Auto Attendant only answers one call at a time

[noconviction]

I've just inherited the phones as my responsibility now that this problem has showed up. We have a Merlin Legend release 3.0 with Audix voice mail. Also it has the Integrated Solutions Call Accounting Software. We use a specific number for our "backdoor" that is answered by our Auto attendant. This is for anyone wishing to bypass the switchboard. It is also for employees to remotely pick up their voice mail. The auto attendant answers and says enter an extension or go to a directory of employees.Our main number is picked up by our operator. When the system is put on "Night" the auto attendant answers all calls with a message that it is after hours and we are closed and instructs to dial an extension or go to a directory.

We have discovered that the auto attendant will only answer one call at a time - subsequent calls to the backdoor during the day or our main number at night simply ring indefintely. I know the system is ancient and the software is unsupported. Our vendor simply responds "upgrade".

Now this is also very imoortant - the call accounting software was supposed to have been turned off but somehow the /cas file became full. This it seems is when this problem began. I have been able to clear out records in the file and now we do not get error messages on the screen.

Can anybody help me. Sorry for the verbose posting. I beleive it is just a setting that needs to be reset in the system and I hate to have to buy a new equipment or software at this time. Also - any response should be dumbed down as much as possible.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Is the "backdoor" number a DID or a copper POTS line?

If it is a POTS line, it could be hunting to a line that is not connected to the Legend, or it could be hunting to a line that is not programmed to by answered by the Auto Attendant.

 

[noconviction]

I think it must be a POTS line. Pardon my ignorance but can you direct me as to where I can determine that for certain and further how to check for the hunt group? As I said in my first post - I really need the answers dumbed down as I'm really not familiar with all this.

I appreciate any help I can get.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Do you know how many voice mail ports your Audix system has? The number of ports determines how many simultaneous voice mail transactions the system can handle. Usually the minimum is 2 ports and goes up from there. It is possible that one of your port cards has gone "bad". Or one of the ports on the port card has gone "bad". You may have one or more than one port card. You can tell by looking at the back of the Audix unit - where the lines from the phone system plug in.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[noconviction]

There are 4 phone lines coming into the back of the PC. 2 are going into a card that appears to be audio - so I assume that is music on hold and paging. Then there are 2 lines going into seperate adaptors on the back. One appears to be com port (9 pin) the other seems to be going onto a 25 pin device. They are above and below each other. I looked at the system menus and see reference to 2 rs232 ports. I believe there are 6 voice mail ports.

 

[tdaugirdas]

Well, check the RJ11 type lines going back to the phone system. They would typically go back to an 012 Basic Telephone Module or an 016 Basic Telephone module. If there are 4 spots they plug into at the phone system - then you have 4 ports on the voice mail. If they plug into 6 ports on the phone system - then you have a 6-port voice mail. If it is only 2-ports - then you have a 2-port system - which would be easily overwhelmed - and explain why only 1 or at best 2 lines can be answered simultaneously.

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[noconviction]

The 012 module ahs two banks of rj11 jacks. The upper bank has 4 jacks two of which are plugged into. The lower bank has 8 rj11 jacks 6 of which are used.

 

[tdaugirdas]

But how many of the ports from the 012's run back to the Audix?

Tom Daugirdas,
President
STCG, Inc.
stcg.com

 

[phonesrus]

I hate to state the obvious, but if it is a pots line and has no hunt lines under it from the carrier, then it will only allow 1 call at a time. Or possibly it is the last line in the hunt and it is a linear hunt???

 

[TouchToneTommy]

subsequent calls to the backdoor during the day or our main number at night simply ring indefintely"

If I'm reading this statement correctly, you're saying that the 2nd simultaneous call to the backdoor number does not get a busy signal, but instead rings and rings and rings forever?

That would tell me that whatever the backdoor number hunts to is not connected to the system, or is not programmed to go to the voice mail.

And Tom, to simplify your questions about how many ports of the Audix are connected, why not have a bunch of people go off hook at the same time, dial the voice mail calling group, and see how many get answered by Audix Audrey, and how many get ring-beep?

 

[phonesrus]

Yep, your right TTT. That what I get for answering a question after a 13 hour day following a 19 hour day.

 

[noconviction]

I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you all about this. My father died.

There are six voicemail ports. As TTT suggested I had a number of users dial voicemail.

Thank you all for your patient assistance.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Sorry for your loss. I know words don't come close.

As to your VM problem, have you been able to determine "what" the backdoor number is? And what it "hunts" to when it is busy?

 

[noconviction]

I know what the backdoor number is. How do I determine what numbers it hunts to though?

 

[SYQUEST]

If your backdoor number is Pots line, then you might check with the customer to see if they know or have a CSR for their phone service that shows what lines hunt.

Otherwise you could call repair service and open a ticket or do additional testing by calling the backdoor number from itself and go looking for a ringing line on the Demarc with your Test Set. Once you find it, you can trace the jumper to see what it is connected with, and go from there.

Hope this helps!

....JIM....