I have a situation where the customer would like to have a mailbox do a blind transfer to a seven-digit outside number instead of a three-digit extension. We have put the phone number in the "dial" box for the mailbox. All that happens is that the caller hears "please hold while I transfer you to....", then hears four DTMF digits. After a few seconds, it hangs up on the caller.

What they are seeking is a single-digit menu option to transfer the caller to another office via their seven-digit phone number.

I suppose that we can off-net forward an unused SLT extension to accomplish this, but we really don't have one to spare. Can anyone think of another way to accomplish this?

Are the centrex or custo pack lines?

If so i have some info i can pass on to you on how to write some command files that I use on quite a few site that we do exactly what you are doing.

We write the Command file and then set the digit for that option on the menu to go to another menu which has the time-out as the command file. We usually record something in the menu instruction saying "you may experience a brief moment of silence during this transfer"

IF this might help let me know.

Cfiles are great because we can transfer live calls to cell phones. I assume you are programming a dispatch? The old AVP used to require the extension length to be set to 10 digits but the dispatch command file just uses whichever transfer code you require. I prefer CO Flash if the customer has telco transfer on pots lines to avoid the added 6db drop from trunk tandeming. PRI doesn't have that drop.
That's all I've got for now. Its the end of the day and my wife wants me home pronto!

I might ad that we often use a mailbox that forwards to the menu with the proper command file. However, we program the CF to use the number from the mailbox notification field. This permits us to change the "notification" number at will without having to create a new CF every time.

Its better to AA transfer calls to a virtual number that is off net forwarded if you have the right software. If you don't have FP2 then you would need an unused slt port.

That is what I'm going to tell him, Derrick. He is using a SPD1428, so he'll just have to steal a voice mail port to off-net forward these calls. I'm just providing tech support to this guy, so I'm not going to even mess with command files, etc.

Sheesh. Here I thought I was finally going to get a chance to help Ed! A 1428? Oh my! You could also forward to an extension that is off-net forwarded to a speed dial number but that is probably what you meant when you said "steal a VM port".

Dave, that is exactly what I meant. Off net forward an SLT port to a speed bin and be done with it. Anything more than that would be way too complex for the guy I'm trying to help out.