Every so often I want to add some new functionality in a live Lync system, and it needs to be tested before it goes live.
My normal approach to this is to add routing for a fake country code to get the call to the relevant gateway, then change the number back to something genuine in the gateway before dropping it to the Carrier.
Country code “83” is one of the few 2-digit codes that’s spare, and it’s the one I normally use. (You can find the codes in use here).
Another option that you might be able to squeeze in underneath the existing voice policies is to use a “fake” area code – one that you know doesn’t exist.
Just hand-normalise the number into whatever format you want – making sure your policy allows calls to that country or area – then test away. :-)
In most usual test scenarios I just key +83 instead of Australia’s +61, then add the rest of the digits as I would normally. When the call gets to (in this case my NET VX Gateway) I have a rule for “\+83{+}” that changes the dialled number back to “+61\1”, and it then takes my special path.