Hi... I'm kind of not a phone guy. More of a network guy... that said, our office has an Intertel Axxess PBX (version 5.346). The cards we do have, read as follows from left to right:

Power Supply 550.0121
DKSC16+
DKSC16+
SLC16
LSCD
T1/E1
OPC
EVMC
CPU64 (550.2014 AP) (17C5V0132836)

From the limited reserach I've done, I believe what we need in order to get Caller ID is a PAL chip for our existing TI/E1 card. Possibly, part #827.8877.

If I'm right... well, can someone confirm that I am right and then send me some type of instruction on how to get the part installed and configured. Installation is probably pretty straight forward, but I'm not sure what I'd need to do on the configuration end. Thanks in advance for any assistance! If anyone knows where to get the part cheaply, that would also be appreciated.

You have to go into programming on the options card in DB Studio (the programming software) and enable Caller ID.

I'm not in front of a terminal right now but if you're not able to find it post back and I'll try to give you step by step instructions.

MacGyver, thanks for the reply. Are your instructions for after installing the PAL or are you suggesting that I don't necessarily need the PAL?

I'm sorry. Are you saying there is no PAL chip at all on your board? Also, do you have a manual to help you?

If the T-1 you are using on the PBX is non-ISDN, then you can contact your service provider and put in an order to change the T-1 start type to *ANI*DNIS*. You will need to change each trunk on the T-1 to this start type at the time of the change for this to work. This will give you caller ID number only.

If you want caller number and name, you will have to get the PRI pal chip you mentioned in your post, 827.8877, and put in an order w/ the service provider to change your circuit to ISDN. This should probably be done w/ vendor support.

If your incoming calls are arriving via the LSC you have listed, then you just go into programming and change each trunks' service type to "Caller ID". Of course, the trunks themselves need to be sending CID for this to work.

Wow. Thanks for all that info. That is extremely helpful.

My understanding is that we don't have the PAL chip, but I'd probably have to pull the T-1 card and actually take a look to be sure. Is there any other way to ck?

Through our first provider we had number only caller ID, but we changed providers a while back from a company called Eschelon to Cbeyond and I think you may be right about their T-1 start type. They must differ. Where would I see how this is set on our end?

You would look in programming first at System>Cabinets. The T-1 card type should read 'T1 Card'. You can't have the PAL chip installed on a T-1 card and have that card be anything but an ISDN card, and the card will read 'T1 Primary Rate Interface Card' if it is ISDN. Double-click on the T-1 card, double-click on 'Circuits', then double-click on the first circuit. This will pop you over to the circuit attributes. If you look at the 'Service Type', this is where you would change to *ANI*DNIS*. DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL THE PROVIDER IS READY! If Cbeyond cannot help you w/ this PBX change, then Eschelon can.

Okay, it says T-1 card. So, no PAL... like we thought. When I click on circuits under T-1 and get switched over, the service type is just DNIS, not ANI DNIS. The start type is "wink".

If that's all I need to do to get "number only" caller ID, then I can certainly make the change in conjunction with Cbeyond.

Getting Cbeyond to understand any of this is a horse of a different color.

Based on our discussion so far, should I know or care what the Loop Start Card is doing?

I put in a request with Cbeyond to go over what they're broadcasting....if and when I get a tech. that understands what we're trying to do, hopefully I'll finally get Caller ID functioning. If not, I'll post back. Thanks!

That statement about yer provider is more right than you might think. Provider's quite often have no idea what *ANI*DNIS* is, let alone how to make it work. Good luck.

I would look in programming at what the Loop trunks' extensions are then dial each extension and if you get dial tone, call yer cell fone and ID that trunk. If there is no trunk connected to a loop circuit, the display on the fone will read "(Trunk Group Name) Is Unplugged". If any of the trunks are not in a trunk group, the diplay will read "Outgoing Access Denied". You could also look at the blocks the PBX is connected to to determine if circuits are connected to that card.

After talking with the head-honchos here, it seems as if "number only" just won't do. So, I'll have to find that PAL chip. I've seen the T-1/E-1 with PAL on ebay for about $480. But, I'd rather not play games with Ebay. Anyone know of a decent supplier that won't rape me?

