ANSWER FEATURE CODE
For calls that are ringing or holding at the station, the user may enter the Answer feature code (351) or press the button. When more than one call is ringing or holding, the fol- lowing priority list determines which call is answered first:
• Ringing calls (ring ins, recalls, callbacks, or transfers) are answered in the order they were received.
• Calls on individual hold are answered in the order they were placed on hold.
AUTOMATIC ROUTE SELECTION (ARS)
NOTE: The Automatic Route Selection premium feature license is required to use ARS.
ARS is a money-saving feature that allows the system to be programmed to select the least expensive route for placing outgoing calls. It can be used for placing outgoing calls and trans- ferring or forwarding calls to outside telephone numbers. Stations can be restricted to using only ARS for placing outgoing calls. Also, because users do not have direct access to trunks on other nodes, ARS is the only way users can place calls using the other nodes’ trunks.
ARS is programmed using route groups and facility groups.
• Route Groups: A route group contains dialing patterns and facility groups.
— The dialing patterns are used to determine the calls that will be routed through the route group. For example, the default dial pattern for Route Group 1 is N+ (any number of digits beginning with digit 2-9). If a number is dialed that begins with 1, it will not be routed through this route group.
— Each route group has an ordered list of facility groups that contains lists of local trunk groups and/or nodes. There can be 100 facility groups in the system. The facility groups should be programmed so that the least-expensive route is checked and, if available, is selected first. If the least-expensive facility group is not avail- able, the system checks the other groups in the list until it finds an available trunk. • Facility Groups: A facility group contains trunk group/node lists and dial rules.
— The trunks can include local trunk groups or nodes.
— The dial rules tell the system what to dial. The system can have up to 32 dial rules, 26 of which are programmable. Each facility group can use up to 32 dial rules. For example, if the selected route group requires that the number contain “1” but no area code, the dial rules include the 1 and drop the area code. The modified tele- phone number can contain up to 32 digits. (If SMDR is enabled, the modified tele- phone number, not the digits dialed, will appear in the SMDR call record.) When programming ARS, you can use preset dial rules or create new dial rules that add up to 16 digits each.
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— The pre-programmed dial rules are: For U.S. systems:
Dial Rule #1 – Echo Equal Access: This non-programmable dial rule includes the equal access digits (10XXX or 101XXXX) in the number, if dialed.
Dial Rule #2 – Echo Toll Field: The toll field (1, 0, 01, or 011) is included in the number, if dialed. This dial rule is non-programmable.
Dial Rule #3 – Echo 3 Digits After Toll Field: With this non-programmable dial rule, the three digits after the toll field are included in the number. (These digits are usually the area code or country code.)
Dial Rule #4 – Echo Local Address: This non-programmable dial rule allows ARS to dial the telephone number that was dialed by the station user.
Dial Rule #5 – Add Account Code: This non-programmable dial rule causes the system to dial the account code that is associated with the call, when it is avail- able. The account code can be entered using any of the account code types, includ- ing All Calls Following, as long as the system receives the account code before the end of dialing. (To use an optional account code, the code must be entered before the number is dialed.)
Dial Rule #6 – Add Extension Number: This non-programmable dial rule tells the system to include the extension number of the station or voice processing system application that is being used to place the call.
Dial Rule #7 – Add #: This dial rule adds a pound (#) to the number dialed. This dial rule can be programmed.
For European Systems:
Dial Rule 1 – ECHO Toll Field: Includes the toll field in the number, if dialed. Dial Rule 2 – ECHO Local Address: Allows ARS to dial the rest of the digits that were dialed by the station user.
Dial Rule 3 – ECHO Extension Number: Tells the system to include the last three digits of the extension number of the station being used to place the call.
Dial Rule 4 – ECHO Account Code: Causes the system to dial the last three digits of account code that is associated with the call, if available, before end of dialing. The account code can be entered using any of the account code types, including All Calls Following, as long as the system receives the account code before end of dialing.
Dial Rule 5 – ECHO Serial Number: Tells the system to dial the system-assigned serial number of an ARS call. The serial number range is 000-998, excluding 112. The serial number can be reset in dial rule programming.
Dial Rule 6 – ADD #: Adds a hash (#) to the dialed number. This pre-programmed dial rule is programmable.
NOTE: Dial rules 3 (echo extension), 4 (echo account code), and 5 (echo serial number) will always come after dial rules 1 and 2. If 3, 4, or 5 precedes dial rules 1 or 2, the SMDR Call Type and Call Cost will be affected.
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Automatic Route Selection (ARS)
When ARS is selected, the user dials the number (including the area code, if needed), and the system does the following:
1. Checks the dialed number and matches the dialing pattern to a route group: The system checks the route groups in numerical order and selects the first group that applies to the dialing pattern of the number that was dialed.
NOTE: If the Emergency Call feature is programmed to use ARS, the emergency calls will always go through Route Group 1, regardless of route group programming.
2. Selects a facility group: If all of the trunks are busy, and the station is enabled for ARS
camp on, the call will camp on to the facility group until a trunk is available.
3. Checks for toll restrictions and outgoing access: Before the number is modified by
the facility group’s dial rules, the system checks the station toll restrictions and outgo- ing access to determine whether the call is allowed. (All calls placed using ARS are toll restricted, regardless of whether the selected trunk is subject to toll restriction. How- ever, Emergency Call feature calls are never toll restricted.) If allowed, the system con- tinues to the next step. If not allowed, the system sends reorder tones, and the call is not placed.
4. Adds or deletes digits according to the facility group chosen: Each facility group has
a programmed set of dial rules that tells the system what to dial. For example, if the selected route group requires that the number contain “1” but no area code, the dial rules include the 1 and drop the area code.
5. Dials the modified telephone number: If the number is allowed, the system seizes an
idle trunk in one of the selected trunk groups, waits for the Dialing Wait After Connect timer to expire, and then dials the number.
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When ARS is used, the station user hears dial tone when the feature code is entered (manually or automatically using a Call button, the ARS button, or the button). The user then dials the number and hears silence until the trunk is seized and dialing is completed. (The user will not hear the digits being dialed.) The call appears under an available Call button or trunk button.
OUTGOING
AUTOMATIC ROUTE SELECTION EXAMPLE
Station user enters 1234 account code and dials
1-602-961-9000 Axxess CO OUTGOING CALL DIALED = 1-602-961-9000-1234
ARS does the following: • Checks the number
and finds dialing pat- ter n 602 + in R out e Group 2.
• Selects a facility g r o u p w i t h a n available trunk. • Checks toll restric-
tion and outgoing access.
• Uses dial rules to m o d i f y t h e n u m - ber:
1 1
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