Call origination is a telecommunications term and generally refers to an inbound call or to the party making a call (the “call originator”).
Call origination is the opposite side of call termination, and includes the activities related to the call set-up, switching and connection. It is important for a call center to understand the meaning of the term call origination as telecom carrier rate sheets often are priced based on call origination and termination. The use of these terms can get confusing in rate sheets, so let’s dig in a bit.
The “originating party” of a call is the caller — the party that placed the call.
Telecom rate sheets generally refer to inbound calls as “origination” services. So, when a call center is shopping for telco pricing for inbound calls (calls coming into the call center), look for the pricing that refers to “receive calls” or “origination services”.
For example, here’s what Twilio charges for call origination services.
| Number Type | Price per Minute |
|---|---|
| Local | $ 0.0034 |
| Toll Free | $ 0.0130 |
Call centers often set up relationships with multiple carriers for call origination services in conjunction with least cost routing.