Overview
The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series provides phone features using Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express (CUCME) solution. Supported Phone features include: overlay lines, shared lines, Station Speed Dials and monitored lines. A subset of supplemental features not available in Cisco Configuration Assisant (CCA) but is in the CUCME feature set may be configured using the IOS CLI.
Configuration Guides
Shared Line Configuration from CLI(VOD)
Line Monitoring Configuration from CLI(VOD)
Line Label Configuration from CLI(VOD)
Hardware Conferencing Tech Tips (PDF)
Cisco IP phone End User Guides
Training & Labs
FAQ
CCA and Out of Band Configuration Coexistence
Why aren't all possible system configuration options available via CCA 1.8?
The UC500 system is an IOS device. IOS stands for Internetworking Operating System. IOS provides the basis for the operation of most Cisco routers and has been evolving for over 20 years. Evidently, a rapid configuration tool such as CCA would have to be extremely complex if it tried to cover all the configuration permutations available in IOS. The challenge then becomes, what features do we expose?
It is Cisco intent to keep working on improving the CCA tool, with the idea that at some point in time it will satisfy most SMB market needs, while providing deployment flexibility and simplicity.
What is the IOS CLI (Command Line Interface)?
The configuration of an IOS device is natively performed using Command Line Interface, or CLI. By opening a console session into the system (TTY, Telnet or SSH), an administrator can deliver a series of text directives that eventually define and activate features on the UC500.
Can I use the UC500 CLI to configure my device?
The answer is yes. However, the latest version of CCA (1.8) has been significantly improved to help network administrators with the most typical configuration tasks. Always try to use the CCA tool first, as chances are it will provide what you are looking for in a simpler manner.
What if the feature I am looking for is not supported by CCA 1.8?
At the moment, if CCA is unable to deliver a desired system feature, then you can resort to the IOS CLI. Make sure that you follow the Cisco Configuration Assistant 1.8 Out-of-Band Configuration Guidelines, so your CLI changes do not affect normal CCA operation.
What is an Out of Band (OOB) configuration?
Out of Band configuration is when an UC500 system is configured using tools other than CCA, such as the IOS CLI or the native CME/CUE GUI. There are rules that need to be honored if OOB mechanisms are employed. Refer to the Cisco Configuration Assistant 1.8 Out-of-Band Configuration Guidelines for more details.
Out of Band Features
Meet-me Conferencing on the UC500
Meetme conferencing is supported outside of CCA using CLI. Meet-Me can only be initiated by an internal IP Phone user. External attendees can join the conference if there are DID numbers mapped to the meet me conference extension or they can be transferred to a Meet-Me conference extension. You can have multiple meet me conferences per UC500 and each conference is uniquely identified by the meet me conference number. The following Application Note describes how to enable Meet-me conferencing on the UC500 platform:
Fax to Email using T.37
Fax detection, on UC500, is supported outside of CCA using CLI. It is on the CCA roadmap. This feature works on FXO, DID, BRI and PRI trunks in the Enbloc mode. In the Enbloc mode, all digits are received at the same time.
The following application note describes how to set up Fax to Email using the regular Onramp script and also the Fax Detect script:
Fax to Email using T.37 Onramp
UC500 Site Administration Guide using the native CME GUI
This guide provides instructions on how to activate the typical features (voice only) used in a UC500 deployment, using the native CME/CUE GUI:
UC500 Site Administration Guide
Features include:
User and Phone Features
Configuring Personal Speed Dials
Configuring & Changing Extension Numbers
Configuring Phones
Configuring Users and User Features
Configuring Night-Service Bell
Configuring Call-Blocking
System Parameters
Configuring Night Service Hours
Configuring Call Blocking Hours
VoiceView Express URL
Configure Hunt-group settings
Configure Paging Extension and Group
Configure Intercom Extension
Configure Call-Park Extension
Adding Extensions to a Pickup Group
Saving the System Configuration
Auto Attendant and Voicemail
Configure AA Business Hours and Holiday Settings
Changing the AA and Voicemail Pilot Numbers
Configuring the Voicemail System Options
Changing a Mail Server for Voicemail to Email Notifications
Configuring Voicemail to Email Notifications
Configuring Individual User Mailboxes
Configuring User Groups for Shared Voicemail Boxes
Configuring a Distribution List
Simple Call Center Application that includes report generation
Using B-ACD Scripts to create a call center application.
