News:

On Tuesday September 6th the forum will be down for maintenance from 9:30 PM to 11:59 PM PDT

Main Menu

Call Forwarding, Line only to SP1

Started by N1KMP, May 30, 2017, 08:47:20 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

N1KMP

I've read a bit on setting up Call Forwarding yet I'm still unclear how to set it up for what I want.  I've read https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=7152.0 but I'm not clear on what exactly it does.  

I have:
- OBi110 (although this seems generic to all devices)
- LI1 as my POTS number (set as primary line)
- SP1 is my Google Voice number

I want:
- To be able to dial a *code and set LI1 to forward/route to SP1. Think of this as an "Away Mode" where landline calls route to my GV line which I can pick up on my cell phone.

End of basic question.  At the risk of going on too far and confusing the question and answer ...

From reading:
- I need to make changes to *72.  
- I suspect I need to enter a number into Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber. (note, it appears that entry can be overridden (is volatile) by using the phone to enter a number after *72. At this point I prefer it was fixed so that I could dial *72 instead of *72 xxx xxx xxxx)

There seems to be another method per
QuoteThe only other method is to go into the settings for each spX individually and manually set up:

CallForwardUnconditionalEnable: Check

CallForwardUnconditionalNumber: spX(12345678901)

In this case, if I dial *72, what happens relative to the various trunks/lines? ("Per default config, one of my confusions is if it forwards all, and the forwarding number is my GV number, and one of the SPx is the GV number ... forwarding to itself makes no sense. " )

- So how do you set up *72 to forward only one line?
  and one more question
- When forwarded, does the caller only see the number they dialed or does it display the forwarded number (trying to slow my GV number making it to robocallers lists).

Thanks in advance for the help.  OBi products seem to have huge potential but for those who don't work with it frequently, the learning curve is steep.  BTW ... I vote for a forum category with nothing but examples formated as "this code" : "Does this action".

N1KMP

#1
I'll add some info to my post...
Call forward enable with or without allowing the user to enter a number after *72:

    Look in the Star Code Profile slot 7 (or look for * code *72) in the default configuration.

Default should be to call forward all trunks and set the number:
*72, Cfwd All, coll($Cfan), set($Cfa,1)

Change the Star Code to only enable forwarding all trunks and not set the number:
*72, Cfwd All, set($cfa,1)

To set forwarding to one trunk such as SP2 and set the number:
*72, Cfwd SP2, coll(SP2($cfan)),set(SP2($cfa),1)

To set forwarding to one trunk such as SP2 and not set the number:
*72, Cfwd SP2, set(SP2($cfa),1)

So to answer one question above, to set forwarding and not allow setting the number (use the one I enter into the config box for Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber), use an example that does not include $Cfan
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Per the manual ... modified for clarity herein

There is one set of Call Forward Settings per voice service (trunk) and the settings apply to incoming calls on that service only. Calls may be forwarded to numbers on the same service or on another service. Therefore each call forward number stored in the OBi configuration (Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber))  MUST include call routing information to let the device know which voice service should be used to forward the call to.

NOTE:  if $Cfan is used in the *72, then the user sets the forwarding number via the phone keypad after entering *72.

The call forward number general format is: voice-service-abbreviated-name(number)
Examples:
- SP1(14089991234)
- PP1(ob200333456)

Valid voice-service-abbreviated-name values for the OBi110 are:
- SP1 for the SP1 Voice Service (with ITSP A or B),
- SP2 for the SP2 Voice Service (with ITSP A or B),
- LI1 for the PSTN service (on the LINE Port),
- PP1 for the OBiTALK Service.

The forward number must be in the final form acceptable to the service provider. OBi will not modify the number (apply any Digit Map or Call Routing Rules on it).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That all said, Does that mean if:
LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber set to:  SP1(14089991234)

Does that mean that when I enable unconditional call forwarding, OBi110 takes the call from LI1 and sends it out SP1 to 14089991234?