Please also tell me frankly if I should hire a phone tech to install and configure the PAL. I have an Administrator's guide and no other Inter-tel books.

"You can't have the PAL chip installed on a T-1 card and have that card be anything but an ISDN card, and the card will read 'T1 Primary Rate Interface Card' if it is ISDN" - so when I make it ISDN will we lose any programming? I'm not sure what you're warning me of here.

Well, if Ebay doesn't work for you, then either you are buying used from someone you trust or new from a VAR. Eschelon is a good resource in yer area, as they are the largest Inter-Tel reseller in the world. The first step is securing yer PAL.

Second, you put in yer order for the ISDN circuit. It must be configured for NI2 or National ISDN 2.

Third, if yer gonna support yerself, you will, on the night of the cut, program yer T1 card to a T1 Primary Rate Interface Card. Change 'CO Provides Progress Tones' to 'Yes'. Change 'Central Office Switch Type' to 'National ISDN 2'. Double-click on 'Call Type' and change the International Call Types to 'Unknown'. If you can't call International, change this back to 'ISDN'. Double-click on 'Circuits' and program the circuits that you have to B-Channel. Go to yer T-1 Trunk Group. System>Devices and Feature Codes>CO Trunk Groups>T-1 Trunk Group>Trunks. Right click on the gray and add yer B-channels.

Test. Make sure you can dial local, 800, and LD in and out of state. Do a 911 test. If you do not get caller ID name & number, it is the provider, not the PBX. If you think you need more support than this, PM me and I will give you my cell #...

Okay, sounds like I should give it a shot. By the way, I wanted to see if I could get number only w/o the PAL through Cbeyond, and this was their response... "This account is currently on the T1 CAS service. Caller ID name and number are not delivered on this service. There is not a way for us to provide this information to you. Our PRI service does offer both features, so you may want to investigate if your PBX can support PRI if these features are necessary."

This is a totally different answer than I got from them initially and is contrary to what their contract states. Plus, they've completely glossed over the fact that I only asked for "number only", since I already know that I need the PAL for name and number.

Apparently they have our switch configured for Digital CAS and not PRI and that has been the problem all along.

As a follow-up, we got our PRI installed and Cbeyond is supposedly sending name and number caller ID. I have verified this with them. However, we are only getting number.

I looked at the flags associated with each extension on the phone system and the flag for "display name" is marked as yes.

Is there another setting I'm not aware of?

If I'm using a Standard Display phone 550.4400 do I need to toggle the display to see name and number by hitting the infinity symbol and entering 379? It's not working either way, but it would be nice to know how it's supposed to work.

Go to System>Cabinets. Double click on the T-1 PRI card. Check the protocol type, it should read 'National ISDN 2" (NI2). If it does not, then the card is programmed wrong or the circuit isn't NI2. If the circuit isn't Ni2 then you can't get CID name. If it is NI2 and your keysets are set for caller ID name, then you will see name if the PBX is receiving it. It is pretty common for the provider to claim they are sending name when in fact they are not. The botom line is to make sure both the card and the provider are set for NI2.

Phil,
For loop start lines check this:
AXXESS SYSTEM / PREMIUM FEATURES / ADVANCED CO INTERFACES: Must be checked yes.
AXXESS SYSTEM / CABINETS / OPTIONS CARD / DSP PROGRAMMING / CALLER ID RECEIVERS: Must be programmed and the appropriate number of DSPs installed on the OPC.
AXXESS SYSTEM / DEVICES AND FEATURE CODES / TRUNKS / TRUNK CIRCUIT / SERVICE TYPE: Caller ID option must be selected.
AXXESS SYSTEM / STATION RELATED INFORMATION / FLAGS / EXPANDED CO CALL INFORMATION ON DISPLAYS: Appropriate keysets must be included in list.
AXXESS SYSTEM / STATION RELATED INFORMATION / FLAGS / OUTSIDE PARTY CALL INFORMATION HAS PRIORITY: Appropriate keysets must be included in list.

For PRI not displaying name, Check in database programming - SYSTEM - Station Related Info - Flags. Make sure "Outside Party Information Has Priority" has all the stations listed that require Caller ID to be displayed