Call Management Products, Inc.

2150 W. 6th Ave.
Unit D
Broomfield, CO 80020

800-245-9933
303-465-0651
303-465-0237 fax

Support Tips for CallExtend
Versions 3.4 - 3.53D

If you experience problems when installing or using CallExtend, the following examples may assist you in troubleshooting. Note that these examples assume you know how to perform programming in CallExtend. If you are not familiar with the programming commands, please consult the CallExtend User’s Manual. If you do not have a manual, please contact Call Management Products at (303) 465-0651 to obtain a replacement manual.

For tips on using CallExtend on a Mitel SX phone system, click here.

Note: If you are not able to get CallExtend to accept programming, the programming phone you are using may not emit a long tone to the phone line. Try a different brand of telephone (it must be a standard touch-tone 2500 set type telephone) and a different cord to connect this phone to the CallExtend unit.

 

Call Transfer Problems:

Calls are not being transferred, and touch-tone digits are heard by the caller:

  1. The hook-flash duration setting in CallExtend may be too short for the phone system. Check the "Hook-Flash Duration" Field (PAGE 0, ROW 0, FIELD 1) to make sure it is set to correspond to the hook-flash duration setting in the phone system (0 = no hook-flash, 1 = 250 ms, 2 = 300 ms, 3 = 400 ms, 4 = 500 ms, 5 = 600 ms, 6 = 750 ms, 7 = 900 ms, 8 = 1 sec, 9 = 1.5 sec). If the phone system's hook-flash is programmed as a range, set it to the widest range possible and set CallExtend's hook-flash to a setting in the middle of this range (e.g., on a Mitel SX phone system, set the Mitel to the 150 - 1500 ms hook-flash range and set the CallExtend to a 500 ms hook-flash).
  1. Make sure that the phone system analog ports CallExtend is connected to are programmed to allow hook-flashes and call transfers. To test the analog port(s), first program your phone system to route incoming calls to the port(s) CallExtend is currently connected to. Then, disconnect CallExtend from these ports and, in its place, connect a standard touch-tone phone (2500 set) to one of these extensions. FROM ANOTHER PHONE, OBTAIN AN OUTSIDE PHONE LINE and make a test call into the phone system. This call should ring the phone you have connected. Answer the call and try to transfer it to an extension by hand. If this test transfer works, CallExtend can operate on this port. If the test transfer does not work, try changing the phone system’s class-of-service settings for this port to enable hook-flashes and to enable transfers of both internal and external calls to extensions and to the receptionist. Once the port is working with the test phone, repeat this test on the second extension port to be used with CallExtend.
  1. Make sure CallExtend has been programmed to dial any prefix digits that are needed in front of extension numbers when transferring calls, as well as any digits needed after the extension.

The caller dials to select a department or extension, and the call is dropped without touch-tone digits being heard: The hook-flash duration CallExtend is using when transferring calls may be too long for the phone system. See solution #1 above to set this field to match the hook-flash duration setting in the phone system.

The caller dials a single digit but is not transferred to an extension: Make sure that ROW 0 on that single digit's PAGE is set to * (star). Also, review the data in ROWS 1-6 on the PAGE, to make sure that the desired extensions have been programmed correctly.

A call is transferred to an extension, but that extension only rings briefly before the call is transferred to the receptionist: Set the "Transfer Supervision Mode" in PAGE 0, ROW 0, Field 3 to a higher number of rings (the digit entered into this field is the number of rings considered to be a no-answer condition).

If a call is not answered by the extension it was transferred to, it is not being transferred to the receptionist or is being transferred to the wrong receptionist:

  1. The "Transfer Supervision Mode" setting in PAGE 0, ROW 0, Field 3 may be set to zero or one. This causes CallExtend to transfer the call without answer supervision. Set this field to the number of rings to be considered a no-answer condition.
  1. If this problem occurs when CallExtend is set to fully supervise call transfers, check the PAGE Receptionist entered into ROWS 8-9 of the PAGE that handled the call (enter the extension into ROW 8, up to the first 8 digits; enter any remaining digits in ROW 9). Next, check the BDA Receptionist extensions entered into PAGE *, ROWS 1-4. If an extension is entered in these ROWS, it will be used as the receptionist for calls that do not have a PAGE Receptionist programmed. Next, check the Main Receptionist extensions entered into PAGE 0, ROWS 1-4. If no PAGE or BDA receptionist has been programmed, the call will go to the Main Receptionist.
  1. Make sure your telephone system can make a second call transfer from the analog ports without any restrictions. To test this, disconnect CallExtend from the phone system's extension ports and, in its place, connect a standard touch-tone phone (2500 set) to one of these extensions. FROM ANOTHER PHONE, OBTAIN AN OUTSIDE PHONE LINE and make a test call into the phone system. This call should ring the phone you have connected. Answer the call and try to transfer it by hand to an extension that is busy or doesn't answer; after the busy signal or the appropriate number of rings, perform another manual hook-flash (to retrieve the call), speak to the caller briefly, perform another hook-flash, dial the receptionist extension, and hang up. If this test transfer works, and the caller goes through to the receptionist, then CallExtend can operate in supervised mode on this port. If the test transfer does not work, try changing the phone system’s class-of-service settings for this port to enable the extension to retrieve calls from on-hold and perform a second call transfer. Once the port is working with the test phone, repeat this test on the second extension port to be used with CallExtend.
  1. If the conference calling feature on your phone system causes an extra hook-flash to be needed for the second call transfer, program a "4" into PAGE 0, ROW 0, Field 5.
  1. Make sure that Supervised Disconnect is turned off. This is done by setting PAGE *, ROW 0, Field 1 to a "0" (zero).

