When managing PBX extensions and their users the requirement to limit what can be called is often needed. This can be done heavy handed at the trunk level but then no calls can dial out to the blocked numbers.
Using the Q-Suite feature Restricted Numbers is a more refined solution to the issue. It can be setup to restrict certain PBX extensions from dialing a set of numbers while allowing others. For example this is useful if only a group of users are allowed and expected to make international calls while another group are to be restricted.
Configuring this is easily done by setting up the “Restricted Number” list. On this list you can setup exact numbers, block by prefix, postfix, or using a pattern from anywhere in the dialed number. There is also an option when a filtered number if attempted to dialed to redirect the user to an extension or DID. This allows sending the user to almost anywhere in the dialplan, perhaps to play a message informing them of why the dialing is restricted.
As seen in the screen capture we have a few simple rules configured. The first is to block any number starting with ‘011’ to catch international numbers as the example earlier mentioned. In this case the user is not redirected and the system rejects their dial attempt will not complete their call.
Each extension can have a dialing permission configured by the administrator. The options here are:
- Allow Calling All Numbers – completely unrestricted.
- Disallow Calling Restricted Numbers – any dial made from this extension is filtered again the restricted number filters.
- Allow Internal and Emergency Calls Only – restricts it even further to only allowing internal extensions be to reached or emergency services.
With all these options it easily allows different groups of PBX Extensions to be configured with the dialing restrictions needed to suit a wide range of requirements of a PBX solution. The Q-Suite has a full featured Multi-Tenant PBX in addition to the extensive feature set for Contact Centers.