> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.vocobase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Exotel Setup
> Configure Exotel for outbound voice calls
# Exotel Setup
Connect your Exotel account to make outbound calls through the Vocobase platform. Exotel is popular in India and supports local and toll-free numbers.
Exotel telephony must be enabled for your partner account by the Vocobase team before you can configure it. Check your `allowed_telephony_providers` in the [config endpoint](/authentication) to verify.
## Prerequisites
* A Vocobase account with **approved partner status**
* Exotel enabled in your `allowed_telephony_providers`
* An [Exotel](https://exotel.com) account with:
* Account SID
* API Key and API Token
* A configured Voicebot applet
* At least one caller ID (phone number)
## Get your Exotel credentials
1. Log in to the [Exotel Dashboard](https://my.exotel.com)
2. Navigate to **Settings > API Settings**
3. Note your **Account SID**, **API Key**, and **API Token**
4. Note your **Subdomain** (e.g., `api.exotel.com` or your custom subdomain)
5. Navigate to **Phone Numbers** and note your **Caller ID** (the number calls will originate from)
6. Navigate to **App Bazaar > Voicebot** and note your **Applet ID**
## Configure via API
This endpoint updates your default Exotel connection. To create multiple named Exotel connections, use `POST /api/v2/telephony/connections` and store the returned `connection_id`.
```bash cURL theme={null}
curl -X PUT https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/config/telephony/exotel \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"account_sid": "your_exotel_sid",
"api_key": "your_api_key",
"api_token": "your_api_token",
"subdomain": "api.exotel.com",
"caller_id": "+919876543210",
"applet_id": "your_applet_id"
}'
```
```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
const response = await fetch("https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/config/telephony/exotel", {
method: "PUT",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
account_sid: "your_exotel_sid",
api_key: "your_api_key",
api_token: "your_api_token",
subdomain: "api.exotel.com",
caller_id: "+919876543210",
applet_id: "your_applet_id",
}),
});
```
```python Python theme={null}
import requests
response = requests.put(
"https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/config/telephony/exotel",
headers={
"Authorization": "Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
json={
"account_sid": "your_exotel_sid",
"api_key": "your_api_key",
"api_token": "your_api_token",
"subdomain": "api.exotel.com",
"caller_id": "+919876543210",
"applet_id": "your_applet_id",
},
)
```
| Field | Required | Description |
| ------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `account_sid` | Yes | Your Exotel Account SID |
| `api_key` | Yes | API Key from Exotel dashboard |
| `api_token` | Yes | API Token from Exotel dashboard |
| `subdomain` | Yes | API subdomain (e.g., `api.exotel.com` or your cluster subdomain) |
| `caller_id` | Yes | Phone number to display on outbound calls |
| `applet_id` | Yes | Voicebot applet ID from Exotel App Bazaar |
Credentials are encrypted at rest and never returned in API responses. Store them securely — you'll need them again if you update the configuration.
## Verify configuration
After saving, confirm Exotel is configured by checking your partner config:
```bash theme={null}
curl -X GET https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/config \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012"
```
The response will include:
```json theme={null}
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"allowed_telephony_providers": ["exotel"],
"telephony": {
"exotel": {
"configured": true,
"allowed": true,
"account_sid": "your_exotel_sid",
"subdomain": "api.exotel.com",
"caller_id": "+919876543210",
"applet_id": "your_applet_id"
}
}
}
}
```
## Make a test call
Once configured, initiate an outbound call with `provider: "exotel"`. If your partner account has multiple active Exotel connections, include `connection_id`.
```bash cURL theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/calls/start \
-H "Authorization: Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"agent_id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
"to_number": "+919876543210",
"provider": "exotel",
"connection_id": "9b7f1c44-c87f-4f0c-9124-3c802a9c1a20"
}'
```
```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
const response = await fetch("https://api.vocobase.com/api/v2/calls/start", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer rg_live_abc123def456ghi789jkl012",
"Content-Type": "application/json",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
agent_id: "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
to_number: "+919876543210",
provider: "exotel",
connection_id: "9b7f1c44-c87f-4f0c-9124-3c802a9c1a20",
}),
});
```
```json theme={null}
{
"success": true,
"data": {
"call_id": "c1234567-abcd-1234-abcd-123456789012",
"session_id": "s1234567-abcd-1234-abcd-123456789012",
"status": "pending",
"provider": "exotel",
"connection_id": "9b7f1c44-c87f-4f0c-9124-3c802a9c1a20",
"from_number": "+919876543210",
"to_number": "+919876543210",
"agent_id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890"
}
}
```
Passing only `"provider": "exotel"` remains valid while there is exactly one active Exotel connection.
## How Exotel calls work
1. Vocobase calls the Exotel Connect API to initiate the call
2. Exotel dials the customer using your caller ID
3. When the customer answers, Exotel triggers your configured Voicebot applet
4. The applet connects to the Vocobase voice agent via WebSocket
5. The agent handles the conversation in real time
6. When the call ends, a webhook fires with the transcript and duration
## Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
| ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "Exotel not configured" error | Ensure all 6 fields are set: account\_sid, api\_key, api\_token, subdomain, caller\_id, applet\_id |
| `CONNECTION_AMBIGUOUS` error | Call `GET /api/v2/telephony/connections?provider=exotel` and pass the desired `connection_id` in `POST /api/v2/calls/start`. |
| "Provider not allowed" (403) | Contact Vocobase to enable Exotel for your partner account |
| Calls fail to connect | Verify credentials in the Exotel dashboard. Check that the applet is active. |
| Wrong caller ID displayed | Update the `caller_id` field with the correct E.164 number |
| API token expired | Exotel API tokens may expire. Generate a new one and update via the API. |
## Next steps
Create and manage multiple named connections.
Configure Twilio as an alternative provider.
Understand how calls consume credits.