We recently put together this App Note describing how to enable a Simple Call Center Application on the UC500. Check it out:
Simple Call Center Application
It should cover the basic design considerations and help you quickly implement this feature.
How can I configure my phone to auto-dial a number when it goes offhook?
You can configure your IP phone to auto-dial a preset number when it goes offhook. This is a supplemental feature currently available on CLI only. Then sample configuration will have the phone with with extension 201 auto-dial 777 when it goes offhook
ephone-dn 5
number 201
trunk 777
!
ephone 1
button 1:5
Do we have recommended headset vendors to go with our IP phones ?
Beyond the physical, mechanical and technical performance, the audio portion of a headset must sound good to the user and the party on the far end. Since, sound is subjective, Cisco cannot guarantee the performance of any headsets or handsets, but some of the headsets and handsets on the sites listed below have been reported to perform well on Cisco IP Phones.
Plantronics
VXI
Jabra / GN Netcom
The following guide published by a 3rd party is also a useful reference for Jabra wireless headsets with Cisco Unified IP phones:
Cisco Telephone Headset Compatibility Guide
What does the Gpickup softkey do?
Gpickup softkey is an option that allows IP phones on an SBCS system to pick up calls ringing on other phones. Details on how this works is here. Details on configuring Pickup groups are on steps 9 - 12 in the FIRST LOOK LAB:PBX, Voicemail and Auto Attendant.
Is it possible to configure a scenario where a user picks up a call that is ringing on another IP Phone?
Yes, this can be done by configuring the "Group Pickup" using CCA. Call pickup, and pickup groups, enable phone users to answer a call that is ringing on a different extension other than their own. If both numbers to be answered are in the same pickup group, the user presses fewer keys to pick up the call.
Call pickup has the following variations:
- Directed Call Pickup: Call pickup, explicit ringing extension. Any local phone user can pick up a ringing call on another phone by pressing the PickUp soft key and dialing the extension. A phone user does not need to belong to a pickup group to use this method. This is the default behavior.
- Group Pickup, Different Group: Call pickup, explicit group ringing extension. A phone user can answer a ringing phone in any pickup group by pressing the GPickUp soft key and dialing the ringing extension. If there is only one pickup group defined in the Cisco Unified CME system, the phone user can pick up the call simply by pressing the GPickUp soft key. A phone user does not need to belong to a pickup group to use this method.
- Local Group Pickup: Call pickup, local group ringing extension. A phone user can pick up a ringing call on another phone by pressing the GPickUp soft key and an asterisk (*) if both phones are in the same pickup group.
How is speed dial configured on UC500?
The recommended way of configuring speed dial is through CCA. Using CCA you can configure "Local Speed Dial". This feature allows end users to invoke entries from their respective IP Phones by going to "Directories > Local Speed Dial". A maximum of 32 speed dial entries can be added on the system. The end user also has the option of logging into the CUE GUI to configure speed-dial buttons for their individual phone. The default URL for CUE GUI is http://10.1.10.1. The login username and password will be same used to configure the phones in CCA.
Other ways to configure speed dial in CLI can be found here
For more information on the various speed dial options, see here
What is the difference between Speed Dial, Automated Dial, Fast Dial and Directory Numbers?
