Nuisance calls - 2 rings then hang up.

[tundranugget]

SX2k; LW 32. Hi. We have an ongoing problem. It may not be a Mitel problem, but a Telco issue. What happens is that an extension will start receiving anywhere from 5 - 30 calls a day where the phone rings 1 or 2 times and then stops. If the user picks up the phone (whether on the first or second ring), they get a dial tone.

After a while, the problem will move on to a different extension. Usually it only affects one extension at a time, but lately it has been hitting two (maybe more) numbers.

Has anybody had similar problems? Thanks.

 

[Mitel100]

Yes, this could be a telco issue. But you might want to check if there are any other keys programmed on the phone to take calls for a specified extension.

For example:

If the phone was programmed with a PKM and an extension was programmed on key 26. The phone would ring, but have no way of picking it up. When they lift the receiver, they get dial tone.

Have a look, You can also change the COS of the phone to disable or enable ringing line select. This would allow you to lift the receiver and tale those calls.

Someone else may have a different idea.

I hope this helps

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[tundranugget]

Hi. Thanks, I just checked - there is no PKM on the one phone. The othe is a plain vanilla analog set with no features at all.

This happens on a random schedule to random phones, both digital and analog, at all times of the day.

I am leaning toward the Telco. One phone is manned 24/7 and I have the users tracking all the calls on a spreadsheet. I will send that to the Telco and see what they have to say.

Thanks.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

Mitel external ring cadence precisely mimics "busy" cadence except with a pause between every two bursts of ringing.

That is of significant importance because the USRobotics Sportster modem detects "busy" solely on cadencing rather than tone frequency (like it's upscale stablemate "Courier" modem). The Sportster also acts quickly and usually sees the very first "ring-ring" as busy and so hangs up. My guess is someone is scanning your exchange with a Sportster modem.

The Sportster modem (IMO) is truly a POS and the manufacturer is fully aware of this particular shortcoming as it was brought up numerous times during original V.32, V.32bis and X2/56k beta trials in the 1990s. The little modem (again IMO) is best suited as a wheel-chock for concrete trucks and Terex Titans. It is banned from our office.

 

[northportphoneguy]

Hi,

I have had the same situation and it has always been telemarketers. I know because some of our staff have waited for the phone to ring and have pounced on it to answer it.

Similar to what MIMB said, the war dialers that they use see the double ring as busy and they will assume someone is at "home" and keep on trying. In reality, there is nothing you can do to stop it, short of killing all telemarketers.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

If you happen to get an executive level complaint demanding that it cease, there is a little trick you can do in programming of the targeted set to address the complaint.

Create a new class of service (copy the user's existing one, then edit) to shorten the delay ring timer to 5 seconds. Also extend the Call Fwd No Answer Timer by adding 5 seconds to whatever value it currently is set for.

Then go to the Multiline Set Group Assignment form and call up the instance of the affected extn and change their PRIME line from RING to DELAY RING. The net effect of this will be to silently burn the first ring cycle so the user simply doesn't hear it.

If the user has both 1st alternate and 2nd alternate rerouting, beware that the 2 alternate will "appear" to take the call 5 secs sooner. This is adjustable in system options, but any change here will affect everyone system-wide (translation: not recommended)

 

[tundranugget]

MIMB,

I think your trick worked. I have no more complaints from that one user.

However, I am still getting reports from users about the same problem but with analog phones. Since they are Single Line, obviously I can't make the change to Delay Ring. The users have taken to unplugging their phones....

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

Make the complaining analog phones a no ring key appearance on some spare multiline set.

Then open the multiline set group assignment form using each of the analog numbers and make the first member delay ring.

When there's a will, there's always a way.

 

[tundranugget]

Thanks MIMB. I didn't even know there was a box....

I tried all of your suggestions. Everything is configured up the way you described, but the user still reports a problem - one ring only. When he picks up - dial tone. It wouldn't be so bad, but this is his dorm room and he is being woken up in the wee hours. I suggested he unplug his phone, but he is on call and needs to be contacted in emergencies. Other users have complained, although not enough to put in work orders.

There is not much to go on, no pattern to dates and times, it seems completely random. I guess I could give him a new number then call forward his old number on No Answer. That would give maybe four rings before it rang in his room. As long as legitimate callers (girl friends, wives?) didn't hang up too soon.

 

[Canuckvoip]

Hi guys,
I wonder if you made sure that internal and external SMDR were turned on in every COS what you might see?
Setup a computer to capture the file and make sure the "dorm" guy notes time/date of the offending call.
If you are certain that SMDR is on and you see nothing, you may have a software/hardware issue...
Worth a shot maybe...

Dave

You can't believe anything you read... unless of course it's this.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

Brute force method:

Renumber the targeted set using the same last 4 digits (assume 4) and prepend a couple leading zeroes on the front end of it. IE, change 4728 to 004728 (004728 becomes the prime) - you'll see the reason for this later

Next make 4728 a no ring key appearance on 004728

Build a menued mailbox for 4728. Make option 1 a keypress requirement to be transferred to '004728'

In the call reroute always form, assign 4728 a reroute always number (do not use "1" - never use "1") For this example lets say we use "2"

In the call reroute assignment form assign 4728 to reroute always 2 in the "Day" "Night 1" and "Night 2" columns.

Callers to 4728 go straight to the menued mailbox. If you want the guy, press 1. His phone will ring with an internal (instead of external) ring cadence and the mailbox will filter out the hangup/disconnect calls.

If he places a call from his phone (004728) the telco will ignore the leading 00, thus people he calls will only see his legitimate callerID (XXX-YYY-4728)



Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member

 

[tundranugget]

Thanks CanuckVOIP - SMDR is turned on for all COS. Still no record of these single-or-double-ring-then-dialtone calls.

MIMB, the brute force method looks doable, except for "Next make 4728 a no ring key appearance on 004728." These are all analog phones. I have made analog sets have key appearances on digital sets, but I cannot figure out how to "fake" a key appearance on an analog set.

Thanks.

 

[MitelInMyBlood]

So make the number (4728) appearance on a dummy (non-existent) multiline set. The physical instrument does not have to physically exist; it's just a place to park his real number. If you anticipate this growing, make the dummy multiline set one which has 48 buttons or add a PKM to it to give you 61 "spots" to park these pesky numbers. In this case do not assign 004728 to the multiline set, and don't make 4728 prime. It has to be non-prime.

The rest works the same. Make the analog set 004728.



Original MUG/NAMU Charter Member