IP Centrex Solution Features
These features are all available from Midwest SIP, additional charges may apply. Please visit your customer portal or call our Sales team (616) 723-0100 to add or remove these services today!
Anonymous Call Rejection
Feature description: Automatically reject incoming calls from parties who do not deliver
their name or telephone number with the call.
Provided by the IP phone; dial the *77 code to activate this feature, dial
the *87 code to deactivate this feature.
Automatic Line / Direct Connect ("Hotline")
Feature description: Automatically dials a pre-assigned Centrex station's extension
number or external telephone number whenever a user goes off-hook or lifts the handset.
This feature is configured on the SIP phone side using the dial-plan
configuration parameter. For example, the following will implement a
Hotline phone that automatically calls 1 212 5551234:
( S0 <:12125551234> )
The following creates a warmline to a local office operator (1000) after
five seconds, unless a 4-digit extension is dialed by the user:
( P5 <:1000> | xxxx )
Call Forwarding on Busy
Feature description: Automatically routes incoming calls for a given extension to
another pre-selected number when the first extension is busy.
This feature is implemented by provisioning the follow-me service
(choose “Follow-me when unavailable”) and activating the Cfwd Busy
Serv supplementary service on the IP phone. Use the *90 code to activate
this feature, and *91 to deactivate it.
Call Forwarding on Don't Answer
Feature description: Automatically routes incoming calls for a given extension to
another pre-selected number when there is no answer after a specified number of rings.
This feature is implemented by provisioning the follow-me service
(choose “Follow-me when unavailable”, then set the ring timeout
parameter in follow-me). You may also utilize this feature on the IP
phone itself by activating the Cfwd No Ans Serv supplementary service.
Use the *92 code to activate this feature, and *93 to deactivate it.
Call Forwarding to Multiple Simultaneous Extensions
Feature description: Indicates the number of forwarded calls (originally dialed to the
same Centrex extension) which may occur simultaneously.
This feature may be implemented similarly to other call forwarding
scenarios, only this time the follow-me service should be provisioned with
a simultaneous ring option.
Call Park / Call Pickup
Feature description: Allows the user to place a call on hold, move to a different
location, and then resume the call from any other station in the Centrex by dialing a
pickup code.
Supported by MidwestSIP; in order to use this feature, the customer
should define a “call parking prefix” in his call features configuration.
Then, when a phone conversation is under way, the user can simply place
the call on hold and dial the specified call parking prefix. The dynamically
assigned “retrieval code” will be heard; this can be dialed from any phone
in the customer’s IP Centrex group to retrieve the conversation (i.e.
connect the call to that phone). It is also possible to quickly retrieve a call
from the original phone by dialing a special “de-park code”.
Call Restrictions / Station Restrictions
Feature description: Prevents certain types of calls from being made or received by
particular stations. For example, phones in public areas can be blocked from
originating calls to external numbers, so as to prevent unauthorized users from
incurring toll charges. Phones in certain areas may be blocked from receiving external
calls in order to limit employees’ ability to take personal calls. A wide variety of
restrictions are available, covering incoming calls, outgoing calls, toll restrictions, code
restrictions, and differential treatment for internal and external calls.
Call Return
Feature description: Allows the user to originate a call to the last party or number that
called the user, regardless of whether the user answered the original call or knows the
caller's identity. Provided by the IP phone; dial the *69 code to use this feature.
Call Transfer
Feature description: Transfers an existing call to another party (inside or outside the
Centrex group).
Call Waiting
Feature description: A feature that allows users to be alerted of one or more calls
awaiting connection during a current conversation. Users are normally notified by a
short tone on the phone or by use of the caller ID feature. Then, they can answer the
second call, while the first one is still on hold.
Control Call Waiting
Feature description: Enables/disables delivery of the call waiting feature to IP phones,
allowing administrators to control call waiting for a specific account. This ensures that
the feature is supplied only to users who have it activated on the MidwestSIP side
(regardless of whether it is enabled on the IP phone itself).
Caller ID
Feature description: Allows the user to identify the name and telephone number of a
calling party before answering an incoming call.
Supported by MidwestSIP; the phone must have a display to show the
caller ID.
Caller ID on Call Waiting
Feature description: Allows a caller’s name and number to be displayed when the called
party is taking another call.
Supported by MidwestSIP; the phone must have a display to show the
caller ID, and the Call Waiting feature must be activated.
