[Freeswitch-users] Answering Service, Call Forwarding, Status Indicator

[Sean Devoy]

Hi All,

 

I have a customer that has multiple DIDs that deposit incoming callers into
a call queue (after a brief message) and then have several extensions
process calls from the queue.  There are some good examples of how to do
that in FS around (thanks to those who posted them).  But this customer also
needs to forward all those DIDs to an answering service outside work hours.
They don't want Time-Of-Day rules because if there are emergency weather
conditions, they work overtime and want the phone open.

 

I am setting up Call Forwarding via DialPlan (i.e. *72 to enable and *73 to
disable.).    I can do that and have the incoming calls forwarded to the
answering service number because there are some nice examples of that too
(also thanks).

 

I would like to be able to have some visual indication that all calls are
forwarded on all of the phones that usually join the call queue .  I would
love some ideas.  All Phones are Cisco SPA504G (4 line each).  Here are some
ideas I have had, but don't know if they can be done.  They are listed in
order of my preference.

.         Have each phone setup with a line button dedicated as a Busy Line
Indicator for a dummy extension.  Then make that extension "busy" when calls
are forwarded.  This seems like the best choice, but I don't know how to
have a dummy sip device or how to mark it busy or on hook via dial plan.  I
know I can configure a line button as a BLI for an extension on the 504Gs.
This seems ideal, all of the phones would get a red indicator whenever calls
are forwarded.



.         Have the Message Waiting Indicator FLASH when calls are forwarded.
Not sure of the feasibility on this one or how actual messages waiting would
impact it.



.         Have the Phones LCD display show the status.  Seems easy enough if
the user presses a button to an XML service, but to dynamically update the
screen from the server when the call forwarding status changes?



.         I CAN have them dial *nn and have FS "speak" the current status to
them.  I would prefer something that does not require them to take an
action.  
Clearly a suboptimal solution; I think if they forgot to "unforward" the
phones, they are not likely to remember to check the forward status.

 

In  the longer term, I hope I think a mini php "Queue Administrator" app for
these users would be fun to write.  The idea being they login with a browser
using their extension and "secret".  The web page then shows Call Forwarding
Status and number of calls in queue.  They can click to join queue
processing (or leave it).  Or, click to forward all incoming calls (with a
passcode). It would of course display caller ID information about queued
calls.  That could lead to some add on work to allow Customer lookup in a
customer DB, or "pop" someone out of the middle of a queue, etc.

 

Thanks for your time and I look forward to your thoughts.

 

Sean

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