Agents aren't able to hear the first few words during calls

[skarthikbalaji]

Hi,

I am running an outbound campaign using 5 agents to verify the names of a big list of telephone numbers. I am using the vicidial in ratio mode (Ratio=1.4) for running this campaign.

As we are just doing the name verification service by auto-dialing the numbers, we have not enabled AMD. Infact we are keen to get to the voicemail, as most of the persons whom we call have their names specified in their voicemail greeting. So, hearing the complete voicemail makes our life easy in verifying the names.

The problem is that whenever an agent is connected to a call, first few words uttered by the called person (voicemail or voice) disappears. Effectively, the agent starts hearing the voicemail only from the middle of the greeting. Many of the voicemail greetings have the called party's name specified at the start and my agents are not able to hear them. So, we are forced to make multiple callbacks to solve this issue.

Once an agents starts hearing the message/voice from the other end, the call goes perfectly and there is no delay either. It is just that we are losing the first few seconds of the call, when the autodialer connects the call to an agent. When I checked with my VOIP carrier, I was suggested to use the Leased Line internet connection to resolve this problem. Currently, I am using a normal broadband connection.

Also, I am not able to hear the ringing tone when doing manual dialing.

Please help me to solve both the issues.

Thanks & Regards,
Balaji.

[williamconley]

when you post, please post your entire configuration including (but not limited to) your installation method and OS with kernel or version, vicidial version and build, asterisk version, telephony hardware (model number is helpful here), cluster information if you have one, and whether any other software is installed in the box.

Similar to This:
Vicibox X.X from .iso | Vicidial X.X.X Build XXXX | Asterisk X.X.X | Single Server | No Digium/Sangoma Hardware | No Extra Software After Installation

this IS a requirement for posting along with reading the stickies (at the top of each forum) and the manager's manual (available on EFLO.net, both free and paid versions)
________

Without specifics on your hardware or load ... (or version or anything for that matter), it's hard to say what your issue might be.

I would NOT expect a "Leased Line" to do anything other than make a salesman some money. likely no difference in the operation of the system.

have you tested this with ONE agent to see if the problem is load based?

[skarthikbalaji]

Hello,

Thank you so much for the response. Here is some more info about my setup:

Installation method: ISO | CentOS release 5.5 (final) | GoAutoDial CE 2.0 | Asterisk 1.4.27.1-1 | Single Server

In the agent login screen, it reads Vicidial Version: 2.2.1-259 | Build: 100510-2014

In the admin login screen, it reads Vicidial Version: 2.2.1-237 | Build: 100510-2015

Vtiger CRM 5 is the CRM version being used.

I am using a Dell Core2Duo 2.93 GHz PC with 4GB RAM and 1 TB harddisk as the server.


Just to clarify, I will give you an example of my problem. Suppose the actual voicemail greeting starts as "Hi you have reached the extension seven four three five seven. Please leave....", when an agent is connected to the same number in the outbound campaign using auto-dialer (Dial Method: Ratio & Auto Dial Level: 1.4), he hears "seven four three five seven. Please leave..." with "Hi you have reached the extension" missing. In this example 6 words went missing, but in some other cases as low as 2 words went missing at the start of the call.

I just tested with one agent and the issue is still there.

Thanks & Regards,
Balaji.

[williamconley]

thanks for posting the rest of your info.

which VDAD exten are you using for this campaign?

have you tested it with more than one VOIP provider? (although that should not make a difference, having MORE THAN ONE voip provider is a requirement for my clients, so a test like that is a single character change )

I'd actually suggest trying ViciBox to see if there is a difference (build a test box if you have a spare computer).

you could also post the AGI output and CLI output for a single call (from the moment of DIAL to the moment of agent hearing, not 3000 lines of code! LOL) just in case there is something odd happening.

[schernit]

William,

I am seeing same problem with my configuration:
------------------------------------------------------------
VERSION: 2.4-279
BUILD: 100908-0926

Installation method:Install debian from zero, asterisk 1.4.21.2, Download of the last SVN version of vidicial and all packages included on vicidial install instructions txt file.

OS with kernel or version: Linux version 2.6.26-2-amd64 (Debian 2.6.26-25) (dannf@debian.org) (gcc version 4.1.3 20080704 (prerelease) (Debian 4.1.2-25))

vicidial version and build: VERSION: 2.4-279 / BUILD: 100908-0926

asterisk version: Asterisk 1.4.21.2

telephony hardware: (model number is helpful here): We use SIP trunks and IAX2 extensions for all agents. No Digium/Sangoma Hardware

cluster information if you have one: no. Single Server.

whether any other software is installed in the box: just software installed with vicidial instructions. No Extra Software After Installation
------------------------------------------------------------

I am dialing: 8365

; VICIDIAL_auto_dialer transfer script:
exten => 8365,1,Playback(sip-silence)
exten => 8365,2,AGI(agi://127.0.0.1:4577/call_log)
exten => 8365,3,AGI(agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi,NORMAL-----SO)
exten => 8365,4,AGI(agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi,NORMAL-----SO)
exten => 8365,5,Hangup

It seems the first 3 seconds is the time where agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi decides which agent should answer the call but I have only one agent logged and waiting because I am only testing this functionality (I work with manual dial rightnow)

Regards,

Sebastian

[williamconley]

why are you "dialing 8365"? (i hope that means your campaign VDAD setting is 8365 and you are not actually DIALING 8365 ...?!)

why not 8368?

