Maximum Alternate Extensions

[shaucall46]

Hi

I have set up alternate extensions within unity 8.5, I have set up 9 extensions and I actually need to set up 10 for this task.

Unity will not let me set up more then 9 is there anyway of changing this, maybe a global setting.

Thanks

[Aaron Harrison]

Hi

I'm not aware of a way to up the limit.

It might be worth reconsidering why you need so many alternate extensions on one mailbox?

e.g. if this is so that a team of internal users can access the same mailbox, perhaps consider giving them a common second line that matches the 'extension' of the voicemail box. This gets them the notification envelope on that line and they can dial in to it by hitting the second line button then messages...

If you can advise what your scenario is there are often other ways of doing it...

Aaron

[shaucall46]

Hi Aaron

Application is so users can all push DND(Do Not Disturb) button on phone I have set this up to point to a mailbox where they will be played a specific greeting until DND is switched off, all users are altrenate members of the mailbox

As it turns out now I only need 9 users so my setup works but guess it would be good to know if there was a better way to do it.

Leaving a voicemail isnt the main driver here it is that they all get the same greeting when DND is in place.

Maybe a call handler would hvae been an option??

Thanks

[Aaron Harrison · Accepted solution]

Hi

Yep, call handler would be one option.

Another might be to set up a new VoiceMail profile in CUCM, with a mask set to the ext of the voicemail box you have already and call it 'DND'. You can then assign that VM profile to all the DND users' lines.

Aaron

[shaucall46]

Hi Aaron

Yes I think you are correct with VM profile and I see how that would work, same functionallity as the way I have done it gut a simpler solution and not restricted by maximum alternate extensions in Unity.

My solution working but if I have to add another user ill switc to above.

Many thanks for providing your thoughts.

[Steven DiStefano]

Doesn't a shared line have a group vm box ?

Steve DiStefano

• Sent from my iPhone. Excuse brevity and typographical errors. **

[Rob Huffman]

Hi there,

I just wanted to add a note to the good tips from Aaron and Steve (+5 guys!)

The max number of Alternate Extensions can actually be pushed to 19 if

you allow "user defined" Alternate Extensions via the user COS

Alternate Extensions in Cisco Unity Connection 8.x

In addition to the primary extension for each user, you can set up alternate extensions. Alternate extensions can be used for various reasons, such as handling multiple line appearances on user phones. Alternate extensions can also make calling Cisco Unity Connection from an alternate device—such as a mobile phone, a home phone, or a phone at another work site—more convenient.

When you specify the phone number for an alternative extension, Connection handles all calls from that number in the same way that it handles calls from a primary extension (assuming that ANI or caller ID is passed along to Connection from the phone system). This means that Connection associates the alternate phone number with the user account, and when a call comes from that number, Connection prompts the user to enter a PIN and sign in.

If users set an alternate device to forward to Connection, callers can hear the user greeting and leave messages for the user, just as they would when dialing the primary extension of the user. (Callers can also be transferred to the alternate extension for a user from the automated attendant.) Users need to set forwarding from the device itself, not in Connection. Note that the phone number must be passed to Connection for the system to recognize the device.

Users can also address messages to an alternate extension that is associated with another user.

Alternate extensions are grouped into two categories: administrator-defined alternate extensions and user-defined alternate extensions. Administrators can add up to 9 alternate extensions. Users can add up to 10 alternate extensions if they belong to a class of service that allows them to manage user-defined alternate extensions. Administrators can view and edit both administrator-defined and user-defined alternate extensions. Users can view administrator-defined alternate extensions if they belong to a class of service that allows them to.

Class of service settings allow you to determine whether users can view or manage alternate extensions and whether they can use the Connection Messaging Assistant to manage a set of their own alternate extensions. See the "Alternate Extensions in Cisco Unity Connection 8.x" section for details.

Users who belong to a class of service with the Allow Users to Manage Their User-Defined Alternate Extensions option enabled will be offered the option to automatically add alternate extensions. To learn more about this feature, see the "Automatically Adding Alternate Extensions in Cisco Unity Connection 8.x" section.

By using the Custom Keypad Mapping tool in Cisco Unity Connection Administration, you can provide users with the option to edit their alternate extensions from the Preferences menu in the phone interface. When a user selects the option to edit their alternate devices, Connection will offer to list or delete the existing alternate extensions. If the user signs in from a phone number that is not their primary extension or an existing alternate extension or in the Excluded Extensions for Automatically Added Alternate Extensions restriction table, when they select the option to edit their alternate devices, Connection will offer to add the phone number as a new alternate extension.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/connection/8x/user_mac/guide/8xcucmac040.html#wp1458710

Cheers!

Rob

[chrisnoon11]

That's a life saver, thanks for pointing this our Rob.  I have one user who requires an absurd number of alt exts, and this trick will surely buy me some time to talk her out of adding more.

EDIT: I should point out that an administrator can not create a User Defined alt ext, only edit one.  So I had to log in as the user first and create it.