What is RTB?

RTB stands for real-time bidding. In pay-per-call, it lets a buyer evaluate a call opportunity and return an offer—or decline—before the call is delivered to that buyer.

An offer can include a price, a destination, and conditions such as a required connected-call duration. A bid is not proof that a call was delivered, connected, or earned revenue.

Inbound and outbound RTB in Moja

“Inbound” and “outbound” describe the direction of the bid request, not the direction of the phone call.

Inbound RTB: A publisher or seller sends a call opportunity to Moja. Moja evaluates the request against the campaign’s configuration and eligible destinations, then returns a result.
Outbound RTB: Moja sends a bid request to an external buyer using an RTB formula. The buyer’s response is processed according to that formula’s configuration.

Both can be part of the same workflow: a publisher requests a bid from Moja, and Moja requests bids from downstream buyers before responding.

Inbound RTB can also use eligible static targets. It does not require every destination to run an external auction.

How a typical RTB workflow works

A call opportunity is submitted. The request contains caller information and any additional fields required by the integration, such as ZIP code or configured custom tags.
Moja evaluates eligibility. Routing rules, filters, schedules, applicable limits, and availability checks determine which destinations can participate.
Buyers are queried where configured. A standalone RTB formula can query one buyer. An RTB group can query multiple eligible formulas concurrently.
Results are evaluated. A response must produce a usable result under the configured mapping, bid rules, timeouts, and applicable expiry checks. A buyer may decline or return no usable bid.
The call is delivered separately. For inbound RTB, a successful allocation gives the publisher a destination and a delivery window. The publisher must still deliver the matching caller before that allocation expires. For a call already in Moja, routing proceeds to the selected destination.
The call outcome is recorded. Connection, duration, conversion, revenue, and publisher payout are determined by what happens on the call and the applicable configuration—not by the bid alone.

Does the highest bid always win?

Not unconditionally.

In an RTB group using highest-payout selection, the highest valid bid wins. An ineligible, timed-out, or otherwise unusable result does not win merely because its stated price is higher.

RTB groups can be configured with an active predictive routing plan. Its routing behavior depends on that configuration, so do not assume the largest raw bid alone determines the result.

A standalone RTB formula does not create competition between multiple buyers. It can still be useful when one buyer provides dynamic pricing or acceptance decisions.

How fast does RTB happen?

There is no universal 100-millisecond response time.

Processing depends on the eligible routes, buyer response times, request steps, and configured timeouts. A response must arrive within the requesting system’s deadline to remain useful.

Bid expiry and call-delivery windows are separate from request-processing time. A bid can arrive successfully but expire before the call is delivered.

See Understanding Processing Time in RTB for timing definitions and investigation guidance.

RTB versus static routing

A static target uses a configured destination and payout terms without requesting a live buyer bid. It can still use automated routing, filters, schedules, and limits.

An RTB formula requests a buyer’s decision for the current opportunity. An RTB group lets multiple formulas participate in a selection.

RTB offers dynamic acceptance and pricing; it does not guarantee a higher payout, a connection, or a profitable call.

See Understanding Targets vs RTB vs RTB Groups for the configuration comparison.

A bid is not earned revenue

Keep these stages separate:

Bid: An offer for a call opportunity.
Allocation: A destination reserved for delivery under the returned terms.
Connected call: The caller successfully reaches a destination.
Conversion and financial outcome: The call satisfies the applicable revenue or payout conditions.

Buyer revenue and publisher payout can have different amounts and conditions. Neither should be treated as interchangeable with Moja’s platform usage charges.