Analog Features Available for IP Centrex Stations
Account Codes - track and manage telecom expenses.
Anonymous Call Rejection - automatically reject incoming calls from parties who do not deliver their name or telephone number
with the call.
Automatic Callback/Ring Again - when encountering a busy signal, a caller can dial an activation code and be automatically
called back when the called station becomes idle.
Automatic Line/Direct Connect ("Hotline") - automatically dials a pre-assigned Centrex station's extension number or external
telephone number whenever a user goes off-hook or lifts the handset.
Barge In - allows a user to bridge himself or herself on to a existing call (at another Centrex station) to form a three-way
conference call. Barge-In is often used in conjunction with Directed Call Pickup.
Call Block - automatically reject incoming calls placed from specific telephone numbers.
Call Forwarding (Busy, Don’t Answer, Multiple Simultaneous, Variable, Selective) - automatically routes incoming calls to a
given extension to another preselected number under a variety of circumstances. Call Forwarding Busy forwards calls when the called
extension is busy. Call Forwarding Don't Answer forwards calls when there is no answer after a specified number of rings. Call
Forwarding Multiple Simultaneous indicates the number of forwarded calls (originally dialed to the same Centrex extension) that can
occur simultaneously. Call Forwarding Variable allows users to forward all calls to their extensions to another number (that they
select). There are various call forwarding options that allow differential call forwarding to be applied depending on whether the
caller and/or the forwarded number are members of the Centrex group or external lines. In addition, Selective Call Forwarding allows
the user to pre-select which calls will forward to a different telephone number, based on the based on the calling party’s telephone number.
Call Hold (Hard Hold) - calls can be put on hold by dialing a feature activation code (phone does not need a Hold button).
After a call is put on hold, the user may perform some task related to the call (e.g., look up customer information), originate
another call, answer another call by using a Call Pickup feature, answer an incoming call with the Call Waiting feature, or return
to a previously held call.
Call Park - allows user to place call on hold, move to a different location, and then resume the call from any other station
in the Call Park group.
Call Pickup - The lines (or a portion of the lines) in a Centrex group can be made members of a pickup group. A call ringing
on any station in the pickup group can be answered from any other station in the pickup group.
Call Restrictions/Station Restrictions - prevents certain types of calls from being made or received by particular stations.
For example, phones in public areas can be blocked from originating calls to external numbers to prevent unauthorized users from
incurring toll charges. Phones in certain areas may be blocked from receiving external calls to limit employees abilities to receive
personal calls. A wide variety of restrictions is available which can address incoming calls, outgoing calls, toll restrictions,
code restrictions, and differential treatment for internal and external calls.
Call Return - allows user to originate a call to the last party or number that called the user, regardless of whether the
user answered the original call or knows the caller's identity.
Call Selector - uses a special ringing pattern to alert called user of incoming calls from pre-selected telephone numbers.
Call Transfer - transfers an existing call to another party (inside or outside the Centrex group)
Call Waiting Originating - When a Centrex user (who is assigned the Call Waiting Originating feature) places a call to
another Centrex user whose line is engaged, the calling party will hear ringing (instead of a busy signal) and the called party will
hear the Call Waiting tone. If the calling user's line has Call Waiting Originating, the called user's line does not need Call
Waiting Terminating in order for that user to receive the Call Waiting tone. Upon hearing the Call Waiting tone, the called party
can put the current conversation on hold to answer the incoming call.
Call Waiting Terminating - alerts the user to incoming calls when the user's line is engaged on an established call. Upon
hearing the Call Waiting tone, the called party can put the current conversation on hold to answer the incoming call. Different Call
Waiting tones are available to indicate whether the caller is on an outside line or is part of the Centrex group. Tone Block/Cancel
Call Waiting is a related feature that allows a user to disable Call Waiting tones for the duration of call so that they are not interrupted.
Caller ID - allows the user to identify the name and telephone number of a calling party before answering an incoming call.
Another version of this feature--Caller ID on Call Waiting--allows for the calling name and number to be delivered when the called
party is on another call.
Calling Number Delivery Blocking - prevents a caller's telephone number and/or name from being divulged to the called party
(who might otherwise receive that information if they subscribe to Caller ID).
Consultation Hold - calls can be put on hold by depressing the switch-hook or pressing the flash button. After completing a
second call, the user is automatically reconnected to the originally held call.
Code Restriction - prevents a user from dialing one or more three-digit codes. Code Restriction can be used to reduce per
call charges for certain services or restrict access to long distance carriers (other than the company's pre-selected long distance carrier).
Dial Call Waiting - allows the user to automatically send a Call Waiting tone to another Centrex user when the called party's
line is engaged. If the calling user invokes Dial Call Waiting, the called user's line does not need Call Waiting Terminating in
order for that user to receive the Call Waiting tone. Upon hearing the Call Waiting tone, the called party can put the current
conversation on hold to answer the incoming call. Dial Call Waiting is activated on a per call basis, so the caller can decide to
use it only when the call is important enough to interrupt an ongoing conversation.
Directed Call Park - allows user to place call on hold, specify the extension number from which the call will be resume, and
subsequently move to that location and resume the call.
