Norstar Voice Mail and Direct Inward Dial (DID)
Original ITAS Tip 055
Norstar Voice Mail was introduced to market in June 1995 and is compatible with DR5 or greater software, (eg. Modular DR5 and Modular ICS). The Modular DR5 must be a minimum of 11.7 software, (SP:30MVL07).
One of the key enhancements over StarTalk is Norstar Voice Mail's capability of answering more than one DID call at a time with Automated Attendant. For this feature to work, Norstar Voice Mail must be connected to a Modular ICS.
Application
A customer purchases a bank of DID numbers and publishes a main number, (eg. 555-1234), within the DID bank. The customer wants multiple calls, (limited by the number of physical DID trunks), to 555-1234 to be answered by the Automated Attendant.
DID directly to a Voice Mailbox.
Both Norstar Voice Mail and the Norstar system must be programmed in the following configuration for the DID calls to receive the correct treatment.
Depending on the software load in the Voice Mail these applications are programmed differently.
Voice Mail Versions 1.0 – 2.20
Multiple Target Line Calls Answered by Auto Attendant
Norstar Programming
The Prime Set for the target line must be the Norstar Voice Mail DN. Note: (Feature 985 to determine the Norstar Voice Mail DN)
The Prime Set for all the DID trunks must be the Norstar Voice Mail DN. Note: (For Norstar Voice Mail 2.0 and above, skip to step 3.)
The Receive Digits for the target line must match the Norstar Voice Mail DN. Note: (To change the Norstar Voice Mail DN from default to the DID number, review the Individual DNs in the Norstar-PLUS Modular ICS Installer Guide.)
Note: The target line DN Length of the Norstar system, the Norstar Voice Mail and the DID numbers sent from the Central Office must match. In Norstar Voice Mail 1.0 – 2.20 only ONE target line may be answered by the auto attendant and be able to receive multiple calls.
Norstar Voice Mail Programming
The Automated Attendant must be programmed to answer the target line associated with the published number.
There must be no mailbox with the same number as the Norstar Voice Mail DN.
Answer Lines must be set to "N" for all DID Trunks.
Example
ABC Company has a Norstar system with Norstar Voice Mail Model 4. They have purchased a bank of 25 DID numbers and 4 DID trunks from the Central Office. Their main number is 555-1234. They want all calls to 555-1234 to be answered by Automated Attendant with the capability of 4 calls at a time be answered immediately. The receive digits for this DID number are 234.
Norstar Programming
Program a target line, (eg. 121), for receive digits 234.
Program the prime set for the target line 121 for 234.
Change the DN for Norstar Voice Mail to 234.
Program the prime set for the DID trunks for 234.
Note: (For Norstar Voice Mail 2.0 and above program the prime set for the DID trunks for "NONE".)
Norstar Voice Mail Programming
Program the Automated Attendant to answer target line 121.
Ensure there is no mailbox number 234.
Note: For this application to operate properly, all the above conditions must be met.
DID Directly to a Mailbox is not supported in these releases
Norstar Voice Mail Versions 3.0.10a – higher
Multiple Target Line Calls Answered by Auto Attendant Norstar Programming
The Prime Set for the target line must be the Norstar Voice Mail DN.
Note: (Feature 985 to determine the Norstar Voice Mail DN)
The Prime Set for all the DID trunks must be the Norstar Voice Mail DN.
Norstar Voice Mail Programming
The Automated Attendant must be programmed to answer the target line associated with the published number.
There must be no mailbox with the same number as the Norstar Voice Mail DN.
Answer Lines must be set to "N" for all DID Trunks.
Note: The target line received digits do NOT have to match the mailbox in Voice Mail 3.0 or higher. In Norstar Voice Mail 3.0 and higher multiple target lines may be answered by the auto attendant and be able to receive multiple calls.
DID Directly to a Mailbox
In order to make these scenarios work there are several programming steps that need to be done beforehand.
There are two ways to accomplish this.
Without Fax Package
Norstar Programming
Make the Prime Set for the DID or E & M trunk the voice mail DN. DO NOT make a target line for the desired mailbox. Note: (Feature 985 to determine the Norstar Voice Mail DN)
Norstar Voice Mail Programming
Build a voice mailbox with assigned extension being the received digits for the DID. Note: The digits being sent for the DID have to be in the assigned extension field in the mailbox programming in order to make this work.
With Fax Package Norstar Programming
The Prime Set for the target line must be the Norstar Voice Mail DN. Note: (Feature 985 to determine the Norstar Voice Mail DN)
The Prime Set for all the DID or E & M trunks must be set to None.
Norstar Voice Mail Programming
In the desired mailbox program the target line number in the fax line field.
DO NOT assign the target line to any telephones.
Note: If DID directly to Info Mailbox is desired: This cannot be accomplished to a traditional information mailbox however there is a workaround. Simply do DID to the Guest Mailbox and then use the alternate greeting with accept messages set to NO. The only drawback to this is that at the beginning of the greeting in the mailbox their will always be a chime to let the caller know the alternate greeting is playing.