computer telephony integration (CTI)

krupal doshi

New member
OVERVIEW OF CTI

Introduction :

Computer telephony integration , also called computer–telephone

integration or CTI, is technology that allows interactions on a telephone and

a computer to be integrated or co-ordinated . Computer-telephone integration

(CTI) is the exchange of commands and messages between computers and

telephone equipment. In simplest terms, CTI is the technique of coordinating

the actions of telephone and computer systems. The ultimate goal of CTI is

more efficient handling of incoming and outgoing telephone calls.


















COMPUTER TELEPHONY





INTEGRATION



As an example, a customer calling mobile assistant …

The definition stated by BUSSINESSDICTINARY.COM is , “Hardware-software combination that links telephone systems with computer systems for call handling and directing , call storage and forwarding, interactive voice response, fax-on-demand , etc.”
The term is used in describing the computerized services of call centers, such as those that direct your phone call to the right department at a business you are calling. It is also sometimes used to describe the ability to use your personal computer to initiate and manage phone calls (in which case you can think of your computer as your personal call center).
Applications :
CTI bridges the telecommunications industry with the computer industry and introduces new integrated applications such as:

• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
ACD facilitates controlling the distribution of telephone calls coming into the department. ACD systems are call routing utilities for incoming calls and can be even used to route calls originated by the predictive dialer to the next available agent. The staff log in/out of the ACD system as they are available, and the system answers the calls and distributes them. When staff are unavailable, the ACD systems holds a call in queue and then forwards it to the first available staff member.


Automatic call distribution is ideal for areas where multiple staff answers a high volume of calls e.g.
• Help desk
• Appointment scheduling
• Message taking


• Unified messaging :
Unified Messaging (or UM) is the integration of different electronic messaging and communications media (e-mail, SMS, Fax, voicemail, video messaging, etc.) technologies into a single interface, accessible from a variety of different devices.
Unified messaging capabilities in a help desk environment:
 Listening to voice, e-mail, and fax messages on a telephone.
 Listening to voice messages on a PC.
 Sending voice messages via e-mail.
 Listening to voice, e-mail, and fax messages via wireless phone.
 Distributing a message to several recipients.




• Fax systems :
A configuration of equipment, including PCs, fax machines, servers, and a network, that allows hard copy (written, type, or drawn) materials to be
sent through the network system and printed out elsewhere. Fax is the
abbreviation for facsimile.

• Database interaction :
Database interaction means integrating the databases used in different format into one particular source. In a company , it happens that separate departments may have previously used separate formats for databases , which can be now integrated into a single reporting source . The end result is a reporting solution that completely, comprehensively and accurately describes the total workings of the institution. For example, if you wanted to find out the cost of each phone call your call center was taking, and the call center database and payroll databases were of different types (MS SQL Server and Oracle for instance) ,Database interaction ‘s unique ability to use multiple data source types would allow you to calculate this, and create reports that could be distributed to inform others about this information.

• Simultaneous voice-data (SVD) :
Simultaneous voice and data, or SVD, is a telecommunications term that refers to transceiving both voice and primary data concurrently over one PSTN modem.


• Videoconferencing :
A method used to communicate video and audio information between two or more people. A codec (coder/decoder) is used at each end and linked
by digital circuits.

Videoconferencing technology is used to provide people in even the most remote
areas with access to the finest medical resources available. Physicians from
large, metropolitan medical centers or from specialty clinics around the world
can examine and diagnose patients using two-way video hookups. They can then
advise rural physicians on the recommended course of treatment for critically ill
and injured patients. Videoconferencing can save time, travel costs, and perhaps
even lives.
Forms of CTI :
First-party call control :
First party call control operates as if there is a direct connection between the user's computer and the phone set. An example of this would be a modem card in a desktop computer, or a phone plugged directly into the computer. Typically, only the computer associated with the phone can control it, by sending command directly to the phone. The computer can control all the functions of the phone, normally at the computer user's direction. First party call control is the easiest to implement but is not suited to large-scale applications such as call centers.
Third-party call control :
Third-party call control is more difficult to implement and often requires a dedicated telephony server to interface between the telephone network and the computer network. Third party call control works by sending commands from a user's computer to a telephony server, which in turn controls the phone centrally. Specifically, the user's computer has no direct connection to the phone set, which is actually controlled by an external device. Information about a phone call can be displayed on the corresponding computer workstation's screen while instructions to control the phone can be sent from the computer to the telephone network. Any computer in the network has the potential to control any phone in the telephone system. The phone does not need to be attached directly to the user's computer, although it may physically be integrated into the computer, requiring only a microphone and headset in the circuit, without even a keypad, to connect to the telephone network.
 
