This guide is intended to help you start using your voice.bigapplecore.net account and its features. A recently created account can come with a lot of questions. Most of those questions can be answered by the Support staff via WhatsApp or the Ticket system. However, the information here is intended to make your first contact with Voice easier and clearer.
Once signed up, determine what you would like to accomplish with your new account. When you log in for the first time, we recommend to check the Account Settings so you can get familiar with the options offered to configure your line.
Add Funds
In order to use Voice services to send and receive calls, you will need to add funds to your account. This is a prepaid service and the amount added will be reflected in the Account Balance.
Adding funds is a simple procedure, you just need to click Balance to the left --> Add Funds using your PayPal account in the customer portal. The minimum payment is $15 USD. Contact Voice staff for the information needed to send a payment using ACH or Bank Wire if required.
Remember that with Voice, both inbound and outbound calls are charged. Some subscription plans come with free minutes to certain destinations.
Outgoing Calls
If you intend to use Voice services for the purpose of making calls, you will first need a device or softphone. You can use any type of software or device (unlocked) which support SIP or IAX2 protocols. Including free softphones, free open source PBXs, VoIP ATAs and VoIP phones, Hardware CISCO VoIP switches, etc. Basically, any hardware or software that supports one of the two protocols offered.
Once you have defined what equipment you will use with the service, you need to configure it using the credentials provided when creating the account. You will receive a SIP/IAX Main Username that consists of six digits and name (e.g. 290111_name), along with a password you chose when you created the account. The additional information missing now is the VoIP server you will use to register.
Incoming Calls
To receive calls with Voice, you will need a DID number which works just as any regular telephone number used to receive incoming calls. You can still receive calls via Sip Uri using a sub account, but to use most of the features included in the portal it will be necessary to get a DID number for the incoming calls and different options that are offered.
We would normally assign a number to you to begin using the service or you can either port an existing number that you own over to Voice.bigapplecore.net or purchase a new number from our stock. There are several DID options available, from local US & Canadian numbers to International or Toll free numbers. You will also find some interesting alternatives such as Virtual numbers or iNUMs. Refer to Order DID in the customer portal and pick the number that suits best your needs.
Once you have a DID number you will be able to see it in your portal listed under DIDs list >>Services>My Services>DIDs list. In this section you will have different options to configure your number by clicking Edit DID.
You can find different options for the Routing of your number depending on your plan:
- You can route your number to a device or equipment previously configured and registered).
- IVR (digital receptionist) this is useful to handle your calls at your business and direct the callers to a specific department.
- Calling queue (members that can log in and answer your calls).
- Time conditions (specify different routes for your numbers depending on the time of the day).
- Call forwarding (route your calls to an external number such a landline or cellphone number).
- Sip Uri, to call another person or company via SIP.
- Ring group (you have different devices registered, using different sub accounts, you can route one number to all of them with this feature).
- Recordings, play a simple message for people to hear when calling your number. Please note the call will disconnect after the recording has finished playing.
- Call back, (you can use for example your cellphone to make calls via Voice.bigapplecore service).
- DISA (works similarly to call back but instead you have to enter a PIN number first).
- Voicemail (give people calling you an option to leave a message, so you can contact them later).
With Voice.bigapplecore you have the possibility to register more than one device (e.g., softphone or system) simultaneously and this can be achieved by using the sub accounts feature. Or maybe you wish to create sub accounts for your relatives/friends/staff so they can use the Voice.bigapplecore service to place and receive calls under your account.
We can create as many sub accounts as you need, depending on how many devices you want to register at the same time. Please keep in mind that you do not need sub accounts if your devices are not logged in simultaneously. For instance, you wouldn't need sub accounts if you use your main account at your PC at home, then turn the PC off, and log in from work and use a software phone, since the accounts are not registered to the server at the same time.
Sub accounts are also useful to communicate between devices, lets say you have 2 sub accounts registered to the New York server, you can make calls directly between the sub accounts using an internal extension that can be configured in the sub account settings. This same internal extension can also be used as a SIP URI.
International calls
Any call outside of USA48 or Canada is treated as an International call, for that reason you need to dial using the following code:
00 or 011 + country code + phone number
If you intend to use Voice.bigapplecore services for International calls, note these are disabled by default. This is done to enforce the security on your account and if you decide you need to make International Calls open a support ticket and request to enable the countries you wish to call.
Call detail records
In your Voice,bigapplecore account you will notice a section called “My CDR", here you can find your Call Detail Records which basically represent all the calls made and received in your account. You can search for a specific call by using the different filters that are available.
Support staff
Need to contact the Voice.bigapplcore staff, click on Dashboard> 'Support' in the welcome note. You can open tickets from there and also see all the tickets you have previously created in the customer portal.
Support staff can help you with the trouble shooting in different scenarios.
Rates section
You want to know how much you will pay when calling a specific number? You need to visit the Rates section in the customer portal. There are fields that will make your search quicker:
- Search country (make your search by looking at the different rates for a specific country in the termination list).
- Phone number prefix (look for a specific number, you will get the rate for the prefix that matches the number).
Notes
INCOMING and OUTGOING calls are charged and handled SEPARATELY with our service. The incoming calls are charged depending
on the plan of the DID the outgoing calls will be charged always per minute and according to the destination of the calls.
