Using BLF for paging/intercom

[edarring]

I've searched the forums and haven't found this question, so I'll ask. I'm fairly new to 3CX, so I appreciate the help.

I would like to set up BLF/DSS buttons to call other extensions, however, I would like them to page the extension instead of just call the extension as the default. Doing so allows the caller to immediately converse with the called person without their having to physically answer the call.

I can program the BLF with a speed dial that includes the *9 (such as *9101), but then the BLF key doesn't light up with the extension status like it does when you just put the extension in.

What would be nice is a system-wide method to tell 3CX that when I push the BLF key, it should page the extension, not call the extension. So the default internal call type would be a page instead of a call--and maybe the *9 then does the opposite, calling the extension instead of paging. Make sense?

Does anyone know a way to accomplish that without losing the other BLF features?

Thanks!

 

[craigreilly]

Many people might consider this a security/privacy concern. You might not know someone is listening to your every word... Not good if you are talking company financials,or hr matters.

Just my 2 cents.

Can you make the phone auto answer internal calls? Not sure what phone handset you are using.

 

[cobaltit]

Many people might consider this a security/privacy concern. You might not know someone is listening to your every word... Not good if you are talking company financials,or hr matters.
[\quote]


Well that's a separate discussion as intercom is a security/privacy concern whether or not it's bound to a BLF button.

I've never successfully implement what you are asking for, nor have I ever been asked to. BLF buttons as they work now have pretty much become a 'standard' so I don't see your request ever changing. Usually my installs just include a sidecar or two for the primary call router with seperate buttons for BLF and other features (such as intercom).

 

[edarring]

I've never successfully implement what you are asking for, nor have I ever been asked to. BLF buttons as they work now have pretty much become a 'standard' so I don't see your request ever changing. Usually my installs just include a sidecar or two for the primary call router with seperate buttons for BLF and other features (such as intercom).

Many people might consider this a security/privacy concern. You might not know someone is listening to your every word... Not good if you are talking company financials,or hr matters.

Thank you for the response. It is worth considering that not all uses of 3CX are business oriented. In a residence (the application I'm targeting in this case), people don't sit at a desk or in an office. They move around. They are most often not within arms reach of a phone. If you call the kitchen, for example, it's best to be able to talk with whomever is there without them having to clean the cookie dough off their hands so they can answer the call.

And for that matter, even in a business setting, you can always dial *9[extention] to page the extension with auto-answer being automatic, so it's pretty easy to circumvent the security/privacy concern.

In a home environment, auto answer on the paging is much more the expected behavior. I'd like the option to make paging the expected behavior as a default for BLF buttons with 3CX. Panasonic has provided that capability with their KXT PBX systems for years. That seems like a pretty simple option for a software application like 3CX. I've not been able to find one, but I was hoping there's a system switch somewhere that can make that happen.

Thanks,

 

[lneblett]

I do not believe that the 3CX system has this capability as you expressed it. I also doubt that 3CX would change the already established *9 aspect of paging to an inverse operation whereby it is to be assumed that unless there is a *9, then all calls are in fact a page and the *9 is representative of a non-page call.

One option that might be a workable solution is to have the phone themselves (via their template or web interface setting) set to simply auto-answer. This would then avert the need for a special dial-code sequence, but of course, it also means that no matter what, the phone will go off-hook on all calls made to the extensions where this option is set.

I do not know what phones you may be using, but most of the SIP phones supported seemingly have an auto-answer ability.

 

[alejandrogiraldo]

I have been testing extensively in the last couple of days the idea proposed by craigreilly in another forum regarding the creation of dummy extensions and the ability to forward them directly to any other extension by setting the forward-to extension as the dummy extension mobile number and setting the forwarding rules to direct the call to the dummy extension's mobile number in any situation. This has worked very well for parking/unparking calls on SP.

I just tested to page an extension, and voila! it works also!, what you have to do is to add the page dial code as the dummy extension mobile number, *9desired_ext and configure the forwarding rules to direct the call to its mobile number in any situation.

The only thing left would be to assign a BLF to the dummy extension, so you can call it (and have it page the desired_ext) with th touch of a button.

 

[leejor]

As you are using this in a residential setting...are all of the extensions in the same ring group? If so, then you could simply park the call, then dial the ring group code, ringing all sets in the house (call could also be transferred to the ring group). As you said, in a residential installation, most people are not sitting beside a particular extension, as one would in a business setting.

It might not work in your particular situation, a lot depends on how many people could possibly pick up the call, just throwing it out there...

 

[lneblett]

Being that the dummy extension is just that and not registered, what exactly will you expect to see on a blf key programmed to same? Would not the blf key simply not be lit?

 

[alejandrogiraldo]

Being that the dummy extension is just that and not registered, what exactly will you expect to see on a blf key programmed to same? Would not the blf key simply not be lit?

Yes, in theory you are right, since that extension is not registered the BLF should not be lit. But i just took some time to test it in a Linksys SPA942 phone, assigning one of its BLFs to the dummy extension, and it does works, i used it to page another extension and it works.

 

[RLester]

Being that the dummy extension is just that and not registered, what exactly will you expect to see on a blf key programmed to same? Would not the blf key simply not be lit?

I do not know how it works but it does. I guess if the ext is busy and only if it is busy does the BLF "Busy Lamp Field" know it.

I found my self facing these same troubles with BLF keys. I use Shared Park Ext and setup BLF keys to a lot of ring groups. If you have a button programmed to do something it is nice to have it lit on the phone rather than looking like a dead button. Then if you have phones with out BLF keys you could not use Shared Park Ext with out using the “Dummy Ext”. I spent some time researching the problem and I found the "Dummy Ext" to be the answer, (Thanks everyone that has posted on the forums) at least for me it is worth doing a little extra work for the more professional look. I will say it is not perfect but until 3cx finds a way to provide the feed back from SPX and ring groups this will be a part of every install. I am realistic though, I do not know how they would provide feed back on a ring group. Lots of things to look at how many phones in the group, how many lines each phone has, who is set to DND or away but 3cx is a GRATE system and they may be able to do it one day.

 

[craigreilly]

Somewhere along this post - someone mentioned Ring Groups. You could do a 'Page All' Ring Group and just say "Tom please call me at ext 101" if you are trying to track someone down. Just another option.