Telephone Systems

Phone systems :

Desktop Solution Center manufactures and installs phone systems based on the Asterisk(TM) iPBX. The Asterisk iPBX is a world class PBX with a large number of advanced features at a low cost. Systems start at $1500. Asterisk will work with standard telephone equipment, or for added features, digital phones can be provided. Digital phones start at $120.

Standard features:

Unlimited Extensions.

An extension can ring any local station port, local or remote VoIP handset, or forward to any remote phone number. This allows you include your cell phones and phones in other locations as extensions, so your customers don’t need to learn multiple numbers.

Group extensions may be defined to ring multiple phones. Create extensions such as “Reservations”, “Sales”, or “Support”. Asterisk call groups ensure that callers are serviced as quickly and efficiently as possible by ringing group phones simultaneously or in-sequence.

Multiple extensions can be assigned to a phone. Create separate extensions for “Accounts Payable” and “Accounts Receivable” or “Sales”, “Marketing” and “Customer Service”. This projects a “Big Business” image and ensures that as employee jobs change, callers will not have to re-learn extensions. Distinctive rings and on-screen displays are available to let the user know which extension a caller is requesting.

Unlimited VoiceMail.

Every extension can have a unique voice mailbox with independent ‘Busy’ and ‘Unavailable’ announcements.

Extensions can share a voicemail box if desired.

Voicemail distribution lists may be defined to deliver important messages to multiple recipients to ensure a rapid response.

Our default Asterisk installation provides for approximately 12 hours of Voicemail recording time.

Voice-Mail Notification.

When you receive a voicemail, Asterisk lights the “Message Waiting” indicator on your telephone handset. If you are away from your desk, Asterisk can alert you to a message waiting via your pager or a cell-phone text message.

Multiple voicemail accounts can be configured at an individual set and you can see which account has a message waiting too.

A visual voicemail can show on set screen the various callerid, date and time details without having to pick up such that voicemails can be prioritized in handling

Asterisk can automatically send copies of received voicemail to your email address, providing a “Universal Inbox”.

Unlimited IVR (Auto Attendant with Night Mode)

Eliminate the “Can You Hold” syndrome as well as interuptions of the existing calls to your receptionist improving incoming call handling. Alternatively w hen callers dial your number, let Asterisk take the call. Offer your callers instant access to important information like hours of operation or directions to your location. Connect callers to the person or department most likely to help them by offering a menu of “Press 1 for sales, 2 for service, or 0 for an operator.”

Priority based call handling can distinquish low priority calls from high profile clients and queue the callers accordingly or directly pass them to someone such as their assigned sales rep directly

Asterisk can play a different greeting after hours or on holidays to offer your customers alternate options to assist them in the event of an emergency.

There are no limitations on the number of greetings or type of menu structure that can be created. Asterisk can even make call routing decisions based on Caller ID, to automatically connect an important caller with his/her assigned sales rep for example.

Unlimited Conference Calling.

The Asterisk “Meet-Me call bridge” provides sophisticated conferencing facilities. Unlimited simultaneous conferences, unlimited participants, configurable security with talk-only and listen-only access. Joining a conference is as simple as dialing the extension.

Incoming or outgoing calls may be transferred to a conference, or it may be direct dialed. A web interface is available to ease management of large conferences.

Music on Hold

Entertain your callers while they wait with Music On Hold. Asterisk supports MP3 playback by default. Satellite radio and CD audio solutions are also available, as are advertising or “Message On Hold” solutions.

Call Parking

Transfer a call to a special “parking” extension so that it may be picked up from another phone. This is useful in combination with intercom and paging features to announce (for example) “Bob, you have a call parked at extension 700”. This way, Bob can retrieve his call from wherever he is. If a caller has been parked for a longer time than the specified time limit then Asterisk will again ring the originally dialed extension.

Call Pickup

This feature allows you to answer a nearby ringing phone from your phone, provided the ringing phone is in the same call pickup group as you. This is configurable, so for example, the CEO’s phone may only be picked up by their assistant.

This feature also gives you the ability to pull a ringing call to the phone you are currently on.

Intercom and Paging.

