In some cases, the tasks below can be performed using either by dialing phone system numeric codes (called feature codes) or by using special keys on your phone handset. If available, using dedicated phone handset keys is the recommended approach, as this approach will be easier to use and easier to remember.
Adjust call or ringer volume
While on a call, press the volume control keys to increase or decrease the handset or speakerphone volume
If the phone is not on a call, the volume control keys will adjust the ringer volume
Answer a call
Pick up the handset, or
Leave the handset down but press the green "Speaker" key to answer in speakerphone mode
Hang up a call
Hang up the receiver to end the call if in handset mode, as usual
If in speakerphone mode, the red "Goodbye" key (with a picture of a red phone handset) can be used to end a call
Leave a voice mail without ringing the phone (call a voice mailbox directly)
Dial a ''*'' and then the person's extension number to directly call their voice mailbox without having their phone ring first
e.g. dial ''*402'' to directly call the voice mailbox of extension 402
Calls can also be transferred directly to someone else's voice mailbox this way
Place a call
Pick up the handset (you will hear a dial tone) and dial the number - you will hear normal key tones as you press the digit keys
The phone will automatically place the call when it detects the end of a recognized number pattern
If the number is an unusual format (for example, an international call), it will not dial automatically – in this case, press the right arrow key to dial the number or simply wait for the dialing timeout to expire
Alternatively, leave the handset down and dial the number
The left arrow key is used as a backspace key to correct numbers
Lift the handset or press the green "Speaker" key to place the call
Place a caller on hold
The "Speaker" key (with a picture of a green speaker) is used to switch to speakerphone/hands-free mode.
While on a call, press the "Speaker" key to activate speakerphone/hands-free mode
The handset can now be hung up without disconnecting the caller
Lift up the handset again to switch back to handset mode
The "Speaker" key can also be used to answer an incoming call in speakerphone mode.
Switch to speakerphone/hands-free mode
The "Speaker" key (with a picture of a green speaker) is used to switch to speakerphone/hands-free
mode.
While on a call, press the "Speaker" key to activate speakerphone/hands-free mode
The handset can now be hung up without disconnecting the caller
Lift up the handset again to switch back to handset mode
The "Speaker" key can also be used to answer an incoming call in speakerphone mode
View (and redial) previous outgoing calls
The "Redial" key (with a picture of two up arrows) is used to redial previous outgoing calls.
Press the "Redial" key to access the list of previous outbound calls you made
Press the up/down arrow keys to scroll through the list, if desired
Press the "Redial" key again or simply pick up the handset to redial the displayed number
Pressing the "Redial" key twice will redial the most-recently dialed number. If the handset is lifted at the time, the call will be placed in handset mode. If the handset is down, the call will be placed in speakerphone mode.
View (and call back) previous incoming calls
The "Call List" key (with a picture of a white phone handset) is used to view previous incoming callers.
Press the "Call List" key to access the list of previous inbound calls you received
Press the up/down arrow keys to scroll through the list, if desired
The phone icons next to the caller name and number indicate you answered the call or not
To dial the currently displayed caller, simply pick up the handset or press the speakerphone key while their name/number is displayed
Call forwarding
This feature allows you to direct calls to your extension to instead to another internal extension or to an external phone number, such as your cell phone or home phone number. The "Follow me" feature (below) can also be used to do this.
Alternatively, your personal extension web site on the phone system can also be used to configure call forwarding (see the "Voicemail User Reference" documentation).
Enable call forwarding
Dial the "Call Forward All Activate" feature code (*72)
After being prompted, enter your own extension number followed by ''#'' (this is the extension to redirect)
If directing the call to another internal extension, enter the extension number followed by ''#''
If directing the call to an external phone number, enter the external number to dial followed by ''#''
The settings will be read back to you to confirm them. Hang up.
If the forwarded call is not answered, the caller will be directed to your normal voice mailbox as usual.
Disable call forwarding
Dial the "Call Forward All Deactivate" feature code (*73) from your extension
The settings will be read back to you to confirm them. Hang up.
To cancel call forwarding when calling from any internal phone
Dial the "Call Forward All Prompting Deactivate" feature code (*74) from any extension
Enter your extension number followed by ''#''
The settings will be read back to you to confirm them. Hang up.
Call transfers
These features allow you to transfer incoming calls to another extension. Call parking (see "Parking", below) is used as an alternative to call transfers by some organizations.
Two types of call transfers are available: blind transfers and attended transfers.
Blind Transfers
Blind transfers are where the call is transferred without you needing to stay on the line.
Answer the call
The caller indicates they would to be transferred to someone else
Dial the "In-Call Asterisk Blind Transfer" feature code (''##'') while still on the call (the ''##'' needs to be dialed quickly)
The caller will be switched to on-hold music
You will hear the word "Transfer" followed by a dial tone
At the dial tone, dial the internal extension number to which the caller is being transferred and press ''#''
The caller will immediately be directed to the new extension, which will begin to ring
When you hear the extension start ringing, hang up to complete the blind transfer
Attended/Consultative Transfers
Attended transfers are where the call is transferred after you have a introductory conversation with the person who is receiving the transfer (to describe who the caller is, for example). This is sometimes also called a consultative transfer.
