Incoming Calls Bypassing Nortel CallPilot 100 and Going Straight to Attendant Phone

[GreenLeafPros]

Let me start by saying that I'm not proficient in these old phone systems. I'm an IT guy first and foremost, but I also work with newer VOIP systems on occasion. When my client's phone vendor stopped answering their calls (no pun intended), fixing their ancient Nortel system was left to me. I've managed to keep it running over the years and have even replaced various pieces of hardware successfully, but much of this system is still a mystery to me.

The latest issue is this: incoming calls bypass the auto-attendant and go straight to the attendant phone. Luckily, they have someone who can man that phone, but they'd prefer to use the AA. The only way you could get to the attendant phone before would have been to press 0. There were no known changes prior to this issue starting. All incoming lines are set to go to the AA no matter what time of day. Everything looks fine, and I'm wondering if the CallPilot unit itself has gone bad, though I believe voicemail is still working.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts as to what may be causing this? Thanks in advance.

 

[Firebird Scrambler]

Assuming that you have a Norstar system, then your Call Pilot voicemail might be an additional unit bolted next to the phone system. Hopefully the users mailboxes are working OK and I would carry out a test to check it.

Otherwise, it will be a case of finding out if the unit has lost some or all of its programming. It might just be a case of logging into the Call Pilot programming and to go to where the line data is to add in the required incoming line to go to an announcement.

Also check that there hasn't been any phone forwarding changes done recently or removing a phone from service that was controlling the incoming calls.

Firebird Scrambler

Nortel & Avaya Meridian 1 / Succession & BCM / Norstar Programmer

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[GreenLeafPros]

Firebird,

Thanks for the reply. I'm familiar enough with the actual CallPilot unit. I actually had to replace it some years back when the previous one died, and have had to replace the power supply a couple times after that. I've been in the GUI, and everything looks fine. All lines are set to go to the proper announcements no matter what time of day. While I agree it seems to have lost some of it's programming, the GUI doesn't reflect that as far a I can tell.

I think we may have another system I could swap it with, but I'm not sure how difficult that would be. If it's simply taking the PCMCIA card from the existing unit and plugging it into the spare (and replugging all the cables), I'll happily try that. If it requires backing up the system with the backup utility and then restoring it to the replacement system, I'm a little more wary, only because I've read about people having the system default to factory settings during a backup.

 

[Firebird Scrambler]

I'm guessing that you have something along the lines of "Startalk". This was what we had in the UK and it used a PCMCIA ATA 8 meg flash card. I recall many moons ago using a tool called the "ELAN card reader" and I was able to put the Flash card into my laptop PCMCIA slot and create a *.bin image.

If it all went bad, then I could load the image back in. This was useful on the "MICS", but as you have said, it is possible to lose your keycodes and default the system to factory standards if you get it wrong.



Firebird Scrambler

Nortel & Avaya Meridian 1 / Succession & BCM / Norstar Programmer

Website =

http://somertel.com

linkedin

 

[GreenLeafPros]

Unfortunately, I'm in that tough in-between spot where I no longer have a computer with a PCMCIA slot and I don't yet have a time machine.

 

[curlycord]

-Does Fetaure 98X work or show "Inactive"?
-What is the LED status on the Callpilot?


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[GreenLeafPros]

Curlycord,

Assuming you mean do any of the Feature 98_ codes work, they seem to work. I get what I expect when I use them, never unavailable.

All status lights on the CallPilot are solid green, except the network light which is flashing with activity.

Incidentally, the unit is actually a CallPilot 150 Mini.

 

[curlycord]

Yes I meant any feature.
If Mini software that is for the PBX and not the Norstar
Because you use Feature XXX on the sets then you have a Norstar with a Callpilot 150.

Feature * 0 and press the lines at reception to see it's programming number such as Line 001 and not just the name Line1
In AA/Lines/ make sure 001 is told to to be answered by AA\ Table X \and ring count X

Things to try..
Reboot Callpilot
Try another power supply
De-program the lines from AA, reboot then re-program them back

Does it ring reception right away when you call?


