Every business needs to make calls, but depending on the type of business these calls may need to be treated in a special way, such as recorded against a project or client through the use of Account Codes. A business may have several sites linked via a private network but certain users, like customer services agents, may need to be able to call colleagues in other offices even when the network is busy, while other users can wait for a line to come free, Least Cost Routes can automatically translate the internal number to a direct dial call over the public network while other users wait.
Feature
• Associate an account code with a call.
• Validate account codes used against list stored by the IP Office.
• Include the account code used with call log details.
Benefit
• Through the call records, group calls by account code for the purpose of call costing and tracking.
• Restrict outgoing calls by requiring users to enter a valid account code.
Authorization codes allow an IP Office user to go to another extension on the system and make calls using their personal toll restrictions; this may grant the user greater or fewer privileges than the normal owner of the extension they use. Since Authorization Codes are independent of Account Codes, the user has to enter both if the required by the system configuration. All entered codes are logged in SMDR.
Dial emergency is an IP Office Short Code and, permits certain numbers to be dialed regardless of call barring or a phone being logged out.
Feature
• It is possible to prevent or allow calls to certain numbers such as international numbers or premium rate numbers for individual users or on a system wide basis.
Benefit
• Restrict the dialing of specific numbers or types of numbers system wide.
• Restrict certain users from dialing specific numbers or types of numbers.
IP Office supports Alternate Route Selection, which is more flexible and easier to configure than Least Cost Routing (LCR). If a primary trunk is unavailable, then ARS provides automatic fallback to an available trunk (e.g., analog trunk fallback if a T1 or SIP trunk fails, or use PSTN for SCN fallback).
By configuring ARS, calls may be routed via the optimum carrier. Time profiles can also be used to allow customers to take advantage of cheaper rates or better quality at specific times of day.
Multiple carriers are supported. For example, local calls are to go through one carrier between specific hours and international calls through an alternative carrier. Carrier selection using 2- stage call set up via in-band DTMF is possible. It is possible to assign specific routes on a per user basis, e.g. only allow expensive routes to be used by critical staff.
This feature allows the system to control the maximum duration of any call based on the dialed number. This could be used for controlling calls to cellular networks or data calls made over the public network to ISPs.
Feature
• A privileged user (Operator / Supervisor) can transfer an outside line (external dial tone) to a user that does not have external privileges.
Benefits
• Provides the company with control over external calls
• Provides the ability to provide outside line access for restricted phones . (e.g., those in public areas or conference rooms)
Feature
• Going off hook will select the first Idle line appearance and the user will be connected to an outside line.
Benefit
• Provides the ability to select a specific external line (for companies that prefer to work in key-system mode)