We have a customer using a newly-installed Vodavi STSe with a PRI (they are using about half of the channels for voice). After the installation and eleven subsequent visits, we are at a dead end with this customer.

They have four different companies sharing this system (I should say identities).

Anyway, they want to be able to selectively forward certain DID numbers to an off-premise number (likely the owner's cell phone). That part isn't too terribly hard to accomplish.

What is impossible is for the full telephone number of the DID that was dialed be displayed as caller ID on the cell phone. I can't get it to work on this system, Vodavi says it can't be done and I am about ready to throw my hands up.

The customer feels that their CLEC and/or Vodavi have misrepresented themselves here. Neither one of them ever told the customer that this can be done, nor did the customer ever ask us for this feature until weeks after the system was installed.

He seems to think that he's going to get Vodavi to buy the system back and pay for us to install some other system that WILL do this. I say it can't be done. Any ideas for something in a comparable price range?

Iwatsu's can do this, only with a PRI, but a lot depends on the LEC, and whether or not they'll allow the KSU to send the CID info. Most LEC's, at least in my area, look at you as if you had a third eye when you ask them about it. The short answer is usually no.

(Edited for speling...)

I know the Avaya IP Office will do it. So will a Legend/Magix if I understand your scenario correctly.

Do you need it to send the company DID number out or the caller's number back out?

If it's just the DID number then I would think most any system would handle that.

If you need the "original" caller id to be forwarded back out then that is a little trickier but the IP Office and a few others can do it if the CLEC/LEC allows for it.

OK, just so that we are clear, here is the typical scenario. I don't think it is as simple as it sounds:

Caller dials 703-555-1000 (DID);

Without it being answered, it is forwarded to a cell phone (as if they had telco *72 forwarding);

The calling number displayed on the cell phone is 703-555-1000.

Also, remember that we are seeking something comparably-priced to a Vodavi STSe which prices thousand$ below the IPO.

The Panasonic TDA100 can do it. As for comparable price to the STSe, I'm not sure.

I know the pricing for Vodavi is generally cheaper than Avaya but not familiar with pricing.

If it were a Legend/Magix, it would have to be done via "remote call forwarding" Call in on one channel, ext(real or phantom) set to forward call back out on another channel.

So what does the Vodavi send out normally?

Most LEC's/CLEC's will only let you assign outbound CID to a number in your block. There ARE some that will let you assign any outbound CID that you want but they are few and far between. If his LEC/CLEC wont allow him to set outbound CID outside of his block then he is done. Doesn't matter what system you get.

He needs to check his contract with his provider. They wont care what he thinks unless he's within 3-months of contract end. Been there, gone down that road.

Other then that, I got no suggestions on a system for you.

I've put Asterisk between older legacy systems and the PSTN in order to artificially give it extra call features and capabilities. This would still add that thousand or so back to the system that you were trying to avoid with the IPO. In addition to that it would be something foreign that you may or may not have ever dealt with before. Not always the best way to go

Another thing to look into on the vodavi (programming wise) is being able to do flash-hook analog transfer (that's what verizon calls it here). Basically you flash the line, dial the number to send the call to, then hang up. The CO will re-route the call to the number you dialed and free up that channel. Dunno if you can get that complex with vodavi or not.

Can you set outgoing caller ID per extension? Make the incoming target of the number an extension that forwards back out.
PS - you can do this on asterisk :-)

Yes, all of this can be done on asterisk quite easily. But that's only an option if ed has experience with it. I know that Avaya makes a Hybrid system, but I wouldn't install it because i'm inexperienced with it. Same thing

There is also a chance the the C/LEC is not even letting them set CID on their own block of numbers. It could be assigning all outbound calls to just one # or a predefined number depending on the outgoing channel.

IP Office will do it with ease, Magix/legend is just an alias for headache. IPO will let you fwd it to any number you want, pushing just about any information you want and it is remotely programmable through a telephone or pc. An IPO should be comparable, but you will have to shop around. You can always buy the hardware online and send it out to be programmed.

KXTD, KXTDA, Norstar and BCM with Pri.
Pri provider must allow.
After reading Ed's description, it is more involved.
Would have to try this live.
If you dial from a phone it will send what is programmed for that phone. But if phone is forwarded
more than likely the system is accessing the trunk
and will send default number or nothing and telco will send default.
Will try next week on a TDA.
(Most telco forwarding in Dallas you can specify if calling number is sent or forwarded number when line is forwarded through telco.)

How is it setup? If it is setup as an extension that they want to forward then they can do this with the NEC DSX Series With a PRI. The only thing is you have to have all phone numbers start with the same Nxx.

The newer ESI systems can send caller id info per extension.(Provided the carrier allows this)

I've never tested if it works when a phone is forwarded off-premises, if I get a chance I will test and re-post.

As far as price comparison, I have no idea.

OK, let me clarify a bit deeper.....The incoming call is to a DID number that IS NOT answered. It's also the main number for one of the companies, so it is programmed to ring at multiple stations. In addition, it's not associated with just one station.

I understand that many systems, to include the STSe can send outbound CID information on a per-station basis. We aren't talking about a DID that is just associated with one station. We also aren't talking about a station actually making the outward call.

