Tag: Direct Inward Dialing

If you are planning to grow your business but are worried about increasing costs, then you may want to consider using DID numbers. Here we will discuss the top 5 ways direct inward dialing can benefit businesses using the service. Read on to learn more.

Top 5 Benefits of DID Numbers

DID enables incoming callers to directly dial in to a phone extension without the assistance of a live operator or voice response menu. The technology uses internet protocols to route voice calls to an end destination which can be located anywhere in the world. This enables businesses to scale their existing phone systems and expand across international borders.

Highly regarded institutions like MIT use this technology to connect outside callers with their telephone network. It is the preferred choice when an organization needs to offer unique contact phone numbers for each department or employee. It’s also possible to forward multiple DID phone numbers to a single destination.

So, what are the top 5 benefits of DID numbers?

1. Scalability

Direct inward dialing doesn’t require any additional hardware, making it one of the best technologies for businesses that are looking to expand. DID numbers are, however, a limited resource and somewhat expensive due to the scalability benefits they offer.

Any small business could have several direct phone numbers for each department. Many businesses will also assign direct dial in numbers to their employees. Scalability is the number one benefit of using DID numbers. There is no limit to the amount of numbers that you can have.

2. International Expansion

International expansion is the second benefit of DID numbers. Because these are virtual numbers, the end user doesn’t have to have a physical presence in the country where the phone number originates. You could get a DID number from most of the 195 countries in the world. These numbers can forward calls internationally to destinations anywhere in the world.

There are very few barriers in order for businesses to start expanding into foreign countries. Thanks to direct inward dialing, even small and medium-sized business can expand into lucrative international markets.

3. Call Tracking

The third benefit of using DID numbers is the ability to track calls. Have you ever wondered whether your marketing efforts are paying off?

By assigning unique DIDs to each campaign, marketers would be able to calculate their return on investment. This information helps with budget allocation and quality assurance. In addition, DID numbers could be used by upper management to track employees’ productivity on the phones. There are downloadable call detail reports that could track each phone call to and from your business.

4. Maintain a Well-Connected Office System

The fourth benefit of DID numbers is the ability to connect with other people in your office. For example, your business can have unique phone numbers for different departments or teams. In other words, each major department has a direct number that customers can connect to. You can assign DIDs to sales, marketing, accounting, and all other departments as needed. Furthermore, you can even choose to assign these numbers to specific employees as well, depending on the needs of your business.

5. A Cost-Effective Communication Solution

There is no extra hardware or setup costs in order to get started. And since DIDs can forward calls internationally, it can help you expand geographically without the need to relocate, set up remote offices, or even pay high international calling rates. You only pay what your subscription entails, which makes your monthly bill predictable and budget-friendly. Essentially, DID numbers are a lean solution for international communication.

DID Numbers from United World Telecom

DID numbers can boost your business by providing you with the tools to operate a well-connected office. To get DIDs, call us at 1 (877) 898 8646.

This post shares information about direct inward dialing from over twenty years of telecommunications experience.

• What is Direct Inward Dialing?
• How Does DID Work?
• What is a DID Number?
• Top 4 Benefits
• Direct Outward Dialing

What is Direct Inward Dialing?

Direct inward dialing, also known as DID or direct dial-in, is a telecom service that forwards incoming calls directly to voice over IP (VoIP) or to another telephone number anywhere in the world. DID enables callers to directly dial in to a phone extension without the assistance of a live operator or voice response menu.

What is a DID Number?

A local telephone number that corresponds to a particular country or city, and is not tied to a physical phone line is called a “DID number” (and multiple numbers are called “DIDs”).

DIDs can help scale the capabilities of any business phone system by enabling multiple new phone numbers to ring through to a single phone system or user extensions in the cloud.

How Does DID Work?

Direct inward dialing works by routing calls from a virtual phone number to a mobile or regular phone number on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or to a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

Nearly all modern organizations use direct inward dialing. It allows them to provide unique contact phone numbers for various departments. For example, a company will usually have a different phone number or multiple DID numbers for support, sales, and other departments. It’s also common to see larger corporations with direct numbers for each employee.

DID numbers work without additional hardware and are one of the most scalable telecom solutions in the market. We found the following tech acronyms most relevant to DID. Here is how each technology relates to direct inward dialing.

Voice over IP

Calls made to a DID number are usually forwarded to voice over IP using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). SIP is a signaling protocol used to terminate and maintain voice communications in private telephone systems. This is usually the most affordable option. In 2018, an estimated 36% of all businesses used VoIP.

Private Branch Exchange

Direct inward dialing is frequently used in combination with a Private Brach Exchange, which is a multiline telephone system used within a company or organization. The trunks for DID service are unidirectional, forwarding inbound calls to direct extensions on the PBX.

Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)

It is not uncommon for businesses to use direct inward dialing with their plain old telephone system, as calls can be routed to traditional landlines or mobile phones on the public switched telephone network. The quality is generally top-notch with underground copper wiring used to deliver calls.

In second place after VoIP, an estimated 24% of businesses terminated calls from their DIDs to PSTN in 2018.

Primary Rate Interface (PRI)

Primary Rate Interface (PRI) is a standard telecom interface that businesses use to carry voice and data transmissions over a network. PRI uses T1 carriers on an ISD Network to ensure premium call quality. It was used by about 11% of mostly larger businesses in 2018.

Fax

DID can be also used to receive fax transmissions over IP, enabling a single fax machine to receive transmissions from multiple different DID numbers. It is less common than usage for voice transmissions.

Top 4 Benefits of Direct Inward Dialing

Direct inward dialing has many benefits for businesses. It is a scalable service that helps businesses expand internationally and manage call traffic more effectively while reducing costs.

1. Scalability

The top benefit of direct inward dialing is scalability. The service enables organizations to have nearly unlimited unique phone numbers for different departments and employees without requiring any additional equipment. Anyone can start small and scale the network as their business grows.

2. International Expansion

Another major benefit of direct inward dialing is international expansion. It helps businesses of all sizes expand across borders, as it’s possible to get DID numbers in other countries without requiring any physical presence in those countries.

For example, someone could get international DID numbers from most of the 195 different countries around the world without any investments in physical infrastructure.

3. Call Tracking

It’s easy to get unique DID numbers for different departments or individual employees. This makes it possible to track productivity and return on marketing investments. Streamline various functions of your business with real-time access to call detail records and analytics.

4. Cost Savings

A major benefit of this service is reduced costs. Efficient spending is the lifeblood of small- and medium-sized businesses. Compared to physical expansion with traditional phone lines, DID with VoIP can reduce telecom costs by up to one third.

Does Your Business Need Direct Inward Dialing?

If you are looking for more efficient ways to manage inbound and outbound calls, then you may consider getting a direct inward dialing service.  This service can cut down on receptionist costs by letting the caller reach the right department or employee. Furthermore, it reduces the time callers spend trying to find the right department and getting transferred from one to another. Together, you can improve caller experience and satisfaction.

DID versus Direct Outward Dialing (DOD)

Direct Outward Dialing (DOD) is a service that enables outbound calls from a DID number. DOD can complement direct inward dialing service to enable two-way voice communication with a fixed caller identification. In addition, DOD can also facilitate from any of the company’s main phone numbers on the network. 

Where to Buy DID Numbers?

United World Telecom provides DID numbers for business. You can purchase new numbers with us or port your existing number. We will work with you to get multiple DIDs for your business teams. Speak with our representatives to get started today!