Re: [hylafax-users] Regarding Fax Billing

[Lee Howard <faxguy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 2004.12.01 00:48 tabish sarwar wrote:
> Hello thre..
> Is there anys upport availabe for Fax Billing in the
> Hylafax ....I have to bill Clinets who sends fax using
> the server .....
> I need number of calls(that were answered at dest)
> that the server made to send fax ..and the duration of
> each call seperately after sending fax ...
> I found that ...the server gives me total processing
> time which includes the call time + server time
> (processing files)..i checked the variables variables
> like tottries,ndials,totdials but i m unable to get
> things....
>
> Please tell me is there any builtin support for Fax
> Billing in Hylafax ....and also let me know that how
> can i get time for each call and number of placed
> calls for a try for sending fax...

First of all, I must admit that although I plan to do this in the near 
future, I have not yet audited the HylaFAX "total processing time" 
calculator, so I cannot state with a certainty that I know exactly how 
it works.  So my comments are based upon what I think should be the 
case.

xferfaxlog currently holds all of these statistics.  However, it sounds 
like you're not happy with the "total processing time" which includes 
the call time.  When a fax is sent the exact moment that the remote 
answers the line is unknown.  This is what HylaFAX sees:

Class 1        Class 2

<-- ATDT       <-- ATDT
(remote system answers)
--> CONNECT    --> +FCON

There may be as much time, possibly more, depending on how responsive 
your modem is and what call features the two systems are using, between 
the time the remote system answers and the CONNECT/+FCON as there is 
between the ATDT and the time the remote answers.  If you're being 
billed for this time then surely you'll want to pass this on to the 
customer.  This is why HylaFAX accounts for the dialing time in the 
"total processing time".

If this still bothers you then you *could* alter the code to start the 
timing with the CONNECT/+FCO, but then you'll probably want to evaluate 
the average amount of time that is consumed between the remote system 
answer and the indicator and then add that to the total when you're 
done.

Furthermore, calculating toll-time used will be extremely difficult in 
cases such as these...

<-- ATDT
--> NO CARRIER

... because you really don't know whether the remote answered at all or 
not.  Generally "NO CARRIER" means that there was no answer at all, but 
it can also mean that the call was placed to a non-fax device (and was 
answered).  It can also mean that the call was placed to a fax device, 
was answered, but that the modem was unable to detect the CED/ANSam 
signal at the remote.  And in those cases it is quite impossible for 
HylaFAX to tell exactly how much time passed after the remote answered.

One of the nice effects of billing for this time used is that it deters 
(or at least places a consequence upon) people from habitually sending 
faxes to wrong numbers.

If you really want an accurate accounting of call-time-used on a 
per-call basis then you *must* cross-reference the xferfaxlog with your 
statement from the telco.  You can do this, but to me it sounds a bit 
obsessive.  Remember, that irrespective of whether or not the remote 
answers when you have a customer using your fax service to place a call 
then your services are being used, even before the remote answers.  Do 
you bill your customer for that time?  That's your call.

Lee.


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