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PBX
Overview | Call Control | Voicemail | Services | PBX Center | Conference
# PBX Center The PBX Center Account The PBX Application Home Calls Auto-Attendant Hierarchical Menus Service Access Voicemail Access Personal Conference Access Conference Center Call Park Center A PBX Center is a special Account in your CommuniGate Pro Domain. This Account uses a special `pbx` Real-Time Application to answer calls from other Accounts in the same Domain, as well as calls from "external users" (Accounts in other Domains, accounts on other servers, PSTN users calling via gateways, etc.) A PBX Center allows users of your Domain to collaborate on call processing.

## The PBX Center Account

When the CommuniGate Pro Server software is installed, it automatically creates a PBX Center Account `pbx` in the Main Domain, and it creates the `200`, and `conference` Aliases for that Account.

Remote VoIP users can access the PBX Center by calling `sip:pbx@your.domain.name`, and users with Accounts in your Domain can access your PBX Center by dialing `200` on their VoIP phones.

If your Domain uses PSTN gateway(s) for incoming calls, you may want to configure those gateways to direct all incoming calls to your PBX Center Account.

You can also use the PBX Center Account address as the "public VoIP address" of your organization.

If you are a Server or a Domain Administrator and you want to create an alternative PBX Center:

- Create an Account to be used as a PBX Center.
- Change the Account Real-Time settings so the `pbx` application is started immediately when a call comes in.
- Grant the CanImpersonate Domain Access Right to the PBX Center Account, so the application can place calls on behalf of your Domain users.

## The PBX Application

When the PBX Center is called directly (using the `pbx` name or the `200` Alias), it starts the `Auto-Attendant` application.

Other PBX Center functions can be invoked by accessing the PBX Center via alternative names. By default, the CommuniGate Pro Router directs all calls to `7nn` names to the `pbx` Account (where nn is a 2-digit number).

When the PBX Center application starts, it checks the address used to call it. If this address (the "local part" of it, the part before the domain name) is a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit number, the application uses the last 2 digits as the requested function number. The documentation below assumes that your Domain uses the `7nn@domainName` address to invoke the PBX Center function number nn.

The PBX Center application requires authentication for most calls coming from its own Domain. You may need some exceptions from this rule. For example, your in-house gateway may send incoming calls to your PBX Center using the `From:<sip:gate1@mydomain.com>` address.
To accept these request without authentication, create the `ExternalGateways` Group in your Domain and include the `gate1` name there.
The `gate1@mydomain.com` must be routable: for example, you may want to create a `gate1` Account, or, more likely a `gate1` Alias for one of your existing Accounts.
If a request is not authenticated, the PBX Center processes it as an "external call".

## Home Calls

The PBX Center application can recognize calls from certain PSTN numbers as "local users" calls.
If you call the PBX Center application (usually - the main company PSTN number) from your cell or other PSTN phone, you are asked for your Access PIN. When the PIN is accepted, you are connected to your `Service` application.

To make the PBX Application recognize your "home calls", your Account should have a `homecall-pstnNumber` alias, where pstnNumber is your PSTN number (digits only). If your number is longer than 10 digits, use only the last 10 digits of it.

## Auto-Attendant

The `Auto-Attendant` application answers incoming calls and presents a menu. Callers use this menu to select a Domain Account or a service to connect to. The application dials the selected address, and if a connection is established, the application connects ("bridges") the incoming call and the called party.

The Server or a Domain Administrator should configure the `pbx` application Preferences. Use the WebAdmin Interface to open the Real-Time Setting pages of the PBX Center Account, and follow the Advanced link to open the `Auto-Attendant` application Preferences:

Auto-Attendant
Language Menu: |
Department Menu: |
Directory Prefix: |
Directory Digits: |

`Language Menu`
  If this list is not empty, the `reception` application presents a language menu. The default Language is specified in the WebUser Preferences of this PBX Center Account. If a list is not empty, the default language is always presented as the first option (even if it is not included into the list).
  Note: before adding any Language option, make sure that the language has been added to the Real-Time Application Environment.
`Department Menu`
  Use this list to specify the "departments" the caller can connect to. For each "department name" used, your Domain should contain an Account or other object (Alias, Group, Forwarder) with that name.
  For each "department name" used, the Real-Time Application Environment of your Domain should contain a media file `forname.wav`, where name is the "department name".
  The stock Environment contains media files for the following "department names": `administration`, `conferencecenter`, `engineering`, `frontdesk`, `helpdesk`, `marketing`, `operations`, `sales`, `techsupport`.
  If the list contains the `operator` name, the operator option is always listed as the last one, and it is always assigned the `0` ("zero") menu option.
`Directory Prefix`, `Directory Digits`
  The `reception` application can connect callers with any Account in your Domain. To facilitate calling from devices that have a digital keypad only, Accounts should have digital Aliases (called "extensions" in legacy PBX systems).
  It is recommended to use the same number of digits in each Alias, and start all Aliases with the same digit.
  If Accounts in your Domain have 3-digit Aliases, and all of them start with the digit `2`, specify this digit as the Directory Prefix, and specify `3` as the Directory Digits setting.
  If the Directory Prefix digit is specified, the `reception` application does not use that digit as a menu option. If the caller enters that digit, the application waits till the complete number is entered (i.e. as many digits as specified with the Directory Digits setting), and then it tries to call that number by calling the address entered.
  If the Account `john@domain1.dom` has `202` as its Alias, then anyone can call this Account by connecting to the `reception` application in the `domain1.dom` Domain and entering 202.