The UC500, through the Communications Manager Express featureset, supports a number of different ways to automate dialling. The following summarises these options, how they may be configured and how they can be used.
| Type | Description | Availability | Configuration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speed Dial Buttons and Abbreviated Dialling. | Speed Dials allow users to automatically dial commonly used numbers either by pressing a single button, or by dialling an index code. For IP Phone users, the first few speed dial entries will occupy any unused line buttons. Phones without line buttons, such as the 7906, have a Speed Dials menu under directories. When a Speed Dial button is pressed, the associated number will be dialled immediately. Speed Dials may also be accessed by dialling their index number, followed by the AbbrDial (Abbreviated Dial) soft key. | Speed Dials may be configured using either the Unity Express GUI, Communications Manager Express GUI or CLI. If using either of the web interfaces, the number of configurable Speed Dials will be limited by phone type. When using CLI, all phones may be configured with up to 35 Speed Dials. | CME Web GUI, CUE Web GUI, |
| Monitor-Line Button / Speed Dial | IP Phone buttons configured as Line Monitors will also act as a Speed Dial to the monitored line number when pressed. | Line Monitor buttons may be configured using CCA, Unity Express GUI, Communications Manager Express GUI or CLI. Any avaialable line button may be configured as a Line Monitor. | CCA, CME Web GUI, |
| Personal Speed Dial Menu | In addition to Speed Dial buttons, each IP Phone may be configured with its own Personal Speed Dial Directory. (Note: These directory entries are also referred to as Personal Fast Dials.) This list of numbers may be accessed by pressing the Directories Button, followed by Personal Speed Dial. Scroll to select the required number and press Dial to call. | Each IP Phone's Personal Speed Dial Directory may be configured with up to 24 entries using the Unity Express GUI, Communications Manager Express GUI or CLI. The web interfaces will only provide the option to configure a Personal Speed Dial menu for IP Phone models that support directories (i.e. this feature is not available to analogue phone models) | CME Web GUI, CUE Web GUI, |
| Local Directory | The Local Directory is a searchable database of all local extensions. This database may supplemented with additional contact numbers that need to be shared with all users. The Local Directory may be accessed from an IP Phone by pressing the Directories Button, followed by Local Directory. Submit a search to list matching entries and select to dial. | Up to 100 additional entries may be added to the Local Directory using the Unity Express GUI, Communications Manager Express GUI or CLI. | CME Web GUI, CUE Web GUI, |
| Local Speed Dial Menu | The Local Speed Dial Menu provides IP Phone users with a shared directory listing of commonly used business numbers. This list of numbers may be accessed by pressing the Directories Button, followed by Local Speed Dial. Scroll to select the required number and press Dial to call. | The shared Speed Dial Directory may list up to 32 entries that are held in a file named speeddial.xml on the UC500 flash. This file may be edited on a PC and uploaded via CLI, or populated using CCA. | CCA, CLI Upload |
| Bulk Loading Speed Dials | Bulk Loaded Speed Dials allow frequently used numbers to be accessed via short codes. Numbers are detailed in comma separated lists held in the UC500 flash memory which may be made available to all users on a site, or assigned to specific extensions for their private use. | Up to 10 bulk loaded contact lists may be used on one system, each containing up to 10,000 numbers. Short code speed dials are accessed by dialling a short-code prefix, file ID (0-9) and the index number of the contact. When creating Speed Dial files, note the following: | CLI Only |
Information on how to configure these features in CLI can be found here
How can I customize the local directory on my IP phones?
You can add up to 99 external names and numbers in to the directory. This is a supplemental feature currently available on CUE GUI & CLI only. The 99 manual entries are in addition to user names defined in the UC520 using CCA.
To configure directory entries in the CUE GUI access http://10.1.10.1, which is your CUE IP address. Navigate to Configure > System Parameters > Directory Service to add manual directory entries.
To configure directory entries in the CLI, use the directory entry command under telephony-service.
The following is as sample configuration for the CLI.
telephony-service
directory entry 1 4045550110 name Atlanta
directory entry 2 3125550120 name Chicago
directory entry 3 2125550140 name New York City
You can also change the way that names are displayed in the local directory. This is called the name schema. By default, the name schema is set to First Name First. I.E., Joe Montana. This can be changed to Last Name First. I.E., Montana Joe
To configure the name schema in the CUE GUI access http://10.1.10.1, which is your CUE IP address. Navigate to Configure > System Parameters > Directory Service to add change your name schema.
To change the name schema in the CLI, use the directory command under telephony-service.
