[Asterisk-Users] Re: Master Telephone

[Noah Miller]

Hi Johnathan -

> I am the network administrator for a small school in Michigan.  We are
> currently using an older proprietary pbx system and are trying very hard to
> get away from this one vender lock in. I have set up an asterisk server
> using the version 1.2 of asterisk.  Our current system has a master
> telephone used by the head secretary that can transfer anyone's calls and
> just generally handle all phone redirection.  Kind of like a head
> receptionist.  The one rule we have about our telephone system is that
> during school hours a person must answer.  Our superintendent refuses to
> have a machine answer if there are people working.  So the head secretary
> must either redirect the calls to someone who is there or take the call
> herself.  How can we accomplish this with asterisk? Also if it can't be
> accomplished through programming what special hardware would we be required
> to purchase.

Asterisk is flexible enough that you can do almost anything with it in terms
of dialplan.  We also have an "always answer" policy at my company.  We do
this with multiple-line sip phones (Polycom IP601).  If multiple calls come
in, our receptionists answer each one, and put the calls on hold as
necessary until they can go back and deal with them all.  You could also set
something up with queues, so that each person is guaranteed to eventually
talk to your receptionist, but they may have to wait a minute or two before
actually speaking with her.  You could play hold music and/or a greeting
during this time.

- Noah Miller