vBX Features

This describes many of the features we offer on your Hosted PBX

Address Book Integration
This enables a Hosted PBX user to easily manage their contacts across multiple devices using the cloud-based self-care interface provided by VoiceLift’s VBX-Core. The capability integrates contact management with IP phone provisioning so that all contact entries can be added under one account and then replicated across all SIP devices in the end user’s environment.

Alternate Numbers

In addition to the user’s main phone number, multiple alternate phone numbers can be assigned, all of which will ring on their IP phone. This is implemented by assigning additional aliases to the account which represents the main phone line. Each alias is basically a direct inward dialing (DID) number.

Anonymous Call Rejection

Incoming calls from parties who do not deliver their name or telephone number with the call can be automatically rejected. This is provided by the IP phone; dial *77 to activate this feature, dial *87 to deactivate this feature.

Automatic Line / Direct Connect (“Hotline”)

This automatically dials a pre-assigned extension number or external telephone number whenever a user goes off-hook or lifts the handset. This feature is configured on the SIP phone using the dial-plan configuration parameter. For example, the following will implement a Hotline phone that automatically calls 1 212 5551234: ( S0 <:12125551234> ) The following creates a warm line to a local office operator (1000) after 5 seconds, unless a 4-digit extension is dialed by the user: ( P5 <:1000> | xxxx )

Auto-Attendant

This interactive capability presents calls with an automated to route their calls based on IVR choices which the end user can customize. For example, press 1 for sales; press 2 for support

Auto-Pay

End users can easily manage their auto-pay options via the self-care interface. This allows them to conveniently manage their payment settings so a credit card on file is automatically charged.

Auto-Provisioning Profiles

These tools were developed by VoiceLift to enable our customers to quickly provision any number of IP phones, automatically, without the need for manual configuration or installer visits to the customer premise. Auto-Provisioning Profiles are available for many models of IP phones. After building an inventory of your IP phones in VBX-Core, when the phones are plugged into an IP network, they will automatically download a complete provisioning profile from VBX-Core. Note: the address string for VBX-Core must be entered into the phones prior to using this capability. Auto-Provisioning Profiles can also be used for firmware updates, activating/deactivating features and other functions. For IP phones where profiles do not exist, our Provisioning Helper Tool may be able to help automate provisioning.

Billing and Customer Management

Like all our solutions, VoiceLift’s Hosted PBX solution provides integrated switching, billing and customer management. You can easily create and render invoices, offer promotions and subscriptions, bill for IP phones, accept a variety of payment methods such as credit cards, PayPal and more.

Busy Lamp Field (BLF)

The BLF service allows monitoring on the physical attendant console of the line status (available, busy, etc.) of individual phone lines in the Hosted PBX environment. This feature is implemented in the presence server; the only thing required from the endpoint is to subscribe to notifications regarding particular phone lines.

Call Barring

Call Barring allows you to prohibit outgoing calls to specific destinations for an individual account. Call Barring can be provisioned by end-users themselves. When the Call Barring service feature is activated, as part of normal call authorization the system checks whether a dialed number is specified in the call barring classes. If it does, and if call barring has been activated for that class, the call is rejected. Definitions of various Call Barring classes (such as “Mobiles,” “International,” etc.) are done globally. Barring of a specific class can then be turned on / off for an individual account.

Call Forwarding on Busy

You can control where to forward incoming calls, for example to an extension, an external number, or to voicemail. You can reject incoming calls from the device or set the device to automatically respond as “busy.” Use *90 to activate this feature, and *91 to deactivate it.

Call Forwarding Always

This automatically routes all incoming calls for a given extension to another number (extension,

home/mobile phone, etc.). This feature is implemented by provisioning the call forwarding / follow me service and setting the Default Answering Mode to “Forward Only”.

Call Forwarding on Don’t Answer

This can automatically route incoming calls for a given extension to another pre-selected number or to voicemail when there is no answer after a specified number of rings. This feature is implemented by provisioning the follow-me service (choose “Follow-me when unavailable”, then set the ring timeout parameter in follow-me). You may also utilize this feature on the IP phone itself by activating the Cfwd No Ans Serv supplementary service. Use *92 to activate this feature, and *93 to deactivate it.

Call Forwarding to Multiple Simultaneous Extensions

This indicates the number of forwarded calls (originally dialed to the same extension) which may occur simultaneously. This feature may be implemented similarly to other call forwarding scenarios, but the follow-me service can be provisioned with a simultaneous ring option.

