VM to Fax Extension

[BrentEaston]

I have a ACS R4.0 system, with a PC Card VM system (8 mailboxes). I have extension 17 setup as a fax extension, and have it in hunt group 8. If a fax machine calls in on the main line, and the AA answers, calls are transferred to the Fax machine with no problem. If the Fax machine is busy, and the AA plays the main greeting, and ends up transferring the fax to the operator (extension 10 - which is in Do Not Disturb mode), the fax machine will get extension 10's voicemail. At that point, if my fax machine at extension 17 is now free, the system will transfer the incomming fax call from extension 10's voicemail box, to my fax extension (ext 17).... so that works correctly as well.

My problem is, Extension 11 is set to ring line 3 immidately, and no other extension rings that line. And, extension 11 is the covering extension for that line as well. So, when no one answers line 3 at extension 11, they will get extension 11's voicemail box. However, our CEO who is assigned to extension 11, has given his personal line out as a fax line as well. When a fax call comes in on that line, he just transfers it to the fax machine. But, if his personal voicemail answers, the system does not automatically detect the CNG tone, and does not transfer the fax call to extension 17. In return, he will now have a message in his mailbox of a fax machine's CNG tone.

Is there something special to this type of setup?

 

[CinemaPhones]

Auto attendants and personal voice mail greetings are different animals.

While this may sound cold, "All-in-one" numbers are notoriously used by small office/home offices trying to take care of everything with one number. Corporate America has grown used to the idea of one number for voice and another for fax, so should your C.E.O.

Working around this problem otherwise will take additional equipment as there is not a programming option to toggle.

 

[BrentEaston]

I agree with that. I suppose the only reason why I posted the question to begin with, is mainly because it seems odd to me, that if the Auto Attendant transferrs a fax machine call to someone's voicemail box, and the voicemail box hears the CNG tone, then the voicemail box will transfer the call directly to the fax extension. Whereas, if a call comes in on a "personal line" that eventually goes to a person's personal voicemail, the voicemail box does not transfer the call to the fax extension (regardless of if the fax extension is free or not). It just seems strange.

 

[itpphoneguy]

Hi BrentEaston,
Another solution would be to use a "fax stick" or "Comm share". Install the unit on co3 before the ACS. Route the voice to co3 in on the ACS. Route the fax to a spare co on the ACS and set that line to ring immediate on the fax extension. This works well if you have a spare co port. No more CNG tones in the voice mail, no more transferring fax calls.
Also, try running the fax out to the CEO's own personal fax machine. That's even better as his faxes remain confidential.
-Chris

 

[ditobot]

The problem you have is that the main Auto Attendant is a completely seperate domain from the personal voice mail boxes. The main voice mail (Auto Attendant) is what is designed to handle the fax routing. Once you bypass the main Auto Attendant by assigning a line to an extension (#208) the fax recognition feature is bypassed as well. This mail system is convenient but not perfect, unfortunately there is no creative way I know of to get around this.
Randy