[schernit]

I changed it to 8365 just to test it but it works exactly in the same way with 8365 or 8368. I changed it because I only have 1 server.

I tried 10 minutos ago with 8368 again and It lost 3, 4 and up to 7 seconds at the beginning.

I am the only agent on the system because I am testing the enviroment.

[williamconley]

check your agi logs (/var/log/astguiclient) during a controlled event

along with your CLI output

[schernit]

William:

I was making many tests and I think It is related with the type of LOG set on vicidial -> admin -> servers -> my server -> AGI OUTPUT parameter.

When the parameter is set to NONE or FILE the time between customer take the call and transfered to the agent is at least 1 second but If I set STDERR it takes 3 or 4 seconds.

Do you think it is normal or not ?

This is the output that you asked with FILE on AGI OUTPUT:

2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- callingpres = 0
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- callingtns = 0
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- callington = 0
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- channel = SIP/celu1-02d2a6e0
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- context = default
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- dnid = unknown
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- enhanced = 0.0
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- extension = 8368
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- language = en
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- priority = 4
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- rdnis = unknown
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- request = agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- type = SIP
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi| -- uniqueid = asterisk-1287005045.132831
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|AGI Variables: |asterisk-1287005045.132831|SIP/celu1-02d2a6e0|8368|SIP|V0131824050000000005|V0131824050000000005|4|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|+++++ VDAD START : |5|2010-10-13 18:24:19|1.4.21.2|4|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|0|SELECT count(*) FROM vicidial_live_agents where callerid='V0131824050000000005';|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|0|SELECT count(*) FROM vicidial_auto_calls where callerid='V0131824050000000005' and status IN('LIVE','XFER');|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD : |1|update of vac table: V0131824050000000005
|UPDATE vicidial_auto_calls set uniqueid='asterisk-1287005045.132831', channel='SIP/celu1-02d2a6e0',status='LIVE',stage='LIVE-0' where callerid='V0131824050000000005' order by call_time desc limit 1;|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||UPDATE vicidial_list set status='PU' where lead_id='5' and status NOT IN('CALLBK');|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD vicidial_list PU update: |1|asterisk-1287005045.132831|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||INSERT INTO vicidial_log (uniqueid,lead_id,campaign_id,call_date,start_epoch,status,phone_code,phone_number,user,processed,alt_dial,list_id) values('asterisk-1287005045.132831','5','TEST','2010-10-13 18:24:19','1287005059','QUEUE','0','1148899055','VDAD','N','NONE','200')|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD : |5|5|insert to vicidial_log: asterisk-1287005045.132831
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD VLE insert: |1|
|INSERT INTO vicidial_log_extended set uniqueid='asterisk-1287005045.132831',server_ip='192.168.64.1',call_date='2010-10-13 18:24:19',lead_id = '5',caller_code='V0131824050000000005',custom_call_id='';|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||SELECT count(*) FROM vicidial_live_agents where campaign_id = 'TEST' and last_update_time > '20101013182414';|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||CONCURRENT TRANSFERS AUTO SETTING: 1 (1)|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||SELECT count(*) FROM vicidial_auto_calls where status = 'LIVE' and lead_id != '5' and campaign_id = 'TEST' and call_time < "2010-10-13 18:24:05";|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD get agent: |1|update of vla table: TEST|192.168.64.1
|UPDATE vicidial_live_agents set status='QUEUE',lead_id='5',uniqueid='asterisk-1287005045.132831', channel='SIP/celu1-02d2a6e0', call_server_ip='192.168.64.1', callerid='V0131824050000000005',comments='AUTO' where status = 'READY' and lead_id<1 and campaign_id='TEST' and last_update_time > '20101013182414' order by random_id limit 1;|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi||SELECT conf_exten,user,extension,server_ip,ra_user FROM vicidial_live_agents where status IN('QUEUE','INCALL') and campaign_id='TEST' and callerid='V0131824050000000005' and channel='SIP/celu1-02d2a6e0' order by last_call_time limit 1;|
2010-10-13 18:24:19|agi-VDAD_ALL_outbound.agi|-- VDAD XFER REMOTE: |1|update of vac table: V0131824050000000005
|UPDATE vicidial_auto_calls set status='XFER', stage='XFER-0', extension='192*168*064*001*8600070' where callerid='V0131824050000000005';|

[williamconley]

download the Vicibox Server Demo CD and use that for a sample call. See if you notice a difference in this activity.

if you do (if there is a much shorter delay) ... consider just reinstalling from an .iso image instead of "debian from scratch".

unless, of course, you are happy with the short delay with the log set to none or file, in which case you're good to go.