Group Ring - Shared Line Appearances

[Bill]

Trying to create a group ring for multiple users, so when a new call comes in, all phones ring. The problem with shared lines is that after the first call is answered, any subsequent calls go to voice mail. I have seen this documented and understand that this is normal.

Just wondering if anyone has a good work-around. (Or even a not-so-good work-around.)

I could add more shared lines, so I can take as many calls as there are lines, but I need too many lines. Some users belong to multiple groups.

Thanks.

[rbradfield]

Its all to do with the setup it does not have to go to voice mail on busy, it can go to another extension. set"Call forward busy" to another extension

I dont know what type of phone you are using, but what i did for a similar situation with 6 phones in a Show room, the Phones were 7960s with 6 lines they all shared the same 6 lines, as calls came in all the phones rang, as they went busy, the call went on to the next number, only when all six lines were in use did it go to voice mail

hope this helps

Richard.

[Bill]

Thanks. But unfortunately I need a different solution. In this particular install, we have 3 group rings (parts, sales, and service) and some users need to be be in all 3 groups. So even with a 7960, I need 1 line for their personal Ext., that leaves me 5 lines for the 3 groups. It helps but I still do not have enough lines. Thinking of adding 7914 expansion modules to get more lines, but that seems ridicules. The sad thing is, their cheap old key system was able to do it.

[rbradfield]

Ok, I know the feeling, we were also replacing an old key system. The way we did it at the trade counter, was to have a ringer ( need an FXS port or an ATA for that).so when the trade counter number was called, the people on the trade counter did a call pickup ( had to be in the same group as the ringer number),in this situation you do not have to have shared numbers.

We also used the call park feature extensively as customers wanted to talk to particular people,( so instead of saying "theres a call for fred on line 1" you would say " there is a call parked at 3000 for fred"

the other thing we did if nobody answered the call on the ringer it would forward to the first person in the group and so on, only if the last person did not answer would it go to voicemail.( the last thing the business wanted was to go to voice mail ,.loose business!

The other way to do it is to have hunt groups, in this case calls are directed according to the way you set the hunt groups up.

Finally you can spend more money and setup a call centerusing some application

hope this will help you.

Richard.

[kthorngr]

CallManager 4.0(1) has a new concept of Line Groups and Hunt Lists. If you have CCM 4.0(1) you can configure Broadcast Line Groups to accomplish your goal.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/voicesw/ps556/products_administration_guide_chapter09186a00801ecf7c.html#70742

HTH,

Kev

[mamoss]

We have a similar issue with a current V4.0(1) build and had planned to use the new line group/broadcast feature. However, the drawback is that an extension can only exist in 1 line group (I'm not sure why this limitation is present). Of course, you could still create additional lines for the other line groups (these wouldn't have to be shared lines). Not ideal, but a possibility.

[skilambi]

That's what I observed too that a phone could only be a part of one Line group which would not help our customer since they wanted the same phone to be a part of multiple line groups.

Is this going to be fixed in later versions without using multiple lines?