Automatic (long distance) access code for certain handsets

[toadman667]

For toll long-distance calls, we have an access code required (by our service provider, not the Mitel 5000 CP) to prevent unauthorized long distance calls by customers and clients. They dial out with the phone number, hear a long tone, enter the access code, and then the call is finally placed.

Certain phones, however, are located in Admin and we would like those to be able to dial long distance calls without entering the access code.

Is that possible?

[dwayneg]

Actually it is possible.  Set the phones to REQUIRE account code for LD calls (System/Phone-related/account codes/forced).  Then at each phone dial 391 (acct code all calls following) and enter code when asked.  At this point any time these phones place a LD call the system will attach an INTERNAL account code.  Next go into System/Numbering Plabn/Dial rules and add a new rule, "Add P  (for pause0.  Then go into the LD Facility group and under DIAL RULES add the new P rule, then add the ECHO ACCOUNT CODE rule (depending on carrier connect time you may need more than one P).  So now for each LD call the station adds the INTERNAL code, then the LD Facility Group rules ECHO that code to the carrier after pausing a bit for carrier to connect.

[toadman667]

Thanks, dwayneg! That's a brilliant plan, and your instructions were very easy to follow. I apologize for taking so long to get back to you; we'd been held up by a critical bug in the DB Programming application.

In any case, I'm afraid I'm having trouble getting everything to actually work. Calls to local numbers show up with the appropriate account code (same as the long distance access code) in the SMDR reports, but calls to toll - long distance numbers still hear a dial tone and wait for user input of the access code.

I verified that the dial rules were taking effect by temporarily removing the ECHO local address option. Calls no longer went through at all, as expected, so the dial rules for toll - long distance calls are working. Adding the pause rule additional times doesn't seem to do anything either. I've fiddled with using a dial rule with the access code explicitly entered, as well, and nothing seems to be able to allow these calls to be placed automatically.

Do you have any idea what might be the trouble?

Thanks in advance for your help and support!

[dwayneg]

You do have the ECHO ACCOUNT CODE rule in there after the pauses, right?  So rules in Toll LD facility group should be, in order:  2,3,4,one or more Add P, and 5.  If I were troubleshooting this on site I'd create a new route group for calls to  one of your numbers (be sure you drag it above other rules) and direct it to a phone I have access to.  I'd tell this route group to use the LD facility group.  Now when you dial that particular number from a device using the ACCT CODE ALL CALLS FOLLOWING it should ring that phone.  Answer it quickly and you should hear your account code as DTMF.  If you do, the rule is working right and it could be you're sending digits too soon or too late (need more or fewer pauses). By the way, by default each P = 3 seconds but this can be adjusted in TIMERS AND LIMITS.

[toadman667]

Finally got it working! The Route Group tricked helped a ton with troubleshooting, but it ended up just requiring some fine-tuning of the pauses (and their value in Timers and Limits).

Thank you so much! I greatly appreciate all of your help and expertise.