Enable Webex Calling for India locations
Support for location-based laws that would prevent the mixing of PSTN and VoIP calls on India’s PSTN networks, as well as the routing of long-distance and international PSTN calls through a local PSTN connection. These regulations would be supported by India.
In order to fulfill their requirements, businesses in India have a one-of-a-kind demand for VoIP regulation. Even though there are no restrictions on calls made within an organization using a private IP network, you are compelled by certain requirements to use a PSTN connection when connecting calls outside of an organization. This is the case despite the fact that there are no limits on calls made within an organization. The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) telephone network in India must never be interconnected with the VoIP telephone network for the express purpose of avoiding tolls. This is required in order to be in compliance with the laws enforced by the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI). Customers of Other Service Providers (OSPs), who are subject to additional regulations on the retention of data, are required to maintain call data records and system logs for a period of one year. This requirement applies to customers who are subject to additional regulations on the retention of data.
- The position in the Control Hub for Webex Calling that has been made available to users is referred to as the Webex Calling position.
- The user’s physical location is referred to as the user’s physical location when the user is making a call. Consider, for example, the Home, the Coffee Shop, and the Office.
In order to continue to operate in accordance with the applicable laws, Webex Calling has implemented administrative controls that route calls according to the physical location of the user. When a user makes a call using Webex Calling, an administrator must first assign IP subnets to the location before being able to determine the actual physical location of the user making the call. A user is regarded to be internal to the company network at the time of PSTN joining if the IP address of the user’s endpoint coincides to one of the subnets that have been set up.
Users on the private network are authorized to place and receive calls through the PSTN (public switched telephone network). It is an indication that the user is roaming if the user’s endpoint is situated in an area that is distinct from the subnet that has been established. Customers who roam internationally are subject to a number of regulations concerning PSTN interconnects.
The administrator of Webex Calling in India has access to the audit logs that are saved in Control Hub for Webex Calling in India. They can browse through these logs at their leisure. If you need assistance, please check out the Audit logging for Webex Calling in India page.
Apply toll bypass policy configuration on Webex Calling
You are need to follow certain steps in order to configure Webex Calling locations in India so that you are in compliance with these requirements. This article discusses how to add Webex Calling locations for organizations in India, as well as how to construct and configure a trunk for a PSTN connection for each Webex Calling location in India. Additionally, the article details how to add Webex Calling locations in India.
While going through the processes, you may find the following diagram to be of assistance to you as a visual aid:
Before you begin, let’s define some crucial terms:
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Trusted Network Edge:A collection of IP addresses that indicate edge breakout node(s), also known as “breakout nodes.” Establish trustworthy network edges on an organization-wide scale, up to a maximum of one thousand for each organization.
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Zone: A list of IP addresses that can be used to identify persons or devices that are located behind an edge. You are allowed to create a maximum of one thousand different zones for any organization that you belong to. The same network edge can serve multiple zones at the same time.
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Location: It is necessary to assign a zone to every Webex Calling location in India that requires a PSTN connection in order to function properly. If you do not designate a zone to a Webex Calling location that has a link to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), then toll bypass restrictions will not apply to the Webex Calling location. Multiple Webex Calling locations are able to utilize the same zone simultaneously. The zone of a Webex Calling location is utilized by all of the users, workspaces, features (such as auto attendants), and trunks that are contained within the Webex Calling location.
Webex Calling stations that are located outside of India cannot have zones assigned to them.
Add a Webex Calling location
In order to add a new Webex Calling location, you will first need to ensure that the location address is readily available. Please refer to the “Add a location” page for further details on how to add a Webex Calling location in India.
There is no other choice for a site in India other than to use a premises-based PSTN (local gateway).
Create a Trusted Network Edge
Before you begin
Trusted network edge is a collection of IP addresses that represents edge breakout node(s) to Webex Calling service.
A group of IP addresses that represents edge breakout node(s) to the Webex Calling service is what is meant by the term “trusted network edge.”
1. Simply navigate to Services > Calling > Call Routing after logging in to the Control Hub at https://admin.webex.com.
2. Choose Trusted Network Edge > Create Trusted Network Edge from the drop-down menu.
3. Create the network edge by configuring the following settings:
- Enter a name that is both unique and trustworthy to be used as the identifier for the network’s edge.
- Enter the IP Addresses Using the CIDR Notation. You can enter a single address, a range of addresses, or a subnet.