Answer the call
The caller indicates they would to be transferred to someone else
The "Transfer" key (with a picture of a lifted phone handset with an arrow next to it) is used to perform either a blind or attended transfer.
Answer the call
The caller indicates they would to be transferred to someone else
Press the "Transfer" key to have the caller placed on hold
The caller will be switched to on-hold music
You will hear a dial tone
At the dial tone, dial the internal extension number to which the caller is being transferred
Continue as above from the "Wait for the other party to answer" section
If dedicated transfer softkeys for various extensions has been set up by your phone system administrator, the softkey can be used to perform attended transfers without having to enter the internal
destination extension number.
Answer the call
The caller indicates they would to be transferred to someone else
Press the "Transfer" key to have the caller placed on hold
The caller will be switched to on-hold music
You will hear a dial tone
Press the dedicated transfer softkey for the desired destination ext
Transfer a caller directly to a person's voice mailbox
If the outside caller should be transferred directly to a person's voicemail greeting, transfer the outside caller to "*NNN", where NNN is the internal extension number
see the section "Leave a voice mail without ringing the phone (call a voice mailbox directly)", above
Conferencing (using conference rooms)
The phone system includes conference room capabilities. The system can be set up for as many conference session rooms as are needed. As many people can join a conference room session as you have internal and external lines available.
Dial the specified number to enter the specified conference room (e.g. dial ''390'' to enter the extension 390 conference room)
You will hear a recording stating that you are the only person in this conference
Other participants should dial the same number (e.g. ''390'') from their phones to join the conference
A short sound will play to indicate a new participant has joined the conference
A short sound will also play when a participant leaves the conference
Outside callers can be transferred to the conference room number just like they would be transferred to an internal extension (see "Call transfers", above)
If desired, a IVR menu code can also be set up by your phone system administrator for outside callers to connect themselves to the conference room
There are many options around how conference rooms work, such as conference room operation, hold music and recording a conference. Please contact your phone system administrator for additional configuration options.
Do Not Disturb
Enable do-not-disturb
To enable do-not-disturb, dial the "DND Activate" feature code (''*78'')
The settings will be read back to you to confirm them. Hang up.
All callers will get your special "busy" voicemail greeting when calling (this is a different greeting than your normal "unavailable" voicemail greeting). You can record your own custom "busy" greeting (see the "Asterisk Voicemail User Reference" documentation) or leave the default greeting, which is a system announcement that the person is on the phone followed by a beep. The caller can then leave a voice message.
If configured, the "DND" softkey is used to enable or disable do-not-disturb.
Press the "DND" key to enable no-not-disturb
The "DND" key will light to indicate do-not-disturb is enabled
Disable do-not-disturb
To disable do-not-disturb, dial the "DND Deactivate" feature code (''*79'')
The settings will be read back to you to confirm them. Hang up.
If configured, the "DND" softkey is used to enable or disable do-not-disturb.
Press the "DND" key again to disable no-not-disturb
The "DND" key will go out to indicate do-not-disturb is disabled
Paging and intercom
This feature allows people to announce pages over the phone system. Paging mode is a one-way voice
announcement to all (or selected) phones. Intercom mode allows for a two-way conversation between
two or more phones.
By default, these features will not interrupt normal calls currently in progress. This setting can be
changed if calls should be interrupted by pages.
"All Staff" paging example
Any number of paging groups can be created. In this example, an "All Staff" paging group has been
created at 490 that will page all phones.
Dial ''490'' to reach the "All Staff" paging group
A beep will sound
Begin speaking your announcement will immediately sound from the speakers of all other phones in the "All Staff" paging group
Hang up when you are done
Note that not all types of phones are capable of receiving pages.
Direct intercom to a specified extension
Dial the "Intercom prefix" feature code (''*80'') followed by the desired extension number to directly intercom that extension (e.g. dial ''*80402'' to intercom extension 402)
The other phone (assuming the person is not on a call) will immediately answer and switch to speakerphone mode
Have a conversation with the person on the other end of the line
Hang up when you are done
Note that not all types of phones are capable of intercom mode.
Parking calls
This feature allows an incoming call to be parked and then picked up by any other extension. This is an alternative to transferring a call directly to a particular extensions. Some organizations prefer to park the incoming call and make a general page asking the desired person to pick up the call from wherever they are in the building using whatever phone is closest to them.
To park a call
Answer the call
The caller indicates they would like to be transferred to someone else
Do a blind transfer of the caller to the "Parking" feature code (press the Transfer key, wait for the dial tone, then dial ''70'') while still on the call
The caller will be switched to on-hold music and placed in the first available parking slot (by default, there are eight slots, numbered 71 to 78)
The parking slot into which the caller was placed will be announced to you (this will be parking slot 71, unless other calls are already parked)
Press the transfer key and ask the desired person (usually through an "All Staff" page) to pick up the call on parking slot 71
By default, there is a parking lot timeout of 90 seconds. If the parked call is not picked up in that time, the caller will be connected back to the configured destination for orphaned parked calls – usually this is the designated company operator or receptionist.
To pick up a parked call
Dial the desired parking lot slot (e.g. dial 71) from any extension
You will immediately be connected to the parked caller