Combine BLF and intercom/auto answer

[engin411]

We are switching from a traditional line system to 3CX and using Yealink T46G phones.

On our old system, there is a button for each extension that shows BLF plus is an intercom button with auto answer. So I can see if Tom is on the phone based on a red light being on or off, and if he's not on a call, I can push that button to intercom him. His phone beeps to announce an incoming internal call, and he can talk to me without doing a thing. When I hang up, the intercom call is terminated.

On the Yealink phones with 3CX provisioning, it seems that the BLF gives me the extension status but does not let me intercom the phone. I found that if I program a speed dial *9<ext>, it gives me the same as our old "intercom" call, but doesn't show the extension status that BLF does.

How can I combine BLF and an intercom/auto answer call?
Thanks.

 

[craigreilly]

I use mostly T38's and I think the BLF Button actually calls the extension, rather than intercom. We actually turned off Intercom for security reasons as people would call an extension and just hang out waiting for a conversation to happen, ie: in the CEO's office.

 

[engin411]

That is what I observed also, that BLF calls rather than intercom. I understand the concern about security, but in our case intercom is the way to do it. We're a family business and the nature of our sales demands phones that enable short/quick/easy voice conversations with no user action at the receiving phone; hence intercom with auto answer is what I'm trying to set up.

 

[swink]

Has anyone come up with a good answer for this one. Recognizing the security concerns - really just want auto-answering internal calls to work.

Michael

 

[lneblett]

Sorry, but you are stuck with the *9 dial code. As Craig pointed out, the BLF key simply dials the extension if the extension is not being used. The BLF functionality is not customizable. It would be nice if you could program the endpoint to recognize the differences, somewhat like many can do to alter the ring tone, and auto0anbswer accordingly, but alas I am not aware of any that do.........but this does not mean that there aren't any.

 

[layton]

The Yealink T46G does support using prefix button types. So what we do is map a linekey on page 1 of the T46G to be a Prefix type with a value of *9 and labeled as "Intercom". Users then press the intercom button followed by the BLF of the extension they want to intercom. It is an extra button press to intercom - but it allows the flexibility to either intercom an extension or dial an extension depending on the situation.

 

[NickD_3CX]

Another thing you could do is simply let the BLF buttons be as the 3CX Provisioning set them up so that you can see the extension status, and when you want to intercom someone press *9<BLF button>.

You could always also bind 2 BLF keys per contact, 1 as a BLF Key in to see the status and 1 as a Custom Speed Dial, but I'm sure you've thought of that already.

 

[Snomon]

Another thing you could do is simply let the BLF buttons be as the 3CX Provisioning set them up so that you can see the extension status, and when you want to intercom someone press *9<BLF button>.

You could always also bind 2 BLF keys per contact, 1 as a BLF Key in to see the status and 1 as a Custom Speed Dial, but I'm sure you've thought of that already.

Does this mean we will never see an option for BLF button to ever be "intercom" in one push? I set up a Yealink T48 where the BLF's is on the softscreen and the sidecar had all *9xxx" extensions programmed into it. But that doesn't help me if I have T38 (10 buttons) deployed where I want the BLF button to prefix *9....

Do I have to put this under 3cx.com/ideas?

Thanks

 

[lneblett]

The question is really for the phone manufacturer as it here where you are setting up the commands to be sent to 3CX.

As you indicated, you were able to set-up a sidecar to be able to accommodate the need, but presumably only because you had enough buttons to do so. I also assume that while you could do a "1 push" button intercom, it did not show the extension status.

Layton indicated that the T46 apparently has the capability of being able to use a key as a prefix and that pushing the prefix key along with the extension key the two are merged and sent to 3CX as one command.

3CX only processes the strings sent to it and each string is sent with a terminating send/dial/# or similar to indicate that the string sent was complete so that the system can then take the string and execute accordingly. Presumably the T38 is sending the terminating key when you set it up as "*9" and therefore 3CX reacts immediately, thereby precluding you the ability of adding additional info (extension #). The T38 also seems to support the prefix function that Layton pointed out...at least for the line keys (only place I looked).

There are a couple of issues I see with the desire as I, for one, do not want to be intercommed (Sp?) with no real choice in the matter. Of course, I recognize that this might be a company policy or boss desire with no options left to me as a user.

There is no way at present to get exactly the functionality you desire. You would certainly need to submit a feature request to 3CX and then perhaps to the phone manufacturers depending upon how implemented. At the moment, you have Layton's option of using a two key press, or you could simply go into the phones themselves and set to auto-answer with mic on. The downside being that every call gets answered which would impact any call handling - forwarding, voice mail, etc.