I guess for clarification purposes, and to save many of you time, let's just pretend that there are no stations whatsoever on this system. A call to a particular DID simply bounces off the system, carrying all ten digits of the DID number that was dialed along with it. Note that only four digits are being sent by the CLEC and YES, they do permit us to send out our own outbound number. Oh, and no, all numbers are not in the same exchange, in fact we are dealing with five different NXX's.

Does that help narrow the search? I really appreciate all of your suggestions, but I am concerned that we aren't all on the same page.

Yes, I know exactly what you are talking about. I did this for a guy who used all cell-phones for his outside sales and asterisk just bounced calls around.

All his outside sales rep's only had 1 CID and they knew it was business. Made using the phones for company time easy to track on the cell bill too

However, cant help ya much on a standard system.

Ed,

Don't know the Vodavi, but is it possible to forward the number to an individual trunk access for a looped extension that in turn dials out to cell phone via the pri where its' cid can be manipulated?

Just a thought. My not be a graceful solution, but in theory should do the trick.

Ed,

I'm doing that exact scenerio for companies here in Vegas using a Samsung OS7400. However, I could do the same with the OS7100 or OS100 all of which are priced competitively with the STS. (Depending on configuration.) The only question I have is since the DID is associated with multiple extensions when it is forwarded do you still want it to ring the extensions in the office. (What I'm mean is do you want the cell phone to ring in conjunction with the internal extensions?)

-Tom-

I think John is on the right track. It sure isn't a pretty way to do it, but should work with just about any system that can forward calls outside of the system.

DID to group of extensions. One extension in group is an analog ext looped to an analog trunk port. Analog trunk port assigned to an extension set to forward using specified outbound caller ID.

I think that would be the only way to do it without going to a system with more advanced call routing cababilities.

Sounds like An ESI E,X or the newer CS series would work.

Say a call comes from
555-123-1234.

It is sent to ring department 290. D290 rings X101,100,104,109,130

The CFBNA settings for this department forward to ID 16 of the AA.

ID 16 is set as an outbound dialing branch which calls 123-456-0987

The caller ID that shows up on the cell phone is 555-123-1234.

Ed, as Connextions1 said the Samsung 7000 series and the OS 500/100 can do it also. The only problem is this will consume 2 channels on the PRI until the call is ended. We can send up to 10 digits per trunk/channel or on a station by station basis.

While John has a good idea, I do not think it will work on the Vodavi. The STSe can be programmed to provide the outgoing CLID number on a per station basis. Ed could use an analog port, or he could create a virtual station. These senarios would probably both work if someone called on a POTS line and was connected via the PRI, or if someone called from an internal extension.

If I'm understanding Ed correctly, the problem is when the call comes in and then goes back out of the PRI. The STSe is then creating a trunk-to-trunk transfer via the PRI. At that point, the programming of the STSe becomes irrelavant and the CLEC's default outband number is inserted for the CID information.

The only senario I can see that would work would be if you had four pots lines that you used to send the calls out on. You could put each line in a seperate line group and route accordingly.

-Larry

Ed we have a customer doing just what you are looking for right here in Charlottesville. It's on the Samsung 100 with PRI and the CLEC in this case will allow the digits from us.

The way I've done it on a Toshiba - not sure if its possible on a Vodavi.

DID comes in, system processes access codes for that DID, conference call is established via access code and selects a specific outgoing line group that is programmed with designated outgoing number. It takes some tinkering but it works.

Condition(s): Carrier must allow outbound caller ID

Inter-Tel 5000 V2.2 will allow you to pass either origional CID that was incomming or the CID from the DID. This can be done after ringing a group or groups of phones. Can't help on price I just have to make the boss' ideas work in the field
Randy

Many thanks to all of you you have posted or called with potential solutions to this problem. I am now posting to provide you with a follow-up and our eventual solution to the problem.

First of all, it should be noted that the STSe is a fairly low-priced system that meets the needs of about 90% of our typical small customer's needs. The needs of this customer were not made evident until AFTER they system had been installed. Had we known what they were expecting, we may have sold them something different.

Anyway, it was determined that the ability to alter the outward dialing digits is a limitation inherent to the STSe on a PRI. The system would allow us to program it to perform the digit manipulation we were seeking, but it would not work.

The customer's operation consists of four different companies or entities, most owned by the same person. Each of these companies had it's own POTS line for their fax. We were able to parallel connect their fax lines to the four on-board loop start CO line ports. We then forced the after-hours forwarding of each company's DID to dial out over their respective fax number. This worked flawlessly.

The customer didn't necessarily need the actual DID number that had been dialed to be displayed as caller ID. They just wanted a way to differentiate between the calls so that they would know how to answer. By having the calls forward via each company's fax number, this problem was solved.

Thanks again to everyone for your input. It looks as if we have this problem resolved. :thumb:

Innovative thinking in a sticky situation. :thumb:

Glad you got it sorted out Ed! I guess you're all set until they have an inbound fax at the same time.

ipofficeguy, every party needs a pooper, that's why we invited you, party pooper. You're as bad as me, always looking for the down side, and trying to have a plan 'B', I'll bet. John C. (Not Garand)