How to Configure ViciDial Answering Machine Detection (AMD)

Master Asterisk's built-in AMD engine and implement production-grade answering machine detection in ViciDial to increase agent productivity, reduce wasted call time, and improve contact rates on outbound campaigns.

Prerequisites

Before configuring AMD in ViciDial, ensure you have:

ViciDial 2.12 or higher installed and running
Asterisk 11+ (16+ recommended for better AMD performance)
Root or sudo access to your ViciDial server
Database access to the asterisk database
Understanding of ViciDial dialplan basics
Active outbound campaign configured
At least one carrier/trunk configured for outbound calling
SSH access to modify /etc/asterisk/ configuration files
Familiarity with basic Asterisk CLI commands

Verify your current installation:

sudo asterisk -v
sudo mysql -u root -p -e "SELECT VERSION();"
grep -i "version" /usr/share/astguiclient/vicidial.conf | head -5

Understanding AMD (Answering Machine Detection)

What Is AMD?

Answering Machine Detection is an Asterisk application that analyzes audio patterns during the first few seconds of a call to determine whether a human answered or a voicemail/answering machine picked up. This allows ViciDial to:

Route human-answered calls directly to agents
Send machine-answered calls to voicemail drop, callback queue, or hangup
Reduce agent talk time on dead-end calls
Improve first-call resolution rates
Gather more callbacks from live prospects

How Asterisk AMD Works

Asterisk's AMD application listens to the initial audio after answer for:

Silence - Machines typically have silence before greeting
Voice patterns - Frequency analysis to distinguish human speech from recorded messages
Speech/silence ratio - Humans vary speech patterns; machines are monotone
Duration thresholds - Machines usually have longer initial silence periods

The engine compares these against configurable thresholds and returns a detection result: HUMAN, MACHINE, or NOTSURE.

ViciDial AMD Configuration Architecture

Configuration Layers

AMD in ViciDial operates across multiple layers:

Asterisk dialplan level - /etc/asterisk/extensions-vicidial.conf
ViciDial campaign settings - Web admin panel and vicidial_campaigns table
Carrier/trunk configuration - /etc/asterisk/sip-vicidial.conf
Application logic - /usr/share/astguiclient/ scripts and vicidial_log recording

Key ViciDial Tables for AMD

-- View campaign AMD settings
SELECT campaign_id, campaign_name, answering_machine_detect, 
       amd_machine_action, amd_human_action 
FROM vicidial_campaigns LIMIT 5;

-- Check call logs with AMD results
SELECT lead_id, caller_id_number, call_date, amd_result, 
       status, call_length 
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE amd_result IS NOT NULL 
ORDER BY call_date DESC LIMIT 20;

-- View carrier AMD configuration
SELECT carrier_id, carrier_name, call_quality, sip_account 
FROM vicidial_carrier_log LIMIT 10;

Step 1: Enable AMD in Your Campaign

Access Campaign Settings

Log into ViciDial admin panel:

https://your-vicidial-ip/vicidial/admin.php

Navigate: Campaigns → Select Your Campaign → Edit Campaign → Call Parameters

Database Method (Recommended for Bulk Changes)

Connect to the asterisk database:

mysql -u root -p asterisk

Enable AMD for a specific campaign:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET answering_machine_detect = 'Y',
    amd_machine_action = 'VOICEMAIL',
    amd_human_action = 'AGENT',
    amd_sensitivity = '2'
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

-- Verify the change
SELECT campaign_id, answering_machine_detect, amd_machine_action, 
       amd_human_action, amd_sensitivity 
FROM vicidial_campaigns 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Field Explanations:

answering_machine_detect - Enable AMD ('Y'/'N')
amd_machine_action - What to do when machine detected: VOICEMAIL, HANGUP, CALLBACK
amd_human_action - What to do when human detected: AGENT, VOICEMAIL
amd_sensitivity - Detection sensitivity level (1-5, default 2)

Exit MySQL:

quit

Step 2: Configure Asterisk Dialplan

Locate the Dialplan File

sudo nano /etc/asterisk/extensions-vicidial.conf

Standard AMD Application Syntax

Add or modify the AMD application call in your outbound dialplan. Find the section for outbound calls (typically context from-internal):

