Release trunks on external transfer

[krybchynski]

I have been told that most phone systems can do this, and supposedly the 5000 can, but can't get it to work.  I have Centrex LS trunks, and when you transfer someone to an external number it ties up 2 trunks, one for the call in, one for the transfer out.  Does the Mitel need to outpulse something to the CO in order for it to release the trunks and allow the two trunks to simple direct connect?  I have a Norstar expert who says there was a feature code for it in norstars.  I can't see it as a feature lost since then.

[Tech Electronics]

Krybchynski,

This would be a feature code provided by the carrier supporting the Centrex Lines. If you find out what that is then you can make it happen when the call goes out by using that code prior to the conference call.

Thanks,

TE

[krybchynski]

Thanks TE, checking on the CO feature.  Looks like I need to Hookflash, dial a feature, dial the number, then hookflash again then hang up.

[dwayneg]

You can probably put the whole transfer process under a station speed dial button.  Try this (no guarantee):  open VIEW/ONLINE MONITOR.  Pick a station. Open SPEED DIAL NUMBERS. Pick one of the speed dials and type in "!330" (the exclamation point invokes SPECIAL function or feature code, and 330 does CO HOOKFLASH.  Now be sure the SD number has a button on your phone.  Test by pressing the button while on a call, then dialing another outside number followed by hangup.  If this works, things get really cool: you could build multiple buttons like this and add the outside number you want to transfer to after the 330 code so your user can do one-button transfer to selected outside destinations (may need to add one or more Ps between 330 and number to pause long enough for carrier to catch up).  So transferring to 8005551234 would be a button with SD !330PP8005551234.
If you try it and it works, let us know.

[dwayneg]

Special note: as I recall, SD list in ONLINE MONITOR is off by 1 number (0 in OM = 1 on the phone etc.) Top play it safe program multiple buttons for testing and then you can go back later to figure what button is which.

[Tech Electronics]

Dwayneg,

You are right in that it actually starts with 0=1 and 1=2, and as another special note they are also House Phone Day (0) and House Phone Night (1) so if you just wanted to try it out you don't need to use Online Monitor, but do remember that you can only get 16 digits into them.

Now, what I would do is just set up the Hookflash as a feature code button hardcoded on the phone and then just manually dial the Carrier Feature Code followed by the number and then hit the Hookflash button again.

Thanks,

TE

[krybchynski]

It might not b e agood idea to trust the end user with a feature code, so I am thinking 2 buttons a speedial ookflash with feature code, manually enter number then a straight hookflash.

[Tech Electronics]

Krybchynski,

You are probably right on that one and you would know your customer better than we do. Still I would only take up one of their station speed dials with the !330PP(Carrier Feature Code) and then just make the other one a Feature code Button for Hookflash. It would still be pretty simple as you only need to program one of the stations with House Phone Day !330(Carrier Feature Code) and then Copy/Paste that to the others. Then you could also Hardcode both onto their keymaps so they can "accidently" change them.

Thanks,

TE

[dwayneg]

Only reason I suggested using ONLINE MONITOR is that so far it's the only way I've found to add an exclamation mark in front of the string so the system knows 330 is a feature code...without the ! it will just dial the 330 into the trunk as DTMF.  If you've found another way to put a feature code plus a number into speed dials let me know.

[Tech Electronics]

Dwayneg,

You are correct about the Online Monitor being necessary for adding other characters like the ! into the speed dial. I always forget that you can't use the F for Hookflash or the * or # like you do in System Speed Dials, but you can use the P for Pause.

Sorry for misleading you Krybchynski you will need to turn on Online Monitor to set up the !330(Carrier Code) portion of the solution.

Thanks,

TE

[krybchynski]

I could always take up a system speeddial slot for the code and program a button for that speedial as well.  though I'm not against going into online monitor.  this customer is making a bunch of changes to their button programming and I am not planning on programming these buttons until we have some finalization of what they actually want.

[Tech Electronics]

Krybchynski,

I am not sure that a System Speed Dial will work for you as they do act differently even though they are both called speed dials. The station speed dial does not assume an outgoing digit and the system speed dial assumes an 8 by default for outgoing. The solution may work with a System Speed dial since you will have, hopefully, dial tone from the carrier after the hookflash, but I can not say for sure if it will try to grab a trunk, dial 8 or use ARS, before dialing. That is something you will have to test prior to implementing your solution. IF it does work then that makes you solution easier as you don't have to take up a station speed dial from each person to implement it.

Thanks,

TE

[krybchynski]

After some testing, on a standard LS trunk using a system speed dial F(feature code)(while in an active external call) gave external dialtone and allowed a call to be made, then a hookflash brought calls together to a 3 way conversation, however hanging up the Mitel set disconnected the other two callers, however on a Centrex Trunk straight hookflash allows the second call another hookflash brings the calls together and hanging up left the other two lines talking.  So in this instance a hookflash key or feature 330 is all that is necessary to make the transfer work as requested.

Yay!

[mem5449]

Hook-flash transfer on Centrex shouldn't need any special code (after hook-flash). Just the hook-flash. When a client needs a Centrex transfer feature, we usually just setup a 'CTX XFER' key (330) in their keymap so they can use it to xfer to any number. I suppose you could add a speed dial button(s) if they were xfer-ing to the same numbers many times. Also, on standard Centrex transfer, you should be able to release the transfer (hangup) after you hear the first ring (at the destination number) without disconnecting the caller or having to hook-flash again. Using the CTX XFER key a second time would only be for 3-way conf.