Analog phone system - any options?

[AFurryReptile]

I recently started at a new company, and they have an old-as-dirt analog phone system.

We're looking to "emulate" a more robust phone tree using a hosted solution such as Grasshopper, but so far as I can tell, there isn't any way to call a specific extension from outside of the system. Incoming calls go directly to the receptionist, who then transfers to whomever the call is for.

Somebody told me that extensions on a phone system such as this have a special "string" that you can call, which will take you directly to an extension, bypassing the receptionist. Is this something you guys have ever heard of?

At this point, I'm of the thought that there isn't a way to call an extension directly from the outside, but I'd love to be proved wrong.

 

[Nothinman]

Unless I'm mistaken, that's a DID (Direct Inward Dial) and requires you have external phone numbers for each user's extension. It's convenient to have them match up (e.g. 412-333-3012 -> x3012) but it doesn't have to be that way as long as your gateway can translate numbers (e.g. 412-333-3012 -> x8012).

Another alternative would be to use a separate extension for a company directory and have one of your external numbers go to that instead of the operator. One of those things that tells you to either dial the number of the person you want or to spell their name by typing it on the keypad, availability and functionality of this would be heavily dependent on what kind of phone system you have.

 

[AFurryReptile]

Thanks, you just confirmed what I was afraid of. Yay for trying to convince my boss to invest more money...

Much appreciated, Nothinman.

 

[skyking]

Perhaps you could be more specific about the phone system. I work on several systems, panasonic, comdial, keyvoice voicemail systems.

 

[mammador]

this is how most IP PBXs operate. A central number can be called, and from there an extension can be inputted into a telephone headset and routed.

 

[drebo]

You're looking for either DID (each extension has its own public phone number) or DISA (common public phone number which allows you to dial an internal extension).

If your phone system trunks out via standard analog FXO (CO) ports, you can't get DID. You could get DISA, but it's unlikely your phone system supports it. There used to be a hack for "analog DID" lines, but no one supports those anymore.

Whether the system is an IP PBX, a key system, a DDTS system, or a digital PBX, the above remains true.

 

[skyking]

Depends. He may have a digital system with analog lines on it, and all he would need is the right cards. Hence the request for more info.