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The DTMF element sends digits on a live call - for instance, to automate navigation through an interactive voice response (IVR) menu. If async is set to true, Vobiz sends digits in the background and the call moves to the next XML element as soon as the first digit is sent. Use the character w to add a 0.5-second delay and W for a 1-second delay. Allowed values: 1234567890*#wW

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Attributes

async (boolean) If true, proceeds to the next XML element after the first digit is sent. Allowed values: true, false Defaults to true.

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Nesting rules

The digits to send are the element’s text content. DTMF takes no child elements and is a top-level child of <Response>. It posts no parameters of its own to any URL.

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Send digits

This code sends the digits 1234 on the live call.

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Response

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
    <DTMF>1234</DTMF>
</Response>
Use w (0.5 s) and W (1 s) characters to pace tones so a remote menu has time to respond between digits. 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Response>
    <DTMF async="false">1WW2W3#</DTMF>
    <Speak>Connected to the right department.</Speak>
</Response>

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Edge cases and tips

  • async controls flow. With the default async="true", the call advances to the next element as soon as the first digit is sent - useful when you want to send tones in the background while continuing the flow. Set async="false" to send all digits before moving on, which matters when a downstream menu must receive every digit first.
  • Only valid characters. The content must contain only 1234567890*#wW. Any other character causes the element to be ignored.
  • DTMF sends, Gather receives. Use DTMF to send tones onto a live call (for example, to traverse another system’s phone tree). Use Gather to collect digits the caller presses.
  • Pacing matters. Sending digits too fast can outrun a remote IVR. Insert w/W pauses if the far end misses tones.