T1 programming ordering questions.

[fonetrubl]

T1 issue.

We have a frequent issue with Legend/Magix T1 customers. Typically they have been working with PoTS lines and then wish to purchase robbed bit T1 like a Flexpath etc and replace POTS and gain DID.
Typically the provider configures these as Wink 2 way.
As you know, if we program the T1 in the Merlin as Tie -Toll Wink in order to accept digits AND allow two way use of the channels, we can no longer manipulate incoming digits as is possible in DID programming so we are depending on the provider to send digits exactly matching dial plan or renumber extensions etc which is not always possible.

Workarounds for this have often included the provider setting up two trunk groups on the T1 with GS emulated lines on one and then an in only DID group. About 50% of the time the provider's switch technicians do not know what GS or LS emulation is it always seems like a big deal to get this to happen, (I know LS emulation is not officially supported by Avaya.)
Has anyone else experienced this problem communicating with providers or does anyone know the Co switch terminology for this kind of signalling so I can help them? Usually 5E switch with providers near us.
As an aside, one provider tried to claim this emulation is only possible from an external channel bank...In other words they can't understand how we can do it with all digital connection into 100DCD module.
I have heard one provider who set this up successfully refer to this as "Type 2 built as lines" with loop or ground start signalling.
Usually they have to assign a number to these channels to allow troubleshooting.

Another related Question: Can we order a T1 as Wink ESF B8ZS with one 24 line hunt group accepting both a main directory listing and sent digits matching the dial plan program as wink Tie-Toll for 2 way use in the Merlin, and importantly assign the wink start channels to buttons on the DLC, and to pool them in pool buttons if needed. I have been told that you cannot assign wink channels to buttons by the official Avaya and distributor support on one day and that you can do this (sort of) on another day. I have actually assigned wink tie-toll channels to console buttons and poll buttons on one system and it appeared to work fine though that was not the final configuration for that system. Is there a problem with this to anyone's knowledge?

 

[merlinman]

fonetrubl,

The answer is becoming easier every day.

All of the things you speak of are known issues with the "2-Way D-I-D" service that the Vendors (who REALLY do not know what they are doing) are selling.

The EASY fix is USE PRI SERVICE.

I have FOUGHT and FOUGHT the 2-Way thing for YEARS and once the PRI pricing became competetive, I have just steered folks to that solution.

You get to massage your incoming digits to where ever you want, you get Caller ID, you get Crystal Clear Voice paths.

NOT TO MENTION, all of your "ODD BALL" Fax Lines can be ported in as well.

It's just a much better way to go.

If you can not get PRI, I feel for you.

Of course, there really is no such thing as 2-way d-i-d, only Tie Lines which the Legend absolutely must match.

I hope this helps.

 

[fonetrubl]

Thanks Merlinman. PRI is still a bit more costly in certain areas here for some of our customers to accept, but hopefully will get better. In the non PRI scenario, do you have any thoughts about the wink start channels being assigned to buttons. Have you done this successfully before?

 

[merlinman]

IF you can get your vendor to provide some lines as WINK (out) and IMMEDIATE (IN), then yes, you can put some lines on some phones.

We have been able (ONLY RECENTLY) to get some vendors to do that.

What you have, in a System with ONLY 2-way D-I-D, is an EXTENSION BASED SYSTEM, not a LINE BASED SYSTEM as w/o 2-ways.

That is, all calls into the system must be routed to some number in your dial plan.

You can "cheat" and have some calls steered to certain extensions by either renumbering the extension to something that matches the "odd ball" number or having an extension cover the "odd ball" or even, if you only have 1 "odd ball" have it go to the "Invalid Destination" extension. (Usually the Operator)

For the last few years I have come up with several solutions for different scenarios.

The problems arise when they "PROT" over ALL of the numbers the customer had BEFORE the 2-way D-I-D came to be.

What we usually do is reduce those down to just a few, since most of the ones past the first one were only ROTARIES (Hunts) off of the main number.

Then we hope that what they send us for the MAIN NUMBER can somehow be matched in our dial plan.

Do you have a lot of "ODD BALLS" left after this conversion, or is your problem something else?

 

[fonetrubl]

Not always a lot of oddballs for us but it has been an issue with our experience as you describe.
I just wondered in the 2 way only ext based setup if the invalid destination number was their main existing listing coming in on wink channel if these can be handled by DLC on fixed buttons. I thought invalid dest was QCC only function.

In your other scenario you are saying you order immediate start for inbound channels and wink for out but does this still mean two provider trunk groups with extension matching DID's pointed only at the Wink Tie 2way or is there something different possible?

 

[merlinman]

Invalid Destination can be what ever extension you choose.

No, they do not come in on line appearances.

Other Scenario, yes, that's what I am saying. 2 Groups, one points to line ports the other is routed to Extension numbers.

I recently had one client like this. They had been KEY and moved to the PBX world, and would not have been able to cope with not having their incoming lines not showing up on their sets.

They only had a few, but now they have D-I-D as well.

So, they have the best of both worlds.