Call direct to a phone and make an announcement over the speaker (compatible handsets only), or address a large area through an “Overhead Paging” network (additional hardware required).

Flexible Call Restrictions

By use of a “Class of Service” we are able to assign certain features and restrictions to each individual extension. A variety of features and/or restrictions are grouped together and can be assigned to more than one extension.

Automatic Ringdown (PLAR) – Door, Elevator, and Courtesy phones. When picked up, these phones are automatically connected to a switchboard operator. Local dialing can be disabled. The phone can also be restricted to Internal Calls – Local/Toll-Free Calls or without any restrictions.

Three-Way Calling

A phone company provided service which allows a three party conference to be established. Asterisk can use this feature to forward incoming calls to an external phone number using a single telephone line (otherwise, this feature would utilize two lines)

Least Cost Routing (LCR)

Our Asterisk systems understand the difference between free local calls and Intra-LATA toll calls. Intra-LATA calls are calls to 7 digit numbers which are not free and are typically billed by the local phone company, bypassing any cost saving long-distance plans your business may have.

Asterisk intelligently routes calls over local phone lines, dedicated long distance trunks, and through VoIP long-distance providers in the most cost-effective way possible, significantly reducing your companies monthly telephone expenses.

Distinctive Ringing

Specify different ring tones for priority calls or Internal/External call differentiation. When Asterisk is configured to provide more than one telephone number or extension to reach the same user, Distinctive Ring provides a unique ring cadence to identify the extension that was dialed.

Remote System Access (DISA)

Login to Asterisk remotely and gain access to the system as if you were in the office. Remotely change call forwarding options, access Intercom and Paging, create conferences, or dial-out using cost-effective office long-distance plans or VoIP providers.

Call Queue

A feature that “stacks” calls on a first-in, first-out basis if the local extension or ring group is busy. While in a queue, callers can remain on hold, leave a message and hang up, or return to the auto attendant for other menu options. Call Queue so you can manage multiple calls at the same time. Call Queues – for group sales or call-center applications. Queues consist of Incoming calls being placed in the queue, Agents that answer the queue (extensions or users that login as agents), A strategy for how to handle the queue and divide calls between agents.

Agents are people whose job it is to answer calls. An agent logs in indicating that he’s now available to take calls. Asterisk then sends calls to each agent as they are free to take a call. Note that sometimes “agents” are also called members (of a queue) in Asterisk speak.

Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)

A feature used to route calls in a call center environment to the appropriate agents, based on factors such as time available, skill sets, and priority levels. ACD systems place calls into a queue, where they are typically handled in the order received.

Call Forwarding

Asterisk can automatically re-route calls to some other destination if the called extension is busy, does not answer, or has enabled “Do Not Disturb”. The call-forward destination could be voicemail, a cellular phone, or the local operator extension.

Privacy / Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb (DND) temporarily blocks incoming calls, for example while in a meeting.

This can (optionally) be overridden if a receptionist needs to transfer a high priority caller for example. Mixed Mode.- Other users have the ability to mark a call as Priority, bypassing the DND mode and forcing the extension to ring. An example where this is used would be when a user is in an important meeting. She places her phone in DND mode, as to not be disturbed by everyday calls. A situation comes up where it is urgent to get in touch with her, even though she is using DND. The person attempting to call her hits the Priority Call button, which bypasses the DND and rings the phone. This does not turn off DND, and any other normal calls are still treated as such.

Hot Docking

Allow people in the office to share office space such that when they arrive at a desk, they enter an extension and their password, logging in at that set such that all calls to them are passed to them

Out of Office Options

Ring cell phones or a receptionist phone at the same time or on a delay if the initial extension was not answered

Asterisk features available regardless of Handset

Last Number Redial

Speed Dials / Phone books

Configurable Call Waiting / Multiple Line appearances

Call Waiting (multiple line appearance) caller id support all extensions

Full Caller ID Name and Number support on all ports

Call Hold

Call Transfer

Call Pickup

Blind Transfer to extension or Voice Mail

Supervised Transfer (for Receptionist using IP phone)

Do Not Disturb

Caller ID

Call Waiting

For further information or to request an immediate free consultation, please contact us at: 905.381.0077