billing.
Call Rating
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The PCR-360 Call Rating process does two things to Call records. It determines the Call Type, and it determines the cost of the call. Navigate to the Call Rates grid by clicking Admin > Billing > Call Rates.
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From the dialed digits, remove the leading dial prefix if present which is defined in a configuration file (usually 9 or blank). As soon as one of these rules assigns a Call Type, the remaining rules are skipped.
If the dialed digits are "911", then set the Call Type to "EMERGENCY".
If the dialed digits are "411" or "511", then set the Call Type to "LOCAL_INFO".
If the dialed digits end with "5551212", then set the Call Type to "LD_INFO".
If the dialed digits start with "011" and if the next two digits are equal to "52", then set the Call Type to "MEXICO",
If dialed digits start with "011" and if next two digits are not equal to "52", then set Call Type to "INTERNATIONAL".
If length of dialed digits are less than "7" or the dialed digits exist as a Service ID in the Services > Phones table, then set the Call Type to "INTERNAL".
If length of dialed digits are "7", set Call Type to "LOCAL".
If length of dialed digits are greater than or equal to "10" and first digit is not "1", or the length of dialed digits is greater than or equal to "11" and first digit is "1" then;
If first dialed digit is equal to "1", then remove the leading "1".
Next, extract the NPA and NXX from the dialed digits and try using them along with the Service Host to find a matching record in the Call Type table.
If no match is found with NPA and NXX, then try with NPA and a blank NXX.
If no match is found, then try again with a blank Service Host.
If a match is found in the Call Type table, assign that Call Type to the Call. A match is usually found here for local Calls. This table allows the local NPA-NXX values to be defined for each Service Host. It also defines the NPAs for Canadian and Caribbean Calls.
If no match in Call Type table, the Call is Long Distance. If the Origination State and Destination State can be found (from a VH data lookup on the Origination and Destination numbers or from assignment during Call Processing), then if the Origination State is the same as the Destination State, set Call Type to "INTRASTATE", else set the Call Type to "INTERSTATE".
If the Origination LATA or the Destination LATA cannot be determined due to a failed VH lookup, then don't set the Call Type.
If Call Type is still TBD and the Rate Method is "Rate Table", the Call will error "UNABLE_TO_DETERMINE_CALL_TYPE". If the Rate Method is "Pass through from file" or "Flat Rate", the Call Type is not required to Rate the Call, so no error.
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Then, if a Call Rate records was used for the rate,
The Markup Percent is applied from the Call Rate record.
The Markup Amount is added from the Call Rate record.
Rounding
The final adjustment to the Call cost is to round the cost to a whole penny, using the method specified in the CALL_USAGE_RATING_COST_ROUND_METHOD configuration option. The options are to round up, round down, round to nearest with 0.5 rounding up, or round to nearest with 0.5 rounding down.
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To add a new Call Rate, click the button located on the Grid Toolbar above the Call Rates grid.
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If the desired Call Type already exists, click the button and select it from the list. Otherwise, a new Call Type may be defined from this window. Select a 'Call Type' from the drop-down menu. The options here are defined in the Call Types as outlined in the Call Types section of this article. Keep in mind that, as was the case in Call Types, selection can cause changes in which fields are available or required. Following the protocol established in the Call Type section, define the remaining required data fields.
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To add a new Rate Charge, press the button located on the Grid Toolbar above the 'Rate Charges' Grid.
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The 'Start Time' and 'End Time' fields may be entered (in 24-hour format) to specify that this Rate is in effect for only a portion of the day. Once all required fields have been defined, click the button at the bottom of the data entry form. The new Rate Charge will appear on the 'Rate Charges' grid in the Call Rate data entry form.
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To edit or delete items from the Billing Call Rates Grid, follow the protocol established in the section Call Types in this article.