An associated bridged call appearance (aBCA) is a bridged call appearance (BCA) that is associated with a user's extension. Once a BCA is created for a user's extension, you can configure another user's IP programmable phone button for the aBCA, allowing that user to manage calls for specific call stack positions on that extension.
NOTE: When a user's extension is enabled for aBCA, this is also referred to as shared call appearance. See Shared Call Appearance Limitations for more information about this feature.
Associated bridged call appearances (aBCAs) are typically used to allow an assistant to monitor calls on an executive’s phone in order to facilitate call handling needs by making or answering calls on behalf of the executive. Using this example, an aBCA provides the following functionality directly from the assistant's phone:
- The assistant can view the status of the executive's extension
- The assistant can place outbound calls from the executive's extension
- The assistant can answer incoming calls to the executive's extension
Adding an Associated Bridged Call Appearance
As a MiCloud Administrator, you can add an aBCA for a user's extension from the Bridged Call Appearances page in the Account Console. You can also enable an aBCA for a user's extension from the user's
phone service settings.
- On the Account Console menu, click Phone System, and then click Bridged Call Appearances.
The Add Bridged Call Appearance dialog box is displayed.
- Next to Type, select Associated Bridged Call Appearance.
- Under Bridged Call Appearance Options, do the following:
- In the Extension field, enter the extension on which the aBCA receives calls.
The aBCA extension is assigned automatically. If desired, you can change this extension to another available programming extension. - In the Profile drop-down list, select the user profile whose extension you want to associate with the aBCA.
- Click Show more settings to display the conferencing options.
- In the Conferencing Options list, select one of the following enablement options for the aBCA:
- Disable Conferencing - to disable bridge conferencing for the aBCA
- Enable, others may not join (default) - to enable bridge conferencing for the aBCA and initially prevent other users of the aBCA from joining active aBCA conference calls.
- Enable, others may join - to enable bridge conferencing for the aBCA and initially allow other users of the aBCA to join active aBCA conference calls.
- Do one of the following to select the conference tone option for the aBCA:
- Select the Enable tone when parties join or leave to play a tone whenever another party joins or leaves a conference call on the aBCA.
- Clear the Enable tone when parties join or leave if you do not want to play a tone whenever another party joins or leaves a conference call on the aBCA.
- Click Save.
The aBCA is enabled for the user profile you selected, and you can now configure programmable buttons for users to access the aBCA.
Configuring an IP Phone Button for an aBCA Extension
A user answers an aBCA call by pressing an IP phone button that is assigned to an aBCA call stack position. IP phone buttons that answer calls are configured to handle calls to a specific call stack position of an aBCA. A button can be programmed for each position in the call stack. For information about configuring programmable buttons for users on your account, see Configuring Programmable Buttons. For details about the available aBCA button settings, see the table below.
| Parameter | Description |
| Bridge Call Appearance | Specifies the aBCA to assign to the programmable button. |
| Call stack position | Specifies the call stack position to monitor.
Calls to an aBCA occupy distinct call appearance buttons and are identified by their position in the call stack. IP phone buttons that answer calls are configured to handle calls to a specific call stack position of an aBCA. A button can be programmed for each position in the call stack. |
| Delay Before Audibly Ringing | Specifies the number of times to silently ring the phone before audibly ringing the phone for an incoming call on the aBCA. Select one of the following:
- None - to start ringing the phone audibly on the first ring.
- 1, 2, 3, or 4 - to ring the phone silently for the selected number of rings before ringing the phone audibly.
- Don’t Ring - to not ring the phone audibly.
|
| Show Caller ID Alert | Specifies when to show caller ID on the monitoring phone for inbound calls on the aBCA extension. Select one of the following:
- Never - to not show caller ID for inbound aBCA calls.
- Only when ringing - to show caller ID for inbound aBCA calls only when the phone is ringing.
- Always - to show caller ID for inbound aBCA calls when the phone is ringing and as long as the call is connected.
|
| Allow Auto-Answer | Specifies the answering options for the aBCA. Do one of the following:
- Select the Enable Auto-Answer When Ringing checkbox to enable the user to answer an aBCA call by picking up the handset or by pressing the programmed IP phone button, speaker button, headset button, or an unused call appearance button.
- Clear the Enable Auto-Answer When Ringing checkbox to enable the user to answer an aBCA call only by pressing the programmed IP phone button or the Answer button.
NOTE: This option is not supported on 6900-Series IP phones running firmware older than version 6.1. |
| No connected call action | Specifies the action to take when there is no incoming or active call on the aBCA and the programmed aBCA button is pressed. Select one of the following:
- Answer only - to configure the button to perform no action.
- Dial tone - to configure the button to provide a dial tone so an outbound call can be initiated on the aBCA.
- Dial extension - to configure the button to dial a specific extension; type the desired extension in the field and then click Search to validate the entered extension.
- Dial external - to configure the button to dial an external phone number; type the desired external number in the field.
|