Call Park / Call Pickup

This enables the user to place a call on hold, move to a different location, and then resume the call from any other station in the Centrex by dialing a pickup code. In order to use this feature, a “call parking prefix” should be defined in the call features configuration. Then, when a phone conversation is under way, the user can simply place the call on hold and dial the specified call parking prefix. The dynamically assigned “retrieval code” will be heard; this can be dialed from any phone in the Hosted PBX group to retrieve the conversation (i.e. connect the call to that phone). It is also possible to quickly retrieve a call from the original phone by dialing a special “de-park code”.

Call Recording

This enables the user to record all incoming/outgoing/redirected calls on his phone line, so he can listen to (or download) them from the self-care web portal later. Drop Box storage available

Call Recording on Demand

This allows the user to start recording a phone conversation after it has already started.  The main requirement for a SIP UA is the ability to send a special SIP INFO request with the header “Record” with “On” and “Off” content. Some phones, such as the SNOM 320/370, already have the appropriate control functionality and do not require extra configuration. In this case, the user presses the “Record” key on the phone and VBX-Core starts recording the call. The user can stop recording by pressing the “Record” key again. Some phones, such as the Yealink SIP-T28P, will need additional configuration (record functionality assigned to a specific button) to support the feature.

Call Restrictions / Station Restrictions

This prevents certain types of calls from being made or received by particular stations. For example, phones in public areas can be blocked from originating calls to external numbers, so as to prevent unauthorized users from incurring toll charges. Phones in certain areas may be blocked from receiving external calls in order to limit employees’ ability to take personal calls. A wide variety of restrictions are available, covering incoming calls, outgoing calls, toll restrictions, code restrictions, and differential treatment for internal and external calls. This feature is provided via the tariff configuration in VBX-Core or by using the Call Barring feature.

Call Return

Your users can originate a call to the last party or number that called them, regardless of whether the user answered the original call or knows the caller’s identity. This feature is provided by the IP phone; dial the *69 code to use this feature.

Call Screening (Conditional Call Forwarding)

This allows calls to be directed based on the caller’s ID (and, optionally, on which of the phone-line DIDs was called). End-users can easily create and manage their own rules via a self-care interface.

Call Transfer

This transfers an existing call to another party (inside or outside the Hosted PBX). Blind Transfer enables you to forward an active call another extension/number. Attendant Transfer enables you to put a call on hold, dial the desired party/extension, notify them about the transfer and then transfer the call.

Call Waiting

Users can be alerted of one or more calls awaiting connection during a current conversation. Users are normally notified by a short tone on the phone or by use of the caller ID feature. Then, they can answer the second call, while the first one is still on hold.

Control Call Waiting

This enables/disables delivery of the call waiting feature to IP phones, allowing administrators to control call waiting for a specific account. The feature is supplied only to users who have it activated on VBX-Core (regardless of whether it is enabled on the IP phone itself).

Caller ID

This feature allows the user to identify the name and telephone number of a calling party before answering an incoming call. The phone must have a display capable of showing the caller ID.

Caller ID on Call Waiting

Users can see a caller’s name and number displayed when the called party is taking another call. The phone must have a display capable of showing caller ID, and Call Waiting must be activated.

Conferencing  

To compliment your Hosted PBX service, you can offer Audio-Conferencing, using our brandable web portals, customizable multi-language IVR, and more. You can offer virtually unlimited number of conference rooms, with all the features and controls your users can rely on.

Consultation Hold

Calls can be put on hold by depressing the switch-hook or pressing the flash button. After completing the second call, the user is automatically reconnected to the original call on hold.

Day/Night Mode

This enables the user to define different IVR greetings and call routing based on Day or Night mode, for example when the business is open versus closed. Mode can be changed either by web interface or via short codes dialed by the end user. *80*1 activates Day mode. *80*2 activates Night mode.

Dial by Name Directory

This automated feature enables the Hosted PBX end user to present callers with the ability to route calls to the appropriate employee via touch tone prompts to spell the employee’s name.

 Dialing Rules Enhancement

This enables you to define number translation rules per individual site under a customer. This helps enable Hosted PBX services to be provided to businesses with offices in different cities or countries. A dialing rule definition is then associated with an individual account, so it is even possible to assign a dialing rule from site A to a phone line which belongs to extension B (e.g. an employee temporarily transferred to another office). In addition to “global” dialing rules (pre-configured by administrator for large groups of customers), it is possible to define individual dialing rules for an account.

Distinctive Ringing

Special ringing pattern indicates whether an incoming call is from inside or outside the Hosted PBX. This feature must be supported by the device.

