PSTN Line Busy Alert

[AndyMR2]

I know this is a long shot but...

We're still having issues with PSTN lines not going back to idle after a call is finished. I don't think there's much more we can do with the line settings on the system but is there any way we can see or send an alert when a trunk is busy on one call for > 30mins or so?

We've got 15 Mitel systems and there doesn't seem to be any way to tell that a line is locked until we get a complaint from an external party.    It is causing me no end of issues.

If there's no way to send an alert is there any way I can automate a script to interrogate the systems on their trunk status and return the result to a file?

I'd take just about any ideas you have about now.

[x-man]

Change them to ISDN? I think Mitel is flaky on LS trunks except maybe for the US and Canada. Would never fit one here on LS trunks.

[ralph]

There isn't any scripting that can be done for this.  No alarms or alerts.

I haven't had time to explore this but I know others are using tone detection on the lines.
I've never had to use that.

Going back to the old days (SX2000) we used to program the system to reboot overnight.   This would free all the lines back up again.   Hopefully then they wouldn't lock up all the ports in a single day. 
We also used interconnect restriction to block one trunk from connecting to another trunk.   A user could still conf in 2 trunks but if the user dropped off then the trunks would disconnect.

Ralph

[jrg0852]

I'm missing something. Where does it mention LS trunks here? Thanks.

[x-man]

I usually associate PSTN with analog LS trunks. If they were ISDN there would be alarms and alerts.....and the OP mentions line settings which are really only going to be analog so....

[AndyMR2]

Yep LS trunks.  BRI/PRI services are twice the price for us unfortunately which really adds up when you have 300 of them. This is only short term until we move all the controllers over to SIP but it is annoying as hell.

We have interconnect restriction on which has helped but it still locks up. Our old Samsung and LG systems never would. 

The reboot sounds like a good idea, if I schedule it for 2 or 3 am hopefully it won't effect too many people.

Thanks

[martyn]

Yep unfortunately nothing we can do about it down under here, especially with Mitel's.

I'm missing something. Where does it mention LS trunks here? Thanks.

LS is the only option for Australia, so for me it was implied that it was LS. 

Yep LS trunks.  BRI/PRI services are twice the price for us unfortunately which really adds up when you have 300 of them. This is only short term until we move all the controllers over to SIP but it is annoying as hell.

We have interconnect restriction on which has helped but it still locks up. Our old Samsung and LG systems never would. 

The reboot sounds like a good idea, if I schedule it for 2 or 3 am hopefully it won't effect too many people.

Thanks

Converting to ISDN is the best fix, but if SIP is on the cards then that will solve the head aches as well.

Just make sure that what ever time you program the reboot for it isn't the same time as the DBMS check!

[Jockey]

Hi, We had a problem at a school in New Zealand on a MX, but once we got Clear Forward & Answer Supervision on the LS trunks and played around with the Trk cct Descript, no more prpblems.

Regards

[jrg0852]

Thanks for clarifying. Not familiar with Aussie setup. If LS, then certainly tweaking the circ. desc. could fix it. Thanks.

[tomj]

ISDN, PRI, BRI or SIP trunks will provide guaranteed disconnect supervisor, it is unlikely you will have lockout issues with these trunks.

The embedded LS (loop start) or ASU LS trunks support line break (the default setting) or line reversal configured in the CO Trunk Descriptor or Tone Disconnect.

You first need to confirm the Aussie Telco LS Trunk disconnect method. Connect an ordinary phone to the trunk line, ring the number from your cell phone, answer the call and hang-up on the cell phone. If you hear a “busy tone” then you need to establish the tone and configure the 3300 accordingly. If you don’t then you just need to change the disconnect timer or enable line reversal.

Setting up Tone Disconnect the first time is tricky but works well when configured correctly.

[v2win]

You could set up "call duration control" and have the system automatically clear down the calls after a couple of hours

Call Duration Control

Description

Call Duration Control allows a maximum time limit to be set for telephone calls. After the maximum duration is reached, users receive a warning tone indicating that calls in progress will be cleared down. A grace period may be established to allow users to finish their calls, however, during the grace period, no features are available. For example, recalls from held parties are connected only long enough for the user to hear a warning tone and have the call cleared down. At the end of the grace period, another warning tone is issued and calls are cleared down.

Call Duration may also be set on trunks. If a trunk reaches its duration maximum before that of the end device, the end device attached to the trunk will receive call duration tones.

NOTE: Emergency calls are not affected by this feature.

Conditions and Feature Interactions

Internal and External SMDR must be enabled in the COS of the device which will have a Call Duration limit.

Route Optimization will not take place after the call duration time has expired.

Only the party whose call duration time has expired will hear the warning tone.

Any device that has a COS and is capable of placing/receiving a telephone call can be programmed to be affected by Call Duration Control.

Programming

In the Class of Service Options form:

Set the Enable Call Duration Limit on Internal Calls option and/or the Enable Call Duration Limit on External Calls option to "Yes", depending on the functionality required.

Set the Call Duration (2-120 min) option to the desired time limit.

Set the Call Duration Forced Cleardown Timer (0 - 10 min) to the amount of time the user has to finish active calls.

Operation

None.

[jrg0852]

Does the clear down work if the line is idle before the timer expires? So, if the user hangs up ahead of the disconnect, does the line disconnect if idle? Thanks.

[LoopyLou]

There is no way to interogate the system for lines that are busy and give a report. In most cases the system wouldn't really know if it was a ligimate call or not. It your case it seems long calls are not the normal. In the past when looking for trunks that were left tied together at the end of a call, we ran traffic reports and looked at any trunk that showed really heavy usage but with only a few call attempts. This usually signified trunks in trouble. Don't know the carrier situation over there but it is something they should be looking into.

[martyn]

This usually signified trunks in trouble. Don't know the carrier situation over there but it is something they should be looking into.

Unfortunately done to death over here, and not going to be changed back to the way it used to be, especially when the carrier has no interest on doing much on the network (even repairing stuff as it breaks) given that it is being ripped out and replaced by the NBN (in some form or another) within the next x (<10) years.

[Tech Electronics]

Everyone,

I am not really quick, read terrible, on the 3300 MCD but it seems to me that you could get a CDC Disconnect Device on the line to provide you with a positive disconnect if that is what is causing the issue; I think Viking makes one if I am not mistaken.

Thanks,

TE