Core Module

Outbound Routes

Outbound routes determine which trunks and dial patterns NextGenSwitch uses when users place calls. They let you normalize dialed numbers, steer traffic through specific carriers, and enforce call recording or failover logic.

Module Workflow

  1. Visit Outbound Routes via the navigation sidebar.
  2. The list page displays route names, priorities, assigned trunks, and status toggles.
  3. Use Create Outbound Route or edit an existing entry to configure details, patterns, and failover destinations.

Configuration Steps

  • Route Details - Provide a descriptive name (for example, US Local - Primary), assign a numeric priority (lower numbers evaluated first), and select one or more trunks. Trunks can be reordered via drag-and-drop.
  • Routing Options - Enable or disable the route, and decide whether calls on this route should be recorded.
  • Dial Patterns - Define one or more rows using Prefix Append, Prefix Remove, Pattern, and optional CID Pattern. Add or remove rows as needed for each dialing rule.
  • Failover Destination (optional) - Choose a module and target destination if this route should pass unanswered or failed calls elsewhere.
  • Save the route and test by dialing numbers that match your patterns.

Operational Tips

  • Pattern Specificity - Place the most specific patterns first, then broader catch-alls. Use regex (for example, ^011\d+) for international breakouts.
  • Trunk Groups - Assign multiple trunks to one route so dialing can fail over automatically. Reorder trunks to control preference.
  • Recording Policy - Only enable recording for compliance-sensitive routes to reduce storage usage.
  • Documentation - Note prefix adjustments so technicians know what users must dial.
  • Testing - After changes, make test calls for each unique pattern to ensure translation rules behave as expected.

Field Reference

Section Field Required Description
Route Details Name, Priority, Trunk(s) Yes Priority controls evaluation order. Multiple trunks can be selected; order sets failover preference.
Routing Options Active?, Record? No Disable routes temporarily without deleting. Recording toggle affects every call on this route.
Dial Patterns Prefix Append, Prefix Remove, Pattern, CID Pattern No Each row transforms and validates dialed numbers; leave prefix fields blank if no manipulation is needed.
Failover Destination Module, Destination Target No Optional module/target pair used when the primary route fails or no trunks respond.

Troubleshooting

  • Call Not Leaving PBX: Verify the dialed number matches at least one pattern row and validate any regex syntax.
  • Wrong Trunk Used: Reorder the trunk list; route processing honors trunk order.
  • Failover Not Triggering: Ensure both module and destination are selected and that the downstream destination is active.
  • Well-planned outbound routes keep costs predictable and prevent edge-case dialing failures.

Practical Example

Scenario: Local users dial 9 + seven digits. You need to strip the 9, append area code 415, and send the call through two SIP trunks.

  1. Name: "SF Local - Primary"
  2. Priority: 10
  3. Trunks: voipms-primary, voipms-backup (order sets preference)
  4. Dial Pattern row: Prefix Remove 9, Prefix Append 415, Pattern XXXXXXX, CID Pattern blank
  5. Failover Destination: leave blank (trunks handle retries)
  6. Save and test by dialing 9 555 1234. PBX sends 4155551234 to primary trunk and falls back to secondary if needed.

Maintenance & Automation

Routine Checks

  • Audit trunk order quarterly and confirm each trunk is still active with the carrier.
  • Review patterns after area-code overlays or dialing plan changes in your region.
  • Keep a catch-all international route disabled but ready for temporary carrier incidents.

Automation Ideas

  • Build CI tests that parse outbound route examples and confirm live route manifests still follow documented conventions.
  • Run automated call simulations (for example SIPp) nightly to verify CDRs show correct trunk and caller ID.
  • Use infrastructure-as-code (Terraform/Ansible) to push outbound route payloads and trigger docs updates on drift.

Related Platform Pages

Connect this module to product and solution context for planning and implementation.