Cant make conference call with PoloyCom SoundStation 2 Analog Phone

[adynes]

So I cannot figure out the key combinations to make this work or what else to change.  I have a HX5000 and I'm trying to use a PolyCom SoundStation 2 analog phone.  It's plugged into the analog card on the HX.  It works fine for simple calling but does not work for conference calls.  I've had read a couple guides about it (https://community.polycom.com/t5/PSTN/FAQ-How-can-I-setup-a-conference-or-how-many-participants-can-be/td-p/4859, http://mitelforums.com/forum/index.php?topic=3521.0) but they aren't helping.  From the second post above it says:

To place a conference call:
1. While on a call, perform a hookflash, and then dial 5.
2. Place another call, then hookflash and dial 5. (If necessary, repeat this step to place one more call on hold.)
3. Perform a hookflash, and then dial 5 again to join all of the calls together in the
conference.

But this doesn't work.  I make the first call then hit flash (conf button technically).  I place the second call but within 3 seconds the first call goes to a ringing trying to redial me.  I press flash again then *5 and now the first call is still trying to ring me and the second call is conferenced in.

Looking through the system I see a 3 second camp on timer so I'm assuming that's what the first call is doing but I don't know how to get around that.  What am I missing?

[Tech Electronics]

adynes,

The instructions you have are correct for a standard system.

Hookflash is the same as the Special Feature key
5 is the default Feature Code for Conference
* will cancel what the phone is currently doing so I don't know why you used * for anything
The timer that would be causing a problem would be the Hold timer since that is what happens prior to the call Recalling back to the phone. Check your Hold timer for the conference phone.

It is always a pain trying to setup a conference call with a Single Line phone which is why we tell customers to use a Digital/IP phone and then just transfer the call to the conference phone or use the built-in Meet-Me Conferencing.

Thanks,

TE

[adynes]

Sp I'm 100% positive that once I hit the conference button (which displays Flash on the LCD) and switch to another dialtone the first callers line goes to a ringing.  Under Flags for the extension Alternate Hold Timer is set to No and under Timers and Limits the Hold is set to 90 and the Hold - Alternate is 300.  So that doesn't seem to be it.  So I went into the extension and change the "Audio for Calls" camped and  holding to tick tones and tried again.  No change...still ringing.  So its like when I hit the conference button (flash) its not putting the call on hold but more of call waiting and it just starts ringing.

So I press conference (flash, I dialed the second number, they answer, I press conference again then 5.  I get joined backed to the first call and the second call drops.  I tried this over and over and the second call just keeps dropping when I hit 5 to rejoin.

We were going to do the call from another phone but this location has some old 2 line digital phones which aren't very user friendly as it is.

Any other ideas?

[Tech Electronics]

adynes,

By default the Audio for all Call States [Hold, Ringing, etc..] is handled by the CO Trunk Group the call comes in to unless you see [Use Next Device's Audio Source] on the Call State you are looking for.

Of course the issue could be that Conference is no longer 5 on your system. Go to System > Devices and Feature Codes > Feature Codes > Conference and see what the actual code is and then use that after your Hook Flash.

Thanks,

TE

[adynes]

No, I checked that and it is the default of 5. 

I played with it for a hour yesterday afternoon and once, and only once, I was able to get a conference with the phone and two remotes (one external, one internal extension).  But I was unable to duplicate it.  I did hit 5 a couple times.

So the first caller "Ringing" seems normal since when I did a hookflash then 5 they rejoined the call and the ringing went away.  But I keep loosing that second (technically 3rd) party when I hit hookflash.  I have to be doing something wrong or the instructions just arn't working for our system.

[Tech Electronics]

adynes,

It may not be registering that hookflash properly all of the time. By default the minimum SL Hookflash is 2 ms and the maximum is 12 ms. You want to raise the SL Hookflash Maximum to 20ms and see if that helps out.

Thanks,

TE

[adynes]

I don't know if this is related but I know the PolyCom defaulted to a 600ms flash.  I changed that to 300 but it had no effect.  I also tried 75ms and 100ms but neither of those settings worked at all (didn't register it). 

I changed the SL Hookflash Maximum from 12 to 20.  Not sure if this matters but instead of the timer symbol in front of the settings it had a cross out symbol.  But that didn't seem to help...still is disconnecting the second call (3rd party) when I click the flashhook button and get a dialtone.  I think hit 5 twice and it joins the first line.

[Tech Electronics]

adynes,

Yes, Conference, Conference is how you join everyone together and Mitel's documentation is not easy to understand; nor accurate.

Placing Ad Hoc Conference Calls (Internal)
1. While on the first call, perform a hookflash, and then dial 5.
2. Place another call, and then hookflash, and then dial 5.
3. Perform another hookflash, and then dial 5 again to join all of the calls together in the conference.

Placing Ad Hoc Conference Calls (External) <-- This is more like how a Transfer is handled not a conference call.
1. While on the first call, perform a hookflash. You hear two short tones.
2. Select an outgoing line and dial the number. If desired, wait for an answer and announce the call.
3. Hang up. If the number is busy, there is no answer or the transfer is refused, hookflash twice to return to the caller.

So, dial 8 make a call, press hookflash, wait for tone, press 5, dial 8 make a call, press hookflash, wait for tone, press 5, hookflash, wait for tone, press 5; all callers are now talking to one another. This is how I did it on my local phone system and it worked without a problem, but I am just using a normal analog phone and pressing the hookflash.

Internal calls won't give the double tone so you don't have to wait for them.

Thanks,

TE

[adynes]

Thank-you so much for typing it all out like that.  I was missing the 5 before making the next call and now that I've added that it seems to be working exactly like your description.