Door Entry Units

VoiceLift supports select models of Door Entry Units which can provide security control and intercom services. Features include integrated door opening control activated from the touchtone keypad of an IP phone within your Hosted PBX environment.

Extended Billing Periods

This allows the closing of customer billing periods with a delay to allow enough time to finish importing CDRs or enter manual charges. This assures accurate and complete invoices even if some data is slightly delayed and / or received after the billing period is over. It also gives administrators a chance to review charges for the current billing period and make adjustments as required. This greatly facilitates working with large corporate customers where billing data typically arrives from multiple sources and then needs to be verified.

Fax to Email / Email to Fax

VBX-Core can forward inbound faxes can be the end user’s email address. Outbound faxes can be sent via email, without using a fax machine.

Group Pickup

This allows phones in the same Hosted PBX environment to answer each other’s calls by dialing a Group Pickup Prefix. Dial a group pickup prefix + extension number to use this feature.

Hunt Groups

This allows calls to be redirected to other predetermined lines when the line called is busy. Hunting allows a number of lines to be grouped into a ”pool“, so that incoming calls are directed to whichever of these lines is available. Huntgroups are defined on the Huntgroups tab in the customer information screen.

Intercom Dialing

This allows a receiving phone to auto-answer a call and activate speakerphone mode. The

Paging/Intercom feature must be activated.

Message Waiting Audible

This provides the user with an audible notification – a “stutter” dial tone when messages have been left in the extension’s voice mail system. This feature is provided by the IP phone and supported by VBX-Core.

Message Waiting Visual

This provides the user with a visual indication when messages have been left in the company’s voicemail system. It requires the phone to be able to display the appropriate notification.

Mobile Extension

VoiceLift’s Hosted PBX solution is integrated with our TeliGlobe Mobile Softphone solution. This enables VoiceLift customers to offer mobile extensions for their customer’s Hosted PBX, serving employees working at home or on the go. The mobile softphone application is available for both iOS and Android; it is available as a generically branded app or a brandable app with your own icon in the iTunes and GooglePlay app stores.

Multi-Language IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

This capability enables your Hosted PBX users to offer IVR prompts in multiple languages. VBX-Core provides prerecorded IVR prompts in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Malay (Malaysian), Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish. Customers can also record their own IVR prompts.

Multiple Call Appearances

This allows each station to have two or more appearances of the user’s primary phone number. Each appearance enables the user to handle one call. Consequently, Multiple Call Appearances allow the user to originate and/or terminate multiple calls simultaneously. Unlike an analog multiline phone, the station needs only one line (and one phone number) for Multiple Call Appearances. When the user is involved in a call on one call appearance and another call is offered on a different call appearance, the user may use the Caller ID information to decide whether to answer the ringing call appearance or let the call be forwarded to voicemail. To answer the ringing call appearance (or originate a second simultaneous call), the user simple puts the first call appearance on hold. Calls on different appearances can be combined together to form a three-way conference call. This uses VBX-Core’s follow-me feature. The primary phone number (account) is provisioned on the IP phone, and all the other appearances are created as accounts with the follow-me configured to the primary account.

Multiple Pickup Groups

Phone lines in the same Hosted PBX can be grouped so that phone line owners within the group may answer each other’s calls by merely dialing a Group Pickup Prefix on their phones. A customer can configure multiple pickup groups on his self-care interface. To set up call pickup within huntgroups, the customer first enables the Group Pickup option, defines a group pickup prefix, enables pickup for the required huntgroups and then assigns a primary group (huntgroup) for each extension. With this functionality it is possible to configure different call pickup scenarios, important for companies with many departments. For example, call pickup within a primary group by merely dialing the group pickup prefix, call pickup within a non-primary group by dialing the group pickup prefix and a huntgroup number, directed call pickup of a certain extension by dialing the group pickup prefix and an extension number.

Music-On-Hold (MoH)

This provides music for callers who are waiting on hold. Customers can upload their own music or use the default choice for their Hosted PBX environment. Different departments can use their own MoH.

 Operator Panel

This third-party solution is provided by Joher, a VoiceLift partner. This Operator Panel (also called Voice Operator Panel) is a SIP Softphone for Operators and Receptionists which can be used with VBX-Core’s Hosted PBX solution. It provides full extension status monitoring (ringing, busy, available) with calls details and call interception, allowing for quick pick-up of incoming calls, put them on/off hold, initiate blind or attended transfers and more. Please contact Support@VoiceLift.com for an introduction.