- You are able to import up to 200 IP addresses, ranges of addresses, or subnets at once if you are using the CIDR notation format. Utilize the Import CSV option to add a large number of IP addresses at once so you can add more.
4. Click Create.
Create a zone
Before you begin
Zones are used to denote distinct PSTN zones and are applicable solely in the Indian context. Visit the locations page after a zone has been created so that it can be associated with a specific location.
1. After logging in to the Control Hub at https://admin.webex.com, navigate to the Call Routing section of the menu.
2. Select Zone > Create Zone.
3. Adjust the settings so that you may establish a zone:
- Zone Name: Enter a unique name to identify the zone.
- Choose a Network Edge You Can Trust *: Choose a network edge from the list that drops down.
- Enter the IP Addresses Using the CIDR Notation. You can enter a single address, a range of addresses, or a subnet.
- You are able to import up to 200 IP addresses, address ranges, or subnets at once if you are using the CIDR notation format. Utilize the Import CSV option to add a large number of IP addresses at once so you can add more.
4. Click Create.
Associate a Zone to a PSTN connection set up for India location
- Sign in to the Control Hub at https://admin.webex.com, and then navigate to the Management > Location menu option.
- Choose the area to which you wish to give a Zone assignment.
- Select the PSTN Connection option.
- Make your selection in the PSTN Zone drop-down menu.
- Choose either the trunk or the route group from the drop-down menu labeled “Routing Choice” to administer the premises-based PSTN.
- Make sure you are familiar with the terms and conditions for making PSTN calls as well as using that Demo India Location.
- To save the PSTN connection, click the Next button:
- Choose Done (you can always add the numbers later) or
- If you wish to finish configuring the system, choose the “Add Numbers Now” option.
- When adding numbers, select a place from the list that appears below the drop-down menu.
- Click Next.
- Add the number that you wish to enter here.
- If there is more than one number, commas should be used to separate them.
- Click Save.
Because the Webex Calling location that was built in India does not have a Zone allocated to it, this location does not comply with the criteria governing toll bypass. The Webex calling administrator is required to allocate a Zone to a location in order to ensure compliance with toll-bypass rules.
Watch this video to learn how to configure your Trusted Network Edge, set up a zone in Control Hub, and establish a PSTN connection for the India location.
Create a trunk
You are need to set up a trunk after adding a Webex Calling location and before to configuring premises-based PSTN for a Webex Calling location.
Review the following requirements pertaining to route groups and PSTN connection interactions for Webex Calling locations in India before you go ahead and construct a trunk:
- Every single trunk that’s part of a route group needs to be a part of the same zone, even if that zone isn’t connected to any Webex Calling locations.
- When a location’s PSTN connection is switched to premises-based PSTN, the selected trunk or route group must be a part of the same zone as the Webex Calling location, even if there is no allocated zone.
If you need to modify the time zone of the Webex Calling location, please sure to take the following into consideration:
- The zone is considered invalid if there are route groups that make use of trunks in the Webex Calling location in addition to other locations. First, make the necessary adjustments to the route group so that it may accept only trunks from the same zone.
- The changes to the zone are rejected if there are any additional Webex Calling locations that use trunks from this Webex Calling site as their link to the PSTN, either directly or indirectly through a route group. Make the necessary adjustments to the Route Group of the other locations so that they do not use the Webex calling location that will be affected by the zone change.
- The changes to the zone will be refused if the PSTN connection for this Webex Calling location is using the trunk or route group from another Webex Calling location. If you want to use the Webex Calling location, you will first need to update the PSTN connection or route group such that trunks or route group.
Please refer to the article entitled “Configure Webex Calling for Your Organization” for further details on how to create a trunk.
Select a trunk for premises-based PSTN
You will be able to assign a trunk to a Webex Calling location as soon as you have successfully generated the trunk. Please visit the article on choosing a trunk for premises-based PSTN for more information.
Examples of how this configuration avoids toll bypass
Outside Webex Calling zone:
- Location for Webex Calling in India, which has been configured with a separate zone and trusted network edge.
- Webex A calling location that does not have a zone or a trusted network edge set up.
- A user who is outside the company, such as one who is working from home, is considered to be roaming.
- In the following scenarios, the term “endpoint” refers to either the user’s desk phone or their Webex App.
