[VoiceOps] DTMF/audio before connect, was: American Idol 800 Numbers

[Stephen Sprunk]

On 05 May 2010 23:30, Jay Hennigan wrote:
> On 5/5/10 7:20 PM, Carlos Alcantar wrote:
>   
>> Actually a while back Metaswitch in there 6.0 software release had a bug
>> where it would not pass dtmf tones if the calls was not in a connected
>> status state which was causing issues with ivr’s with airlines ect.
>>     
> That shouldn't be considered a bug, it's a feature.  Forward audio
> should not cut through when not connected in order to prevent toll fraud.
>   

This is exactly why, at least as far back as the late 1980s, LD carriers
started charging after sixty seconds of ring-back.  Back in the days
before answering machines, I had lots of one-minute charges (for
legitimately unanswered calls) on my bill until someone finally pointed
out the fine print.

Mobile carriers, of course, start billing immediately, regardless of the
call state.

> If airline IVRs are playing the airline's greeting and accepting DTMF or
> inbound audio before connection, then the airlines are stealing from
> their 800-provider (if toll-free) or their callers' carriers (if toll).
>   

It's not like the carriers don't know about it, so if they haven't done
anything to stop it, it's either part of their contracts or they assume
that other measures (see above) will be effective enough it's not worth
any additional effort.

S

-- 
Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking


-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: smime.p7s
Type: application/pkcs7-signature
Size: 3646 bytes
Desc: S/MIME Cryptographic Signature
URL: <https://puck.nether.net/pipermail/voiceops/attachments/20100507/a530221b/attachment.bin>