Public Address (P.A.) System

VoiceLift supports select models of Public Address systems which can be used at the customer premises for paging or other types of loud-speaker announcements.

Remote Voicemail Access

This enables VoiceLift voicemail users to check their inbox by calling their own number and entering their PIN. When the user dials their own number, they will hear the voicemail greeting, and will then be prompted to dial a code which is configured by the service provider. The user will then enter their voicemail PIN to access the inbox. Remote Access can also be provided via the Auto Attendant or by a special access number set up for this purpose.

Selective Call Acceptance (SCA)

This is feature allows customers to create a list of phone numbers from which they are willing to accept calls. It is supported via the Call Screening module; every Hosted PBX user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call matches one of these numbers, the call is accepted; otherwise the call is rejected.

Selective Call Forwarding (SCF)

This feature allows customers to forward callers from a selected group of numbers to another number. It is supported via the Call Screening module; every Hosted PBX user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call matches one of these numbers, the call is forwarded to the destination defined in the call forwarding or follow-me settings.

Selective Call Rejection (SCR)

This allows customers to reject incoming calls. It is supported by the Call Screening module; every Hosted PBX user can create rules defining a set of phone numbers. If an incoming call matches one of these numbers, the call is rejected.

Self-Care Interface for End Users

This brandable portal enables your Hosted PBX end users to perform a variety of self-service functions such as configuring extensions, viewing call details, and more. VBX-Core’s Multilanguage portals currently support: Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, French, German, Hebrew, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish.

SMS Message Processing

VBX-Core enables the sending and receiving of SMS messages directly to users of mobile networks. SMPP protocol allows interconnection with the mobile carrier’s SMSC or with SMS aggregators.

 Speed Dialing

This allows the user to dial frequently called telephone numbers using an abbreviated speed calling code instead of the entire number. It is supported via the Phone Book feature.

Station Message Detail Recording (SMDR)

This feature allows the corporate telecom manager to receive call detail records on a per-station basis before the monthly telephone bill is even issued. SMDR helps the customer control telephone fraud and abuse, perform accurate cost accounting, and analyze call patterns to identify opportunities for cost reductions. Call details are available on the VBX-Core’s Administrative interface.

Three-Way Conferencing (Three-Way calling)

Users can add a third party to an existing conversation forming a three-way conference call. IP phone must support the 3-way calling feature.

Toll Restriction

This blocks a station from placing calls to telephone numbers that would incur toll charges. It is provided via the tariff configuration in VBX-Core or by using the Call Barring feature.

Virtual Office

This enables small and home-based business end users to enjoy many PBX features which are available to larger businesses. End users can assemble their own telecom solution in the Cloud via customizable Virtual Office web portals. This includes self-service functions like selecting DIDs, adding extensions, setting up voice mail, configuring an auto-attendant, personalizing IVR, call forwarding and more. Virtual Office users do not need to use IP phones, but instead can use regular analog phones without an ATA, including their regular mobile phone line.

Virtual Phone Numbers

A Virtual Phone Number is a real telephone number that is not associated to a physical phone line. These numbers are programmed to be forwarded to either a VoIP service, such as Hosted PBX, or to a different phone line. Your users can use phone numbers for any city or country served by your DID provider, enabling their business to have a more professional appearance.

Voicemail to Email

End users can receive emails with audio files attached, alerting the end user that a voicemail has been received. Audio files can be usually be played or downloaded by the user via their own desktop or mobile email client.

Voicemail to Text Transcription (v2t or VTT)

This third-party service is provided by VoiceLift partners via APIs integrated into VBX-Core. The service works with VoiceLift voicemail, where an audio message can be transcribed into text and sent to the user via email. Please contact us at support@VoiceLift.com for an introduction to VoiceLift’s v2t partners.

Voice VPN (Virtual Private Network

For IP phones which are compatible for use with VoiceLift’s optional Voice VPN solution (ie, Fanvil) this enables VoiceLift customers to safeguard their voice traffic signaling. Voice VPN is especially useful in geographic areas where VoIP service providers prefer the utmost privacy and protection. This includes virtually unlimited number of VPN tunnels, IPsec tunnels for secure VoIP interconnection, PPTP and L2TP secure tunnels support for VPN L2 capable end-points.

WebRTC

This solution enables users to make and receive calls using their web browser, without needing to install software.

700/900 Blocking

This blocks a station from placing calls to 700 and 900 numbers. It is provided via the tariff configuration in VBX-Core or by using the Call Barring feature.