Broadcasts

Broadcast is used to send calls to a large group at once.


Features explained in this article

New Broadcast

For a new broadcast, select New Broadcast.

  • New/From Previous: This tells the system whether a new broadcast is being sent or an old broadcast is being sent once again to either all callers, only those who answered, or only those who didn’t answer. (If 'From Previous' is selected, select the broadcast to be sent again, select who should be the recipients, and then continue as with a regular broadcast.)
  • Option: Broadcasts can either be sent as a call or a text. (Please note that SMS broadcasts need to be sent from a toll-free number.) (Some of the features listed here might apply to call/text only.)
  • Title: Each broadcast can be given its individual title. This will not affect the actual broadcast in any way.
  • Label: Select a label of which all contacts will receive the broadcast.
  • Ports: This determines how many calls the system will do simultaneously. (e.g. If 10 is entered, the system will call 10 numbers right away, and when one of the calls end, the system will call the next number. There will always be 10 calls in progress throughout the broadcast.)
  • To Start: This determines whether the broadcast is sent right when the broadcast is submitted or at the selected date and time.
  • Select Album: Select the album of the recording to play.
  • Select Recording: Select the recording to play.
  • Caller ID: Enter the Caller ID to come up.
  • AMD: (Answering Machine Detection) This detects whether the phone was answered by a person or an answering machine. It will take a few seconds until the detection is made. Then, if a person answered, the recording will start right away. If an answering machine is detected, the system will wait until the machine recording finishes before recording a message. If AMD is turned off, the system will start playing the recording right away, regardless of whether the call was answered by a person or an answering machine. This means that if the call was answered by an answering machine, only part of the recording will be saved as a voicemail (being that the recording started to play while the voicemail greeting was still playing). Please note that AMD works only about 60% of the time.
  • Phone Type: This determines whether numbers saved in contacts as home or mobile or both receive this broadcast.
  • Retries: This determines how many times the system will retry calls that didn’t go through (meaning it wasn’t answered by a person or an answering machine).
  • Retry Wait Seconds: This determines the amount of time that the system will wait before retrying.
  • Connect to NumberConnect to Number: This determines what number callers should input to be connected to a number. Enter the number to be connected to in the space below.
  • PTC Route: (Push to Connect) If callers are connected to one of our lines, choose the branch to be connected to when the digit selected as the Connect to Number is entered. In the space below, choose Connect or Report. Connect will take the caller to the branch entered upon their input. Report will not actually take them there, but send a report of each caller that reached the selected branch.
  • Allow DNC: This determines whether callers can ask to be added to the Do Not Call list. If selected, callers will be able to press 9 at any time to be added to the Do Not Call list. Please note that callers need to be notified of this option in the broadcast recording.
  • DNC Labels: This determines what label callers who asked not to be called again should go into. This also tells the system not to call any of the numbers that are already under the label.
  • Confirmation: A number can be entered for the system to call once the broadcast is done.
  • Check the box on the bottom, and then click on Submit Broadcast.

Broadcast List

A list of all previously sent broadcasts is shown. Each listing tells the following information: The broadcast ID, name, the label it was sent to, the date it was sent on, the status, the total cost, and the option of downloading a report.

General Broadcast Status

The following will show in the broadcast section:

  • Account: This tells whether the account is active.
  • Ports: This shows the default amount of ports (amount of broadcasts being sent at once). The amount of ports can also be chosen for a specific broadcast when creating a new broadcast.
  • Domestic Rate: This shows the rate per minute for each broadcast.
  • Credit: This is where credit is prepaid for the broadcasts and the total credit left is seen.
  • Suspend Limit: This shows the limit in the credit that will cause a suspension of the account.

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