  If you need more than one Directory Prefix, enter them as one string. For example, if your numeric Aliases ("extensions") are `2xx` and `4xx`, enter `24` as the Directory Prefix value.

If the PBX Center Account has a `receptionprompt.wav` file in its File Storage, then this file is played instead of the standard "Welcome" file.
If the PBX Center Account has a `receptiontrailer.wav` file in its File Storage, then this file is played after the menu options are played.

### Hierarchical Menus

Before dialing the specified destination, the application checks if the destination is an Account on the same system, and if that Account has a non-empty Department Menu preference. If it does, the Account is not called, but its Menu is presented.

For example, when `3` is dialed, the PBX Center is configured to call the `techsupport` Account. If this Account has a Department Menu preference containing `productXsupport` and `productYsupport` items, then this "support submenu" is played (the `productXsupport.wav` `productYsupport.wav` should be placed into the PBX Environment, and the `productXsupport` and `productYsupport` should be valid, "callable" addresses).

### Service Access

You can use the `Auto-Attendant` application to access your `Service` application.

Dial your own extension number, prefixed with `*`. The application will ask you to enter your Access PIN. If the number is correct, you are switched to the `Service` application menu.

### Voicemail Access

A caller can use the `Auto-Attendant` application to connect directly to someone's voicemail, by dialing `*NNN`, where NNN is the target Account extension (numeric Alias).

### Personal Conference Access

A caller can use the `Auto-Attendant` application to connect directly to the Personal Conferencing facility of some Account, by dialing:
`**NNN#`, where NNN is the Account extension (numeric Alias),
of by dialing
`**NNNPPPP#` where PPPP is the Account Conference PIN.

## Conference Center

The PBX Center application includes the Conference Center functionality.

To connect to the Conference Center, use the PBX Center function `60` by dialing `760`.

Follow the menu to create a Conference. The application will tell you the PIN for the newly created Conference and it will E-mail this PIN to your CommuniGate Pro Account.

If you create an "open" conference, then anyone who knows the Conference PIN can start the Conference. Otherwise, the E-mail sent to you will contain the Leader PIN, and only you can start this Conference.

To remove a Conference, connect to the Conference Center and use its main menu to select the remove function.

To start a Conference, or to join a Conference created by someone else, connect to the Conference Center. Use its main menu to select the "join conference" function, then provide the Conference PIN.
If you are the person who has created the selected Conference, the Conference will be started and you will become the Conference Host. Otherwise you will join the Conference as a participant.

If the PBX Center Account is called using any address starting with the symbols `conference`, the Conference Center function is started.
The `conference` Alias of your `pbx` Account:

- allows remote users to connect to your Conference Center by using the `sip:conference@your.domain.name` address.
- allows PSTN callers to connect to your Conference Center by dialing in, connecting to your PBX Center `Auto-Attendant` application, and selecting the "join a conference" option.

When your Conference Center receives a call from a user outside your Domain, the Center does not present its main menu: it immediately tells the caller to enter the Conference PIN. The caller than joins the conference as a participant, or starts it and becomes the Conference Host, if this is an "open" Conference, and it has not been started yet.

You may need to start your Conference when your call cannot be authenticated (for example, you are calling into your system via a PSTN gateway).
The Conference Center will ask you for the Conference PIN.
Enter the Conference PIN and the application will inform you that the Conference has not been started yet.
Press the star (`*`) key and enter your Leader PIN.
The Conference will be started and you will become its Conference Host.

The PBX Center function `61` allows you to bypass the main menu: dial `761` and proceed by entering the Conference PIN.

## Call Park Center

The PBX Center application includes the Call Part Center functionality.

You may want to "park" a call, so your peer will be connected to a music-on-hold application, while your device will be disconnected from the call. Then you or some other user can "pick" the "parked" call, i.e. to connect to the peer of the initial call.

The PBX Center application offers an unlimited number of "parking queues", and it provides quick access to the first 9 of them.

To park a call in the queue number n, connect the peer to your PBX Center function `7n` by transferring the call to the `77n` address.

You and other users of your Domain can park multiple calls in the same queue. The calls will be picked up in the same order as they were parked.

To pick up a parked call from the queue number n, you or other user of your Domain should connect to your PBX Center function `8n` by dialing the `78n` address.

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