Understand the three technical layers
An AI phone agent consists of speech-to-text (STT), a language model with a knowledge base (RAG), and text-to-speech (TTS) – each layer can in theory be swapped independently of the others.
Practical guide
AI agents and telephony: a technical integration guide
For those who want to understand the technical side: this guide covers how an AI receptionist actually connects to telephony, calendars and other systems.
05 stepsA sequence to use before and after launch
The sequence
Work through the important decisions
Keep the scope narrow, test with real questions and expand when the workflow is reliable.
Connect telephony via SIP or an API
Most AI phone agents connect to existing telephony via a SIP trunk or a vendor-specific API, often without needing to change telephony provider.
Connect the calendar via an OAuth integration
Calendar integrations (Google Calendar, Outlook) usually happen via a secure OAuth connection that gives the AI read and write access to availability.
Use webhooks to pass data onward
When a call or booking ends, a webhook can pass the information on to your CRM or an email notification in real time.
Review the call flow before connecting a live number
Review calls, replies and any handoff with the provider before connecting a live phone number.
Review before launch
Common pitfalls
- 01Connecting a live phone number before reviewing the workflow with the provider.
- 02Not having a clear error-handling plan if an integration (for example the calendar) temporarily goes down.
- 03Underestimating how long an OAuth approval process can take with certain calendar providers.