ACS Rel 8 - Desired features

[jlshelton]

It's too late to make our requests for ACS Rel 7, since we are expecting it in 2004. But perhaps we could recommend some improvements for the following release. Here are some thoughts.

Please add your own. Maybe Avaya will notice and listen.

We'd like improvements in:

* The User features
* The System features
* The Control Unit Hardware
* The phones
* documentation and other


For example:


USER FEATURES:
- Scrollable list of System Speed Dial numbers (perhaps with index) on display phones
(Competition: Merlin Magix has this feature)

- Directory of Last Number Dialed, for finding "previous" last numbers dialed
(Competition: GE cheap 4-line KSUless phones have this feature)

- Light to indicate which line will be selected when user goes off hook.
(Competition: Merlin, all series)

- Ability to program a button (with light) that monitors another extension's Voice Mail - if light lit, you press the button to login to the other person's voice mail. Useful for secretary/boss scenario, and others.

SYSTEM PROGRAMMING

- Larger dial plan to support (logically) more stations and lines.
(Competition: Merlin, but we don't really want people to upgrade to Merlin just for capacity. They should move if they need the advanced features of Merlin, and they should be prepared for the major changes.)

- Remote Admin Software able to modify multiple phones at once


CONTROL UNIT CHANGES

- Add thermal sensor to cards (perhaps in power supply board) that fires alarm - like the Low Battery alarm that exists now. Good feature for Avaya to minimize warranty claims.
(Competition: Many PC servers)

- Physical support for more cards (expansion chassis?) or more dense boards for lines/stations)
(Competition: Partner II)


TELEPHONE CHANGES

- Dedicated headset jack (2.5mm) with dedicated button
(Competition: Cheap GE, AT&T KSUless business phones, your cell phone, every cordless home phone, etc.)

- Adjustable side-tone to prevent complaints that "I can hear my own voice too loudly." Perhaps this just needs to be adjustable microphone sensitivity.

- Better button layout with more labeling space
(Competition: Merlin)

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Flexible numbering scheme for hospitality applications, and the ability to use an auto intercom button's LED to indicate message waiting for a guest mailbox.

 

[Richardkl]

All these are good suggestions, But the biggest complaint I get is, since the system will work with a standard phone why won’t it pass alone the caller ID? Get caller ID to non-system phones. This is great for portable phones. I also get request to have the phone plug into a cd player or a individual music source that would be interrupted when the phone rings

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi All,
The biggest complaint I get is the CLID not working on single line devices. Would be nice to make the phones look more like TDL (Magix) sets. A release button and headset jack is another big deal for many customers.
I hear with the density going up on cards, we may get amp connectors finally. That may force a flexible numbering plan later.
-Chris

 

[Mongo5150]

Change the damn remote admin software. Enough with uploading translations. Make it closer resemble SPM. Sheesh...

MFurrer@charter.net

 

[jlshelton]

Remote Admin
Don't go TOO far on moving Remote Admin back to SPM. Instant administration of a Station or Line is good, but SPM and WinSPM leave a lot to be desired.

Feature - repeat Wake Up Call
Offer wake up calls Once Only, Every Day, Mon-Fri, Sat-Sun instead of just Once Only. Yes, I sometimes use my Partner as back-up alarm clock.

Allow System Speed Dial to be programmable on button
Competition: Merlin. Often handy to allow many people to have a single-button programmed to a common destination, then let Sys Admin change it easily, in a single spot.

 

[mountainguy]

Adding to the Wake Up Call thread, I'd like to see the ability to program a Wake Up Button on additional sets beyond Extension 10.

 

[jlshelton]

Downloadable ringtones
Competition: cell phones, soft phones. Naturally, the ringing sound made by a phone is a matter of personal preference. The classic Merlin phones had some of the nicer tones. Being able to load a user-specified tone into individual phones would be a real treat.

 

[Mongo5150]

If nothing else...BETTER ring tones. Steal some from the legend if you have to..

ALSO, put a monitor feature into the admin software. It would be nice to see what exts are using what lines and such.

MFurrer@charter.net

 

[jinxs]

I would like to see a hardware change, the cover for the new carrier becomes tight with the cable harness attached to the circuit packs. This making it tight to close the cover, and making you say a prayer or two that you won't knock out the Processor when closing it. Redesign the cover.....AGAIN. Thank you.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hey jinxs,
Right on with the cover. They must provide clearance for the cabling.

 

[jlshelton]

Wake Up indicator Visual indication in the display that a wake-up call has been set.

 

[Mongo5150]

Set relocation would be nice. If you could steal it from Nortel...

MFurrer@charter.net

 

[creampufff]

Put the rocker switch at the bottom of the carrier, that way I don't have to get my ladder out just to reach up a few more inches. Pre-printed co/ext's stickers, that way it does'nt look so south of the border.

 

[jlshelton]

Busy Buster Allows repeated dialing of a number automatically. When BB button pressed, phone attempts to redial last number at regular interval, alerts phone user when call begins ringing.

Competition: Merlin Plus, Phone Co. Perhaps this feature is not legal anymore; cannot recall if FCC clamped down on it.

 

[jlshelton]

CallAssistant on any station

Allow Direct Station Selection (DSS) (Call Assistant CA24 or CA48) on any station port, not just 10 and 11. Competition: Merlin. No good reason not to allow this.

 

[1043]

1. Full duplexing system speakerphone.
2. The ability to turn off remote call forwarding from the remote phone.
3. A T-1 card that works like it should.

 

[jlshelton]

Ethernet-based remote admin Add a LAN port to the processor and allow web-based administration of the processor.

e-mail notification of message waiting Perhaps in conjunction with Partner Messaging, allow email notification when a message is waiting. Each station would have an associated email address. When a new message arrives, email is sent "Message waiting at station xx". Clearly, this requires either a LAN port on the processor, or use of the LAN port on the Partner Messaging module.

LAN-based SMTP logging Ability to view SMTP log via LAN (perhaps as a web page). Ability to transmit SMTP data via LAN to a server.

 

[jinxs]

I as well would like to see the ability to convert the system translations to match a later processor, such as, I have a R3 ACS, the processor has 3 bad ports, the cust has 100 system speed dials, and I don't feel like re-programming all of them. Yet, it is hard to come by R3 processors anymore to do a restore from the flash card. Just like the Legend, I would like to back-up to a file and convert, and upload.

 

[1043]

How about voicemail coverage to calling groups.