The following is as sample configuration for the CLI. Note that directory first-name-first option is the system default, so it will not appear in the configuration.
telephony-service
directory last-name-first
Can I intercom to any phone on the UC500 system?
Yes - you can configure the UC500 system to support "dialable" intercom. This is supported outside of CCA and CLI based config is required to accomplish this. The key is to use dialable number strings and setup intercom as you would normally between 2 phones. Other users can then just dial the same string from their phone as they would dial other extensions. Below is an example:
- ephone-dn 40 dual-line
- number 401 no-reg primary
- label Intercom x402
- intercom 402 no-mute
!
- ephone-dn 41 dual-line
- number 402 no-reg primary
- label Intercom x401
- intercom 401 no-mute
- !
- ephone 5
- mac-address 0000.0000.0005
- username "usera" password 1234
- button 1:10 2:40
- !
- ephone 6
- mac-address 0000.0000.0006
- username "userb" password 1234
- button 1:11 2:41
Once the above is configured, any user can dial 401 to intercom to usera or 402 to intercom to userb.
Does the UC500 support Extension Mobility? Can this be applied to the multisite deployments?
Extension Mobility (EM) is supported on UC500 using CLI configuration. An overview as well as configuration examples on how to implement this feature can be found here.
Extension Mobility feature creates a profile for a user's personal settings such as, directory number, speed-dial lists, and services. Using the profiles a user can login from any IP Phone registered on the UC500 (even the ones at a remote teleworker site) and treat the phone as if it was their own desk phone. These Extension Mobility profiles have local significance on each UC500 and cannot be exchanged between multiple UC500s. A multisite deployment has multiple UC500s deployed for up to a maximum of 5 sites. An Extension Mobility user defined on UC500 on site1 cannot login to UC500 on site2 to access his site1-profile.
Is it possible to park a call to a dedicated extension?
Yes, there are several ways to do this:
- You can create a call-park slot with a number whose last two digits are the same as the last two digits of the extension. When an extension starts to park a call, the system searches first for a call-park slot that has the same final two digits as the extension. If no such call-park slot exists, the system chooses an available call-park slot. For example, if you have an phone with extension 201, the phone will always attempt to park the call to park slot 701.
- You can transfer an incoming call to a park slot by pressing Trnsfer softkey and entering the park slot number
- In the UC500 CLI, you can use the reserved-for command to dedicate a park slot for a specific phone. The dedicated call-park slot is associated with the primary extension of the phone. All extensions on this phone can park calls in the dedicated park slot. The extensions on this phone are the only extensions that can park a call in the dedicated park. A configuration example is shown below.
ephone-dn 86
number 701 no-reg primary
park-slot reserved-for 201
Can I setup notification for when an extension is available?
This feature is called Callback and is available through CME. When dialing an internal extension an option appears on the screen labeled callback. If the callback button is pressed, the user will be notified when the extension dialed becomes available. The notification is a single ring and a displayed message. For example:
Extension 204 dials extension 212, but the user is busy on that phone and doesn't pickup. While dialing, ext. 204 presses the callback button and hangs up. When ext. 212 ends their call, ext. 204 receives a single phone ring and a message displaying "Callback 212".
- The callback feature is only available for calls to internal extensions.
How does an admin phone know if a user has pressed Do Not Disturb (DnD)?
This feature works with a watch button, but not an monitor button. A watch button reports the status of the phone (ephone) while a monitor button reports the status of an line (ephone-dn). Here is a sample configuration showing ephone 1 with a watch button of ephone 2. Ephone 2 has a monitor button of ephone-dn 1. When ephone 1 press DnD, ephone 2 will not see the ephone 1 has busy. When ephone 2 press DnD, ephone 1 will see ephone 2 as busy.
ephone-dn 1
number 201 no-reg primary
label 201
ephone-dn 2
number 202 no-reg primary
label 202
ephone 1
mac-address 001E.BE8F.C82F
type 7941
button 1:1 2:3 3w2
ephone 2
mac-address 001C.5872.4A31
type 7961
button 1:2 2m1
Is there a template file that one can use to create labels for the Cisco 7931 IP phone?
Yes use the template label maker
