Step 4: Validating the DNIS configuration

Most dedicated toll-free numbers are ordered with specific DNIS digits that are sent during the call setup portion of the call. The stream of information in which the DNIS is sent also includes the caller ID (what your carrier refers to as ANI delivery) and possibly a two-digit code that identifies the type of phone that initiated the toll-free call (such as a pay phone or prison phone), called ANI Infodigits.

Provide the exact DNIS setup to your customer service rep for validation. If your toll-free number is 1-800-555-1234 and you ordered ANI delivery with a four-digit DNIS that matches the last four digits of the phone number, tell the agent that 800-555-1234 should have ANI delivery provided, and that the DNIS is 1234. The agent should be able to tell you whether ANI delivery is being sent, as well as the specific digits of the DNIS.

Dealing with DNIS digits that don't match your toll-free number

If your toll-free number was working fine yesterday, and suddenly the DNIS configuration has changed, your carrier should be able to fix it quickly. The carrier might have upgraded a switch and some of the programming might have been lost. Depending on how your carrier is set up, the customer service rep might be able to change the DNIS back and resolve your issue in moments. Otherwise, the rep may have to open a trouble ticket (curses!) and a technician will resolve the issue in due time. If the rep has to open a trouble ticket, take down the ticket number and follow up every hour or two until it's resolved.

Dealing with the situation if the DNIS digits do match

If the DNIS digits are correct, you need to press forward with a trouble ticket. Write down that trouble ticket number. Now you will have to wait for a technician to call you back before you can begin head-to-head testing in "Step 5: Head-to-head dedicated toll-free testing."

Using the old stare-and-compare method

If you have several dedicated toll-free numbers that are working fine and one that is failing, inform your carrier of this information and give the representative one of the working toll-free numbers to use as a template. If any change was made in the setup of your other toll-free number, it will be immediately obvious after the carrier compares the routing and configuration of the two numbers. Any variation in the setup of the two numbers is most likely the source of the completion problem.

This comparison works even better if you have another toll-free number that shares the same DNIS digits. If you have three toll-free numbers with the last four digits of 9876, all sending DNIS 9876, yet one of them is failing, a quick comparison with one of the functional toll-free numbers should quickly identify the problem.