Webex Calling user places an outbound call to PSTN
When a user of Webex Calling makes a call to a PSTN user, the call is routed in one of the following ways, depending on the network location of the user’s endpoint:
|
Network location of endpoint |
Routing of outbound call |
|
|---|---|---|
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User’s endpoint is in a Webex Calling zone. |
Call routes that go through a connection to the PSTN have been set up for the location of that zone. |
|
|
User’s endpoint is roaming. |
|
Webex Calling user receives an inbound call from PSTN
In order to take inbound calls from PSTN users, the endpoints used by a Webex Calling user need to be located within the organization’s physical walls. In the event that there exist OSP organizations, it will be necessary for the remote agent to utilize a VPN in order to connect to the enterprise network and thus join the zone.
The administrator has the ability to set call forward not available settings for any calls that are not successfully routed to the user’s endpoint. For instance, the settings for call forwarding can be configured to direct incoming calls to the voicemail system.
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Network location of endpoint |
Routing of inbound PSTN call |
|---|---|
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The endpoint(s) of the user are located within the Webex Calling zone. |
The user’s endpoint is reached when a call is placed. |
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The endpoint(s) of the user are roaming. |
Call does not route to the endpoint associated with the user. |
Webex Calling user transfers or forwards incoming PSTN call to another Webex Calling user
There is no restriction on the ability of Webex Calling users to transfer or forward calls to one another. On the other hand, the India PSTN network places restrictions on the ability to transfer or forward calls to a specific user. Transferring and redirecting an incoming PSTN call to a user who is in the same Webex Calling zone as the user who is transferring or forwarding the call is permitted, but doing so to a user who is in a zone that is different from the user who is transferring or forwarding the call is not permitted. This is the general rule.
The table that follows illustrates whether or not call transfer and call forwarding are permitted or restricted:
|
Endpoint location of target user |
Call transfer |
Call forward |
|---|---|---|
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resides in a Webex Calling zone that is distinct from the user who is transferring or forwarding the call. |
Call transfer is successful. |
Call forwards to the other user. |
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Is in different Webex Calling zone as the user that is transferring or forwarding. |
Call transfer is unsuccessful. |
Call forward is unsuccessful. |
|
Is roaming. |
Call is not transferred to roaming endpoints. |
Call is not transferred to roaming endpoints. |
Webex Calling user transfers or forwards calls to a PSTN user in India
Transferring and forwarding an incoming VoIP call from one user of Webex Calling to another user of Webex Calling must respect the toll bypass limits for both the calling user and the called user.
The table that follows illustrates how toll bypass impacts the routing of a call that was originated by one user of Webex Calling and then transferred or forwarded to another user of Webex Calling who then connected the call to a PSTN endpoint in India.
|
User initiating transfer or forward |
Transfer to PSTN |
Forward to PSTN |
|---|---|---|
|
is located in the same Webex Calling zone as the user who is making the call. |
The move was finished off without any problems.Utilizes the PSTN connection that is offered at the Webex calling location of the user who is transferring calls in order to complete the call transfer. |
The call will be sent to the public switched telephone network (PSTN), and the PSTN connection of the forwarding user’s Webex calling location will be used. |
|
Is located in a different Webex Calling zone than the user who is making the call. |
The call transfer to the PSTN endpoint could not be completed successfully due to an issue. |
There was a problem with the call being forwarded to the PSTN endpoint. |
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Is roaming. |
The consult call transfer to the PSTN endpoint could not be finished due to technical difficulties. |
If the caller user is at the same location as the forwarding user, the call will be forwarded; otherwise, the call will not be forwarded. |
Webex Calling user conferences a PSTN user
The Webex Calling user who is participating in the conference via VoIP and one or more PSTN endpoints are the ones who are responsible for adhering to the toll bypass limits. The following table illustrates how the toll bypass function in Webex Calling affects the 3-way and N-way conference capabilities.