[from-internal]
exten => _X.,1,NoOp(Starting outbound call for ${EXTEN})
exten => _X.,n,Set(TIMEOUT(absolute)=3600)
exten => _X.,n,GotoIf($["${answering_machine_detect}" = "Y"]?amd:noamd)
exten => _X.,n(amd),AMD(initial_silence=1500,greeting=1500,after_greeting_silence=800,total_analysis_time=5000,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)
exten => _X.,n,GotoIf($["${AMDSTATUS}" = "HUMAN"]?human:machine)
exten => _X.,n(human),Dial(SIP/${EXTEN}@carrier,45,m)
exten => _X.,n(machine),VoiceMail(u${EXTEN})
exten => _X.,n(noamd),Dial(SIP/${EXTEN}@carrier,45,m)

AMD Parameter Breakdown

AMD(
  initial_silence=1500,        # Silence before greeting starts (ms) - 1500ms = 1.5s
  greeting=1500,               # Max time to listen for greeting (ms)
  after_greeting_silence=800,  # Silence after greeting ends (ms)
  total_analysis_time=5000,    # Maximum time to run detection (ms)
  min_word_length=100,         # Min milliseconds for word (filter for noise)
  between_words_silence=50,    # Expected silence between words (ms)
  silence_threshold=256        # Audio level threshold for silence detection (0-32768)
)

Recommended Settings for Different Scenarios:

For aggressive detection (more false positives as human):

AMD(initial_silence=800,greeting=1200,after_greeting_silence=500,total_analysis_time=3000,min_word_length=80,between_words_silence=40,silence_threshold=256)

For conservative detection (more false negatives as machine):

AMD(initial_silence=2000,greeting=2000,after_greeting_silence=1000,total_analysis_time=6000,min_word_length=120,between_words_silence=60,silence_threshold=256)

For international calls (longer greeting times):

AMD(initial_silence=2500,greeting=2500,after_greeting_silence=1200,total_analysis_time=7000,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

ViciDial's AMD Integration in Dialplan

ViciDial typically handles AMD through the vicidial_dial context. Find this section:

grep -n "vicidial_dial" /etc/asterisk/extensions-vicidial.conf | head -20

Locate and update the AMD section (usually around line 800-1200):

[vicidial_dial]
exten => 1,1,NoOp(ViciDial Dial Context - AMD Enabled)
exten => 1,n,Set(DIALGROUP=${CUT(DIALSTRING,^,1)})
exten => 1,n,Set(EXTENSION=${CUT(DIALSTRING,^,2)})
exten => 1,n,Set(answering_machine_detect=${amd_setting})

exten => 1,n,GotoIf($["${answering_machine_detect}" = "Y"]?doamd:nocheckamd)

exten => 1,n(doamd),NoOp(Running AMD with sensitivity: ${amd_sensitivity})
exten => 1,n,AMD(initial_silence=1500,greeting=1500,after_greeting_silence=800,total_analysis_time=5000,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)
exten => 1,n,Set(amd_result=${AMDSTATUS})
exten => 1,n,NoOp(AMD Result: ${amd_result})

exten => 1,n(nocheckamd),GotoIf($["${amd_result}" = "HUMAN"]?routehuman)
exten => 1,n,GotoIf($["${amd_result}" = "MACHINE"]?routemachine)
exten => 1,n(routehuman),NoOp(Routing to agent)
exten => 1,n,Dial(SIP/${EXTENSION}@${CARRIER},45,m)
exten => 1,n(routemachine),NoOp(Machine detected - applying action: ${amd_machine_action})
exten => 1,n,VoiceMail(u${EXTENSION})

Reload Asterisk After Changes

sudo asterisk -rx "dialplan reload"
sudo asterisk -rx "module reload app_amd"

Verify the reload was successful:

sudo asterisk -rx "dialplan show vicidial_dial@from-internal" | grep -i amd

Step 3: Configure Carrier/Trunk Settings

Edit SIP Configuration

sudo nano /etc/asterisk/sip-vicidial.conf

Ensure your carrier/trunk has appropriate settings for AMD:

[carrier_siptrunk]
type=peer
host=carrier.example.com
secret=yoursecret
username=youruser
fromuser=youruser
fromdomain=carrier.example.com
context=from-internal
disallow=all
allow=ulaw
allow=alaw
nat=yes
rtptimeout=600
rtpholdtimeout=3600
insecure=port,invite
reinvite=nodata

; AMD-specific settings
; Ensure codec matches to avoid audio quality issues
directmedia=no
; Important: Keep connection open for AMD audio analysis
dtmfmode=rfc2833

Reload SIP configuration:

sudo asterisk -rx "sip reload"

Step 4: Configure Machine Detection Actions

Understanding Machine Actions

When AMD detects a machine, you have three primary actions:

Option 1: VOICEMAIL (Drop Message)

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_machine_action = 'VOICEMAIL' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Configure your voicemail drop message:

sudo nano /etc/asterisk/voicemail.conf

Add a context for ViciDial voicemail drops:

[vicidial]
; Voicemail drop box for machine-detected calls
1000 => 1234,ViciDial Machine Drop,machine@vicidial.com,,|attach=yes|saycid=yes|sendvoicemail=yes|delete=no

Create the voicemail drop message file:

sudo mkdir -p /var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/vicidial/1000/INBOX
sudo chown -R asterisk:asterisk /var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/

Record and upload a custom message, or use this command to create via TTS:

echo "Your company name. Press 1 to schedule a callback or hang up." | \
  text2wave -o /var/spool/asterisk/voicemail/vicidial/1000/INBOX/msg0000.wav

Option 2: HANGUP (Disconnect Call)

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_machine_action = 'HANGUP' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Useful for high-volume campaigns where you don't want to spend credits on machine messages.

Option 3: CALLBACK (Queue for Callback)

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_machine_action = 'CALLBACK' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Requires callback queue configuration in ViciDial admin panel.

Configure Human Actions

When a human is detected, route to agent:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_human_action = 'AGENT' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Or send to voicemail if agent unavailable:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_human_action = 'VOICEMAIL' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Step 5: Adjust AMD Sensitivity

Sensitivity Levels

ViciDial uses 5 sensitivity levels (1-5):

Level 1 - Most aggressive (detects more as HUMAN)
Level 2 - Default, balanced
Level 3 - Moderate
Level 4 - Conservative
Level 5 - Most conservative (detects more as MACHINE)

Adjust via Database

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_sensitivity = '2' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Fine-Tune with Asterisk Parameters

Modify the threshold values in your dialplan:

For higher sensitivity (fewer machines detected as human):

AMD(initial_silence=2000,greeting=1800,after_greeting_silence=1000,total_analysis_time=6000,min_word_length=120,between_words_silence=60,silence_threshold=256)

For lower sensitivity (more lenient):

AMD(initial_silence=1000,greeting=1200,after_greeting_silence=600,total_analysis_time=4000,min_word_length=80,between_words_silence=40,silence_threshold=256)

Step 6: Monitor AMD Performance

Real-Time Monitoring

Check AMD statistics in real-time:

sudo asterisk -rx "core show calls"

Monitor Asterisk logs specifically for AMD:

tail -f /var/log/asterisk/messages | grep AMD

Example output:

[2024-01-15 14:23:45] -- AMD: Detected HUMAN on channel SIP/1001-00001234
[2024-01-15 14:24:12] -- AMD: Detected MACHINE on channel SIP/1002-00001235
[2024-01-15 14:24:45] -- AMD: NOTSURE on channel SIP/1003-00001236

Query AMD Results from Database

Check detection accuracy for a date range:

SELECT 
  amd_result,
  COUNT(*) as call_count,
  ROUND(COUNT(*)*100.0/(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM vicidial_log 
    WHERE call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY) 
    AND amd_result IS NOT NULL),2) as percentage
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY) 
  AND amd_result IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY amd_result;

Expected output:

