sundance-communications.com/forum Forums TDM Business Telephone Systems Avaya - Lucent Telephones & Systems Magix R4, MMsg R2.5, PRI, , and Call Groups

It's been a while since I've visited and posted, but I really need some help and I don't want to give up left arm to talk to Avaya directly. (Damn, started to go off on a rant....deleted for for your sanity).
I'm hoping one of you guys can tell me what I am missing.

The client wanted the switch set up in a key-system type configuration. I know that Magix will not allow PRI in key mode, but will allow line appearances in hybrid mode. An issue that surfaced was that the sets wouldn't ring when lines were assigned. Not wanting to spend the time to try and figure out why, I decided to try a different route (pun not intentional).

I changed to route by dialplan.
I set the unassigned DID to a call group.
I assigned the maximum number of stations to that call group and set the type to group ring.
That works fine.
What doesn't work is the overflow to the voicemail call group.
I've set the number of calls to 99.
I've set the time to as little as 10 seconds (for testing).
Still, an inbound call rings without getting picked up by voice mail.
If I change the unassigned DID to the voice mail call group, the attendant answers just like it is supposed to.

Any ideas / suggestions / gotchas?

Thanks

Edit: By the way, there is only one digital set, a 4424LD as the operator. All the other sets are Partner 18D. Inbound calls using the dialplan to specific extensions isn't going to be utilized, but work just fine when I set up a couple of diferent routes for testing.

And last, I'm going to have to come up with some sort of "night service" toggle for voice mail. Making all the calling group members unavailable, one by one, is not an option.
Anything I can do?

That's the bummer with group ring - no voice mail coverage unless everyone in the group uses an ES2 button to log out.

Why do they need key system operation? Can you use one phone to receive the DID calls, and SSA buttons on the others? (You can't use an Operator position with SSA, but it may be a work around)

Thought of that.
The problem from the customer point of view is the 10 button limit on SA / SSA. He's running a call center type of operation and expects to tap out the PRI frequently.

And since they don't have an Operator, that's the reason for the key type operation.

I also tried setting the group to auto logout, but that didn't work as expected either.

What confuses me, is the documentation from the reference guide. It states that you can set the call time overflow to route to another call group. It doesn't say anything about IntgVMI. But then, it is a R3 doc I'm looking at.

Go back to my first statement - there is NO voice mail coverage for group ring. Which means NO overflow to another group, period, unless everyone in the all ring group is logged out.

Sounds like this customer is not using his system's features properly. For a call center application, they should be using most idle to distribute the calls, the users should have a log-in button, and they should be told that if they want to receive a paycheck, they need to log in to take calls!

Or, run the T1 into a channel bank, break it out into loop start lines, run that into GL/LS cards, and put 4424 sets on everyone's desk.

(I suppose you could put 16 S/L ports in a linear calling group, point the DID to the group, loop those S/L stations to LS trunks, and put those "lines" on the phones)

Thanks.
Makes sense as far as the most idle. Good point.

Edit: Forgot to ask about night service. I'm weak on theory and in practical knowledge. Is there a way to set the call group to night / off? (like IP Office HuntGroupNightService)?

If you had an available analog station port, I'm thinking that you could add that extension as a Group Ring member. Run a patch cord from that analog station to an available loop-start trunk port and work the voicemail coverage from that angle.

This is similar to what Tom suggested, but with a twist.

I'm a local call for you Andy. Feel free to buzz me if you get into a jam.

Just wanted to drop in and say thanks again.
I was contracted to do the programming on this switch, so I didn't talk to the client before hand. Luckily, they were local and I went out today as "THE PROGRAMMER!" and "laid down the law." hehe.
Anyway, once the client understood what and how and why, he was happy (mostly).

Thanks guys.