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Initial call before conference |
User initiating conference |
Conference with PSTN endpoint |
|---|---|---|
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The endpoints of both users are located within the same Webex Calling zone. |
User 1 starts a conference call to a PSTN endpoint by themselves. |
Attempt to escalate to conference is successful. |
|
The endpoints of the two users are located in different Webex Calling zones. |
User 1 starts a conference call to a PSTN endpoint by themselves. |
The attempt to escalate the situation to a conference is unsuccessful. |
|
User 1, who is currently located in a Webex Calling zone, is currently engaged in a conversation with a roaming user. |
User 1 starts a conference call to a PSTN endpoint by themselves. |
The attempt to escalate the situation to a conference is unsuccessful. |
Single Number Reach (Office Anywhere)
When an incoming call is received by a user of Webex Calling, this feature causes the user’s PSTN endpoint to ring simultaneously with the call. In order to prevent toll bypass, the physical location of the calling party as well as the location of the called party as determined by Webex Calling are taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to route the call to a PSTN endpoint.
The behavior of the routing when a user of Webex Calling in one geographic location makes a VoIP call to a user in another Webex Calling location with a single number reach set to an endpoint connected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
|
Called user Webex Calling Zone |
Single Number Reach (SNR) target |
|---|---|
|
is equivalent to the user of Webex Calling. |
The PSTN endpoint sends alerts simultaneously and leverages the PSTN connection of the user’s Webex calling location, which must be configured to allow for single-number reach and office everywhere. |
|
is distinct from the user of the Webex Calling service. |
The PSTN endpoint is not capable of sending alerts at the same time. |
Inbound calls to call queue, hunt group, or auto attendant
PSTN callers can connect to users in a call queue, hunt group, or auto attendant. Once the user answers the in-call queue, hunt group, auto attendant, the call transfers to users within the same Webex Calling zone as the user who answered the call.
Executive-Assistant
It is advised that when you configure the Executive-Assistant feature, both the executive and the assistant be set up in the same Webex Calling zone. This is done so that they can communicate with one another.
The following rules apply in the event that an administrator has set a pool of assistants for an executive and some of those assistants are in a different Webex calling location with a zone that is different from the zone of the executive:
- When an incoming call comes in from a PSTN endpoint, the assistant’s endpoint does not receive an alarm.
- The assistant is not authorized to place calls out over the PSTN on the executive’s behalf.
Supported endpoints
- Webex only supports Cisco Multiplatform desk phones as supported devices for its calling service.
- Webex App (desktop, mobile, tablet
Calling India PSTN users while Webex calling user is roaming
Extend and Connect is a function of Unified Contact Center calling that is used by many businesses in India. This capability enables the users of those businesses to call PSTN subscribers even when they are roaming (for example, when they are working from home). Users of Webex Calling who are logged in to the Webex App get access to this capability as well. When the user activates the call back feature, calls placed to the user’s Webex Calling business number are transferred to the PSTN. Check out: Webex App | Make work calls with Call Back for additional information regarding the call back capability.
Call recording
It is advised that you utilize CUBE to transmit a copy of the media to the recording server so that you can record calls between PSTN callers and Webex Calling users. This will allow you to record calls. Check out the CUBE Recording Feature Guide for any further details.
Existing Webex Calling recording solutions, such as Dubber, can be utilized to record calls that take place between two different users of Webex Calling.
Download the Call Detail Record (CDR) file from Control Hub
In order to comply with the laws, the administrator of an OSP center in India is required to store their CDR files on a local server for a period of one year. The CDR field is able to access and download information in the Control Hub thanks to Webex. Reports for Your Cloud Collaboration Portfolio can be viewed and downloaded here if you choose to obtain CDR files.
Limitations
- When a user is travelling to a different enterprise location than their allocated enterprise location, attempts to call a PSTN number or receive a call from a PSTN number are not presently supported. This includes both making the call and receiving the call.
- Users connecting to an organization that use a centralized VPN will give the impression that they are coming from the network location of the centralized VPN gateway. Due to the fact that the system is unable to recognize the actual geographic location of the user, the toll bypass regulations are not applied in the correct manner.
- If an organization has Webex Calling locations in India, the “Call routing between Webex Calling and premises” configuration must be changed to “Standard” in order to implement the necessary toll bypass policy for the routing of incoming calls.
- A Webex Room Device that has not been registered natively to Webex Calling is considered to be outside the company network; hence, roaming regulations must be applied in this situation.
- Endpoints that have IPv6 addresses are not supported in this environment.
- Users are always regarded to be roaming, and roaming limits apply, regardless of whether the integration is with cloud-based or on-premises Unified Communications Manager.
- ICE-Lite needs to be activated on CUBE in order for it to function as the local gateway. See the article titled “ICE-Lite Support on CUBE” for additional information on how to enable ICE-Lite on CUBE.