Telco Distinct Ring through MICS ASM to faxes

[JBalzer]

We have a MICS 6.0 System with several ASM ports available.

Our incoming fax volume is relatively low and only justifies one incoming trunk line, but for a minimal monthly charge our TELCO offers IDENT-A-CALL (which one analog line can have up to 3 additional phone numbers, each with it’s own distinct ring pattern.) Our Panasonic fax machines can be set to answer a specific ring pattern.

I was hoping to have these fax machines spread throughout our building, with different phone numbers for different departments. I would have the faxes pick a line from a line pool for outgoing calls. This would keep our incoming fax line(s) available (which would not be part of the line pool.)

Would anyone know if our MICS can pass the distinct ringing patterns through to the fax machines?
(When I hooked an analog phone up to one of the faxes, the rings that the MICS passed through to it, all sounded the same.)


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated…


Thank you

JB

 

[mroberts]

I do think you are out of luck on this one. The system won't recognize the distinctive ring from Telco.
Sorry but the following will allow you to have the fax machine automatically dial the line pool access code so that no one has to dial '9' before their fax number....

PRIME LINE FOR AN ANALOG DEVICE
Scenario: A customer has a Norstar® MICS system. This customer has a fax machine attached to the MICS via an ATA. When faxing out of the system they use a line access code of 9 and then the desired recipient telephone number.
They want to simply dial the number without dialing the access code when faxing.

Solution:
1. Under Services, build a Route and point it to a Pool Group. Then build a Destination Code and point it to the Route.
2. Under Terminals & Sets/Line Access change PRIME LINE: NONE to INTERCOM for the analog station.
3. Under Terminals & Sets/Capabilities change HOTLINE:__ to be EXTERNAL, then HOTLINE DIGITS DIALED OUT: to be the Destination Code in step 1 and then change the USE LINE:__ to be USE ROUTING TABLE.
4. Give the station in question Line Pool Access to the Pool Group in step 1.

MRoberts
mroberts@americaii.com

http://www.a1teletronics.com

 

[Arr]

JBlazer,
You can do what you want but you need to add some equipment. I will describe the setup for one fax on a two ring smart ring and let you multiply the rest.

Start with an external smart ring selector (one that is not built into the fax machine). Place the CO line to the "in" port on the smart ring selector. Then take the 'single ring' output of the selector to its original CO port in your system. Next take the 'two ring' output of the selector to an unused CO port on a CO card. Have the ASM port where the fax machine is connected to 'appear and ring' on the 'two ring' line. Now create a 'hot line' route for the ASM port for outgoing traffic as MRoberts describes above.

You could do this with a fax switch and not pay telco smart ring rental but then your voice number would be your fax number.

You may need several 'ring selectors'. They come in two ring and three ring flavors. You may also need an LS/DS trunk card and whatever else your system needs to accomodate it... expansion cards, trunk modules etc.

If you post back your exact configuration we can assist you with equipment assessment.

Good luck on this one.

PhM

 

[JBalzer]

Arr/Phm

Thanks... After I read MRoberts reply I went ahead and ordered a 4 line distinct ring detector. I had previously ordered a LS/DS for this purpose and we had extra ASM ports left over. I figure that this extra hardware for this fax system will be paid for in 9 months and then we will save about $100 Canadian per month.

I had a 2 line smart ring detector that wasn't in use, seems to work fine for the first two lines.

Here's another question;
The faxes I have setup now and in the past. I set the ATA or ASM port to Hotline-External-Dialed No. Feature 78 (pause)
Line pool A access, etc.

I also tried MRoberts suggestion for a Route

Both work fine, but one of the faxes at our new office is at separate building about 1000 feet away. With the setup above you don't have to dial 9 to get an external line, but is there any Feature Code to get an I/C line that you could send faxes back and forth between the two buildings using intercom numbers rather than tieing up 2 trunks? or any other ideas? I'd rather not have to dial 9 to get an outside line when sending faxes.

any help would be greatly appreciated.




Thanks



JB

 

[Arr]

JB,
Inter office faxing could be done with scanners and group network printers or simply print to the other building from the PC work station....
But back to the phone system. Even if you tie up two lines for inter office faxing, you would have to make sure that the two fax machines were on seperate ring detectors.

Obviously if you were'nt using 'hot line' to sieze an outside trunk you could just dial the intercom number of the other ATA. But getting off the 'hot line' once programmed is not available to the ATA. And if it were you would need to press more buttons than using 'dial 9' to get an outside line which most people are familiar with. To get around the problem many fax machines are labeled to rimind staff to dial 9 before dialing the number. Sorry but I think you are at an end here. Even if it were possible is the cost worth it?

PhM

 

[JBalzer]

Arr/PhM

Why am I beating this to death? The fax traffic between buildings is way to light to worry about using 2 trunks once in a while.

Thanks Again


JB

 

[Arr]

JB,
You're welcome. We DO get lost in the tech trip sometimes eh?

PhM