I took over a pharmacy as a client a couple of months ago, added several phones, upgraded the CICS to add a 5th line, changed the line cards for CLID and sold them a Maintenance Agreement.

The system is a CICS (5x16), 4.1, with the 1st 4 lines cascading and the 5th is a separate line.

This 4th line is also bypassing the system to use as a backup POTS line for a modem in case the cable high speed fails for their Lab computers which are linked to Quebec city for perscriptions.

What is now Line 5 was only a backup for the DSL line which feeds their credit card machines at the front counter.

I suggested they could put this on the system for the office staff to use only if the other 4 are busy, which would now be more likely due to the additional phones & staff. (Appear/No Ring)

There are 2 other POTS lines for other purposes and not connected to the system.

The Boss had my contact call me complaining that she tried to call into the main line (Line 1) from home and received either a fax or modem sound. On site today, I busied out the 4 lines and when I called, all I got was a busy signal, even after several attempts. Even tried just busying out L1, then L1&L2, L1,L2&L3. She (The Boss) claims that it has happened twice. I (& her staff) think she's losing it or miss-dialed.

I fail to see how this modem on Line 4 could be answering. The dialup modem is a US Robotics 56K, which is connected to one of the ports on the Cisco router, and of course the router is connected to the cable modem. This is nothing new, as it's been like that for a few years.

the only two things that i can think of is:
-the boss' phone at home? or
- an intermittent CO problem in the cascading. I've seen that before, where the call was actually going several hundred miles away at times.

Any other ideas?

Is their first line shared with the Burglar alarm? Have had several sites that the first line would intermittently be answered by the alarm. Alarm techs were always able to fix it. JUst a thought.

Good question. I don't have that in my notes, so I'll check it out tomorrow.

Alarm panels are set to answer if you call hang up and call back immediately. That will produce your modem squeal. Try to change the alarm to the fax line.

You did say this was a CICS? Do you have the Irad enabled?

I'm with jwooten, the auto answer in the irad got me a couple of times.

I'm with them. I had that bite me once too.

UPDATE: The IRAD is disabled. The Alarm line of course goes straight into the panel without a CA38A.

Too many alarm lines in that building to know which one is which so I told the client to get them on site and install the CA38A with me there at the same time so I can change the line if necessary.

Thanks for the replies.

I have run in to that many times. When our IVR device gets installed, the pharmacy no longer answers their calls live, we become the primary answering device.

When an alarm system uses one of the voice lines and is set for a "ring once, hang-up, call-back to ring again, THEN alarm modem answers, it creates problems. Our device answers on 1st ring, and of course, ringing ceases. Next call to that same telephone number causes the ring after the ring-stop-pause-ring again, and the alarm modem will answer.

You did mention this was a pharmacy location. All pharmacies have a connection to the internet for billing insurance etc, and have a dial-up line for backup if the high speed is broken. If this dial-tone line has been put into voice service, it is possible a ring signal gets to the back-up modem. Low probability, but a possibility.

Happy hunting, screeech-SCREEEEEECH.......

Has it only happened from the boss when she originated the call to the office ?

If so, you know the answer.

I know, her right hand gal knows, but we'd like to prove it.

UPDATE AGAIN.....

We've proved that it's on the main line and that the alarm is connected to the main line. Client is waiting for alarm company to move the alarm to another line.

The question is which would be a better line to move it to?

Configuration is as follows:
L1= Main line, No other modem attached
L2= Pots line, no modem attached
L3= Pots line, no modem attached
L4= Pots line, modem attached to backup Cable HS
L5= Pots line, modem attached to backup DSL HS

The fax line has the DSL on it & client doesn't want the same problem on her fax line

A dedicated line for the elevator

Put it on the fax line, and the alarm guys have provide a filter for their panel. I personally do not like the alarm to be on voice lines. Use any line except the incoming !! the problem wont happen on the fax as much, because machine to machine they do not hang up on the first ring. This should not pose a problem.

Bump

As descibed by Gazzard the problem won't occur on the fax line.

Thanks all. I just heard from the client that the alarm guy showed up without making an appointment and he left it on the main line, but changed the setting to pickup only after 12 rings.

OK for now, until she buys her VM that she wants down the road.....