Tip: How to block staff/guests from dialling 1900 x numbers

FreePBX Tips and Tricks
1

Here´s an easy way to stop staff from dialling those $8 per min lines on your account. Here in Australia, theyŕe typically 190x xxxx number, so you´ĺl have to modify the dial rule appropriately to suit your region (eg: 0900 xxx xxx for NZ, etc.).

Make up a dummy SIP trunk, label it Dummy or False Trunk, or something likewise descriptive.
Do not fill out the User or Peer details, just label it and click Submit.

Now, we need to setup an Outbound Route.
In the Dial Pattern, put the leading digits for those oh-so-expensive horoscope lines, such as 190x. (for Australia), and then in the Trunk Sequence, select Dummy Trunk.
Do NOT add any other trunks, as this is one case where we do not want redundancy fail over :slight_smile:
Click Submit, and you’ll see the new route listed at the bottom.
Due to the way call dial patterns are matched to routes, we need to move our dummy trunk to the top. Click on the up arrow, until is it sitting under (if you have one, and you really should) the Emergency route.
Note: the Emergency route should always be at the top. (You don’t want to be explaining to your boss and the Fire Service why staff couldn’t make emergency calls.)
Click on Apply Changes, and take a moment to bask in the glow of knowledge that you have provided some basic level of restricting staff, guests, patrons, hackers etc from running up large bills on your account.

Whilst you could add a PIN code to the trunk, I dislike that for a couple of reasons;
Firstly, the trunk isn’t going anywhere because you’ve not put any VSP details in it, so there’s no need to protect it.

Secondly, with a PIN code, the only limitation is time, because it’s obvious to the miscreant that there is access to those hot chat lines - they only have to find it out/try multiple codes/snoop onto your PC to obtain the access code.
Having the trunk ‘fail’ from the very beginning adds a psychological barrier, because they’re unlikely to ask you why when they dialed-a-number-that-is-in-violation-of-company-policy, it failed…
If there’s just a PIN code stopping them, they can secretly redouble their efforts instead of, y’know, doing some work…

For another way of achieving the same purpose, cast your eyes over here:
http://www.freepbx.org/news/2008-11-05/restricting-outbound-calls-in-freepbx-blacklist

2

you may want to mention that the trunk must be the first trunk that can accept those patterns. If there is another trunk prior to that trunk that has a more general set of patterns which would allow those same numbers to get through, then the new route will not have any effect. This is obvious for those of us who are very familiar with the system, but not to many of the more casual users out there.

Another variation is to create that same route with a real trunk but protect it with a pin code, in case there is ever a real need to make the call that someone in authority requires.

3

This has been discussed here with yet another way http://freepbx.org/forum/freepbx/users/blocking-outbound-numbers.

4

Very true, thank you for pointing out my omission in the order of the trunks, I’ve added it in.