New SLA like parking functionality to allow for easy parking

[CentrexJ]

Where can we get documentation on the "New SLA like parking functionality to allow for easy parking and un-parking of calls
via BLF lights" feature?

I checked the V9 manual and extension manual and all I can find is a reference to the fact that it is a new feature.

Looks good so far though.

Jon R.

 

[SY]

Re: NEW 3CX Phone System Version 9 Beta Released

Where can we get documentation on the "New SLA like parking functionality to allow for easy parking and un-parking of calls
via BLF lights" feature?

I checked the V9 manual and extension manual and all I can find is a reference to the fact that it is a new feature.

Looks good so far though.

Jon R.

From documentation provided with v9 beta:

4. Optionally specify any BLF fields that must be automatically configured. Match a BLF
button with an extension, so that this button will show the status of that extension. The
number of available BLF buttons varies per phone. You can also link a parking orbit to a
BLF button. This allows users to easily park or un-park calls by hitting that BLF button.

Configure BLF with "SPx"(x=0-9)...
And use it...

 

[CentrexJ]

Re: NEW 3CX Phone System Version 9 Beta Released

4. Optionally specify any BLF fields that must be automatically configured. Match a BLF
button with an extension, so that this button will show the status of that extension. The
number of available BLF buttons varies per phone. You can also link a parking orbit to a
BLF button. This allows users to easily park or un-park calls by hitting that BLF button.

Configure BLF with "SPx"(x=0-9)...
And use it...

Thank you SY! Works awesome. VERY nice new feature. Much better than Blind XFER to *0x.

Tested with my Aastra 39i (using auto provisioning under "aastra" generic template). Now to get it working on my Linksys/Cisco phones.

Jonathan.

 

[jhicken]

Re: NEW 3CX Phone System Version 9 Beta Released

I'm evaluating 3CX for a 150+ user business. The call parking/MOH/ringback issues were hangups so I am excited about the changes in this version.
I was able to upgrade to v.9 today and did some testing with the call parking.
I am also testing phones.

Issues: (note: I am still a novice at this but learning more every day)

I set a DSS key on a Yealink t28 to BLF to SP0. BLF key goes green. Perfect!
I then made a call to another ext. and pressed the park key. Both phones were then placed in SP0. Light goes Red.
I didn't want to go to SP0, just the other phone.
The only way I have found to get just the other phone into SP0 is to press Tranfer....BLF Park key...Transfer.
3 button pushes. Perhaps I have it setup wrong. Any Ideas?

Picking up the call in SP0 works as expected....Press the SP0 key and it connects the call. Perfect!....
Except that it takes 4 seconds for the call to connect. So If I press to retrieve a call in SP0, the other caller cannot hear the first few words if I start talking immediately.

Park ringback works. Any way to adjust the time on that? I haven't actually looked yet

The MOH options are a breath of fresh air...I mean sound. I haven't actually tested it though

I know this is a beta so I thought I'd put my 2 cents in.

Thanks for the hard work on the update!

 

[nb]

Yealink is slow in transference calls. It just needs its time. You should take this up with them. There is a delay. The delay is not only when you park/unpark. Even if you make a call - it is not immediate. This is something in the nature of the phones.

DSS key should not be BLF. It should be Key event, Park I think.
Use provisioning - the provisioning template will set the phone according to how you want it.

The only way I have found to get just the other phone into SP0 is to press Tranfer....BLF Park key...Transfer.
3 button pushes. Perhaps I have it setup wrong. Any Ideas?

There are phones that need more key presses. BLF makes a blind transfer if you pickup. Blind transfers are not accepted to pick up parked calls. This is why you are getting this behavior.
The phones that work nicest with the 3CX Shared Parking Places features are Snom, Yealink, Aastra. Polycom and Cisco/linksys work perfect too - but multiple key presses are needed.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[rayfield]

Any idea as to how to set up a Grandstream 2010 so that the BLF key will access the Shared Parking Extension numbers (SP0 through SP9)? I tried entering those digits into the UserID fields in the phone setup, but that doesn't seem to work. When I press the Transfer Key, the call is placed on Hold (as it should be), but when I press one of the BFL keys that is programmed with SP0 through SP9, I just get a busy signal.

I can't seem to find any way to 'transfer' a call into one of the Shared Parking Extensions with the GXP2010.

John Rayfield, Jr.

