Mobile Extension Configuration
Date:                   June 27, 2008
Subject:               Guide to setting up Mobile Extension in 5.1 and 5.2
Distribution:        All Dealers
Doc Type:           Tech Note
Release:             5.2
Scope:                5.1 - 5.2
Application:        AltiAdmin
Hardware:           N/A
Keywords:           MobileExtension, Mobile, Extension, MobileExt, Mobile-Trunks, Trunks
Obsolete:             No

Setting up Mobile Extension:

In the Boards window, double-click a Triton board (PRI board strongly recommended) to be used as a Mobile trunk. Click the Board Configuration button. In the dialog box that appears, click the Add/Remove Mobile Trunks button.

The Add/Remove Mobile Trunks dialog box is displayed. Add trunks to the Mobile-Trunk Member List from the Not Member List by selecting the channels and clicking the Left Arrow button.

Note: If a PRI span is used, only the whole span can be added or removed, not individual PRI channels. T1 and analog trunks are added or removed individually. When you are finished adding channels as Mobile trunks, click the OK button. Then restart AltiWare.

A MobileExt virtual board appears in the Boards window.

Note the logical ID of the MobileExt board is 1 in this example.

Next, open the Extension Configuration window. To assign an extension to a mobile extension port, select a virtual extension and change it to a physical extension. By clicking the Next or Prev button in the Location panel, select the MobileExt Logical Board ID and Logical Channel ID for this extension. Then click the Apply button.

The extension is now displayed in the Extension View window.

With the extension selected, click the Line Properties button to configure the mobile PSTN number and other options for this mobile extension. The ExtensionAnywhere Configuration - MobileExt dialog box opens.

Target Phone Number - Enter the number that will be dialed when the system tries to ring this mobile extension. Do not include the trunk access code.

Caller ID - The system will use this caller ID to match the extension number when a call comes in. If the caller ID is matched, the mobile extension user will hear a dial tone from the system, the same as an internal extension user hears when the phone is taken off hook.

Mobile Trunk Allocation

Shared - When selected, this mobile extension will share mobile trunk ports with other mobile extension users. The system will dynamically allocate a mobile trunk port when the system calls out to this mobile extension number. When the mobile extension user calls into the system, any mobile trunk port can answer the call, verify caller ID, and play a dial tone to the mobile extension user.

Dedicated - Only analog trunks can be dedicated mobile trunks. When selected, a mobile trunk port must be assigned to this mobile extension. You have the option to disable caller IDverification if a mobile trunk port is dedicated to this mobile extension. The mobile extension user will hear a dial tone when calling into this specific trunk port. Use the Browse button (…) to select the desired mobile trunk

Phrases - In the Phrase panel, you have three options:

Press Any Key To Answer Call - when a call is answered by this mobile extension user, the system will play the following phrase for the mobile extension user: “To accept this call, please press any digit.” The user must press any key within 3 seconds to connect the call; otherwise, it will time out and the call will be treated as an agent/extension RNA and will be routed according to its workgroup/extension setting. If there is a network error or a mobile extension trunk is not available, RNA handling is applied to the caller. Therefore, it is suggested that you don’t check the Set RNA Agent Logout option for the group that contains the mobile extension as an agent (Workgroup Configuration, Call Handling tab).

Play Phrase After Answered - the system will play the given phrase when the mobile extension user answers the call from the system. The default phrase (9037) is a special tone to signal the mobile extension user that this call can be put on hold, parked, transferred, or conferenced.

Play Phrase Before Dial Tone - the system will play the default phrase 9037 (a special tone) and then the dial tone when the mobile extension user calls into the system through a configured DNIS Access Number.

You can use the Apply button to apply selections in this panel to other mobile extensions.

In the Boards view of AltiWare Administrator, double-click the MobileExt board. A Board Configuration dialog box opens.

In the Board Configuration dialog box, double-click the channel group (on the right-hand side). The following dialog box opens:

If more mobile channel support is required, change this to a larger number (256 extensions maximum), and then reboot the system.

Key Simulation - Check the first check box to allow the mobile phone user to use the * key to simulate “FLASH”.
Check the second check box to allow the user to use ** to disconnect the current call and then get a dial tone without hanging up the cell phone. The user must press the second * within 1.5 seconds.

Transmit Caller ID to MobileExt through PRI provides three available options to choose from:

        Send inbound caller ID or extension number
        Send inbound caller ID only
        Replace with following number

DNIS Access Numbers - If a PRI trunk is used for a mobile extension, a DNIS access number must be set so AltiServ can tell if the incoming call is a regular trunk call or a mobile extension off-hook request. Click the Add button in this panel to add a DNIS access number. To remove a number, select it and click the Remove button.

Mobile Extension Ports table - displays fields for the channel, extension number and name, target phone number, caller ID, trunk allocation (shared or dedicated), phrase 1 (Play Phrase After Answered), and phrase 2 (Play Phrase Before Dial Tone) of each extension port.

Mobile Trunks table - displays fields for the board, span, channel, trunk allocation, mobile extension and status of each mobile trunk.



Troubleshooting Mobile Extensions:

Note: Digital circuits are recommended (preferably PRI). Mobile extensions do not work over SIP trunks.


Symptom #1: calls to mobile extension not leaving AltiGen system
Most likely the carrier is rejecting the call based on the caller ID we’re transmitting. Go to Mobile Extension Channel Group configuration, select ‘Replace with Following Number’ and enter the system main number in the text box. If this works, contact carrier to remove restriction.


Symptom #2: poor audio quality
Try connecting to a different target number to isolate the issue. If you’re using analog trunks, try the same target number from a system with a T1/PRI.

Mobile Extension Limitations:
- Quantum analog trunks are not supported.
- Only PRI mobile trunks can deliver Caller ID information to the Mobile Extension.
- A Mobile Extension cannot support Centrex transfer.
- Cannot deliver caller name to the Mobile Extension.
- Does not support Message Waiting Indicator on Mobile Extension device. (Use Message Notification as a work-around).
- Since the DTMF key * is used for simulating the FLASH signal, there is no way to send * to the system.
- The RNA for Mobile Extension may not be accurate, because the system ring count may not be in sync with the Mobile Extension device ring count.
- When placing calls to Mobile Extensions that are cell phones, if the cell phone is out of signal range, the caller may hear long periods of silence. You can check the Press any key to answer call option to prevent this problem.
- Only analog trunks can be allocated as dedicated Mobile trunks.
- After adjusting the number of mobile extension ports in a mobile extension board, AltiWare must be restarted for the changes to take effect.