Difference between revisions of "Phone System Howto"

Revision as of 16:08, 30 October 2010

This page will contain instructions on how to operate the phone system at freegeek, including paging, transferring, etc. You may also be interested in reading about Answering the phone, and Changing the Phone Greetings.

Notes about admin stuff can be found here: Phone System Admin

Making Calls

Internal calls from display phones

The phone system will automatically route calls internally when the handset is picked up.

Pick up the handset
Dial your desired parties extension

External calls from display phones

Pick up the receiver.
Press a numbered line button towards the top of the display phone.

Transferring Calls

When currently in a call and you want to transfer the call to another party, do the following.

Press the "Transfer" button on the bottom of the display phone
Enter the desired parties extension number
On the display phone, press the softkey titled "RLS" or "Release"
Hang up the handset and go on with your life

Automatic hold

Calls are automatically put on hold when switching from one line to another.

Paging

The page feature is a way to make an announcement over the speakers throughout the building, i.e. to call someone up to the front desk. Follow these instructions for paging. Note: some phones in the building do not allow for paging.

Lift the handset
Press the page button. (second row on most display phones)
Speak your announcement
Hang up the handset

Buttons

Here is a brief description of what some of the buttons on your phones may do. Some phones may be different. We can program any button on any phone to do almost anything. See a phone admin for programming buttons.

Line 1-4 - These buttons are to select an external line
Speaker Button - Use this button for using the external speaker rather than the handset for calls. Note: you will also need to press the mic button in order to activate the external microphone.
Dir - This is a directory of internal extensions. To utilize this feature, press the Dir softkey, then press the Ext. softkey and use the up and down arrows to find you desired party

NEC InMail (Voice Mail)

To access an InMail box setup to a display phone, first press the VMsg softkey, then enter your security code. If you are on a display phone that does not have a voicemail box setup to it but have access to a box. Press the VMsg softkey, enter the box # and then enter the security code.

Accessing InMail From Outside Free Geek

Dial our main line (503)232-9350. The automated attendant will answer.
Press # and you extension number
You will be asked for your security code. Enter it and press # again.

Listen to the voice instructions

Problems & Solutions

More information will soon be added. In the meantime, if you have any questions please see a phone admin. Please report any issues you experience.