The manual implies that you can:
LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber set to:  LI1(14089991234)

In this case, if call forwarding is enabled, does OBI110 send the forwarded call from LI1 back out LI1?




azrobert

QuoteI want:
- To be able to dial a *code and set LI1 to forward/route to SP1. Think of this as an "Away Mode" where landline calls route to my GV line which I can pick up on my cell phone.
You need to set the forwarding number to your cell number. If you set it to your GV number, the caller will get the GV IVR and will be able to listen to your VM messages or make a new call.

QuoteThat all said, Does that mean if:
LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber set to:  SP1(14089991234)
Does that mean that when I enable unconditional call forwarding, OBi110 takes the call from LI1 and sends it out SP1 to 14089991234?
Yes

QuoteThe manual implies that you can:
LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber set to:  LI1(14089991234)
In this case, if call forwarding is enabled, does OBI110 send the forwarded call from LI1 back out LI1?

It will try, but the call will fail. PSTN lines do not support multiple simultaneous calls. You have the original inbound call and the forwarded call. The OBi doesn't really forward the call, it bridges the call. The original call stays in session with the OBi.

If you use GV to forward the number, the person receiving the call will see the GV callerid. There is a way to get the original callerid, but it's a fairly complex setup. You will need to install an SIP softphone on your cell and register it to a free SIP service.

N1KMP

#3
Thanks azrobert!  I was hoping I'd get your input :)

Sometimes when you read through a thread, it is a PITA to figure out the solution as well as what is happening (true of many forums, not just OBi forums).  So I'm going to summarize (hopefully accurately)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have:
- LI1 = Line = PSTN (POTS)
- SP1 = Google Voice (but could be anything else)
- The other ports/lines/trunks doesn't make any difference for this need/want
- My 10 digit calling area does not include my Google Voice's area code (calling my GV from my 10 calling area is a long distance call)

Want:
- To be able to route incoming line calls to my cell phone occasionally (when away from home, on the deck, vacation, etc)
- Want to use a star code (*72 or equivalent)
- Don't want the option to change the forwarding to number via the star code (avoids accidentally changing it)
- Don't want the original caller to see the number I forwarded to (avoids robocallers picking up my cell number)

Configuration:
- Set star code to:   *72, Cfwd LI1 to SP1, set(LI1($cfa),1)
   - OPTION: if you do not want to overwrite *72 leaving *72 as is, then:
       - Pick any other number such as *47 ... example: *47, Cfwd LI1 to SP1, set(LI1($cfa),1)
       - Add a digit to *72 such as *721      ... example: *721, Cfwd LI1 to SP1, set(LI1($cfa),1)
- set LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber set to:  SP1(1xxxxxxxxx)
   - Where  xxxxxxxxx = my cell phone number (or any other number I want it forwarded to)
   - "1" is needed if the area code  forwarded to is not in your 10 digit calling area (is a long distance call)

Operation (assuming   *72, Cfwd LI1 to SP1, set(LI1($cfa),1)   )
- When I press *72, it will set (enable CallForwardAll) OBi110 to forward all incoming LI1 calls to 1xxxxxxxxx via SP1
- All other OBi110 operation remains the same
- When I press *73 it will disable CallForwardAll and LI1 calls will ring through to its original programming (PH in my case)
- On my cell phone I will see the Google Voice number rather than the original caller ID
   - (In my case I refuse to pay for caller ID based on principle so I don't get the caller ID from the LI1 calls )
- If I want to change the forwarded to number, I have to set a new number in LI1's Line Port - CallForwardUnconditionalNumber
   - Cannot change by entering a number after *72 (no risk of accidental change)
- Note regarding physical answering machine.  If I have this correct:
   - The OBI will forward the call immediately and the answer machine will not hear the number of rings required (if greater than 1) for it to answer
        - Regardless of if the answering machine is upstream (before) or downstream (after) of the OBI .  
   - An instant answer or 1 ring answering machine setting may be a problem.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully that is a clear, concise intuitively obvious explanation for future readers.