Forwarding calls using Mobile Number no longer works

[CloudAware]

Dear all, we used to make "shortcuts" for external numbers by making an extension, fill out the Mobile Number, select "Ring my mobile simultaneously" and everything worked. Also in ringgroups and queues.

Now in V18 it seems the functionality is broken. I am looking at the SIP traffic and i see:

To: <sip:[email protected]:5080>
From: "My name"<sip:1000@customer.cloudaware.eu:5080>;tag=b113c863

Obviously the From header is not correct as the CID "1000" is not a valid external CID. I have filled out the "Outbound Caller ID" in 3CX so that is not the problem.
I think this is a bug in 3CX v18.

 

[paurus]

We use V18. Everything works as expected.

 

[CloudAware]

Can you confirm the "from" header contains the actual CID and not the extension number? Otherwise i expect your trunking provider is doing exactly what we are doing now: rewrite that from to something sensible.

 

[SteveITS]

making an extension, fill out the Mobile Number, select "Ring my mobile simultaneously"

I don't think we've done that, specifically, but in v18 we have at least one client with an extension, mobile number, and has Forwarding Rules for both internal and external set to the Forward To Mobile choice. As far as I know it's been working...

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

Dear all, we used to make "shortcuts" for external numbers by making an extension, fill out the Mobile Number, select "Ring my mobile simultaneously" and everything worked. Also in ringgroups and queues.

Using the "Ring my mobile simultaneously" function would actually sometimes cause this behavior if the OriginatorCallerID's value is being used in the SIP Trunk's Outbound Parameters. I say sometimes because there are other factors that come into play as well.

In any case, I would not recommend this method for creating the shortcuts you speak of. It would probably much more easy to setup and manage if you just create Outbound Rules, set the prefix to be the shortcut value and then strip the whole thing, finally, just prepend the complete external number to be called.

If you must use the extensions, since you already have them set up, I'd suggest you use the exceptions instead of the "ring my mobile simultaneously" function. Just create an exception for every extension that matches all numbers (use asterisk * as caller id) and then forward to number (the external number). If you want the external numbers to be searchable in the Users/Extensions section, just also put the number in the extension's mobile field.

If you want a quick fix, you'll probably be able to get it to work if you force the outbound caller id on your existing Outbound rule.

Hope this helps.

 

[CloudAware]

We are unable to use the outbound rules as we want to use these "external" extensions in queues and ringroups.

Apart from that: there is an option "Ring mobile simultanious". I now understand that option does not always work. Can you explain when this option does not work as intended? What can cause the From header to contain the extensionnumber and not the caller-id? Please mind: "normal" external calls do not have this incorrect From header.
Thank you very much.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

I now understand that option does not always work. Can you explain when this option does not work as intended

It always works as intended, it's just that it may cause some SIP Fields to carry the calling extension's number depending on your configuration such as SIP Trunks settings and OutboundCallerID settings due to the internal workings of the "Ring my mobile simultaneously" function. Have you tried setting the Outbound Caller ID you want to be presented in the Outbound Rule directly?

 

[CloudAware]

No because that would mean all outbound calls get a single CID. That is not what we want.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

We may be missing something, what are you trying to do exactly?

Do you have Inbound calls, go to a Call Queue, where all agents have "Ring my mobile simultaneously on" so calls get routed to their mobile and you are expecting to see the Original's caller CID on that final destination(mobile), can you provide the whole call flow, even where the call is coming from(etc another bridge 3CX, or SIP Provider, etc)?

Also, if the call is coming in from a SIP Provider to a SIP Trunk, does it enter and exit the PBX via the same exact SIP Trunk? What have you got set for the outgoing SIP Trunk Outbound Parameters for these two options:



And where do you have Outbound Caller IDs set up:

1. SIP Trunk >> Caller ID >> Configure Outbound Caller ID
2. Users >> Outbound Caller ID
3. Outbound Rules >> Outbound Caller ID

Please also let us know which SIP Provider you are using for these outbound calls.

 

[CloudAware]

It is as simple as: extension 1000 calls extension 2000 (extension with mobile number forward). Whenever i call 2000 from 1000, the call is forwarded to the mobile number, hits the trunk and there i see the "From" header is "1000" and it should be a valid CID number (say: the trunk main number of the extensions caller-id). That is not the case atm. This WAS the case in v16. The whole queue/group was just to indicate we cannot work around this bug by using an outbound rule.
This either is a bug or there is an obscure configuration setting that i do not know of. In that case: i would REALLY like to know this setting.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

In that case you could alter the SIP Trunk's Outbound Parameters a bit. Just change the "From: Display Name" and "From: User Part" parameters to use the OutboundCallerID taken from extension settings as seen below:



Just bear in mind that we do not generally recommend modifying the default settings of a SIP Trunk if using a 3CX Supported provider as it will affect behavior. For instance, doing so would prevent you from being able to present the originator's caller ID outward in cases where an external call reaches your PBX and is then forwarded outward again.

 

[CloudAware]

So that is not an option.
Also: please not that the Outbound caller Id taken from the Extension is NOT used by 3CX for the outbound call as i have described in my initial post.
That means: the option you have posted above is not working correctly!
Kind regards,

Jeroen Hermans

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

Also: please not that the Outbound caller Id taken from the Extension is NOT used by 3CX for the outbound call as i have described in my initial post.
That means: the option you have posted above is not working correctly!

It should if you change the outbound parameters I mentioned. Please read my whole post.

If you do not want to modify the parameters nor use any of the other workarounds I have mentioned then there is no other way around this. The configuration you have implemented is not what I would call "conventional" as the components used were not meant to do what you are trying to do (e.g. use an extension as a "shortcut" for an external number) so I'm afraid I cannot suggest a configuration that would suit your case and also be considered a 3CX Supported configuration.

 

[CloudAware]

I agree. It SHOULD work.

Afaiks i am not using an exotic configuration. I JUST filled out the mobile number for an extension and ticked the box "Ring my mobile simultaneously".
When i dial the extension from another extension the WRONG headers are send to the trunk. To be clear: the headers that are send to the trunk are NOT the headers that are configured at the "From: user part". So i still believe this is a bug. I realise that many trunking providers "fix" an invalid From-header, but 3CX should send out valid headers. EXPECIALLY if they are configurable as ChrisC_3CX pointed out above.