Transcript Recorder Selection - VLR Communications

Recorder Selection
Ask yourself
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How many phones to record
How long do you want to save your recordings
How frequently do you want to search recordings
How many people need to have access to recording
Recorder Selection
Let us know
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Describe your recording application (911, taxi, call center, etc)
How many phones to record or how many lines to record
What kind of phone system and is it analog or digital
What kind of connection to the phone system…T-1, CO-POTS
Do you ever plan on expansion
Want to play back over the LAN
Do you have Caller ID service
Does your switch have CTI and software or SMDR-CDR
9. Do you have call conference service available
VLR Communications
800-369-8273
Recorder Selection
Options that may be available
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Play back calls over the web
Call evaluation software
Instant recall client
Direct digital recording for most telephone systems
Archive calls on your servers
Expansion options must be considered
Archive to DVD or CD
Start and stop calls with signals from your computer
workstation
Recorder Selection
Things you may need
1. UPS, un-interruptible AC power for the recorder
2. Analog phone line for PC Anywhere support
3. LAN connection with a static IP address
Common things to keep in mind for
recording phones
When installing a recording system, we have always found that if
management tells the employees that they plan to record, and
why they are going to record, there is a much better chance of
employee acceptance. There should be some benefit for the
employee being recorded.
Common things to keep in mind for
recording phones
Most states require that someone, at least one of the parties, be notified of the
recording in process (this is known as single party consent). The single party
consent originated when lawyers wanted to record their own personal calls, sort
of an easy way of taking notes and documenting a conversation. Single party
consent has evolved into common practice in most states. In a few states both
parties must be informed of the recording. Check the table in recording
regulations at this web site. Notification can be given in 3 ways. First, just
inform the caller that this call may be recorded, if the caller stays on, then they
have given consent to be recorded. This is easy on inbound calls because the
phone system can make the announcement but is more difficult on outbound
calls. Second, simply put a beep tone on the line, a tone every 15 seconds is
universally accepted as a warning that the call is being recorded. Beep tone is
easy to install on POTS lines but more difficult on T-1 and digital telephone
systems. And third, have a prior signed agreement that your calls are going to
be recorded. This agreement is commonly found in broker-client agreements in
the futures financial industry. In either case, where it is required for both parties
or single party consent, while recording your people just for internal reasons, it
would be helpful to keep the employees informed that you are recording and
consult with your legal consul to prevent future problems. I always say that you
should never play a recording to someone who didn’t know that the recording
had taken place, even if it was legal because of single party consent.
Common things to keep in mind for
recording phones
When recording digital phones, recording the
handset to get an analog signal to the recorder is
inexpensive and practical. However, this may allow
the microphone on the phone to be live even when
there is no call in progress. In other words, you will
be recording the operator talking to people in the
room which will be considered violating their personal
privacy. Direct digital recording will assure privacy
and record only when the handset is off hook and
connected to the phone system. There are a handful
of different solutions to recording digital telephones.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
Telephone answering service, TAS, where recording is done in
states where both parties must be notified: A beep tone in the
operators ear, every 15 seconds will drive the operators nuts.
Voice activated digital recorders may not be able to detect when
changing from one client to the next and the recording would go
on with several calls combined. With regard to the VOX
problem, the old continuous recorders like the TEAC CR-320,
worked out great. More elaborate recording systems where the
recorder gets a start and stop signal from the operators
workstation is recommended. Put the notification of recording in
the agreement with your client and don’t use the beep tone.
Don’t play calls to the client’s customer and always consult with
your legal consul before recording.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
Call Centers, where the calls may be recorded based
on the CSR’s needs. Once a call is in process, it is
difficult to say that it should have been recorded from
the start. Our suggestion, record all the calls. If you
rely on the CSR to start and stop the recording, there
will always be important things missed. Asking
permission to record the close part of the call will
allow you to play back the close to that party at some
later time. There is no need to play the part of the
conversation that had not been invited to be
recorded.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
HIPAA may require recording and saving calls for 7 years.
There may be some additional considerations regarding access
to the recordings so password access to the recorder for
playback and monitoring may be required.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
911 recording may require ANI (enhanced 911-Automatic
Number Identification) information to be included with the
recorded call. ALI, Automatic Location Identification should
present the caller ANI to the recorder, too. Beep tone is not
required for emergency calls but when recording the city hall
and police department office phones the beep may be required.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
Sea Tow and other 24 hour service applications may have their
calls forwarded to a cell phone when no one is in the office. We
offer a call handler that will conferences the cell phone and the
office telephone recorder allowing recording of that complete
call, from start to end, even as it is connected to the cell phone.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
Recording a radio may require assistance of your radio-man.
You need to hear both sides of the conversation, the TX and RX
on a single channel of the recorder. Trunked radio may be used
in a few public safety centers and some utility companies.
Trunked radio recording may require an elegant software and
hardware interface to capture all the conversations.
Applications where special considerations are suggested
As a small commodity broker your calls to the exchange floor
will be recorded at the exchange floor end. You can request the
call to be played back to you but that may take valuable time. If
you recorded all your calls, then you could immediately verify
your trades and mistakes saving untold money as the market
moves.