 

[nb]

Grandstream - this is one of the phones that needs more key presses

What you have to do is the following

Receive call
Answer on grandstream
Press Line 2 to put line 1 on hold.
Press the park extension button
WAIT until you hear music on hold
Then transfer button and press Line 1

GXP will merge line 1 with Line 2 - Call will be parked.

Not really worth the hassle right? Just transfer to the extension directly

 

[rayfield]

You're right. That's a hassle.

But transfering directly to an extension is NOT acceptable in many cases. In my own office, this simply would not work at all. Currently, we're using an older Lucent PBX and it works perfectly for this type of operation. Since many of us aren't sitting at a desk all day, but we're all over the office/shop, we have to be paged and then we can pick up a call on whichever line the call is 'holding' on. If the call has to be transferred to a specific extension, then this just adds a 'layer' of complication to picking up calls that have been placed on hold. VERY unacceptable.

To keep it as simple as possible, I should be able to 'transfer' the call to a Parking Extension (press Transfer and the Parking Extension button), and then another person should be able to pick up that call from that Parking Extension (press that Parking Extension button). Very simple.

You need to be able to do a blind transfer (with the Transfer button) to a Parking Extension, where the call is automatically placed 'on hold' on that Extension. Is this, basically, how some of the other phones work with Call Parking?

John Rayfield, Jr.

 

[rayfield]

Nick, I did not mean to 'insult' you or anyone else. I'm just trying to point out how a system using 3CX could work better. I've seen numerous other posts from other people also 'complaining' about how the 3CX system works, as compared to other systems (including Asterisk), with regards to certain functions. Instead of getting 'upset' at other people, maybe you should take this as an opportunity to make your product even better than it already is (and it is a great product - just not 'perfect' yet).

If the problems are with the phones, then I would hope that you could figure out a way to 'work around' those problems in those phones, to make your system work better with those phones. If that is not possible, then just state that - don't get upset and rude.

As to "how I assist you in a procedure on how to use your phones", you provided a suggestion that is simply NOT acceptable in many business situations/offices. Other 3CX users have pointed out the same thing. I don't understand you getting upset when I point out that your suggestion is not acceptable in these situations. Rather than getting upset, I would hope that you would take this as 'feedback', to try to make your system more 'flexible' to meet the needs of more people.

I'm amazed at your 'rudeness' here, when someone is trying to help you to see that you can do even better than you've already done.

John Rayfield, Jr.
Rayfield Communiations, Inc.

 

[rayfield]

I realize that the Grandstream phones do things a little 'odd'. That doesn't surprise me, based on what I've experienced with the Grandstream phones (I don't think they're the 'best', by any means, in how their software is written). But, since you asked me to explain how a Grandstream phone (GXP2010, to be specific) can work with Asterisk, for Call Parking, I will....

I have 4 BLF keys programed for Extensions 70 through 73. These are the Parking Extensions in Asterisk (I'm using FreePBX to work with Asterisk).

I'm in a call..

I press Transfer and then 70. This transfers this call to the first Parking Extension. The BLF light for Parking Extension 70 turns red. Picking up the call is as simple as pressing that BLF button.

Now, I'm in a second call, while the first call is still Parked.

To put that second call into a Parking Extension, I do a Transfer to 70, again. This second call goes into Parking Extension 71, and the BLF light for that extension lights up. Again, picking up this call is as simple as pressing the BLF button for this Parking Extension.

Now, this still isn't 'perfect'. I have to remember which call went into which Parking Extension. I see that when I transfer each call to the Parking Lot, based on the BLF buttons turning red.

But, this procedure only takes a couple of key presses to transfer a call into a Parking Extension (Parking Lot), using the Transer button on the Grandstream phone (a Blind Transfer).

I tried this with 3CX, by pressing Transfer and then *0, but this didn't work.

John

 

[nb]

We will check with Grandstream and let you know on this. We will see what we can do.

 

[nb]

I checked further into this and the problem is that grandstream does not like to blind transfer to a key which contains a string

in this case SPX

Grandstream will blind transfer to a digit but.

I am in contact with grandstream to see whether they can include it in the next firmware. (Already done)

Excuse me for tone in previous emails - It was pressure talking. After discussion with my colleague, SY, we have reached a conclusion that we should investigate this. Thanks for your patience.