Consultation Hold
Feature description: Calls can be put on hold by depressing the switch-hook or pressing
the flash button. After completing the second call, the user is automatically reconnected
to the original call on hold.
Distinctive Ringing
Feature description: Uses a special ringing pattern to indicate whether an incoming call
is from inside or outside the Centrex group.
Supported by MidwestSIP for the VPN Distinctive Dialing feature.
Group Pickup
Feature description: Allows phones in the same IP Centrex environment (all accounts
under the same customer) to answer each other’s calls by dialing a Group Pickup
Prefix on their phones.
Supported by MidwestSIP.
Intercom Dialing
Feature description: Allows a receiving phone to auto-answer a call and activate
speakerphone mode.
Supported by PortaSwitch; the Paging/Intercom feature must be
activated.
Hunt Groups
Feature description: Allows calls to be redirected to other predetermined lines when the
line called is busy. Hunting allows a number of lines to be grouped into a "pool", so
that incoming calls are directed to whichever of these lines is available.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the follow-me feature.
Message Waiting Audible
Feature description: Provides the user with an audible notification - a "stutter" dial
tone when messages have been left in the extension's voice mail system.
Supported by PortaSwitch (the actual “message waiting” SIP info packet
is originated by PortaUM and relayed by PortaSIP).
Message Waiting Visual
Feature description: provides the user with a visual indication when messages have been
left in the company's voice mail system.
Supported by MidwestSIP (the actual “message waiting” SIP info packet
is originated by PortaUM and relayed by PortaSIP), requires the phone to
be able to display the appropriate icon.
Multiple Call Appearances
Feature description: Multiple Call Appearances allow each station to have two or more
appearances of the user's primary phone number. Each appearance gives the user the
ability to handle one call. Consequently, Multiple Call Appearances allow the user
to originate and/or terminate multiple calls simultaneously. Unlike an analog multiline
phone, the station needs only one line (and one phone number) for Multiple Call
Appearances. When the user is involved in a call on one call appearance and another
call is offered on a different call appearance, the user may use the Caller ID information
to decide whether to answer the ringing call appearance or let the call be forwarded to
voicemail. To answer the ringing call appearance (or originate a second simultaneous
call), the user simple puts the first call appearance on hold. Calls on different
appearances can be combined together to form a three-way conference call.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the follow-me feature. The primary phone
number (account) is provisioned on the IP phone, and all the other
appearances are created as accounts with the follow-me configured to the
primary account.
Music-On-Hold
Feature description: Provides a musical interlude for callers who are waiting on hold.
Supported by PortaSwitch; every Centrex user can upload his own melody
or use the default one for his Centrex environment.
Selective Call Acceptance
Selective Call Acceptance (SCA) is a telecommunications system feature that allows
customers to create a list of phone numbers from which they are willing to accept calls.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the Call Processing module; every Centrex
user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call
matches one of these numbers, the call is accepted; otherwise the call is
rejected.
Selective Call Forwarding
Selective Call Forwarding (SCF) is a telecommunications system feature that allows
customers to forward callers from a selected group of numbers to another number.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the Call Processing module; every Centrex
user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call
matches one of these numbers, the call is forwarded to the destination
defined in the call forwarding or follow-me settings.
Selective Call Rejection
Selective Call Rejection (SCR) is a telecommunications system feature that allows
customers to reject incoming calls.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the Call Processing module; every Centrex
user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call
matches one of these numbers, the call is rejected.
Speed Dialing
Feature description: Allows the user to dial frequently called telephone numbers using
an abbreviated speed calling code instead of the entire number.
Supported by PortaSwitch via the Abbreviated Dialing feature.
Station Message Detail Recording (SMDR)
Feature description: Allows the corporate telecom manager to receive call detail records
on a per-station basis before the monthly telephone bill is even issued. SMDR helps the
customer control telephone fraud and abuse, perform accurate cost accounting, and
analyze call patterns to identify opportunities for cost reductions.
Supported by MidwestSIP; call details are available on the PortaBilling
web interface.
Three-Way Conferencing (Three-way calling)
Feature description: Allows user to add a third party to an existing conversation
forming a three-way conference call.
Supported by MidwestSIP; SIP phone must support the 3-way calling
feature.
Toll Restriction
Feature description: Blocks a station from placing calls to telephone numbers that
would incur toll charges.
Provided using the tariff configuration in PortaBilling.
700/900 Blocking
Feature description: Blocks a station from placing calls to 700 and 900 numbers.
Provided using the tariff configuration in PortaBilling.