Group page DTMF

[curlyhex]

I have a new UCX250 install for a school with zone paging through a Bogen PCM module. (Needs DTMF tones to select the zone or do all call) Everything works great with a SIP paging interface or an ATA. However when I do a group page so the page comes through the phone speakers and external page system, the DTMF does not pass through. Any thoughts or ideas? I have not tried this with a UCX Mini yet.

 

[curlyhex]

Anyone able to help with this? I tried a mini and DTMF doesn't get passed through the page port either. Maybe I should just start selling schools on the good old reliable MICS.

 

[ucxguy]

DTMF digits are by default removed on page calls (and on conference calls). Would you want all paged destinations to play DTMF tones if the originating party intentionally or accidentally sends some digits?

 

[curlyhex]

I would definitely be ok with that on page calls, especially in a school. You hear it all the time in places like a Walmart, grocery store etc because most PBXs have a built in page port and pages are pages.

 

[curlyhex]

I may have figured out a work around for this. If I call the paging extension(analog port) and then conference in the paging group to add the phones. Can I program a button or make a speed dial that for does
301(conf)630 with 301 being the analog port and 630 being the page group.
Last question is will the page port on a mini pass DTMF tones when pages on its own?

 

[ucxguy]

If you would be okay with all page group devices playing the DTMF tone, you could try to set the NWAY_OPTIONS value to Fx. For more info, see

https://www.emetrotel.com/tsd/content/ad-hoc-conferences

A page call is just a bit special conference call - so this global option that is used for conference calls should apply to paging, too.

 

[curlyhex]

Perfect, I will give that a try today.

 

[ucxguy]

I took a look at the dialplan and it appears the NWAY_OPTIONS global variable is not used for page calls.

 

[curlyhex]

Well darn, any thoughts on this:
If I call the paging extension(analog port) and then conference in the paging group to add the phones. Can I program a button or make a speed dial that for does
301(conf)630 with 301 being the analog port and 630 being the page group.
Last question is will the page port on a mini pass DTMF tones when pages on its own?

 

[ucxguy]

I don't think you could create a programmable key that would do all that.

If you call the paging device extension directly (does not matter what the platform is), you can certainly send DTMF digits.

 

[curlyhex]

Yes that work no problem. Just the group page adding the phones is a problem.

 

[curlyhex]

Looks like my options are try to get the school to upgrade their amp and install speakers in all of the classrooms, Do 2 pages for every announcement(one through the external speakers and one through the phones) or sell them a used Nortel MICS instead of the UCX250 system?