Comments on: Ask Mr. Andrews: What is a DID?

By: David Braatslund

David Braatslund — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:08:24 +0000

Can you address this issue which perplexes many of us? When we buy a traditional PBX you can get blocks of DIDs for under a dollar a DID. When we try to migrate to a Hosted VoIP solution we are often told that they provide a main number and additional DIDs are priced at a mark-up, like $5 per DID. I know historically some Hosted solutions had problems providing unified Caller ID, so they had to give a direct dial number for each extension. More advanced companies, who could handle that, would not, claiming that most companies don’t need the extra numbers, and it costs them like $3-$4 a number to get them from companies like Level 3, so if you want extra DIDs you have to pay for them.

I recognize that some clients need DIDs in other areas, to look local in multiple cities, and $5 per number per DID is a real bargain, over having to order a virtual number from a LEC, multiple line paths, and Local/Long Distance forwarding charges. This can’t be beat with traditional service providers, which charge like $20 for the virtual number, extra for more line paths, plus the substantial forwarding charges

For companies that just want to keep a large block of numbers in their local exchange, why do hosted provider’s DIDs cost so much more than DID blocks associated with customer managed PBXs? I have heard stuff regarding session charges and origination fees and advanced features being transmitted, etc. Still very confused.

By: mydivert virtual numbers

mydivert virtual numbers — Tue, 25 May 2010 10:55:05 +0000

Hi Adi

Thank you for your interest in DID numbers.
Yes we are still in business and if you are looking for any help or information please take a look at our website or contact us at sales@mydivert.com

Best Regards
Stephen Bray

By: trevor york

trevor york — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:21:48 +0000

i saw your article and thought it was informative . here is what i am trying to a wholesale distributer of did numers where i hear they can be purchased from .01 to 1.00 a piece, i also need a carrier that will load number in 411 directories across the country and some internet directories. i had a company that was selling 1.50 did per month and 1.50 listing per month but wanted 5.00 to set up a did and i need 2500 did nos. i figured out that he was buying from someone probably a clec that load directly. if i can get a company that will load in the directories ,i have found a price as cheap as 1 per did. can you help i know this is a lot of info

By: Adi

Adi — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:58:15 +0000

Hi,

I found this website by searching for reviews of DIDs providers. As we know there are many of them in the market but not all of them are good enough. I think I found something I was looking for. I needed more info about Mydivert.com I`m thinking to purchase DID number for use as CallIn only, rather than CallOut. They seems to have the best price on the market, but I don@t know them and never heard of. Could you please confirm with me your post from 2008 that they are still in business and are fine. Thank You

By: Cory Andrews

Cory Andrews — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:04:08 +0000

Tim and Jorge – As Tim mentioned, DIDx.com is one of the more prominent providers of DID numbers. While not least expensive provider out there, they do provide excellent service, and are a reputable company to be working with. If you are only looking for a handful of DID numbers, sometimes its worth paying a bit more and going with a well established provider.

Some other companies that provide DID numbers include Voxbone, Mydivert.com, NXVoice.com, DIDSite.com and many others.

You might also consider going to http://lists.digium.com and subscribing to the Asterisk-Biz listserv. Once you have subscribed, send a message to the listserv community stating that you are looking to obtain international DID numbers and you will likely be contacted by quite a few providers.

By: Cory Andrews

Cory Andrews — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:58:49 +0000

Jorge – CLEC stands for “Competitive Local Exchange Carrier”. A CLEC is a company which provides local telephone service, an alternativeto the the incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (LEC).

In the same manner as a LEC, a CLEC provides service within a LATA. A LATA (Local Access and Transport Area) is a geographical and administrative area that is the responsibility of an LEC (Local Exchange Carrier).

To handle InterLATA long-distance calls, the CLEC will connect to an IXC (IntereXchange Carrier).

Most CLEC’s will use the local loop (UNE-L) belonging to the incumbent Local Exchange Carrier.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 forced the incumbent LEC’s to lease access to their local loop (UNE-L) to CLEC’s at wholesale prices. Between 1996 and 2004, the FCC also required LEC’s to lease other network elements (UNE-P) to the CLEC’s.

By: Jorge Arevalo

Jorge Arevalo — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:03:46 +0000

What’s a CLEC? Is is the Carrier? About buying DIDs. Who are some known corsortiums that sells DIDs? Are there any that sells DIDs in different countries? So I can buy DIDs in the US and Mexico for example and put them in my Asterisk…

Thanks! Great Article!

By: Tom Patton

Tom Patton — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 18:40:00 +0000

I would like to do origination from Puerto Rico and would like to access an inventory of DID’s.. I have been to http://www.didx.com and can get some there however they are expensive and they only have a limited number available..

Thanks!!