Parameter: ALLOWUSEBUSYOPTFORGROUP

[IvyHeights]

Hello 3CX Staff,

I read in another thread that parameters can be changed on 3CX hosted servers by 3CX Staff. Can someone please change a parameter for me on a 3CX hosted server (I'll DM you the server key) and the parameter I need changed is " ALLOWUSEBUSYOPTFORGROUP " Can you please set that to " 1 " for me?

Thank you,
Scott

 

[Charles_3CX]

This is completely unsupported, and we will never be able to do this.

Receiving multiple calls to a single extension from Ring Groups or Call Queues is not possible.

If you would like to pick up a second call from a Ring Group, you can first park the current call using either a BLF key configured for a shared parking place or transfer the call to parking orbit, this will release the call from the phone, you can then pick up another call using the call pick-up feature (*20*) or BLF keys configured for extensions that are in the Ring Group and are ringing.

You may also put the call on hold, open a new line using the line keys, and then perform a call pickup to answer the new call.

You can not get audible representations of new calls while on another call from a ring group or a queue. However, this is possible visually using the switchboard within the 3CX Webclient/PWA.

 

[IvyHeights]

This is completely unsupported, and I will never be able to do this.

Receiving multiple calls to a single extension from Ring Groups or Call Queues is not possible.

If you would like to pick up a second call from a Ring Group, you can first park the current call using either a BLF key configured for a shared parking place or transfer the call to parking orbit, this will release the call from the phone, you can then pick up another call using the call pick-up feature (*20*) or BLF keys configured for extensions that are in the Ring Group and are ringing.

You may also put the call on hold, open a new line using the line keys, and then perform a call pickup to answer the new call.

You can not get audible representations of new calls while on another call from a ring group or a queue. However, this is possible visually using the switchboard within the 3CX Webclient/PWA.

"Receiving multiple calls to a single extension from Ring Groups or Call Queues is not possible." Is this feature for on premise servers only? Because I'm sure this feature was possible with older versions of 3CX, do you know why this feature was removed from the current release?

 

[Charles_3CX]

This was never supported, if you used it for on-premise systems, the systems will be voided for support.

 

[VoIPTools]

Perhaps I can share a slightly more nuanced background on this parameter. As @Charles_3CX stated, this parameter is not "supported" and you should not use it EVER.

Over the years I've seen several explanations why it should not be used. One example, I recall was from a 3CX support engineer who logically said, "If we wanted you to use this parameter, we would put it in the user interface". That should be your first clue to not use the parameter.

I have also seen an explanation from 3CX that stated that using the parameter is known to create "issues". While many years ago I used this parameter regularly with the desired results, apparently 3CX found that using the parameter "could" cause unintended outcomes. I never noticed any issues, but 3CX obviously has a much bigger customer base to draw from and just because I never noticed an issue, that does not mean that I was not having random or infrequent issues that I never attributed with the use of the parameter.

I have observed over the years that 3CX has gotten more and more assertive in their language when discouraging people from using this parameter, but today is the first time I have heard that 3CX Support will deem your PBX as unsupported if you use the parameter. Even so, I'm not surprised.. they have been very consistent in their position.

What you should take away from this discussion is that you should NEVER use this parameter even if you have seen people, including me, suggest the use of the parameter. It is very clear what 3CX's position is, and it does not really matter what anyone else says. Simply put DO NOT USE THIS PARAMETER.

 

[n2]

Notwithstanding the lack of an audible notification, Asterisk handles call waiting for RG. If my understanding of 3CX is correct, set to 0, the PBX never sends the Invite to the RG extensions if they are busy as the system knows the status for any given extension and there is no need to send. If set to 1, the PBX sends the call to the phone and allows the phone to determine if it has the setup to allow or not. If it does have the setup, the call is allowed, if not,the phone will respond with a 486 busy and the call moves on to the other extensions or other. Asterisk also allows one to skip a busy agent (one already in a call) essentially mimicking what I believe the 3CX settings were intended to do. The primary difference being that with Asterisk, the setting is applicable at a RG level whereas with 3CX it is system wide.

So, it is not clear to me why the statements "Receiving multiple calls to a single extension from Ring Groups or Call Queues is not possible", and "This is completely unsupported, and we will never be able to do this" are made. The way the answer was put forth makes it sound more like a SIP technical issue, but it really appears to be a 3CX decision for whatever reason.

It is also interesting to note that with the release of the router phone function (v2 more specifically), the issue of crashing seems to be more prevalent with Fanvil than Yealink and several have raised the issues of the busy opt setting being a factor. We are experiencing the crashing issue at a number of sites, all Fanvil all on .22 firmware (which we update to from .17 hoping for a fix) and running latest 3CX and not all make use of the busy opt function set to 1.

We are gathering details to see if we can replicate, but client descriptions are varied and occurrences seemingly random. Once we have better info, will report back.

 

[Evolute IT]

FYI, comparing 3CX to Asterisk is worthless.

3CX is built using a custom SIP stack, not an existing platform under the hood. So things like that are specific to 3CX.

 

[n2]

To state that it is not possible when you state that they are using a custom SIP stack implies that the possibility is there to develop a same or similar function, but, as stated, for whatever reason, they elect not to. I respect that it is a 3CX developed product and they have a roadmap and this is not in their plans, but it still seems plausible. Other non-Asterisk platforms can also do.

 

[Evolute IT]

To state that it is not possible when you state that they are using a custom SIP stack implies that the possibility is there to develop a same or similar function, but, as stated, for whatever reason, they elect not to. I respect that it is a 3CX developed product and they have a roadmap and this is not in their plans, but it still seems plausible. Other non-Asterisk platforms can also do.

V20 is supposed to bring a strategy to ring busy agents. They did it because v20 uses a brand new call manager under the hood.

 

[n2]

V20 is supposed to bring a strategy to ring busy agents. They did it because v20 uses a brand new call manager under the hood.

Well, that will be interesting to see....Thanks.
However, i wonder how much reworking of existing systems will be required with all the other changes in v20?

 

[VoIPTools]

I think if it was simple, they would have years ago. Let us see what comes with V20

 

[LAvoip]

V20 is supposed to bring a strategy to ring busy agents. They did it because v20 uses a brand new call manager under the hood.

I think if it was simple, they would have years ago. Let us see what comes with V20

Do we know if V20 tackles this and provides an option for this in ring groups?

 

[IvyHeights]

This was never supported, if you used it for on-premise systems, the systems will be voided for support.

Hello @Charles_3CX

I just wanted to check with you to see if anything has changed with this, if regards to being notified of additional calls coming into a ring group while you are already on a call (i.e. ALLOWUSEBUSYOPTFORGROUP) for the new 3CX Version 20 cloud hosted servers?

Please let me know,
Scott

 

[OlegR_3CX]

Hi Scott, hope you are doing well.
V20 does not allow to ring agents in the ring group if they are busy.