POTS Trunks - How Does it Work? 1

[glenng3]

We are thinking of installing an IP Office system in a small branch office. The office has poor Internet service, so we don't want to get SIP or a PRI from the Internet provider. Instead, we are thinking of using the existing 8 POTS lines.

The question at this point is how it will work when people call the main number. Say the main number (4000) gets two calls in quick succession. The first caller gets connected to 4001 by choosing it from a menu. The first caller is still talking when the next call comes in to 4000. Does this caller get a busy signal? I doubt it, but how does it work? Does the phone company automatically route the call over the next POTS line in the trunk group? Or does IP Office do some magic? Thanks.

 

[Telecomboy]

The service provider handles the hunt of line 4000 to 4001 to 4002 etc. The IPO then routes the call depending upon how the line port is programmed to route it. So, all 8 lines can be routed to a receptionist if that's how you want it handled. Or an auto-attendant, etc. When the receptionist is on line 1 and a call comes in on line 2 it will alert just as a PRI/SIP line would of the new call coming in. The difference being that 8 pots need 8 trunk ports into the system (a configuration issue that the Avaya partner you purchase from will make sure is configured properly).

 

[glenng3]

Ideally, we want the caller to be able to ring 4000 for an auto attendant or to ring an individual phone with a DID. In the example above, if the second caller is dialing 4000 and the phone company sees 4000 is busy and routes the call to 4001, how does IP Office know the caller dialed 4000?

 

[amriddle01]

It doesn't, also DID's are for ISDN and SIP, with analog you only get very basic call inbound routing

 

[Telecomboy]

Yeah, no DID's with pots lines. Your best bet is to send all calls to an attendant and then give them the option to transfer to the specific extension.

 

[WIHawk76]

Ideally, we want the caller to be able to ring 4000 for an auto attendant ( Incoming call Route )or to ring an individual phone with a DID ( I dont beleive the IP 500 can handle analog DIDs . In the example above, if the second caller is dialing 4000 and the phone company sees 4000 is busy and routes the call to 4001, how does IP Office know the caller dialed 4000 (If we are talking analog POTS lines you would have your incoming call route set to whichever hunt group, whatever lines in that particular incoming call route ID are going to ring that hunt group as the destination. ?

Or as stated by Telcomboy , have incoming call route ring to AA and let caller select destination