Wow, I sure am glad I found this list. I had no idea anyone was still using these antique systems.

Anyway, I have recently switched from a DID trunk to 24 line start trunks. I have lost my DNIS so I am trying to figure out how to make it work as close as possible to the way it used to. I have bunch of users that have direct access numbers. The only way I could figure out how to accomplish this was to set that trunk's ring in destination to that keyset. Is there another way? My other problem is that I have limited trunks so I have the folks with direct inward numbers set to dial out on their trunk. The problem here is that there is a delay in reacquiring the trunk which has resulted in complaints. Is there any way to set up an alternate outgoing extension for these stations so they don't get the delay? Is there possibly a way to make ARS look at their trunk and then a trunk group?

It just seems like there would be a way to make this work but I just can't seem to figure it out.

Thanks, Thomas

Your first course of action should be to fire the person who came up with this plan, and hire someone who knows what they’re doing.

You’re pretty much stuck with what you’ve got. I’d rip out the loop start trunks and put in a T1/PRI. It would cost about half what you’re paying now, and give you the features you need.

Actually I am the one who came up with this plan. I knew full well what I was giving up as well as what I was gaining. With our old provider we were getting 1.5Mbs for internet which was shared with our T1. We are now getting 22Mbs down and 24 pots trunks for over $900/month less. So your statement that we could do T1 for less is obviously not correct. I could add 8 addl trunks and ARS everyone for $260 more and still save $600+ and my problem goes away, but I would rather tweak what I have rather than do that.

So please if someone has something actually constructive to say that would be awesome.

You can't. You gave up flexability when you gave up the T-1. A pots line is one # . A channel on a T-1 is Dynamic . Bottom line is you gained internet speed and stepped back to the stone age for your telephones.

Thanks for the response. So, there is no way to have a station utilize an alternate trunk automatically without ARS?

The cost statement was only considering the cost of your 24 LS lines vs. what a PRI from a CLEC would be. Not even considering your internet access fees, or shared T1 voice/data setup you had before..

PRI can get down in the $2xx/month range. 24 LS lines in my area at business rates would be something over $1000/month. Unless the vendors in your area are very inverted, you get all your features back with much less cost to ditch the 24 LS lines and go PRI from a CLEC. The ILEC cost case would be much closer, but the ILEC in my area would still be $150 cheaper for PRI vs. 24 LS lines. Seems like a nobrainer to me. Get all your features back, pay much less cost.

And FWIW: age doesn't matter much with phone systems. Some of these ancient hardware still have features the pure VOIP people are still wishing for..

Thanks again for the comments; I am still looking for an answer to the above question. I just want a second set of eyes on this to ensure I am not missing something.

Another question is there a way with SDMR to capture the entire call not just the final destination. For instance I have a CRA for our emergency line. Occasionally I will be asked for a report of those calls. The CRA points to a hunt group. If someone picks up SDMR records only the extension not the fact that it came through my CRA. Does this make sense? Again it seems that I must be missing something.

Thanks, Tom

yes you can by building a trunk group for each trunk and only allowing outgoing access to the person that the # belongs to . then put all of these in ars. now to utilize another trunk means you need to build another trunk group with your left over pots lines and give everyone outgoing access to them . then place that trunk group in the ars table also. So in answer to your question yes you can ,but honestly this isnt efficient or practical by any means.

in answer to your second question: if you have a VPU you can print out reports showing how many calls each Application (CRA,VM,A.A.,Etc.). but to track the call from "Cradle to the Grave" you need a 3rd party app like CCS or microcall.

So you are saying that if I put them ALL in ARS that the trunks that the station does not have access to will simply be skipped? If so that is brilliant and exactly what I need; thanks!

As far as the call tracking I must be doing something wrong. I have a third party Tappit but looking at my SMDR logs it only shows the final extension. In other words if a CRA points to a huntgroup and someone picks up there is no reference to the CRA in my raw SMDR. Is there something in DB Programming I need to do?

Thanks again

There's a couple levels of logging. SMDR only shows the final extension that handled the call (which is what you are seeing).

If you have System OAI Events licensed (back in 6.x it was points based, so you had xx points to assign to what features you wanted), and you had software that could take the OAI Event streams like the Inter-Tel Call Reporter, or other 3rd party expensive call reporting software. You could see what CRA was picked up, and depending on the software, show you every step along the way.

But the SMDR stream will only show final extension that handled the call.