I have a Lucent Partner 18D system. I have 6 extensions setup as auto dial buttons for each phone (including a fax). When we use the intercom feature to call another extension and the conversation is over it will ring back as if the line was not picked up.

When you lift your handset, do you get (system) intercom dial tone or do you automatically grab a outside CO line?

Also, when you ring another extension by pressing your pre-programed button for that ext., do you press the button before lifting the handset?

It grabs an outside line. we usually pickup the handset. I just tried it with out picking up the handset and it did not use an outside line.

Lift the handset, which will grab an outside line, then press INTERCOM, then press the auto dial button for the other user.

Otherwise, with the outside line selected, the system thinks that you want to TRANSFER that outside line to the other user.

Is there a way to do this without using the intercom button after you pick up the handset, or pushing the extention button before you pickup the handset?

Change your auto line selection to go to intercom first instead of selecting a line. At ext. 10 or 11 press feature and dial 00, then press your left intercom 2 times right intercom 1 time { centralized programing } enter ext 10 dial ** and press left intercom, then press feature and then the right intercom enter 11 dial ** and press the left intercom and the feature and right intercom enter 12 ect. ect. ect. and feature 00 when finished.
Now when you lift the handset it will grab the intercom instead of a line. You will have to select a line to dial out.