When you look at your AVOXI invoice or a rate sheet, you'll see two separate categories inbound rates and outbound rates. They are priced differently, and knowing why makes it much easier to predict your bill and choose the right numbers for your business.

The Short Answer

Inbound rates are what you pay for calls coming into your AVOXI numbers. 

Outbound rates are what you pay for calls you place out to other numbers. They're billed separately because each direction of a call travels through a different part of the phone network, and each part has its own cost.

Inbound Rates (Also Called Origination Rates)

An inbound call is "originated" by the person calling you, so inbound rates are also called origination rates in the telecom industry.

• Origination rates depend on where your caller is located, not where your business sits.
• Example: if you buy a Germany toll-free number, your German customers call you for free, and you pay the German origination rate for that traffic.
• On your invoice, inbound charges are grouped by number package, so you can see origination costs number by number.

Outbound Rates (Also Called Termination Rates)

An outbound call is "terminated" at the number you're calling, so outbound rates are also called termination rates.

• Termination rates depend on the country or network you're calling into, not where you're calling from.
• AVOXI outbound pricing comes from two places: standard Least Cost Routing (LCR) rates, used for most outbound calls, and TrueLocal rates, used on two-way numbers when you call within the same country as your caller ID.
• On your invoice, outbound charges are tied to either the AVOXI number (caller ID) or the SIP trunk that placed the call.

Why the Two Rates Are Different

• Different carriers, different costs. Inbound calls route through the carrier tied to the number you own; outbound calls route through whichever carrier can complete the call in the destination country. Each sets its own wholesale price.
• Destination matters most. Termination rates vary widely by country, the same way origination rates vary by where your caller is dialing from.
• Number type and caller ID. TrueLocal numbers get preferential two-way local rates. Calls placed without a matching local caller ID fall back to standard rates, which usually cost more.
• Regulatory and network fees. Fees such as the IntFee (an administrative cost recovery fee) can apply to certain traffic and show up as separate line items alongside your usage charges.

Where to Check Your Rates in AVOXI

1. Open your monthly invoice. Voice usage is split into Inbound (by number package) and Outbound (by caller ID or SIP trunk).
2. Review the Retail Outbound Rates guide for termination pricing by country and product (LCR vs. TrueLocal).
3. Still not sure which rate applies to you? Reach out to your Account Manager or support@avoxi.com — rates can vary by product and plan.