Cisco 7940 Questions

[Gregpearce]

Hello,

I have a couple of questions relating to the Cisco 7940 IP phones (2 line model), i can get them up and running fine however i am a little confused with the following;

1) If we have 4 lines from our VOIP provider, but only 2 line phones, does this mean we are only able to make 2 simultaneous calls throughout the office?

2) Is there anyway of making a call, with out having to push dial?

3) Is anyone aware of a way to configure the softkeys to act as speed dial buttons? -rather than the outgoing lines

4) Can the global phone book be synchronized across each phone?

Thanks in advance,
Greg



Thanks in advance,
Greg

 

[lneblett]

The first consideration is the number of calls that the PBX (3CX) will support as a function of the license you purchased.

However, assuming that the license is of a least a 4 call edition, then you can conduct 4 calls at the same time. The line limitation on the phone simply limits the number of accounts that can be associated to the phone. In other words, each phone could have two extensions assigned if needed or the same extension assigned twice. This then gives you the capability of making two calls from each phone and even if assigned the same extension to both line appearances. The phones are assigned as extensions and not like the key sets of old. The PBX manages how each extension can make calls as it controls the lines. The phones are simply an end-point device that is used to dial or receive calls as managed by the rules you create in the PBX. Keep in mind that a call is defined to be from external to internal, internal to external and even internal to internal. This means that if you have a 4 call license and have one call in progress from one extension to another, then you have 3 calls left before hitting the license limit. If you forward externally originated calls back out to cells or external numbers, then this counts as 2 calls - one handling the inbound call and then another for the outbound.

The phones have various options typically. You can build a dial plan that will minimize the need to push dial/send/# or you may be able to use a timeout where the phone will automatically dial if no user input is received within x seconds. The issue is that the phones are universal in that they do not know what dial strings are in place at your location as the dial strings are likely quite different from the US to the UK as an example.

I have not used this particular model, but my guess is that the keys are likely programmable, but may need to be done manually rather than through any 3CX provided template. With some effort, you could probably modify the template to accommodate the need as well if a large quantity of phones are needed.

The phone book, perhaps yes with a qualified no. If using the 3CX phone book or some other common platform such as LDAP, then I assume so. If however, the phone supports and the users are using the local in-built phone book, then no as this is local to the phone. Again, my answers are predicated upon how most IP phones function, but not having experience with this particular model, I could be incorrect as to the particulars.

 

[leejor]

Here is a link of a dialplan example for a Cisco set. It's for the UK but it will give you some understanding of how it all works allowing you to "build' on that fits you situation.

http://phil.lavin.me.uk/2012/11/united-kingdom-dial-plan-xml-for-cisco-phones/

There are a number of other sites with helpful information on these sets if you do some searches.