+----------+------------+------------+
| amd_result | call_count | percentage |
+----------+------------+------------+
| HUMAN    |       1245 |      68.50 |
| MACHINE  |        456 |      25.10 |
| NOTSURE  |        119 |       6.40 |
+----------+------------+------------+

Campaign-Specific AMD Analytics

SELECT 
  campaign_id,
  COUNT(*) as total_calls,
  SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'HUMAN' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as humans,
  SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'MACHINE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as machines,
  SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'NOTSURE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as notsure,
  ROUND(AVG(call_length),2) as avg_call_length
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 1 DAY)
  AND amd_result IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY campaign_id
ORDER BY total_calls DESC;

Create AMD Performance Report View

CREATE VIEW amd_performance_daily AS
SELECT 
  DATE(call_date) as call_date,
  campaign_id,
  COUNT(*) as total_calls,
  ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'HUMAN' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*), 2) as human_percentage,
  ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'MACHINE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*), 2) as machine_percentage,
  ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN amd_result = 'NOTSURE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*), 2) as notsure_percentage,
  ROUND(AVG(call_length), 2) as avg_call_length_seconds
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE amd_result IS NOT NULL
GROUP BY DATE(call_date), campaign_id;

SELECT * FROM amd_performance_daily WHERE call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY);

Step 7: Optimize Performance

CPU Impact

AMD analysis requires CPU resources. For high-volume systems:

# Check current load
top -b -n 1 | head -3

# Monitor Asterisk process
ps aux | grep asterisk | grep -v grep

Database Performance

AMD logging can increase database I/O. Optimize:

-- Add index on amd_result for faster queries
ALTER TABLE vicidial_log ADD INDEX idx_amd_result (amd_result);

-- Archive old AMD data
INSERT INTO vicidial_log_archive SELECT * FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 90 DAY);

DELETE FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 90 DAY);

-- Optimize table
OPTIMIZE TABLE vicidial_log;

Audio Codec Selection

For best AMD performance, use:

; In your sip-vicidial.conf carrier config
disallow=all
allow=ulaw
allow=alaw
; Avoid GSM or other compressed codecs

Adjust Analysis Time

If AMD is consuming too much CPU, reduce analysis time:

AMD(initial_silence=1500,greeting=1500,after_greeting_silence=800,total_analysis_time=3500,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

This reduces from 5000ms to 3500ms maximum analysis time.

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: AMD Not Detecting Anything (All NOTSURE)

Symptoms: AMD runs but all results are NOTSURE

Diagnosis:

tail -f /var/log/asterisk/messages | grep -i notsure

Solutions:

Verify AMD module is loaded:

sudo asterisk -rx "module show like amd"

Output should show:

Module                         Description                      Use Count
app_amd.so                     Answering Machine Detection      0

Check if AMD settings match campaign config:

SELECT campaign_id, answering_machine_detect, amd_sensitivity, 
       amd_machine_action, amd_human_action 
FROM vicidial_campaigns 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Lower sensitivity level:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_sensitivity = '1' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Increase analysis time in dialplan:

AMD(initial_silence=2500,greeting=2500,after_greeting_silence=1200,total_analysis_time=7000,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

Issue 2: Too Many False Positives (Machines Detected as Human)

Symptoms: AMD marks voicemail boxes as HUMAN, agents connect to machines

Solutions:

Increase sensitivity:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_sensitivity = '4' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Adjust dialplan parameters to be more conservative:

AMD(initial_silence=2000,greeting=2000,after_greeting_silence=1000,total_analysis_time=6000,min_word_length=120,between_words_silence=60,silence_threshold=256)

Increase initial silence detection:

AMD(initial_silence=2500,greeting=2000,after_greeting_silence=1000,total_analysis_time=5500,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

Issue 3: Too Many False Negatives (Humans Detected as Machine)

Symptoms: Real people being treated as machines, agents missing live calls

Solutions:

Decrease sensitivity:

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET amd_sensitivity = '1' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Adjust to more aggressive detection:

AMD(initial_silence=1200,greeting=1200,after_greeting_silence=600,total_analysis_time=4000,min_word_length=80,between_words_silence=40,silence_threshold=256)

Reduce min_word_length to catch softer human voices:

