[asterisk-users] EVERY toll free number appears to be in e164.org??

[Alex Robar]

The way that I understood this to work was that e164.org lists all toll-free
numbers to make it free to call those kinds of numbers (instead of using one
of your own trunks). Since ENUM can provide priorities, if I own a toll-free
and enter it into the system, the route that I specify will be returned with
a lower priority than the default e164.org route. Anyone who doesn't list
their number will have the default e164.org route provided if someone
queries for that number. Perhaps troublesome that the system is opt-out
instead of opt-in, but at least you have the ability to override the
provided route for toll-free numbers that you own. Also, they do list on
their FAQ page that they list routes for toll-free patterns for several
countries (and they state that the call makes the provider money - there is
no mention that e164.org makes money off the call themselves).

Cheers,
AR


-----Original Message-----
From: asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com
[mailto:asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com] On Behalf Of Karl Fife
Sent: July-24-09 7:02 PM
To: Asterisk Users Mailing List - Non-Commercial Discussion
Subject: [asterisk-users] EVERY toll free number appears to be in e164.org??

ENUM lookups at e164.org return a IP route for ALL toll-free numbers.

I was surprised to observe that ALL toll-free numbers get a hit at e164.org.

It appears that ALL toll-free prefixes have been delegated, thereby 
publishing an IP route for YOUR TOLL-FREE NUMBERS, my toll-free numbers, and

even toll-free numbers that have not been allocated. :-)   See below

Should I care?  Even though this whole thing doesn't directly cost me 
anything, it seems like bad netizenship to be publishing circuitous routes 
to others' numbers.  Their route may be inferior; less direct (higher 
latency), and may also introduce more transport over best-effort networks 
(artifacts and jitter).

Is this a reasonable thing for e164.org to do?  Based on what I see at 
e164.org, one might make the reasonable assumption that ALL routes are 
published after a token test that the routes are sanctioned by the 'owners'.

Perhaps their test is not perfect test, but you are free to do what you want

with that information.  There is however no indication (that I can find) 
that ENUM lookups for toll-free numbers are actually what I might call 
'bandit routes', leading ITSP's and PBX admins to make routing decisions 
they might not otherwise make.  Perhaps CHASE BANK or MAYO CLINIC should be 
concerned when end-user callers (via their office PBX, or ITSP) unknowingly 
send their media (& secrets) through a stranger's gateway.   Maybe Coca-Cola

should be worried that a poor quality call could be attributed to them, & 
their brand.

Am I correct in assuming that this basically a toll-free revenue share model

to fund e164.org??   If so, it seems to me should be disclosed at e164.org, 
perhaps right next to where they ask for donations.  Can anybody speak to 
this?

-Karl

p.s.

for example try:
ast-chi43*CLI> !dig 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.6.6.8.1.e164.org ANY

Naturally this number on the PSTN returns a reorder tone.  The e164.org 
route actually rings instead of giving a reorder, answers and plays 'dead 
air' forever if you let it.

All resolve to one of the same three gateways:
tf.voipmich.com
sip.tollfreegateway.com
tollfree.sip-happens.com


;; QUESTION SECTION:
;3.5.3.6.4.1.3.7.7.8.1.e164.org.        IN      ANY

;; ANSWER SECTION:
3.5.3.6.4.1.3.7.7.8.1.e164.org. 60 IN   NAPTR   200 10 "u" "E2U+SIP" 
"!^\\+1877(.*)$!sip:1877\\1 at tf.voipmich.com!" .
3.5.3.6.4.1.3.7.7.8.1.e164.org. 60 IN   NAPTR   200 10 "u" "E2U+SIP" 
"!^\\+1877(.*)$!sip:1641641877\\1 at sip.tollfreegateway.com!" .
3.5.3.6.4.1.3.7.7.8.1.e164.org. 60 IN   NAPTR   200 10 "u" "E2U+SIP" 
"!^\\+1877(.*)$!sip:1641641877\\1 at tollfree.sip-happens.com!" .