Retell + Sympana + GoHighLevel: outbound call creates web_call + error_user_not_joined (no PSTN ring) — phone mapping issue?

Support Help
1

Hi Retell team — I’m integrating a Retell outbound agent with GoHighLevel via the Sympana connector. My GHL workflow “Place Call” step executes, but I never receive a phone call. In Retell call logs, every attempt shows call type = web_call and fails with error_user_not_joined (no PSTN ring).

Key details:

  • Retell agent is published and works in Retell testing.

  • Not on trial, outbound number selected in Sympana connection (+1…).

  • GHL contact has a valid phone (+1…).

  • In Retell call detail → Dynamic Variables, I see:

    • contact_phone: (503) 830-8394 (formatted)

    • phone: +15038308394 (E.164)

  • Sympana “Global Variables” includes “Phone number*” but it’s not configurable — I can’t choose which contact phone field/value it maps to.

Questions:

  1. Why would an outbound call request end up as a web_call instead of a PSTN phone call?

  2. Does Retell require the destination number to be passed in a specific variable name/format for PSTN (e.g., E.164 only)?

  3. Is there a way to force Sympana/Retell to use the E.164 phone value rather than the formatted contact_phone value?

  4. Any known issue with Sympana + GHL “Place Call” creating web_call sessions instead of PSTN calls?

Happy to share call IDs / logs if helpful. Thanks!

Make an Outbound Call... does nothing
2

To create an outbound PSTN phone call with Retell AI, you must use the Create Phone Call API endpoint with specific required parameters(1).

Why Your Calls Are Appearing as web_call

The call type shows as web_call instead of phone_call because the Create Phone Call API is not being invoked correctly(1). For PSTN outbound calls, the API requires:

  • from_number: Your Retell number in E.164 format (must be purchased from or imported to Retell)(1)
  • to_number: The destination number in E.164 format(1)

When these parameters are properly set, the response will show "call_type": "phone_call"(1).

Required Number Format

Retell requires the destination number (to_number) to be in E.164 format(1)(2). E.164 format means:

  • Country code prefixed with +
  • No spaces or special characters
  • Example: "+12137774445"(1)

Your formatted number (503) 830-8394 will not work—only the E.164 version +15038308394 is valid(1).

Creating Outbound Calls

Here’s the correct API call structure:

import Retell from 'retell-sdk';

const client = new Retell({
 apiKey: 'YOUR_RETELL_API_KEY',
});

const phoneCallResponse = await client.call.createPhoneCall({
 from_number: '+14157774444',
 to_number: '+12137774445',
});

console.log(phoneCallResponse.agent_id);

(1)

The from_number must be a number purchased from Retell or imported to Retell(1)(2). If using a number purchased from Retell, only US numbers are supported as destinations(1).

error_user_not_joined Disconnection

The error_user_not_joined disconnection reason indicates the user did not join the call session(1). This typically occurs with web_call types when the web client doesn’t establish the connection—not with properly configured PSTN phone calls.

Sympana Integration Issue

Based on the available Retell AI documentation, I don’t have specific information about Sympana connector configuration or how it maps GoHighLevel variables to Retell API parameters. However, the core issue is clear: the integration must call the Create Phone Call API with from_number and to_number in E.164 format to generate PSTN calls(1).

The fact that you see both contact_phone: (503) 830-8394 and phone: +15038308394 in dynamic variables suggests these are being passed as metadata or dynamic variables rather than as the required to_number parameter(1).

Recommended Next Steps

  1. Verify the Sympana connector is calling the Create Phone Call API endpoint (POST /v2/create-phone-call)(1)
  2. Ensure to_number is set to the E.164 value (+15038308394), not the formatted version(1)
  3. Confirm from_number is set to your Retell-owned number in E.164 format(1)
  4. Check that your override_agent_id parameter is correctly set if needed(1)

You can test outbound calls directly from the Retell dashboard by clicking “Make an outbound call” and entering the phone number with country code to verify your agent and number configuration work correctly(2).

If the Sympana connector doesn’t allow you to control these specific API parameters, you may need to contact Sympana support to ensure their integration properly maps to Retell’s Create Phone Call API requirements.