OVERVIEW OF CTI

Introduction :

Computer telephony integration , also called computer–telephone

integration or CTI, is technology that allows interactions on a telephone and

a computer to be integrated or co-ordinated . Computer-telephone integration

(CTI) is the exchange of commands and messages between computers and

telephone equipment. In simplest terms, CTI is the technique of coordinating

the actions of telephone and computer systems. The ultimate goal of CTI is

more efficient handling of incoming and outgoing telephone calls.


















COMPUTER TELEPHONY





INTEGRATION



As an example, a customer calling mobile assistant …

The definition stated by BUSSINESSDICTINARY.COM is , “Hardware-software combination that links telephone systems with computer systems for call handling and directing , call storage and forwarding, interactive voice response, fax-on-demand , etc.”
The term is used in describing the computerized services of call centers, such as those that direct your phone call to the right department at a business you are calling. It is also sometimes used to describe the ability to use your personal computer to initiate and manage phone calls (in which case you can think of your computer as your personal call center).
Applications :
CTI bridges the telecommunications industry with the computer industry and introduces new integrated applications such as:

• Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)
ACD facilitates controlling the distribution of telephone calls coming into the department. ACD systems are call routing utilities for incoming calls and can be even used to route calls originated by the predictive dialer to the next available agent. The staff log in/out of the ACD system as they are available, and the system answers the calls and distributes them. When staff are unavailable, the ACD systems holds a call in queue and then forwards it to the first available staff member.


Automatic call distribution is ideal for areas where multiple staff answers a high volume of calls e.g.
• Help desk
• Appointment scheduling
• Message taking


• Unified messaging :
Unified Messaging (or UM) is the integration of different electronic messaging and communications media (e-mail, SMS, Fax, voicemail, video messaging, etc.) technologies into a single interface, accessible from a variety of different devices.
Unified messaging capabilities in a help desk environment:
 Listening to voice, e-mail, and fax messages on a telephone.
 Listening to voice messages on a PC.
 Sending voice messages via e-mail.
 Listening to voice, e-mail, and fax messages via wireless phone.
 Distributing a message to several recipients.




• Fax systems :
A configuration of equipment, including PCs, fax machines, servers, and a network, that allows hard copy (written, type, or drawn) materials to be
sent through the network system and printed out elsewhere. Fax is the
abbreviation for facsimile.

• Database interaction :
Database interaction means integrating the databases used in different format into one particular source. In a company , it happens that separate departments may have previously used separate formats for databases , which can be now integrated into a single reporting source . The end result is a reporting solution that completely, comprehensively and accurately describes the total workings of the institution. For example, if you wanted to find out the cost of each phone call your call center was taking, and the call center database and payroll databases were of different types (MS SQL Server and Oracle for instance) ,Database interaction ‘s unique ability to use multiple data source types would allow you to calculate this, and create reports that could be distributed to inform others about this information.

• Simultaneous voice-data (SVD) :
Simultaneous voice and data, or SVD, is a telecommunications term that refers to transceiving both voice and primary data concurrently over one PSTN modem.


• Videoconferencing :
A method used to communicate video and audio information between two or more people. A codec (coder/decoder) is used at each end and linked
by digital circuits.

Videoconferencing technology is used to provide people in even the most remote
areas with access to the finest medical resources available. Physicians from
large, metropolitan medical centers or from specialty clinics around the world
can examine and diagnose patients using two-way video hookups. They can then
advise rural physicians on the recommended course of treatment for critically ill
and injured patients. Videoconferencing can save time, travel costs, and perhaps
even lives.
Forms of CTI :
First-party call control :
First party call control operates as if there is a direct connection between the user's computer and the phone set. An example of this would be a modem card in a desktop computer, or a phone plugged directly into the computer. Typically, only the computer associated with the phone can control it, by sending command directly to the phone. The computer can control all the functions of the phone, normally at the computer user's direction. First party call control is the easiest to implement but is not suited to large-scale applications such as call centers.
Third-party call control :
Third-party call control is more difficult to implement and often requires a dedicated telephony server to interface between the telephone network and the computer network. Third party call control works by sending commands from a user's computer to a telephony server, which in turn controls the phone centrally. Specifically, the user's computer has no direct connection to the phone set, which is actually controlled by an external device. Information about a phone call can be displayed on the corresponding computer workstation's screen while instructions to control the phone can be sent from the computer to the telephone network. Any computer in the network has the potential to control any phone in the telephone system. The phone does not need to be attached directly to the user's computer, although it may physically be integrated into the computer, requiring only a microphone and headset in the circuit, without even a keypad, to connect to the telephone network.

Hey krupal, you shared a very nice article and did an awesome job. Well, as we know that CTI is a typical name for any technologies that enables connections on a telephone and a computer system to be incorporated or coordinated. I am also uploading a document to explain the concept in more details with some images.
 

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