AMD(initial_silence=1500,greeting=1500,after_greeting_silence=800,total_analysis_time=5000,min_word_length=70,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

Issue 4: AMD Not Running at All

Symptoms: Campaign has AMD enabled but amd_result column is always NULL

Check the dialplan context is correct:

grep -A 20 "answering_machine_detect" /etc/asterisk/extensions-vicidial.conf

Verify campaign setting:

SELECT campaign_id, answering_machine_detect 
FROM vicidial_campaigns 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP';

Reload dialplan:

sudo asterisk -rx "dialplan reload"
sudo asterisk -rx "module reload app_amd"
sudo service asterisk restart

Check for errors in logs:

grep -i "error\|warning" /var/log/asterisk/messages | tail -20

Issue 5: AMD Causing Call Delays

Symptoms: Noticeable delay before agent answer or ringback

Solutions:

Reduce total_analysis_time:

AMD(initial_silence=1200,greeting=1200,after_greeting_silence=600,total_analysis_time=3000,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

Reduce greeting time:

AMD(initial_silence=1000,greeting=1000,after_greeting_silence=500,total_analysis_time=3500,min_word_length=100,between_words_silence=50,silence_threshold=256)

Check Asterisk CPU - if high, enable AMD on fewer campaigns:

top -p $(pgrep -f "asterisk -f")

Issue 6: Database Filling Up with AMD Logs

Symptoms: /var partition nearly full, slow database queries

Solution - Archive and purge old AMD data:

# First, create backup
mysqldump -u root -p asterisk vicidial_log > /backup/vicidial_log_backup_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql

# Then, in MySQL
mysql -u root -p asterisk

-- Archive calls older than 90 days
INSERT INTO vicidial_log_archive 
SELECT * FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 90 DAY);

-- Delete archived records
DELETE FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE call_date < DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 90 DAY);

-- Optimize table
OPTIMIZE TABLE vicidial_log;

-- Check size reduction
SELECT 
  ROUND(((data_length + index_length) / 1024 / 1024), 2) as size_mb
FROM information_schema.tables 
WHERE table_schema = 'asterisk' 
  AND table_name = 'vicidial_log';

Step 8: A/B Testing AMD Performance

Set Up Two Campaigns for Testing

Campaign 1 (Control - AMD Disabled):

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET answering_machine_detect = 'N' 
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP_CONTROL';

Campaign 2 (Test - AMD Enabled):

UPDATE vicidial_campaigns 
SET answering_machine_detect = 'Y',
    amd_machine_action = 'VOICEMAIL',
    amd_human_action = 'AGENT',
    amd_sensitivity = '2'
WHERE campaign_id = 'TESTCAMP_AMD';

Compare Results

SELECT 
  campaign_id,
  COUNT(*) as total_calls,
  ROUND(AVG(call_length), 2) as avg_talk_time,
  ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN status = 'SALE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*), 2) as conversion_rate,
  ROUND(SUM(CASE WHEN status IN ('SALE','CALLACK') THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) * 100.0 / COUNT(*), 2) as success_rate
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE campaign_id IN ('TESTCAMP_CONTROL', 'TESTCAMP_AMD')
  AND call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY)
GROUP BY campaign_id;

Expected results with AMD enabled:

Lower average talk time (avoid machine messages)
Higher conversion rate (agent time on real prospects)
Reduced call volume needed for same results

Best Practices and Recommendations

1. Start Conservative

Begin with AMD enabled on one campaign at lower sensitivity (3-4) to validate detection accuracy before rolling out widely.

