Solved: Is it possible to setup the system not to require 9 to reach PSTN?

Derek Thom · ‎02-19-2009

Hello-

I would like to know if it is possible to setup the system not to require 9 to reach PSTN? I saw this question on an FAQ regarding PSTN connectivity, and it was answered "You can configure the UC500 in keysystem mode, where the user can seize available FXO or T1 CAS to dial numbers directly to CO."

I have our UC500 currently configured as a keysystem, with our PSTN/FXO dial peers set up as shared-dn's on all the phones. On our old phone system, it was possible to just press a line button and begin dialing a number, or just pick up the phone and a line was automatically selected and you could being dialing (without having to dial a number).

Is it possible to do this on the UC500, and if so, how would you go about configuring it?

Thanks,

Derek

David Harper · ‎02-20-2009

If you are just picking up the handset or pressing speaker to make the call, then you are going offhook on the internal line and you do indeed need to dial 9 to reach the PSTN, even though this is a key system. To avoid dialing 9, you need to explicitly select a CO line to place the call on by pressing the corresponding button. When you do this, you are immediately connecting to the associated phone line, will hear dial tone coming directly from the telephone exchange, and will be able to place calls without dialing 9.

Cheers,

Dave.

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Marcos Hernandez · ‎02-19-2009

This is not currently supported via CCA, so you will have to use CLI. Please refer to the following tech tip:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-9787

Let us now if you have any questions.

Marcos Hernandez
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Derek Thom · ‎02-19-2009

I guess I was looking more for a way to select which shared-dn to dial directly out on, as well as being able to skip pressing 9 first.

If we have 3 shared-dn PSTN numbers, is there a way to press the button associated with it on the phone and have it immediately connect to the outside without having to dial any number? Right now, I can press the button and that share-dn lights up and shows in use for the duration, but when it actually connects to the PSTN via an FXO line, it picks the first available FXO port. Is there a way to make a one-to-one relationship between the dn and an FXO port? And can it automatically skip the "9" and just connect to the PSTN when that button is pressed?

Still not savvy on the phone side of these things, so I may inadvertantly be asking the impossible. But, I am just comparing it to characteristics of traditional phone systems that customers have asked about, so I like to have an answer for them.

Thanks for your help!

Marcos Hernandez · ‎02-19-2009

What you describe is actually the exact behavior of a key system, which we support and it is easily configured via CCA. The bad news is that you have to start your config from scratch (factory reset your UC500).

We are in the process of updating the First Look Labs, including the Key Switch System (KTS) one. The current documentation can be found on:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-9618

In CCA 1.9 the screens vary slightly. If you want, I can give you an early unedited copy of these labs. You can email me at marchern@cisco.com

Thanks,

Marcos Hernandez
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Derek Thom · ‎02-20-2009

The UC500 I am talking about was configured as a keysystem from the start, using the latest CCA of the time (1.6). I made changes to it since then with mostly the CLI. Maybe I have the buttons set up incorrectly?

Basically, I have the FXO's PLAR-ing to a dial-peer, and that dial peer has a shared-dn assigned that is configured as a button on all phones (3 outside/FXO lines total configured like this). The incoming calls ring down no problem, including rolling over when a line is busy. But, when I press a button on an outside line, I get a dial tone, but I still have to dial 9 and when it rings out, no matter line button I press, it always uses the first available line. I test this by calling my cell phone and I see the same number pop up (the first line available).

Hopefully this makes sense? I want to make sure I am setting up systems to industry best practices, so I appreciate the install/configuration guides (these weren't around back when I was doing the inital systems, so I had to kind of wing it).

I'll look through that install guide and see if I have done things right. I have a couple more installs coming up so I want to do them right from the start and offer the client all of the options available.

Thanks again for your help!

Derek

Daniel Hoffman · ‎02-20-2009

Marcos,

Is it possible to keep the system in PBX mode and use a translation rule to eliminate the need to dial 9 to access a trunk? This is for a very simple dial plan with just a couple of phones with users that disdain dialing 9 to dial a local number! :)

Marcos Hernandez · ‎02-20-2009

Yes. Refer to:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-9787

Thanks,

Marcos Hernandez
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Marcos Hernandez · ‎02-20-2009

Derek,

What you describe is not KTS, but rather PBX. The moment you need an access code to dial out of the FXO ports, the system is operating in KTS mode.

Thanks,

Marcos Hernandez
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Derek Thom · ‎02-20-2009

So what you're saying is because I am dialing 9 to reach an outside line, I am running in KeySystem mode, correct? And what I am actually describing that I want to do can be accomplished by running in PBX mode?

Thanks,

Derek

Marcos Hernandez · ‎02-20-2009

I am actually saying (or trying to say) exactly the opposite. When you dial 9, you are in PBX mode. If you want to avoid having to dial 9 while still keeping PBX mode, then refer to the link that I posted earlier on this thread.

Here is a step by step lab showing how to set up PBX mode. It is not updated (we are working hard to get updated labs soon) but they should be a good start.

https://supportforums.cisco.com/docs/DOC-9516

Thanks,

Marcos Hernandez
Technical Marketing Engineer
Cisco Systems, Inc.

Derek Thom · ‎02-20-2009

OK, well somewhere along the line I must have messed something up, because I originally set up the system from CCA as a keysystem. Even when I open up the CCA to view the configuration it shows it as a keysystem (under Telephony>Voice on the first screen). Yet, I still dial 9 to get out.

Any idea how to fix this via the CLI, or even what the problem could be?

Thanks,

Derek

David Harper · ‎02-20-2009

If you are just picking up the handset or pressing speaker to make the call, then you are going offhook on the internal line and you do indeed need to dial 9 to reach the PSTN, even though this is a key system. To avoid dialing 9, you need to explicitly select a CO line to place the call on by pressing the corresponding button. When you do this, you are immediately connecting to the associated phone line, will hear dial tone coming directly from the telephone exchange, and will be able to place calls without dialing 9.

Cheers,

Dave.

Derek Thom · ‎02-26-2009

Maybe I have the CO lines set up wrong, because even after pressing a button for a specific line, I still have to dial 9 to get out.

Can someone paste what it should look like in the running config in terms of how the buttons and FXO/dial peers, etc. should be configured to automatically reach an outside line by pressing a button?

Thanks,

Derek

Marcos Hernandez · ‎03-09-2009

Hi Derek,

Here is what you need to do on the CLI to provision KTS:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucme/admin/configuration/guide/cmebasic.html#wpxref78209

Thanks,

Marcos

Derek Thom · ‎03-09-2009

I have read that before, and it seems to me that based on what I want to do (connect straight to PSTN by pressing a button on the phone), I will need to configure Trunk Lines. Is that correct?

I don't like the restrictions it has attached to it, so that's whay I have shyed away from that in the past.

If I were to reconfigure this from the ground up using just the CCA and configuring as a key system, would this issue be resolved? I guess I am just trying to figure out how I got to this point. I would galdy sendmy "show-run" output if you wanted to take a look.

Thanks for your help as always,

Derek