Guidance Please: ESI PBX Question

[jeaumag]

I browsed the list of PBX forums and don't see one for my ESI PBX (according to the people in my remote office it's a ESI IVX S-Class 2 MB). Where should I direct this question? I don't see a "general phone system" forum!

To get specific here's my issue: I want to do a permanent call forward of one extension to an external number. I have an online manual I've found and it says to simply CFWD, enter the trunk access code (e.g. 9) and the 10 digit external number and then press #. When my staffer tries to do that the handset informs him "invalid extension" after he types three digits of the phone number. They use 3 digit extension numbers. Here's the kicker: they don't dial 9 to get an outside line. Do you think that the lack of the trunk access code means that the PBX cannot differentiate between an external number and an extension and that's why it always interprets the dialed number as an extension?

TIA!

 

[LkEErie]

Why doesn't your staffer follow the directions? True, they don't dial 9 to get an outside line from a system phone, but the intercom is stupid and it needs to see a 9 to give you an outside line.

LkEErie

 

[jeaumag]

According to the remote staffer (alas, I cannot watch over his shoulder) whether or not he dials a 9 he still gets "invalid extension" so it's as if the PBX simply won't acknowledge the dialed number could be anything but an extension.

 

[ironhorse17]

ESI Feature Phone operation User’s Guide
E.10
Call forwarding/off-premises
You may1 also be able to call-forward to an outside number. This is called call forwarding/off-premises.
When this is set, outside calls that are directed to your extension will be forwarded to the outside
number. If the call isn’t answered2 in time, the caller will be routed to the extension’s voice mailbox.
To set:
1. Press CFWD (or dial 5 6 5).
2. Enter the number (including the line group access code, such as “9”) to which you’re forwarding.
3. Press # to confirm.
Example: To call forward to 214 555-4141, press CFWD (or dial 5 6 5) and dial 9 2 1 4 5 5 5 4 1 4 1 # .
To cancel:
1. Press the CFWD key (or dial 5 6 5)
2. Press 􀀁 to cancel.

If they pick up the handset what do they get: silence, intercom or a line. if intercom can they dial out by dialing 9.

 

[jeaumag]

IronHorse,

Thanks--that's exactly the manual entry I'm referencing. When they get to 4th digit at Set: step 2. they get "invalid extension" on handset screen.

So to answer you last question here is their normal sequence to get outside dialtone:
1) pickup handset
2) hear high tone (I assume that's intercom tone)
3) press line button
4) hear dialtone (i.e. normal telco dialtone)

If they press 9 at step 3) instead of pressing a line button they just get silence on the line, no tone of any kind.

Thanks for any guidance you can provide.

 

[cwc3]

sounds like one of you co lines in you outgoing line pool are not making it to the
system or its in trouble......

http://www.thetelephonemanonline.com

 

[ironhorse17]

Or a 2 digit line acces. 91,92 ...

 

[jeaumag]

I think I see what you mean--the fact that they have to push a line button to get an outside line (or that they do not know what their two digit line access code is) means that the CFWD cannot work as designed. In other words--you have to use a sequence of digits to get an outside line and place a call. You cannot "press a line button" when programming a CFWD.

In the end we got a reasonable solution: They are fine with simply doing a TRANSFER to the outside line. Since this is a completely manual process unlike a "hard CFWD" they can press line buttons when doing the TRANSFER.

It amazes me how many PBXs are out there where the users treat them like simple keyswitch (is that the right term) units. I'm no "phone guy" being more of an IT person but why on earth would you deploy thousands of dollars worth of PBX to treat it like that?

We can treat this matter as closed. Thanks to all who jumped in to help!

 

[saw164]

Trunk Access Code(TAC)and line group access codes aren't neccessarly the same number. Trunk access code is the code you dial to grab a certain trunk. Line group access code is the code you press to grab any trunk to get an outside dial tone.

The problem sounds like 9 isn't your group access code. If you have somebody pick-up the phone and press 9, do they hear telco dial tone? If not 9 is not your group access code, and i would try 8. The person who installed the system should know what the group access code is.

Scott
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