@@ Line 24: / Line 24: @@
 #On the display phone, press the softkey titled "RLS" or "Release"
 #Hang up the handset and go on with your life
-===Conference Calls===
-# On the phone with someone?  Good.
-# Put your caller on hold
-# Dial the other person you'd like to reach (whether internal to FG or on outside line)
-# Press [Conf/Trans]
-# Press the held line
 ====Automatic hold====
@@ Line 37: / Line 30: @@
 ===Paging===
 The page feature is a way to make an announcement over the speakers throughout the building, i.e. to call someone up to the front desk.
+Follow these instructions for paging. Note: some phones in the building do not allow for paging.
+#Lift the handset
+#Press the page button. (second row on most display phones)
+#Speak your announcement
+#Hang up the handset
-Here are instructions for paging from anywhere except the Front Desk:
-# Press Feature.
-# Press 6, 0 (six, zero).
-# You'll be prompted for "Page Choice:".  Press 1.
-# You'll be prompted for "Page Zone:".  Press 1.
-# After the beep, speak into the phone.
-# When you're done paging, hang up the phone gently by pressing the hang up button with your hand, instead of hanging up the receiver directly.
-Here are instructions using the phones at the Front Desk area, including both the donation desk and the volunteer desk.
-# Press Page.
-# Select Both.
-# Select All.
-# After the beep, speak into the phone.
-# When you're done paging, hang up the phone gently by pressing the hang up button with your hand, instead of hanging up the receiver directly.
 ==Buttons==
-Some of the buttons on the standard office phones have been programmed for your phon-y pleasure.
+Here is a brief description of what some of the buttons on your phones may do. Some phones may be different. We can program any button on any phone to do almost anything. See a phone admin for programming buttons.
-* '''Handsfree Mute''': Speakerphone
+* Line 1-4 - These buttons are to select an external line
-* '''Intercom''': "Intercom" or internal line
+* Speaker Button - Use this button for using the external speaker rather than the handset for calls. Note: you will also need to press the mic button in order to activate the external microphone.
-* '''Last No.''': Redial
+* Dir - This is a directory of internal extensions. To utilize this feature, press the Dir softkey, then press the Ext. softkey and use the up and down arrows to find you desired party
-* '''Voicemail''': Voicemailbox for that extension
-* '''Conf/Trans''': Conference calls
-* '''Line 1, Line 2, Line 3''': External lines 1-3 (line 4 can't be accessed: it's reserved for credit cards, fax, and modem testing.  It's left unprogrammed because we may eventually add another line for general use)
-* '''Rls''': Hangs up whatever line you're on
-==Voice Mail Boxen==
-Features:
-* Total time for messages: 15 min
-* Max message length: 3 min
-* Message retention period: 30 days
-* Max outgoing greeting length: 1 min
-===Setup===
-# From your extension on an internal line, press the "Voicemail" button, or dial 241
-# It will ask you for the password.  Get that from Darryl.
-# If you have a voicemail box and no extension, press the # key a few times until it asks for your mbox number and password.  Get the password from Darryl.
-# It will ask you to change your password.  Do that, too.
-# It will ask you to record your name (this isn't the outgoing message).  Go for it.
-# To record your outgoing message, change your name or password, press 8 from the main menu.  To change outgoing message, press 2 and follow prompts for the primary message (if you want to record an alternate, too, like for after hours, you can go into the system and switch between the two).
-# In general, press * to go up one menu
-===Accessing Your Messages===
+==NEC InMail (Voice Mail)==
+To access an InMail box setup to a display phone, first press the VMsg softkey, then enter your security code.
+If you are on a display phone that does not have a voicemail box setup to it but have access to a box. Press the VMsg softkey, enter the box # and then enter the security code.
-====From Your Extension====
-# From your extension on an internal line, press the '''Voicemail''' button, or dial 241
-# When prompted, dial your '''password''' then press #
-# Follow the prompts to retrieve, save, and delete your messages.  You can also send a message to another voicemailbox (or your own) or press 8 to change your personal options like outgoing message.
-# In general, press * to go up one menu.
-=====General Mailbox=====
-*Phone Extension 222
-Calls routed to an extension without a mailbox or with a mailbox that hasn't been set up will go to the "general mailbox".  This mailbox has an extension of 100, and reception should check it on occasion.
-# Press voicemail button
-# Press the '''other''' button
-# Dial 100xxxx (xxxx is the password for the general mailbox), then #.
-# Check away!
-*Phone Extension 221
-Calls routed to an extension without a mailbox or with a mailbox that hasn't been set up will go to the "general mailbox".  This mailbox has an extension of 100, and reception should check it on occasion.
-# Press voicemail button
-# Dial 100xxxx (xxxx is the password for the general mailbox), then #.
-# Check away!
-====From Not Your Extension====
+====Accessing InMail From Outside Free Geek====
-There's a few ways to do this.
+* Dial our main line (503)232-9350.  The automated attendant will answer.
-#
+* Press # and you extension number
-#* On an internal line, press the '''Voicemail''' button, or dial 241
+* You will be asked for your security code. Enter it and press # again.
-#* When prompted for password, hit the '''#''' key and listen to the error message.  Do it '''again'''.  Do it '''once more'''.
+# Listen to the voice instructions
-#* You'll be prompted to enter your '''voicemailbox and password''', then hit #
-#* Use your voicemailbox normally
-#
-#* Call in from an outside line and follow the instructions for accessing your voicemail from outside FG.
-#
-#* Find a phone without an associated voicemail box.  The build phone, soon the black hole phone, the public phone at the front are examples.
-#* Press the '''Voicemail''' button
-#* When prompted, enter your '''voicemail box number and password''' in succession, then press the # key.
-#* Use your voicemail box normally
-====From Outside Free Geek====
-* Call our regular number (503)232-9350.  The automated attendant will answer.
-* Press your '''voicemailbox number''' (if you have an extension, that's probably it)
-* While your outgoing message is playing, press '''* *'''
-* You'll be prompted to press your '''password''' then the # key.
-* Use your voicemailbox normally
-===Copying Messages to Someone Else's Mailbox===
-These instructions are intended for the front desk, as they have 3-button LCD screens.
-# When you're finished listening to the message, press "COPY"
-# Record an intro (or not)
-# Dial the extension number that you'd like to send it to: ''use the number pad, not the transfer buttons''.
-# Voila!  Now delete the message.
-==Long distance==
-Long distance calls are restricted to those needed for Free Geek functions. If you attempt to make a long distance phone call from Free Geek, you will hear a recording that indicates long distance calls are not allowed. At this point, if you are authorized to make long distance calls, you can enter the access code and make the call.  (The delay between entering the code and the phone ringing on the other end may seem long...)
 ==Problems & Solutions==
-# "Message for you" in your display will not go away
+More information will soon be added. In the meantime, if you have any questions please see a phone admin. Please report any issues you experience.
-If "Message for you" in your display will not go away (usually after listening to your voice mail messages), press Feature #65. After doing so, it will tell you which station (telephone) left a message. Pressing the Rls button will finally clear the message and return the time indicator to your display.
-# If a button loses it's programming (aka Michael's tech support voice mail button), press "Feature *0" to see what the button is currently. Hit "Rls". Then, press "Feature *2" to program it to be the button you would like instead and type in the 3-digit extension.  For voicemail, no matter which phone, that extension is "241". Then, hit "Rls" and it should be re-programmed. These programmable buttons are called "Memory buttons" if you are using the manual.
-More fixes at: http://www.datacomsolutions.ca/support1.htm
-==References==
-* http://www.micromerl.com/
-* http://www.ghtrout.com/ghtrout/
-* http://nortel.pbxinfo.com/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=80