LCDial Least Cost Routing Engine

[voipgkavek]

Hi, has anybody installed LCDial on top of their PiaF system for least cost routing? seems simple enough...
http://www.voip-info.org/wiki/view/Application+LCDial
anybody try it? If yes, any tips before I attempt anything?
I did a search here but found no mention of this application.
thanks,
-guillermo

 

[jroper]

You can do this manually via outbound routes. If you analyse the costs of your calls, you will probably find that the usual 80 20 rule applies. 80% of your costs are in 20% of your total destinations, and the rates to those destinations do vary by much.

You could also implement dial via A2Billing for full cost reporting as well. there are scripts to install it, and some good instructions on the forum.

Joe

 

[voipgkavek]

Joe, you are correct about the 80/20. We make lots of calls to many places so I was looking at something like this to reduce the costs to a minimum within the voip providers we use.
I saw the 6 part series on installing A2Billing somewhere in this forum...but I think that might be overkill for what I want. I used that program once and I was not able to configure it completely...i never understood its rate centers and all that. Thats why I was looking for something simple. All the providers we use give me a montly CSV file with all their rates. I just want to plug that in and let piaf do its magic.
thanks,
-guillermo

 

[jroper]

Hi

That would be pretty simple.

the steps are, (and you can fill in the gaps with Tony's writeup)

1. Install A2Billing
2. Create trunk in FreePBX and test
3. Create trunk in A2Billing refering to FPBX trunk
4. Create call ratecard, and import your rates.
5. Create Callplan, chosing LCD and attach ratecards to callplan.
6 Create customer account.
7. Create A2Billing trunk A2B/1 and route all calls to it.
8. Set the customer account number against the extension.
9 Make calls

Joe

 

[krzykat]

I fully endorse using A2B !!! - it rocks.

 

[voipgkavek]

I will TRY a2b, lets see how it goes...hopefully things are easier now than they were a couple of years ago when I tried it the first time in A@Home.
Out of curiosity, have you looked into LCDIAL? It looks much simpler...the only doubt I have is why its not used more...i googled it and couldnt find any recent references to it.
thanks again,
-guillermo

 

[jroper]

At first sight it is a bit scary, but after having got it working I fully expect that you will have a moment of epiphany, and the scales fall from your eyes.

Joe

 

[marlonbaez]

I was trying to use it also, but in my case I need to use LCR for monthly payment lines.

The case is:
I pay monthly amount for X outgoing minutes included and after those minutes finish they bill me Y each minute until next invoice.
Incoming calls are free.
Is like cellular monthly plans.
Then I want PIAF to spend all included minutes first and then to use LCR for remaining minutes. All just for outgoing calls.

Can I do it with A2Billing?

Thanks in advance.

 

[jroper]

Yes

I think that can be done.

You would need to use A2Billing trunk for the free minutes destinations, with an amount set.

When the credit was used, then A2Billing will reject the call, and FreePBX will use the next available trunk.

Use the auto topup facility to topup every month for a maintenance free solution.

Joe