Directed Call Pickup - allows a call ringing at a Centrex station to be answered at a different station. At the station where
the call is to be answered, the user dials a feature code and extension number of the ringing telephone. If the user does not finish
dialing prior to someone else answering the call, then the user hears a busy signal (if the Barge-In feature is not assigned) or is
bridged onto to the call to form a three-way conference call (if the Barge-In feature is assigned).
Distinctive Ringing - uses a special ringing pattern to indicate to the called user whether an incoming call is from outside
or from within the Centrex group. If the user also has Call Waiting Terminating, then the Call Waiting tones will also be
distinctive based on the origin of the call.
Executive Busy Override - allows user to bridge onto a busy line and establish a three-way call. This is similar to Directed
Call Pickup with Barge-In, except that Executive Busy Override provides a warning tone prior to bridging the call.
Intercom Dialing - allows user to call Centrex extensions by dialing a standard 4-digit code instead of the entire 7-digit
telephone number.
Hunt Groups - allows calls to be redirected to other predetermined lines when the called line is busy. Hunting allows a
number of lines to be grouped into a "pool" so that an incoming call is directed to whichever of the lines is available. There are a
number of different hunting options which determine how an available line is selected.
Last Number Redial - allows user redial the last number called by dialing an access code or by pressing a single button.
Message Waiting Audible - provides the user with an audible notification--a "stutter" dial tone--when messages have been left
in the company's voice mail system. Centrex service provides a Simplified Message Desk Interface (SMDI) interface so that the
company's (or a third party's) messaging system can activate stutter dial tone on specific lines (and deactivate it after the
messages have been retrieved).
Message Waiting Lamp - provides the user with a visual indication when messages have been left in the company's voice mail
system. The indication may be a flashing lamp on a compatible telephone or on an adjacent visual message waiting device.
Music-On-Hold - provides a musical interlude for callers who are waiting on hold.
Repeat Dialing - automatically dials the last telephone number the user called, and, if that number is busy, continues to
monitor the busy line and establishes the call when the line becomes idle.
Speed Dialing - allows the user to call frequently called telephone numbers by dialing an abbreviated speed calling code
instead of the entire number.
Station Message Detail Recording (SMDR) - allows the corporate telecom manager to receive call detail records on a
per-station basis before the monthly telephone bill is even issued. SMDR helps the customer control telephone fraud and abuse,
perform accurate cost accounting, and analyze call patterns to identify opportunities for cost reductions.
Three-Way Conferencing - allows user to add a third party to an existing conversation forming a three-way conference call.
Toll Restriction - blocks a station from placing calls to telephone numbers that would incur toll charges.
700/900 Blocking - blocks a station from placing calls to 700 and 900 numbers.
For more information on these features, including examples of how companies are using these features as part of their office
operations, consider visiting:
ISDN Features Available for IP Centrex Stations
All the capabilities available to Analog Centrex users are also available to ISDN Centrex. In some cases, the same features are
available on both platforms. In other cases, ISDN Centrex offers equivalent functionality by using different features. Naturally,
ISDN Centrex offers additional features not available on Analog Centrex. Such ISDN features are available to IP Centrex users, and a
few high runners are described below.
Multiple Call Appearances - Multiple Call Appearances allow each station to have three or more appearances of the user's primary
phone number. Each appearance gives the user the ability to handle one call. Consequently, Multiple Call Appearances allow the user
to originate and/or terminate multiple calls simultaneously. Unlike an analog multi-line phone, the station needs only one line (and
one phone number) for Multiple Call Appearances. Each call appearance is controlled by a separate button on the telephone set, so it
is easy for the user to switch between call appearances. When the user is involved in a call on one call appearance and another call
is offered on a different call appearance, the user may use the Caller ID information to decide whether to answer the ringing call
appearance or let the call be forwarded to voicemail. To answer the ringing call appearance (or originate a second simultaneous
call), the user simple puts the first call appearance on hold. Calls on different appearances can be combined together to form a
three-way or six-way conference call.
Shared Call Appearances - Shared Call Appearances allow a station to have one or more call appearances for a different user's
telephone numbers. This capability can support a wide variety of call coverage configurations. A group of stations can be set up
such that a call to any station can be answered from any other station. A secretary may monitor the lines for a group of executives.
Since each executive's phone number has a separate appearance on the secretary's phone, the secretary can answer calls to different
executives with the appropriate greeting. Some secretaries may answer calls for an executive on the first ring. Alternatively, the
secretary can monitor when the executive's line is busy and answer calls only when the line is in use. It is even possible to first
ring the executive's phone (so the executive has the option to answer first) and then ring the shared appearance on the secretary's phone.
Secondary Telephone Numbers - Secondary Telephone Numbers allow one or more additional telephone numbers to be assigned to a
station. Each secondary telephone number has one or more call appearances on the station, and, like the primary telephone number,
can be accessed from other stations via Shared Call Appearances. Because the Secondary Telephone Number has separate call
appearances from the primary telephone number, it is easy for the user to determine which telephone number the caller dialed. This
allows the user to have different telephone numbers for various purposes (marketing campaigns, important customers, private numbers)
and answer each call with an appropriate greeting.