2. Monitor Accuracy Rates

Aim for 85-95% overall accuracy. Review NOTSURE results weekly:

SELECT call_id, phone_number, amd_result, status, call_length 
FROM vicidial_log 
WHERE amd_result = 'NOTSURE' 
  AND call_date >= DATE_SUB(NOW(), INTERVAL 7 DAY) 
ORDER BY call_date DESC 
LIMIT 50;

3. Combine AMD with Other Strategies

Use AMD with voicemail drop campaigns for best ROI
Combine with callback mechanisms for better contact rates
Monitor agent feedback on detection accuracy

4. Regular Parameter Tuning

Adjust AMD parameters quarterly based on:

Carrier quality changes
Dialable list characteristics
Agent feedback
Conversion metrics

5. Failover Strategy

Ensure AMD failures don't break the call:

exten => 1,n,GotoIf($["${AMDSTATUS}" = "HUMAN"]?human)
exten => 1,n,GotoIf($["${AMDSTATUS}" = "MACHINE"]?machine)
exten => 1,n(human),Dial(SIP/${EXTENSION}@${CARRIER},45,m)
exten => 1,n(machine),VoiceMail(u${EXTENSION})

Always have a default action if AMD fails.

6. Logging and Auditing

Enable detailed logging:

[general]
verbose=3
debug=3

This generates more logs but aids troubleshooting.

Summary

Answering Machine Detection in ViciDial significantly improves outbound campaign efficiency by automatically filtering machine-answered calls from human-answered calls. The configuration spans three areas:

Campaign Settings - Enable AMD and set machine/human actions via vicidial_campaigns table
Asterisk Dialplan - Configure AMD application with appropriate parameters in extensions-vicidial.conf
Monitoring & Optimization - Query vicidial_log table for AMD results and continuously tune parameters

Key takeaways:

Start with default settings (sensitivity 2, 5000ms analysis time) and adjust based on results
Monitor detection accuracy weekly to catch false positives/negatives early
Use appropriate machine actions (VOICEMAIL for leads to keep, HANGUP for high-volume, CALLBACK for follow-ups)
Archive AMD data regularly to maintain database performance
Test A/B campaigns to validate ROI before full rollout

With proper AMD configuration, expect:

20-40% reduction in agent talk time
15-25% improvement in conversion rates
30-50% lower cost per conversion
Significantly improved agent morale

Regularly review your AMD performance metrics, gather agent feedback, and adjust parameters quarterly. AMD is not a "set and forget" feature—continuous optimization yields the best results for your specific calling profile and contact list characteristics.

How to Configure ViciDial Answering Machine Detection (AMD)

How to Configure ViciDial Answering Machine Detection (AMD)

Prerequisites

Understanding AMD (Answering Machine Detection)

What Is AMD?

How Asterisk AMD Works

ViciDial AMD Configuration Architecture

Configuration Layers

Key ViciDial Tables for AMD

Step 1: Enable AMD in Your Campaign

Access Campaign Settings

Database Method (Recommended for Bulk Changes)

Step 2: Configure Asterisk Dialplan

Locate the Dialplan File

Standard AMD Application Syntax

AMD Parameter Breakdown

ViciDial's AMD Integration in Dialplan

Reload Asterisk After Changes

Step 3: Configure Carrier/Trunk Settings

Edit SIP Configuration

Step 4: Configure Machine Detection Actions

Understanding Machine Actions

Option 1: VOICEMAIL (Drop Message)

Option 2: HANGUP (Disconnect Call)

Option 3: CALLBACK (Queue for Callback)

Configure Human Actions

Step 5: Adjust AMD Sensitivity

Sensitivity Levels

Adjust via Database

Fine-Tune with Asterisk Parameters

Step 6: Monitor AMD Performance

Real-Time Monitoring

Query AMD Results from Database

Campaign-Specific AMD Analytics

Create AMD Performance Report View

Step 7: Optimize Performance

CPU Impact

Database Performance

Audio Codec Selection

Adjust Analysis Time

Troubleshooting

Issue 1: AMD Not Detecting Anything (All NOTSURE)

Issue 2: Too Many False Positives (Machines Detected as Human)

Issue 3: Too Many False Negatives (Humans Detected as Machine)

Issue 4: AMD Not Running at All

Issue 5: AMD Causing Call Delays

Issue 6: Database Filling Up with AMD Logs

Step 8: A/B Testing AMD Performance

Set Up Two Campaigns for Testing

Compare Results

Best Practices and Recommendations

1. Start Conservative

2. Monitor Accuracy Rates

3. Combine AMD with Other Strategies

4. Regular Parameter Tuning

5. Failover Strategy

6. Logging and Auditing

Summary

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Author

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