DID Programming - I have more numbers but I can't use them.

[jag62470]

Here is my Dial Plan:

A Dial Plan Routing Table

A Entry Number: 0 1 2 3
A NtwkServ: Any service Any service Any service Any service
A Expected Digits: 4 4 4 4
A Pattern to Match: 8790 9870 8031 7703
A Digits to Delete: 4 4 4 4
A Digits to Add: 100 152 141 160

A Entry Number: 4 5 6 7
A NtwkServ: Any service Any service Any service Any service
A Expected Digits: 4 4 4 4
A Pattern to Match: 7704 7705 7706 7707
A Digits to Delete: 4 4 4 4
A Digits to Add: 167 122 121 154

A Entry Number: 8 9 10 11
A NtwkServ: Any service Any service Any service Any service
A Expected Digits: 4 4 4 4
A Pattern to Match: 7708 7709 7701 7702
A Digits to Delete: 4 4 4 4
A Digits to Add: 155 130 101 102

A Entry Number: 12 13 14 15
A NtwkServ: Any service Any service Any service Any service
A Expected Digits: 4 4 4 4
A Pattern to Match: 7700 7710 7719 7711
A Digits to Delete: 4 4 4 4
A Digits to Add: 202 109 503 113

Ok. 8790, 8031, and 9870 are our main numbers that cannot change. We own DID numbers 7700-7719 but cannot seem to use all of them the way that I have this programmed. Can someone give me some advice to better program this? Our extensions are all three digit and I might be able to change them in order to get the DID numbers working properly.

I also have three more fax machines that I need to add (if possible). They are 1541, 3710, and 8956.

Please help!

Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[merlinman]

Jacob, You are using up all of your PRI routing tables to map calls to your extensions in the 100 to 1xx range in an ILLOGICAL manner.

It's time you bite the bullet and change your extensions to match your PRI's D-I-D range, thus freeing up several Tables.

(i.e. D-I-D 7700 = EXT 7700)

Post your ENTIRE D-I-D range, and the other numbers you have, and better programming suggestions can be provided.

 

[telecomtekperson]

Are the faxes going through the PRI as well? I would definitely change your dial plan to 4 digits to match the DID bank you have. then you wont need to "manipulate" those digits anymore.

 

[jag62470]

Yeah, I know. The system was setup by someone else and I've inherited the mess.

We own DID's 7700 - 7719. We have over 100 extensions but only have 20 DID #'s.

Yes, the fax numbers are being ported to the PRI.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

Well, you definitely need to exchange your DIDs for other ones. You are probably going to also want to renumber your extensions also depending on the function and structure of the current organization. If you have a better DID range, things are much easier. For example we have a DID range of 999-2300 through 999-2399. In just a single table entry, our system is configured to receive four digits, drop one digit (leaving 3xx). Thus all the extensions in our building are 3 digits and start with a 3 (300 through 399). It's not that big of a deal to get a different block of DIDs. You just have to find a block of enough available consecutive numbers.
If you are worried about your main numbers, just keep those DIDs also. We moved buildings about a year ago, and for an interim period of a year, I still have our old main number DIDs routing to our current Auto Attendant. I think the extra DIDs in our area are only like 30 cents each a month. So at the moment, any of our past three main numbers will get you to our main menu auto attendant. Then as far as personal extensions go, the new DIDs work fine. Also just remember you don't need to have every extension accessible by DID if you have an auto attendant. The auto attendant can be set up with either a selector code item, or it can be used to allow the caller to enter the extension number they are trying to reach.

 

[Danny28]

(Add the fact that our table looks for the pattern '23' in case that wasn't obvious)

 

[jag62470]

We are also configured to receive 4 digits. Is it possible to receive some of the numbers, drop the first digit, and transfer the call to the extension with the last three digits and then manually configure others that cannot change?

I don't know if that statement makes sense.

For example: the 7700, 7719, 8031, 1541, 3710, and 8956 extensions are either fax machines or adjunct voicemail boxes. I can change those extensions, in theory, to match the last three digits of the number. I just don't know how to program that in the system properly.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[TouchToneTommy]

You just have the 16 routing tables, without wild charcters. So you really shoud renumber extensions to match the incoming numbers.

Remember that you must also avoid conflicts with other system numbers.

8031 will clash with trunk number 803

If you go to 3 digits, then 8031 conflicts with 0-Operator, 8956 conflicts with 9 for ARS.

