Shared Line Appearance/Shared Call Appearance

[rdarsey]

I have searched the forums and not found an answer to this question, but I apologize if I missed a post.

I have a new FusionPBX install running version 4.4.3 on Debian 9.6. Normal inbound and outbound calls work as expected.

I have configured 2 lines as shared lines and configured them on two PolyComm VVX401 phones as shared lines. (phone one has line 1001 as line 1 and 1002 as line 2, phone two has line 1001 as line 1 and 1002 as line 2).

When I place an outbound call from either phone, I can see the line status on the other phone, place the call on hold and pick it up from the other phone. This is the behavior that I need.

However, any inbound call to either shared line does not work as expected. The inbound call rings on both phones and can be answered from either phone, but once answered the non-answering phone no longer shows the line as in use. If I place the call on hold, the other phone is not able to retrieve the call. I.E. inbound call rings on line 1 on both phone 1 and phone 2, phone 1 answers the call. Phone 2 does not show the line (line 1) as in use. If a second inbound call is placed while the first inbound call is still active it will ring line 1 on phone 2.

Is this by design, or do I have something mis-configured?

Thank you for any help.

Rick Darsey

 

[rdarsey]

As a follow up to this, is it possible to set limits on inbound calls to a number? My thought is that this may resolve part of my issue.

Thank you,

Rick

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

Rick, I may be able to partly answer your question.

The configuration you describe is not something I see these days (others may have wider experience), it reminds me of (semi) analogue key systems where each phone had a set of line keys that mapped directly to external PSTN lines and some systems allowed the same line to be picked up simultaneously by two phones. I seem to remember it being called Manager - Secretary pairing on some old systems we worked on.

You are basically registering each extension twice. The SIP protocol supports this, you end up with two location records for each extension. When an inbound call arrives the SIP proxy will send an invite message to both locations, causing both phones to ring. When you answer the call on one of the phones, the SIP proxy will send a cancel message to the other phone with the reason "Call completed elsewhere". So as far as that phone is concerned there is no call - it was canceled.

Would it satisfy your needs if each phone registered just one extension (1001 - phone1, 1002 - phone2) as its line and the other extension set up as a Busy Lamp Field (BLF). You could then put 1001 and 1002 into a ring group so they both ring on an inbound call and one extension will always know when the other one is busy. You could use a Parking lot to have one extension put the call on hold and have the other extension pick the call up again.

Adrian.

 

[rdarsey]

Adrian,

Thank you for the explanation. Knowing that the system is functioning as designed is helpful. I will work with my customer to develop another way of handling their inbound calls.

It is curious that outbound calls work in the way that I need, i.e. the SLA/SCA shows the line as active but inbound do not. Have you heard if there are any plans to add this feature? Our other switch supports the SLA/SCA as I described but does not currently provide call recording, which is the reason that I am turning up the new FusionPBX system.

Thank you again.

Rick

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

Rick,
It would appear that FreeSwitch does support SLA, have a look at the link below:
https://freeswitch.org/confluence/display/FREESWITCH/Shared+Line+Appearance

Also, I notice (I'm using V4.4) FusionPBX has a shared line setting under the keys section of the devices page. I have never used the modern SLA arrangements and know only what I read in the link above.

My gut feeling is that SLA is a hangover from the old Siemens/Nortel switches and there is probably a (not better, but) different way of providing the functionality in a purely SIP based system. I can imagine that SLA may create some difficulties with voicemail and CDR records if you need to know which phone (person) made / answered the call especially if you are recording.

Adrian.

 

[rdarsey]

I think that what I need to have this configuration function as expected is a way to limit the number of inbound calls to an extension that is a member of a ring group or call center. I am able to limit the number of inbound calls to the Ring Group or Call Center, but once the app transfers the call to a member extension or call center agent it does not check for the max calls. I added a dial plan entry:

<extension name="call-limit" continue="true" uuid="c1d6b4de-aac3-44d4-acc8-98f945b5caf8">
<condition field="destination_number" expression="1229999280">
<action application="limit" data="hash inbound ${domain_uuid} ${max_calls} 1 !USER_BUSY"/>
</condition>
</extension>

I never see this entry checked in the log during a call to the ring group or call center. Is there a way to specify forward or transfer in the condition?

Thank you,

Rick

 

[gmccullough]

I am experiencing a very similar issue, but with ring group in a rollover strategy. This is exactly as @Adrian Fretwell surmised, that I'm trying to simulate an old "Key" system. The users want a call to come in, be put on hold on a "line", inform someone/discuss details about picking up the call that is on hold, and then the user has that line available on hold on their phone and picks it up with a simple button press. The issue I'm having is getting the ring group to detect that the shared line is in use so that it can roll over to a free shared line. If i hit reject on the call, it does roll to next extension in the ring group.
I don't want to hijack this thread, but our issue is very similar. Hoping someone has come up with something. I'll keep digging in the dial plan also. TIA

 

[KonradSC]

I do key system emulation using BLF's on park slots.

Phone 1:
Line button 1 - Extension: 1000
Line button 2 - BLF: park+*5901
Line button 3 - BLF: park+*5902
Line button 4 - BLF: park+*5903

Phone:
Line button 1 - Extension: 1001
Line button 2 - BLF: park+*5901
Line button 3 - BLF: park+*5902
Line button 4 - BLF: park+*5903

Put 1000 & 1001 in a hunt group.

Main number hits hunt group. Mario answers 1000. Presses button 2 to put the call in park slot 5901. Then he yells or pages, "Hey Tony, your mom is on park 1." (It's a pizza place in this story)

Tony mutters back, "Your mom was on park".

Tony picks up phone 2 and presses the flashing button 2 to talk to his mom. Little does Tony know that it's Stefano the mob boss on the phone.

And that's how the story begins...

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

@gmccullough When I saw your post come in on the email this morning, my first thought was parking lots. Thankyou @KonradSC for providing an eloquent solution.

 

[gmccullough]

Thanks guys! I actually read up on parking just before reading this, I think it is exactly what I'm needing. Thanks @KonradSC (nice example too lol) and @Adrian Fretwell. @rdarsey I hope you get your fix also.