This article explains how to place, answer, and end calls using the various options that are available on your desk phone when using a MiCloud or Sky phone system.
Table of Contents
Placing a Call
Off-Hook and On-Hook Dialing
Dialing Internally
Dialing Externally
Dialing an International Number
Answering a Call
Answering a Single Call
Answering Multiple Calls
Switching Between Multiple Calls
Other Options for Incoming Calls
Ending a Call
Placing a Call
To place a call, perform the following steps in either order. Performing step A before step B is known as "On-Hook" dialing. Performing step B before step A is known as "Off-Hook" dialing.
- Do one of the following to dial the desired phone number:
- For internal calls - Dial the 4-digit extension.
- For external calls - Dial the outbound dial digit, which is usually 9, followed by 1 and enter the desired 10-digit number.
- For MiCloud customers, ten-digit external dialing is now supported on all United States instances without the need of an outbound dial digit.
- For Sky customers, you may either dial the outbound dial digit, which is usually 9, followed by 1 and enter the desired 10-digit number, or you may dial the outbound dial digit and then the desired 10-digit number
- For international calls - Dial the outbound dial digit, which is usually 9, followed by 011 and enter the country code followed by the local number. See the Dialing an International Number section of this article for more information.
- Use one of the following ways to engage the call:
- Lift the handset.
- Press an inactive line button.
- Press the speaker button.
- Press the headset button (if a headset is attached).
- Press the Dial soft key (when displayed).
Off-Hook and On-Hook Dialing
Whenever you are placing a call, if there is a dial tone, the phone is considered to be in "Off-Hook" state. When dialing an external number while the phone is "Off-Hook," if you pause for a while, the system may timeout or place a call to the wrong number. To avoid this issue, "On-Hook" dialing is recommended for external and international calls.
Whenever you are placing a call, if there is no dial tone, the phone is considered to be in "On-Hook" state. When dialing an external number while the phone is "On Hook," the system will wait until you enter the entire number before placing the call. After you enter the complete phone number, press the Dial soft key to place the call.
Dialing Internally
To dial a phone number inside your company, dial the desired 4-digit extension using either On-Hook or Off-Hook dialing.
Dialing Externally
To dial a phone number outside of your organization's phone system, enter your outbound dial digit, which is usually 9, followed by 1, then enter the desired 10-digit number using either On-Hook dialing (recommended) or Off-Hook dialing.
If you are using a MiCloud phone system, see the Using Star Codes to Make Calls article for additional instructions including information for placing calls when working outside of your organization's phone system. In addition, MiCloud customers on United States instances may place external calls using the 10-digit phone number, without the need to enter the outbound dial digit.
Dialing an International Number
To dial an international number, enter your outbound dial digit, which is usually 9, followed by 011, which is the international access code, then enter the country code followed by the local number. It is recommended that you use On-Hook dialing. In addition to country codes, some countries also have city codes that you must dial after the country code, but before the local number. See our International Calling article for more information.
- NOTE: All users of the Sky and Miel MiCloud phone systems are restricted from dialing international phone numbers by default. To enable international dialing for one or more specific users, an Authorized Contact (Decision Maker or Phone Manager) can create a Support Case to communicate the necessary information to our Support teams. Just provide the name and phone number of the users who need to be enabled to dial international phone numbers. See the Related Topics section of this article for links to Support-related articles.
Answering a Call
Incoming calls are indicated by ring tones, a blinking line button, and a flashing light on top of the phone or handset.
Answering a Single Call
To answer an incoming call, do one of the following:
- Lift the handset.
- Press the Answer soft key.
- Press the line button that is blinking or displaying a ringing phone icon.
- Press the speaker button.
- Press the headset button (if a headset is attached).
Additional ways to answer calls:
Answering Multiple Calls (Call Waiting)
To answer an incoming call while on another call and automatically place the other call on hold, use the instructions below for the brand of phone used in your phone system.
Using 400-Series IP Phones
Do one of the following:
- Press the green blinking call appearance line button next to the incoming call.
- Press the Answer soft key.
While on an active call using a 400 series phone, incoming calls are indicated by a beep sound (not a ringtone), by an available call appearance line button that is blinking green, and by a window that appears displaying caller ID information for the incoming call.
Using Mitel 6900-Series IP Phones
Do one of the following:
- Press the blinking call appearance line button next to the incoming call.
- Press the Answer softkey if the incoming call is shown in the focus window on your phone’s display.
Using Cisco 7900-Series IP Phones
Do one of the following:
- Answer immediately - Press the Answer soft key.
- View call details before answering - Press the line button that is blinking or displaying a ringing phone icon, then press the line button again or the Answer soft key to answer the call.
While on an active call using a Cisco phone, incoming calls are only indicated by an available line button that is blinking or displaying a ringing phone icon. There is no ringtone or beep sound played to indicate an incoming call.
Switching Between Multiple Calls
Note that you do not have to place a call on hold to act on another call ... just perform the action you wish on the other call, and the active call will be placed on hold.
To place a call on hold and resume another call on hold, use the instructions below for the brand of phone used in your phone system:
Using 400-Series IP Phones
Press the blinking call appearance line button next to the call on hold that you want to resume.
Using Mitel 6900-Series IP Phones
Press the blinking call appearance line button next to the call on hold that you want to resume.
Using Cisco 7900-Series IP Phones
- Press the line button for the call on hold that you want to resume. The call details are displayed on the phone's screen.
- Press the Resume soft key or press the line button a second time.
Other Options for Incoming Calls
To perform other options for handling incoming calls, use the instructions below for the brand of phone used in your phone system:
Using 400-Series IP Phones
- Send Call Immediately to Voicemail - Press # or Press the Voicemail function key or Press the "To VM" soft key.
- Redirect Call Without Answering - Press the Transfer function key, dial the desired extension or full phone number, then press the Transfer soft key.
Using Mitel 6900-Series IP Phones
- Send Call Immediately to Voicemail - Press # or Press the Voicemail key or Press the "To Vm" soft key.
- Redirect Call Without Answering - Press the Transfer soft key, dial the desired extension or full phone number, then press the Transfer soft key again.
Using Cisco 7900-Series IP Phones
- Ignore Call - Press the Ignore soft key, which silences the ringer and enables the existing call routing/call forwarding settings to continue to process the call (as a normal unanswered call).
Ending a Call
To end an active call, do one of the following:
- Hang up the handset.
- Press a soft key - use the instructions below for the brand of phone used in your phone system:
- On 400-series phones - press the Hang Up soft key
- On Mitel 6900-series phones - press the End Call key
- On Cisco 7900-series phones - press the End Call soft key
- During "On Hook" speakerphone calls, press the Speaker button on the phone.
- During "On Hook" headset calls, press the Headset button on the phone (for some headsets, you can end a call using a button on the headset).
- End the call through the Phone Assistant or Client.
