Telephony Integration and Conferencing

Computer-Telephony Integration Overview

Windows 2000 builds upon the support for computer-telephony integration (CTI) that was first introduced in previous versions of Windows operating systems. This is in response to an increasing interest by developers in creating CTI and conferencing applications, and a need on the part of network administrators to deploy CTI and conferencing solutions on their networks.

With TAPI applications, users perform telephone operations from the user interface of the computer using integrated computer-based information, such as personal directories or databases. Computer-telephony integration (CTI) applications range from Phone Dialer programs, which allow a user to click a number on the computer screen, to programs that manage conference calls. TAPI provides standard programming interfaces and delivery mechanisms, such as speed dialing, transferring calls, and integrating Caller ID functions, that simplify the delivery of telephony operations.

Additional examples of CTI include:

Integrated Services

Moving voice mail to the computer enables the creation of a universal inbox containing e-mail, voice mail, and fax messages.

Call Center Applications

TAPI offers two ways to integrate:

Through an interface to the hardware-based system, such as a Public Branch Exchange (PBX) or an external Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) system.
Through an entirely software-based system, such as an IP telephony network or an IDC built entirely on the Windows 2000–based server.

Historically, call center applications that direct calls based on information gathered from a database have been built on relatively expensive, proprietary systems that are challenging to customize and to integrate with existing information systems. By making these applications entirely software-based, call center applications can be developed more quickly at a decreased cost, and become more tightly integrated with computer-based information systems.

Predictive Dialing In an outbound telemarketing environment, a telephony server with the appropriate hardware can rapidly dial a list of chosen numbers. When a connection is detected with a live person, the call is immediately routed to a customer service agent. Because only a fraction of calls result in connections with people, as opposed to those that are busy, have no answer, or are picked up by an answering machine, this application can dramatically improve the efficiency of outbound telemarketing by limiting time spent on non-productive calls.

Interactive Voice Response Interactive Voice Response (IVR) allows developers to create voice menus that callers can obtain with the telephone keypad, using them to access information or execute transactions. Auto attendants handle initial routing of incoming telephone calls with outgoing messages, such as "For sales, press one."

Computer PBX TAPI can provide an interface to single-box, personal computer–based PBXs. In these environments, sophisticated call processing services can be implemented entirely within Windows 2000 using comprehensive, connection control and media API.

IP Telephony and Conferencing TAPI includes IP telephony service providers, which enable video conferencing over IP networks.