Need help with VM (2X4) PC card 2

[RC51guy]

I'm new to this forum and would appreciate any help given.

With that said, I'm having problems programming a VM system.

Equipment:
ACS R6.0
Partner VM PC card (2X4) R3.0
4 - CO lines need answered by the Auto Attendant 24X7

Selector codes trying to use:
Press 1 to reach the receptionist... ... Direct extension Transfer Hunt group 72 (Hunt group 72 = ext 10 and 11)---> the problem !!!!
Press 2 for PT ... Direct extension Transfer (Ext 18) --->no problems
Press 3 for Social Worker... Direct extension Transfer (Ext 16)--->no problems
Press 4 for Site Coordinator... Direct extension Transfer (Ext 17)--->no problems

What I need: Called selects selector code 1, phone rings ext 10 & 11, after 4 rings, ext 10's VM answers the call and takes a message and lights the Msg Waiting Light at ext 10.

CURRENT PROBLEM: When a caller calls in, listens to the Auto Attendant message ( see above ) and they select selector code 1 for receptionist, the phone successfully rings ext 10 & 11. BUT, HOW DO I GET THE VM TO ANSWER IF NO ONE AT EXT 10 & 11 ANSWERS AFTER 4 RINGS!!!!! Currently after ringing ext 10 & 11 four times, the call defaults back to the VM system and you hear" Your party is not answering, dial a ext # or press 0 for the operator". The call is then re-routed to ext 10 and rings 4 more times then to VM at ext 10... that's 8 rings and a transfer!!! I don't want this, I want it to go directly to the VM box of 10 after ringing ext 10 & 11 four times.

What I've tired:
1. I tried unsuccessfully to assign a phantom mail box to ext 72, will not work.

Please give detail instructions on how to route calls to VM after only 4 rings to hunt group 72.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[ZoominCo]

This is from memory only, i'll consult manual in the am, but I don't think you can assign a mailbox to a calling group (72)
Even though phones 10 & 11 are ringing the VM would be looking for MB 72. If x11 is close enuff to x10 to hear 10 ring assign them to a pick up group and reroute sel.code 1 to x10, x11 user can push assigned PU button to answer for 10, if unanswered call will go into x10 MB.
Hope this helps. I check book and try to get back by tomorrow noon to confirm.
good luck,
jim

 

[TouchToneTommy]

You're extremely limited with the PC Card Voice Mail. You can't make a mailbox 72 (for that matter, you can't make a mailbox above 49 even though an ACS R3 and above goes up to ext. 57).

When the call transfers to 72, and is unanswered, it bounces back to the VM port that sent it. PVM can't deal with 72, so it freaks out and gives you the "your party is not answering, dial and extension number etc...."

With Partner Mail VS, you can do some tricks to make the call return to the VM, then transfer to Ext. 10 only.

With Partner Messaging, you CAN create a mailbox 72 for the return call, and have it do a phantom mailbox recording into mailbox 10 so you get a message waiting indication.

You could do a couple of things here. Hang a cheap answering maching on a station port and include it in the 72 calling group. It will ring at the same time as 10 and 11 and take a message if neither of them answer.

You could take a station port and include it in calling group 72, loop it into a CO port, assign that CO port to Ext. 10 with delayed ring and make Ext. 10 the call coverer of that "line". That would get Ext. 10's mailbox to answer but if 10 or 11 answered right at the tail end, the mailbox might still answer at the same time.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi RC51guy,
I'm with TTT on this one. The answering machine alternative may work well for you. It's simple and to the point, plus does not use up more resources on a small system.
-Chris

 

[RC51guy]

Thanks everyone for the info,

TTT,

I think I see where your going with the "Loop back to a CO line".

Will this work, if it's not the same thing you said above.

Lines 1-4 in hunt group 72.
Hunt 72 rings immediately ext 11 & ext 30 <-- unused ext
Loop ext 30 back to CO- 7 <-- unused CO
Assign CO line 7 to ext 10 only and immediately ring.

Question:
Will this work?
Will ext 10 VM answer after 4 rings
Will there be a ring time difference (latency) between ext 10 & 11 because I'm looping back through a CO port?

I've never done this before, maybe you guys have.
____________________

If the above works, could I program a btn on ext 10 with "Do not Disturb" . That way if ext 10 & 11 went to lunch, the VM would answer within 1 ring or less.

Thanks.

 

[TouchToneTommy]

This will work, however:

If Ext. 10 just picks up their handset when 72 is ringing, they will connect to CO-7. Now Ext. 30/CO-7 are in use if another call comes in.

You might want to include Ext. 10 in the 72 calling group, but then you need to teach them NOT to answer CO-7 when it rings, but instead answer the call that is ringing on 72. I'm not sure what the "priority" of the extension would be at that point, which one you would get automatically by going off hook. You'd need to test that one.

If Ext. 11 answers around the 3rd ring (with Ext. 10's Call Cover Rings set to 4), CO-7 will ring one more time (like having a phone connected ahead of the system, the system doesn't know that you have answered and rings until it realized that the incoming ring signal has stopped). So Ext. 10's voice mail may still try and answer, although it will only get Ext. 30's off hook (probably set the ALS of 30 to Intercom Only, or actually remove all the lines from Ext. 30)

Yes, if you're using Call Cover to make Ext. 10 answer CO-7, a DND button will make 10's mailbox answer Calling Group 72/Ext. 30/CO-7 immediatly. Again, the one call at a time comes into play here.

 

[aarenot]

Maybe try having SC1 go to ext 10(instead of 72), with ext 10 having a call cover button to ext 11. The call will cover to ext 11, and then if not answered at 10 or 11, go to ext 10's VM. You will have to set the call cover rings at ext 10, to less than the vms cover rings at ext 10. Ext 10 will have that number of rings to answer before the cover will engage to ext 11, then go to ext 10's VM after the vms cover rings number set.
Not sure this will do what you want exactly, but check it out.