WhatsApp Business Calling supports several inbound and outbound call flows. Each scenario depends on the call initiator (user or business), the routing logic, and the destination platform (for example, Conversations, SIP, or WebRTC).
Use the tables below to understand how to configure and route different WhatsApp call flows using Infobip products and APIs.
User-initiated calling scenarios
The following call flows are supported when the user initiates a WhatsApp call to your business. Select to expand each scenario context.
Incoming calls from WhatsApp users to our WhatsApp sender will be redirected to an IVR created with the IVR API. The IVR scenario can transfer this incoming call to an agent in Conversations.
Incoming calls from WhatsApp users to our WhatsApp sender will be redirected to an IVR created as a flow in Moments. The flow can transfer this incoming call to an agent in Conversations.
Within the Start Incoming Call trigger, select your voice-enabled WhatsApp sender. Note that the same number could be listed twice in the number dropdown list: once for its WhatsApp voice capability, and once for its regular PSTN voice capability.
Within the Start Incoming Call trigger, select your voice-enabled WhatsApp sender. Note that the same number could be listed twice in the number dropdown list: once for its WhatsApp voice capability, and once for its regular PSTN voice capability.
Incoming calls from WhatsApp users to our WhatsApp sender will be redirected to your voice equipment (SBC, PBX) over SIP trunking. This can allow WhatsApp end users to reach a business on their own contact center platform or regular phone environment, but calling at no cost (for the end user).
Incoming calls from WhatsApp users to our WhatsApp sender will be redirected to a predefined webRTC user in the web or mobile application you developed based on our webRTC SDKs. This can allow WhatsApp end users to reach a business in their voice-enabled application but call at no cost (for the end user).
Click or tap your voice-enabled WhatsApp sender and go to the WhatsApp Voice tab.
Under Inbound Configuration, select Forward to Call Routing and select the route you defined above.
Scenario
Description
WhatsApp calls to the custom voice application of the customer, built with the Calls API platform
Incoming calls from WhatsApp users to our WhatsApp sender will be redirected to the custom voice application that the customer has developed (and is hosting) based on our Calls API platform.
Click or tap your voice-enabled WhatsApp sender and go to the WhatsApp Voice tab.
Under Inbound Configuration, select Forward to Subscription and select your call configuration.
IMPORTANT
It is strictly forbidden to connect WhatsApp Business Calling to PSTN. For instance, forwarding an inbound WhatsApp call to your existing business phone number is not allowed.
Business-initiated calling scenarios
These flows start with your business placing a call to a user, based on accepted call permissions. Select to expand each scenario context.
Incoming call requests from your voice platform are sent to Infobip over a SIP trunk. Using Infobip call routing, this call request is converted into a business-initiated call to a WhatsApp end user.
Define a route in the call routing application, with a SIP filter based on your defined SIP trunk, and include a WhatsApp destination type
Ensure that the from value on your SIP calls is set to the WhatsApp sender's MSISDN
NOTE
You must get the end user's call permission separately.
The WebRTC SDK does not have a method to place a call to WhatsApp end users directly. Call routing can be used as a bridging system.
How to implement:
Define a route in the call routing application, with a WEBRTC filter, and include a WhatsApp destination type.
From your WebRTC application, make an application call to the CALL_ROUTING application.
NOTE
You must get the end user's call permission separately.
The webRTC call to CALL_ROUTING does not include any information related to the WhatsApp sender or WhatsApp end user's MSISDN to be used on the outbound WhatsApp call. This means that you will need to either hardcode these values in the WhatsApp destination in the route or use a URL destination type for a more flexible implementation. A simpler approach might be to develop your voice application based on Calls API to drive the whole scenario (see the Build your own voice inbound scenario below).
Scenario
Description
Your custom voice application built with the Calls API platform is triggering outbound WhatsApp calls.
Your application can implement whatever use case is needed, including bridging WhatsApp calls to WebRTC, SIP, or even other WhatsApp participants. WhatsApp calls are handled in a similar way as any other Calls API-supported endpoint type (phone, webRTC, SIP, Viber).
NOTE
You must get the end user's call permission separately.