Codecs & Music On Hold 2

[hunterdw]

Howdy--

One of my remote campuses has an up-banwidth limitation. In response, I've added QoS and a CCM region for them and they are using the G.729 codec between locations.

If I call them DN-to-DN, and they put me on hold, I get the normal Music On Hold that I would expect.

If I call from the outside PSTN, passing through their 1760V router using "plar opx" to a receptionist DN, and they put me on hold, I get a "beep beep beep" type of message over and over again. Not a fast busy. It's a 3-tone message that that has a higher-frequency each successive ring.

On the offending systems router, I have my voice class codec setup as

voice class codec 99
codec preference 1 g711ulaw
codec preference 2 g729br8
codec preference 3 g729r8

I've tried every combination of above and cannot solve it.

I've put them all individually, changed order, changed preference order, etc.

The solution I have is to change back to using the G.711 codec in the regions, but that causes bandwidth issues with successive calls

QoS is setup as below:

class-map match-any RTP
match ip dscp ef
match ip precedence 5
class-map match-any Control
match ip dscp af31
match ip dscp cs3
match ip precedence 3

policy-map LC-Voice
class RTP
priority percent 33
class Control
bandwidth percent 5
class class-default
fair-queue

(config)int eth0/0
(config-if)service-policy output LC-Voice

Any thoughts?

--DW

 

[jerake75]

Have you set a Network Music On Hold source for your gateways/device pools in CallManager? If not, you'll get that "beep-beep-beep" (called tone on hold). It's an easy thing to try, won't hurt anything.

Also, are these H.323 gateways or MGCP (I'm guessing they're MGCP)? And what CCM version are you running?

TMH

 

[pndscm]

Make sure that in your Media Resouce Group List for the remote region that you have an MOH source. Also I've had to play around with the MOH resources Device Pool settings. If you put it in the Default Device Pool it should be available to all devices I think.

 

[hunterdw]

Jerake75--

I don't have the option for Network MOH source in my gateway lists.

I *do* have that set correctly in my device pools.

These are all H323 Gateways

CCM 4.1(3)

 

[hunterdw]

pndscm--

I don't use Media Resource Groups. I have files installed. I don't use servers, CFB, MOH or MTP.

I've been on this AVVID install for 3 years.... starting with CCM 3.1 and migrating through the releases all the way to 4.1(3).

It is only an issue when using G.729 between Regions.

 

[jerake75]

No Media Resource Groups...or CFB, MOH or MTP's...wow. I've also started with 3.1 and am now at 4.1.3, and I've *always* had CFB-MOH-MTP's. It really does help segregate and load balance conferencing/MOH resources.

So you have the files on the TFTP server, but nothing set up for MOH in the CCM? Am I understanding this right?

TMH

 

[jerake75]

Something I found on TAC case collection:

"There are several reasons for Cisco CallManager to play Tone on Hold (ToH) to an endpoint that has been configured for Music on Hold (MoH):

One reason is a mismatch between the codec configuration used by the MoH server and the region in which the endpoint is registered. For example, the MoH server advertised only a capability of G.711 mu-law. If an endpoint is in another region enforcing the G.729 codec, the Cisco CallManager chooses ToH because a stream cannot be played to this endpoint.

If location-based connection admission control is being used and there is no bandwidth available, then Cisco CallManager sends ToH rather than MoH.

If there are no available audio streams, it is because the MoH server has a finite number of unicast streams it can generate. Exceeding this limit causes Cisco CallManager to play ToH."

If you think it's an issue with the codecs, then I would suggest looking at Cisco's setup for voice calls using G.729 and MOH using G.711:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products...s_configuration_example09186a00803f8950.shtml

TMH

 

[pndscm]

Yep, around 5 years and 3.1 to 4.1.3, me too. I think there is a setting in one of the Services, possible IP Media Streaming where you can choose to use both G.729 and G.711 for MOH. I'm not in front of the system so I can't say for sure where it is.
I'm curious as to how you provide MOH to the phones without an MOH server. I thought CCM installed an MOH server on the CCM automatically.

 

[jerake75]

pndscm -

You're right, that option is under Service Parameters for the servers running IP Voice Media Streaming App. There's a box at the bottom where you hold down ctrl and select supported MOH codecs.

TMH

 

[hunterdw]

My MOH just comes via TFTP... I utilized the method of encoding files (mp3) and then dropping them into the "hot folder" that is found at C:\Program Files\Cisco\MOH\DropMOHAudioSourceFilesHere

They are then taken and processed into files utilized as audio sources.

I have no entries under Media Resource Groups.

 

[hunterdw]

I stand corrected. I've misunderstood your conversations.

I *do* have a MoH Server... my Publisher...

I don't have "Media Resource Groups"

I'll attempt the link that jerake75 suggested and report back.

I just added the codecs in my IP Voice Media Streaming App, and that didn't fix it. Well, sort of. It took away the annoying beeps, but now it's silent.

That's better, but still not fixed.

I'll report back.

--DW

 

[hunterdw]

Problem resolved.

1) Adding the codecs to IP Voice Media Streaming App fixed the beeping.

2) The cisco link above - separate regions for the MoH Server - fixed the silence.

All back to normal.

Stars for you both. Thanks!

--DW

 

[jerake75]

Excellent! Glad you got it working again. MOH can be frustrating, to say the least.

TMH

 

[pndscm]

Interesting. I'm setting up a customer with 25 locations and have no issues using G729 for MOH other than a little quality degradation.
Glad it's working.

 

[hunterdw]

We have 7 locations.

What bandwidth between locations do you have with your customer?

Are you actually using media resource groups? Remember, I'm not. I'm just dropping encoded files.

We don't have circuits. We're using DSL or Cable.

I appreciate your help. THis was a royal pain in my arse

 

[pndscm]

We have anywhere from 128kb to 768k FR circuits head ended by several T-1's at the Main site.
I always use MRG's. MRG's actually have little to do with MOH other than providing access to the resource which if the resource is left in the Default DP, any device has access to it anyway. You more use MRG 's to limit access to resources than to permit access. Certain groups of phones can be limited to not access conference resources so a Lobby phone can't initiate a Conference Call, etc.
Good luck on DSL and Cable. May your providers never get a DoS attack when the CEO is calling across.

 

[hunterdw]

I handle permissions with Partitions and CSS.

My lobby phones are in a CSS that only allows them to call 911 and "local" calls.

I totally understand DSL & Cable and am not happy about it.

We're actually a Church. We're probably in the top 15 largest Churches in the States. Three of our campuses are connected via 100meg provisioned fibre (ethernet handoff) - they sit on OC12 rings. 4 of our campuses, the ones with issues of course, are using "business class" DSL or Cable. As if "business class" actually means anything...

We're looking to move toward circuits, just being cost prohibitive at the moment for the bandwidth needs we have.

We actually have a business need to dump a DVD image (3gigs), multicast, from our central campus to remote campuses on the weekends. That's why we're using Cable/DSL for the cheap/fast DOWNbandwidth needs we have.

The fibre locations are broadcast locations. We have a satellite earth station at one location and use Fibre to send an MPEG encode across the line to the sat equipment.

I hope in 6 months or less we'll have a bonded T solution, or a better fibre solution to our remote campuses. I already have a fibre build in process at our Phoenix location, so that's good...

--DW