How to: Use Off-Network Phones in Queues

There may be situations where the use off-network phones is required with your PBXtra . Off-network phones are phones not associated to your PBXtra such as cell phones or home phones.

For non-ACD (queue) related calls, simply forwarding an extension to an off-network phone is all you need do.  This can be done by following the steps outlined in the article How do I forward all my calls?.

PBXtra supports off-network phones in queues by enabling the "Queue Press-to-accept" option on an extension or virtual extension that is forwarded to an off-network phone.  A virtual extension is created by adding a new extension and selecting 'Virtual Extension' option under "Phone / Devices".  The "Queue Press-to-accept" option is a PBXtra Call Center Edition feature that forces a user (agent) to press '1' after picking up a queue call to actually accept it.  If this option is set to 'no' (default), then the call is answered as soon as the agent picks up the handset. The call will also be answered if voice mail or an answering machine picks up.

The "Queue Press-to-accept" feature does not affect calls sent directly to the virtual extension.

PBXtra will only respect "Queue Press-to-accept" when the extension is logged into an ACD queue using the *50 key code (please refer to the System Extensions/Key Codes section within the Extensions page for more information on key codes).  Since it is assumed the user (agent) will be off premise, they will not be able to log into or out of an ACD queue via their off-network phone nor through HUD or the web admin/user interfaces.  To enable off premise users (agents) to log into an ACD queue create a virtual extension that is forwarded to *50.  To enable off premise users (agents) to log out of an ACD queue create a virtual extension that is forwarded to *56.

Once the call has been sent to the off-network phone it will be treated by the off-network phone as if the call were dialed directly to it (which is, in fact, the case).  Therefore, the call cannot, via the PBXtra , be transferred, put on hold, or appear in HUD.