 

[rayfield]

Nick, I understand completely about 'pressure'. It's no fun, and unfortunately, often (usually?) a part of business in the world that we live in today. I guess I'm a bit unusual - I tend to try to 'push' people to learn more, to think more, to make whatever they create, better. I apoligize that this caused more 'pressure' on you.

I look forward to seeing what you and your colleague continue to come up with, with your product line. What you've done so far is trully great, in my opinion. I foresee that it will only get greater.

John

 

[nb]

Thanks - no problems.

We have opened an official feature request on Grandstream which is at the moment followed up by 3CX Support department. I have no definite feedback yet on this however it usually takes a week.

Thanks for the positive feedback too. I agree 100% that this problem should be handled.

 

[rayfield]

I was looking at a couple of other IP phones (Aastra and Snom) and noticed the following instructions regarding Parking Calls in the Aastra 9143i manual:

=======================================================================================================
For Asterisk Server -
Server announces the extension number where the call has been parked. Once the call is parked, press the key to complete parking.

For BroadWorks Server -
After you hear the greeting from the CallPark server, enter the extension where you want to park the call.

For Sylantro Server -
Enter the extension number where you want to park the call, followed by "#" key.

For ININ Server -
Enter the extension number where you want to park the call, followed by "#" key.
=======================================================================================================

If BLF Keys can be programmed for the Parking Lot Extensions, then the way these servers work with the 9143i seems to be pretty 'user friendly'. The only difference between the way the old 'key' systems work, compared to these servers and the 9143i, appears to be that one key is pressed to put a call on hold on the 'key' systems, and two keys are pressed (Park and the Parking Lot Extension Key) with these IP servers and the 9143i. That's no much difference and would be very easy to get used to, in my opinion. I do not care for the way the Asterisk server handles this, though, where you can't 'manually' select the Parking Lot Extension that is used. Personally, I prefer a button that I can push, that is labeled with the Parking Lot Extension number on it, and that will flash or change color to indicate that someone is 'holding' on that 'parking extension'.

Does Call Parking with the Aastra 9143i work similarly with 3CX as it does with the Broadworks, Sylantro, and ININ servers?

John

 

[rayfield]

Has anyone used the Aastra 9143i phones with the 3CX PBX?

John

 

[paul1]

Here is a workaround for transferring calls to a shared parking orbit on Grandstream phones.

You can create your own dummy extension for the transfer to the shared parking orbit. Assign the mobile number field of the dummy extension to the desired shared parking orbit. Upper case is required. (SP0, SP1 etc.) On the forwarding rules for the dummy extension choose Send call to my mobile number in the "Phone is Busy (unregistered)" section.

To park a call from the Grandstream phone press Transfer, dummy extension number, send.

You can create a dummy extension fore each shared parking orbit as needed.

I hope that helps until Grandstream updates their firmware.

Paul

 

[robertrm3]

What is the programming for a SNOM BLF key for this feature? It sounds like a great feature.

 

[SY]

Here is a workaround for transferring calls to a shared parking orbit on Grandstream phones.

You can create your own dummy extension for the transfer to the shared parking orbit. Assign the mobile number field of the dummy extension to the desired shared parking orbit. Upper case is required. (SP0, SP1 etc.) On the forwarding rules for the dummy extension choose Send call to my mobile number in the "Phone is Busy (unregistered)" section.

To park a call from the Grandstream phone press Transfer, dummy extension number, send.

You can create a dummy extension fore each shared parking orbit as needed.

I hope that helps until Grandstream updates their firmware.

Paul

Hi Paul,

Yes it will work, but BLF button will not show the status of shared parking place

 

[vsefcik]

rayfield asked: "Has anyone used the Aastra 9143i phones with the 3CX PBX?"

I have a few Aastra 9143i and 6730i phones working fine with 3CX. To implement the SLA funtionality on an Aastra, open a web browser, go to the configuration page for the phone, go to the Programmable Keys section and set the key Type to BLF/Xfer and the Value to SPx (where x is a number from 0 to 9; e.g. SP0). Do this on two or more phones. When a call is received by one of the Aastra phones, press the Programmable Key and the call will be placed on hold. The Programmable Key will be lit on all of the Aastra phones that have a Programmable Key configured with the same SPx number. On any phone, press the Programmable Key and the call will be picked up. The Programmable Key on all of the other Aastras will go off. Attached is a screen shot with two Programmable Keys programmed.