Key system mode 1

[n6ber]

I'm used to setting up PBS/Hybred mode but not key mode. I using the system at home but the family does not like having to do parks in order to pickup a line from anywhere in the house. In key mode I think you just have to press the line button.

They do like dialing 9 to get out on the pool plus having the SA lines be the defauld for intercome calls. When I had the system in Key mode only the lines on the 012 module had to dial 9. On the other sets you didn't.

Is there a way to set all the set to dial 9 in key system mode? Is there any other major feature that I'm going to loose?

Current processor is a R2 but I'm planing to replace it with a R7 soon.

One other issue. Is there a reason to wait and get a 391C1 over a 391A3?

Thanks, you guys had been great. Wish this board was around when I was maintaining a 3 bay 3 T1 R4 system a few years ago.

 

[merlinman]

Let's think about doing something other than KEY, and a way to make it work easier for the users.

I am assuming you only have 2 or 3 incoming lines.

If that's the case, you can be in Hybred PBX mode, but do not assign lines to the pool.

If they are not in the pool, you can assign them to individual phones.

That may work better for you. (That's how I have my system set up at home, but with 1 line in the pool for the fax machine and modem)

The single line sets will either have to dial 9, or have their auto line select set to grab a line.

 

[n6ber]

I'll try this but if there are no lines in the 0 pool then how is the single line set going to get to the main lines to dial out or to pick them up?

 

[merlinman]

Well, I stand corrected. I thought you could assign the lines and just have them dial 9 to get to them. (I guess that only works in KEY Mode.)

As I stated, I have 1 line in a pool for my Fax & Modem to use, and that's how mine works.


The rest of my phones are MLX and have a line button for each of the other 2 lines, and an appearance of the 1 Pool.

Now, if you didn't need to make INSIDE calls with the SINGLE LINE SETS, you could assign a line to them and then have that line set to be THE THING they access on an off hook.

May or may not work for you.

By the way, how many lines and Single line sets do you have?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

So if you have some spare single line ports and spare co ports, loop them together. Put the co ports in pool 70. Give the single line ports one line each (a different line each), and auto line select them to the line instead of the SA. Now when your real single line sets go off hook on SA, dial 9, they get another single line station that gets an outside line.

Once did this to allow Merlin Messaging to do outcalling when there were no "lines" in pools, just "private lines" assigned to mimic key mode.

 

[jlshelton]

Interesting thoughts here. I've only seen Key Mode used for home systems, since it seems "easier" when there are only a few lines. "John, pick up line 2". For home situation, in Key Mode it's easier for multiple people to jump on the same call.

In Key Mode, dialing "9" from the intercom grants you access to the next available line assigned to your station. So how about assigning the desired lines to your stations (both MLX and single-line), but use Automatic Line Selection to prefer the inside intercom. (In Key mode, it's Intercom, not SA.) Ordinarily, a caller will pick up the phone, dial 9, and call out. He/she will see what line got selected. Inbound calls ring on any station, and can be directly answered. If the call's for someone else, just put it on hold, and someone else can pick it up. (Or transfer if you like.)

Merlin Legend defaults to 2 intercom lines (voice vs ring) but if you want, you can eliminate one of them to recover a button (handy on 5-button sets.)

 

[n6ber]

I've been playing with the switch this afternoon and I do think that key mode with common personal lines is the better way to go.

It makes it easier to just put a call on hold and go to another extension and pick it up.

Doing a three way call is much easier as well. Now there are times when I don't like that but I think there may be a private mode. Comments?

I have it working with the single line phones so that dialing 9 brings up a line.

On the ATL phones I set the line preference to go to the Intercom buttons first. Only problem is that dialing 9 does not switch to one of the personal lines like is does on the single line phones. Am I missing a setting?

Everything is coming back to me on programming PBX mode but Key mode is has new things to learn.

 

[merlinman]

ATL ?

Surely you can come up with some MLX sets.

TTTommy - I call that Loop Arounds, and FEW PEOPLE understand it. (Even I have to keep notes on when I do it)
But it is VERY EFFECTIVE when you need to use it.

 

[n6ber]

Ya I know. I have about 25 to 30 stations of ATL phones along with the 4 408 cards to drive them. The system used to be a Merlin II that I put a R2 processor card in from a Merlin Legend when we upgraded it to R4. At that time I was a beta site for the first T1 PRI that was ever released on a Legend to connect to other than a AT&T switch. We got a free R4 processor out of that deal. Anyway the system move from company to company until the company went down the tubes. I got the system.

I want to upgrade it to MLX sets and even maybe a few Magic sets

 

[t3chhelp]

You could assign one line to one pool ie pool 70 line 801 pool 890 line 802. Then just assign all the pools to the ATL sets. Make sure you assign the pools in the ARS table.

 

[jinxs]

If it was me, EBay the legend and buy a partner ACS. The number one selling small business system in the market. People in homes seem to like the Partner, except for my step-mom who has to hear the same ring all day at work then come home to the same exact ring.