CallExtend ties up a phone line for a long time without transferring a call:

  1. This generally occurs because the phone system does not pass a calling party abandon signal (interruption in line current or dial-tone) to the CallExtend extension. Without this signal, CallExtend has no way of knowing that the caller has hung up, rather than just remaining silently on the line, so it will transfer the call as programmed. Check with the phone system's manufacturer to see if call abandon detection can be added to your phone system.
  1. If CallExtend does not have a proper receptionist extension programmed into it, it will not be able to transfer callers who wait on the line to reach the receptionist (e.g., if they are calling from a rotary phone); thus, these callers may be kept on the line indefinitely. Verify that PAGE 0, ROW 1 has been programmed with a receptionist extension that will be answered.

 

Voice Message Problems:

The messages are played too quietly: If the volume of CallExtend's messages is too low, erase the messages and re-record them using a different "Admin" phone and a different telephone cord to connect this phone to CallExtend. The "Admin" phone must be a 2500 set (a standard touch-tone phone that could be used on a home phone line). However, if you have problems with the volume of the speech messages, you should use a different brand of 2500 set (a different model, or a phone made by a different manufacturer). For help re-recording the voice messages, click here.

The main greeting is played twice to callers: On many phone systems, if an extension is busy or does not answer a transferred call, the call is automatically returned to the extension that originated the call transfer. In this case, calls will be transferred back to CallExtend if they are not answered by the appropriate extension. When the call is transferred back to CallExtend, it looks like a new call, so CallExtend plays its main greeting to the caller. Program the phone system to not transfer calls back to the ports used with CallExtend. If this cannot be done, extend the phone system's extension transfer recall timer. This problem can also occur when CallExtend is in Supervised mode, if the phone system rings calls that are on hold back to CallExtend too soon; in this case, lengthen the phone system's hold recall timer so it is longer than the number of rings CallExtend is set to supervise (this number of rings is entered into PAGE 0, ROW 0, Field 3).

CallExtend answers calls but does not play any messages to the caller: The voice messages may have been erased by a power failure. Use the Erase All Messages command (dial 0 7 and hold down 9 until the Data display returns to P -- this takes a few seconds, so be sure to hold the 9 down long enough) and then re-record the messages. For help recording the messages, click here. Also, check the "Batt. Low" light on CallExtend; if this light is on, a new battery should be inserted in the battery backup prior to re-recording the messages.

CallExtend allows calls to be transferred, but the Transfer Message and/or BDA Message are not being heard by the caller: These messages may have been re-recorded after they were originally recorded, without being erased first. Whenever you re-record a message, you must first erase the old one. Use the Erase All Messages command (dial 0 7 and hold down 9 until the Data display returns to P -- this takes a few seconds, so be sure to hold the 9 down long enough) and then re-record the messages. For help recording the messages, click here.

A voice message stops part-way through or messages are heard at the wrong time, but the call is transferred:

  1. The voice message indexes may have been corrupted, causing CallExtend to not know where each message begins and ends. Use the Erase All Messages command (dial 0 7 and hold down 9 until the Data display returns to P -- this takes a few seconds, so be sure to hold the 9 down long enough) and then re-record the messages. For help recording the messages, click here.
  1. Part of the voice message may sound like a touch-tone digit to CallExtend, causing the call to be transferred. If the digit is programmed, CallExtend will transfer the caller to the appropriate department; if it is not programmed, the caller will be transferred to the receptionist. Use the Erase All Messages command (dial 0 7 and hold down 9 until the Data display returns to P -- this takes a few seconds, so be sure to hold the 9 down long enough) and then re-record the messages. For help recording the messages, click here.

A voice message stops part-way through at a random point, and there is a pause before the call is disconnected or is transferred to the receptionist: CallExtend may be located near a transformer or power supply that emits a strong magnetic field, causing CallExtend to lock up. Relocate the CallExtend unit.