Who is your provider? How flexible are they?

I've worked with some great CLEC's that will send me the DID digits, but then convert the problem numbers to something else so I can create matching extensions.

 

[jag62470]

Our provider is USLEC. We are new to using DID numbers so I'm not sure how flexible they are.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

Yes Jag. That's how ours is set up.
Set a table entry
-Any Service
-Expected Digits 4
-Pattern to Match (depends)
(We have DIDs xxx-2300 through xxx-2399 so our expected pattern is 23)
-Digits to Delete 1 (removes the first one)
-Digits to Add (Blank)






"We are also configured to receive 4 digits. Is it possible to receive some of the numbers, drop the first digit, and transfer the call to the extension with the last three digits and then manually configure others that cannot change?

I don't know if that statement makes sense.
"


Set a table entry
-Any Service
-Expected Digits 4
-Pattern to Match (depends)
(We have DIDs xxx-2300 through xxx-2399 so our expected pattern is 23)
-Digits to Delete 1 (removes the first one)
-Digits to Add (Blank)

 

[jag62470]

Can I also program specific extensions and DID's with that method?


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

Yes. You would just program in up to 14 other entries to handle the other numbers. So say in my case I want my xxx-2301 number to not actually go to extension 301 but to a calling group 779 I have of receptionists. I would create another entry like this:
-Any Service
-Expected Digits - 4
-Pattern to Match - 2301
-Digits to Delete - 4 (removes all of the 2301)
-Digits to Add - 779
This more specific pattern match of 2301 overrides the less specific pattern match of just 23 from my first table entry.

 

[jag62470]

Thanks Danny,

I really appreciate your help. I'm going to give that a try.

Does it matter what order they are programmed in the tables?


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

No the order does not matter (otherwise this would be a huge P.I.T.A if you ever had to make modifications)

 

[jag62470]

Hey Danny,

I thought I would try this out and renumber one of my extensions to 700 and see if it works. For some reason I cannot renumber to 700-709. I can renumber to 710-719. Can you think of a problem that would prevent that. I don't have any adjuncts or group calling numbers with those numbers.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

Yes. 700 numbers are reserved in the system. You cannot use them as extensions. You would use them for groups and things of that nature. There are others as well such as TouchToneTommy discussed a little earlier.

 

[jag62470]

Well, that stinks. I guess just having that DID range is my problem. I've contacted my rep at US Lec to see if they can give me something a little better.

Thank you Danny and everyone else for helping me to understand what is going on. I truly appreciate your help.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org

 

[Danny28]

Yes you really need to exchange your DIDs.
But like I said, keep the ones for your main number(s) so you can gradually phase them out. Also, knowing what numbers are reserved for system purposes, you will be better able to pick a consecutive DID range appropriate for Magix. Later when you have your new DIDs, you already know how to set up your routing entries!

Also depending on your set up and org, you might not even want people to use DIDs to reach various extensions. In my facility, I don't even tell them how to get dialed directly except for executives (even though its easy to figure out). I prefer to have employees tell externals to dial the main number and either choose a menu option or dial their extension number then. This way, all callers here our "open" and "closed" messages as appropriate. This also lets them hear the menu in case the reason for their call is different than last time. No sense in having your accounting person get every call from someone just because it was the first number they got for your building!

 

[kmefford]

You don't have to change your DID's if you don't want to. you just need to setup a different pattern. As you discovered, you can't use 7xx extensions. Instead change the extensions to something the system WILL accept. For example you could use 200-219.
(copied and modified from above)
Set a table entry
-Any Service
-Expected Digits 4
-Pattern to Match 77
-Digits to Delete 2 (removes the first 2)
-Digits to Add 2 (adds the number 2 in front of the digits received)

So... call comes to xxx-xxx-7700, the system matches the pattern of 77 then deletes the first 2 digits received and adds a 2 in its place. That makes the number 200 which the system will try to route to ext 200.

That one pattern will route 77xxx to 2xx

 

[jag62470]

Thanks kmefford. I think that solution may work as well. I don't really want to change the DID's since we already have them published and business cards printed for the various departments. If our provider can't send us different digits than the actual number then I could use the method you described. Thanks for the idea.


Thanks,

Jacob Gomez
Technical Services
Faith Assembly of God

http://www.faithassembly.org