Migrating from 3 digit to 4 digit extensions

[drd2004]

We are getting ready to merge a company that currently has 3 digit extensions onto an existing pbx that currently has 4 digit extensions. Since Audix doesn't allow us to have both 3 digit and 4 digit extension, we are forced to migrate one company. We decided to migrate everyone to 4 digit extensions, so all users with 3 digits will get a "7" prepended to become 7xxx. The problem is that we need to keep the 3 digits active since most customers only know the 3 digit version. My understanding is that call forwarding won't work because the PBX will pass the original 3 digits to Audix and not the 4 digits it was forwarded to. I tried digit-conversion, but that didn't seem to work either.

I am sure others have run into this issue before. Anyone have a solution?

Thanks
Doug

 

[bwilch]

I know of a tricky way to do it, and it's not the cleaniest, but it would work. You could create a VDN for the 3 digit ext, point it to a vector which then transfers the call to the 4 digit extension.

It's a pain to manage it that way, but it would work.

 

[drd2004]

Went to try that, but that feature is not activated on our PBX.

 

[bwilch]

Without using VDN/vectors, I'm not sure there's a way really to do it. If you keep the 3 digit ext as an X port with coverage, the problem you're going to run into is a "double coverage" issue. Meaning, the switch won't allow a call to cover twice, getting to the users's 4 digit mailbox.

My only other suggestion would be to keep their orginal 3 digit ext as an x port pointing to a voicemail box which announces "Hi, this is Bob and my new number/ext is xxxx". Depending on the voicemail box, it could transfer them to the 4 digit extension. You indicated it was an Audix, you could make the 3 digit mailbox an autoattendant with a timeout of 0 seconds pointing to the 4 digit extension. I've done that on DID conversions before. Keep in mind the number of open station and station/trunk ports you have if you choose this route.

 

[1a22ip]

Is the Local provider sending 3 digts? If so on the trunk form insert the 7. The only change for your users is that they wil have to dial 7XXX. You will have to change all the users in the switch from XXX to 7XXX. Voicemail will also have to change. This could be a very long weekend! Avaya did mine for me but it costs.

Hope this helps
ED

1a2 to ip I seen it all

 

[bajashark]

You can put an announcement in front of the trunk group that handles that company, and tell them that the extension numbers have changed to add the 7 in front of it.

You will be surprised how fast [people adapt to it.

Bajashark