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[GreenLeafPros]

The lines show as 001, 002, etc. on the phone, but are listed as Line 1, line 2...Line 500 in the CallPilot GUI.

I rebooted the CallPilot again. (I'd done that before.) No improvement.
I deprogrammed the lines from the AA, rebooted, and put them back. No improvement.
I ordered another power supply, which will arrive by Monday. I however, will be out of town until Tuesday afternoon.

And yes, reception rings right away when you call. If I'm standing near the phone equipment, I can here a click as my call hits the system, and then the receptionist answers.

I'll let you know how I make out once I replace the power supply.

 

[curlycord]

That is because the lines are set to Appear & Ring at reception, do we assume AA is for backup after a few rings in that case?
What is your ring count set at in AA/Lines for 001 , 002 etc?

"Line 500 in the CallPilot GUI."
Not sure what that means.


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[deadringer22004]

Does the lines ever get answered by the AA if the receptionist does not answer?

If not you should check the "operator" status under F982 to see if the lines are told to answer? You can turn on and off answer under operator mode.

 

[curlycord]

The programming under AA/Table/Lines will overrule F982.
F982 can tell AA to take over calls when:
-Non-Business is required
-Nothing is programmed in AA/Lines

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[allworxguy]

This could be as simple as in F982: ANS LINES = N

Marv ccna

 

[GreenLeafPros]

Unfortunately, I'm out of the office today and won't be able to test any of these things before late tomorrow at the earliest. I appreciate the suggestions, and I'll let you know how they play out.

I believe I checked F982 early on and it was set to Yes. I think I even switched it to No to test it. Neither setting had any effect, and if Curlycord is correct, the programming under AA/Table/Lines override F982 anyway.


To Curlycord: In response to your earlier post, with my comment "Line 1, line 2...Line 500 in the CallPilot GUI," I just meant there are 500 lines listed in the CallPilot interface from 1 to 500. (Only 8 are programmed.) The AA always answered immediately. The receptionist only got calls when someone specifically hit 0.

 

[cook1082]

Like curley said if lines are assigned to app&ring on recepts phone they can't they need to be app only. The AA lines need to either be at Zero rings or 2 for Call Id to come thru. If AA is at zero rings than the recepts lines can be app&ring but when call comes in you will get half a ring before the AA answers.

 

[GreenLeafPros]

I'm fairly sure that's exactly how it was before the issue began. You'd hear a half ring at reception and then AA would answer. Lines are set to 0 rings.

 

[curlycord]

In that case make Appear Only and set AA to 2 Rings to capture the Caller ID as Cook states above.....receptionist will be happy not to hear that annoying half ring.


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[GreenLeafPros]

OK. I'll be heading over to test soon.

 

[GreenLeafPros]

I tried a new power supply. No change.
I set the Receptionist phone to Appear Only (it was set to Unassigned), made sure to hit Update, and changed the AA line rings to 2. It still rang when I called.

I think the CallPilot unit is messed up. I have another one here. Is there an easy way to swap it out and move the config, recordings, etc. from the old to the new?

 

[curlycord]

If it is Appear Only and still rings the set then something is not right regardless of the voice mail system not working.
Does it ring right away when you call?
Does the Display provide a clue with what it says while ringing?

-Is it in Night Service? (F#871 to cancel) from the control set.
-lines are in a Hunt Group?
-It rings reception but not until the DRT timer runs out?
-reception set has an answer key above the Intercom key which answers a set that has lines told to appear and ring at it.

As a test you may want to make the last line Private to reception instead of Public.
Once it is Private to reception it removes all lines from all sets and from any pools
Once that is done change the line back to Public, make sure it's Appear Only at Reception
Call that last line number to test.
And change Prime Set to NONE under each line.

When you log into F983 press 9 to see the software version.

As for Call Pilot there is a Backup Utility that cam on the disk , laptop and cross over cable required as well network skills.
The problem is the key codes (if any) would need to be transferred to the new unit.
When logged into F983 press 44 to see the features



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