DID NUMBER FAQ's

What is VoIP DID ( DDI )  Direct Inward Dialing Number (DID or DDI)
Most businesses have several incoming telephone numbers used for specific purposes. For example customer service, sales, etc. Some have an individual telephone number for each user in the system. In a home setting on the other hand, each telephone number comes in on a different pair of wires typically. This is not practical in a business environment that has many telephone numbers.

DID (DDI) in the new VOIP World
Let's say you buy a phone line from any phone service provider who offers phone service over broadband. The number that they provide to you, in technical terms is a DID number. This is the number that they have assigned to you to connect you to the old PSTN Networks around the world. Any service provider who wants to offer a phone service over IP address, needs to buy DID numbers.

Old Fashion Way: (PSTN WORLD)
Direct Inward Dialing is used when your PBX  connection allows direct dialing to extensions within a PBX, using physical lines (or channels on a PRI) on a shared basis. DID service consist of identifying the "called party" by using DTMF or by digital means, before connecting each call, The service can be sent over an E&M Wink T-1 as DTMF and also as D-Channel information on a PRI.

On a PRI connection, the Telco can send only the digits that differ between the group number and the extension (often four digits) or the whole number - it depends on the connection to the Telco.

Why was DID actually Created?
So DID ("direct inward dialing") was invented as a way to re-use a limited number of physical phone lines to handle calls to different published numbers. In a business with DID, the phone company uses DID signaling to identify the number they are about to connect to the business's PBX. Historically, this was done by pulsing the last 3 or 4 digits of the number being dialed before connecting the number. The PBX would use these DID digits to switch the call to the right recipient.

In modern PBX's, typically, digital methods (example: PRI) are used to do the same thing, i.e. Supply the "called party" information. But many business's still have old PBX's which use the analog signaling I mentioned before. The type of telephone lines used for analog DID are different than regular home telephone lines. Usually, battery voltage is supplied by the business PBX instead of the Telco. Also, the Telco signals a new call by bridging the line instead of by ringing the line. The receiving PBX signals back that it's ready to take the call by momentarily reversing polarity of the voltage on the line (this is called "winking" the line)

• What does DID mean?

DID mean Direct Inward Dialing. Used in the VoIP world it means in fact nothing more then a regular phone number. You can receive and call with this number.

• What is the difference between DID and DDI?

It means exactly the same. Different countries use different terms to indicate the same thing. For example in the USA we use DID. In Europe we use DDI.

• What are virtual phone numbers?

Virtual phone numbers is another way of calling the VoIP phone numbers that 786Calling Card provides. These numbers are real phone numbers, but are called "virtual" because with VoIP you can now get numbers outside of your country.

• What kind of numbers can you provide?

We provide regular geographical numbers.

• What does call origination mean? What is the difference with call termination?

Call origination is a service where a provider offers to collect calls from the PSTN (POTS) and forwards the calls towards the customer network. Calls can be forwarded via VoIP or via the regular telephone network.
Call termination is a service where a provider receives calls from a customer (via VoIP or via the regular phone network) and terminates the calls towards the called party.

• From which countries can you provide these phone numbers?

The list of supported countries is continuously expanding. For the most updated list, please check here

• Which codecs do you support?

We support the standard codecs G729 and G723.1.

• Do you provide the ANI (CLI) in the calls?

Yes, if it is provided to us from the PSTN we forward the CLI unchanged.

• Can I place outbound calls via 786Calling Card network?

Yes. (Calling rates will be applicable)

• Can I forward the calls to traditional PSTN phones?

Yes. (Calling Rates will be applicable)

• How fast are the numbers provisioned after I order?

Usually within 3 Hours, and in maximum 24 hours. We automatically send an email when the order is complete.

• Can we choose our numbers?

No, this is currently not supported.

• When I map a DID to a URI, is the mapping done in real time?

Yes. You can reroute the calls to another URI or IP address in real time.

List of Countries where DID numbers are available

• Argentina: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, Rosario

• Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

• Belgium: Antwerp, Brussels

• Brazil: Belo Horizonte, Fortaleza, Rio De Janeiro, Sao Paulo

• Bulgaria: Sofia

• Canada: Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Winnipeg

• Chile: Antofagasta, Concepcion, Santiago, Valparaiso

• Czech Republic: Prague

• Denmark: National

• Estonia: National

• Finland: Helsinki

• France: Paris

• Germany: Augsburg, Berlin, Bielefeld, Bremen, Dortmund, Dresden, Duesseldorf, Duisburg, Erfurt, Essen, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Gelsenkirchen, Hamburg, Hannover, Heilbronn, Arlsruhe, Kiel, Köln, Leipzig, Leverkusen, Magdeburg, Mannheim, Munich, Nuernberg, Pforzheim, Reutlingen, Rostock, Stuttgart, Ulm, Würzburg

• Guatemala: Guatemala City

• Hungary: Budapest, Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged

• Ireland: Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, National, Waterford

• Israel: National, Tel Aviv

• Italy: Bologna, Genova, Milan, Napoli, Palermo, Rome, Torino

• Japan: Tokyo

• Latvia: Riga

• Lithuania: Vilnius

• Luxembourg: National

• Mexico: Mexico City

• New Zealand: Auckland

• Norway: National, Oslo

• Pakistan: Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar

• Peru: Lima

• Poland: Bydgoszcz, Katowice, Krakow, Lodz, Lublin, Olsztyn, Poznan, Sopot, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw

• Portugal: Lisbon, Porto

• Romania: National, Bucharest

• Singapore: National

• Spain: Barcelona, Cadiz, Gran Canarias, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Tenerife

• Sweden: Goteborg, Malmo, Stockholm

• Switzerland: Basel, Bellinzona, Bern, Coire, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, Neuchatel, Olten, Rapperswil, St. Gall, Winterthur, Zurich

• Turkey: Istanbul

• United Kingdom: All 600+ Cities Are Covered

• United States: All 400+ Major Cities Are Covered

You can map your local DID number to any where (termination rates Applicable).

For any other questions please do not hesitate to contact us: