State of Vermont Standard Features

4 digit dialing- In any Centrex, the users are allowed to call other users in their Centrex by just dialing 4 digits, this allows users to call each other quicker and bypasses the VZ billing system so the calls are free.

ARS – Automatic Route Selection contains a few features which handle your outgoing calls. Built into the ARS is your individual dialing plan (IDP) which determines who you can call using 4 digit dialing. In Montpelier, the IDP is IDP001 which means you can 4 digit dial anyone else with IDP001. The ARS also includes a facility restriction level (FRL) code, we use FRL.8 for the State Centrex’s. The FRL.8 along with the Auth Code Feature, prompt the callers for their 5 digit auth code for Instate Long Distance calls. *If the FRL is below 8, the line will be restricted and the customer won’t be able to place their long distance call, if it is above 8, the call will go through without prompting the customer for their Auth Code. ******If the ARS or the Auth feature on the line is missing, the customer won’t be able to make instate long distance calls.***** The ARS also points the long distance call to the right long distance carriers, right now all instate long distance calls are point to Verizon, and all out of state calls are point to Verizon Select Services.

Distinctive Ringing – this feature is usually on all lines (must be removed for lines adding DSL). When your phone rings and the caller is calling from your Centrex, you will hear 1 regular ring, pause, another regular ring. When someone calls you outside of your Centrex system, you will hear 2 short rings, pause, 2 short rings. If a customer calls to complain they don’t get the 2 different rings, ok to call in a trouble.

Call Forwarding Variable – this allows users to dial a 2 digit call forwarding code (72 everywhere except in Burlington which is 52) and then dial the 4 digit number they want to forward their calls to. All calls will forward to that number until someone deactivates the call forwarding by dialing 73 (53 in Burlington) and they will hear 3 beeps to advise the service is stopped. Lots of people use this feature to forward their lines to voicemail during lunch or at night. This can be added in CCRS with code CFV and feature CFV. There are 12 Centrex locations that have their voicemail served from a different Centrex, Barre for example has voicemail out of Montpelier. If you are a Barre person and want to forward your number to voicemail, you dial the 72 to active the feature, then dial the code 78 to get them to voicemail. Customers can only forward to numbers within their Centrex, if your customer needs to forward to someone outside of the Centrex, they need Call Forward Private Fac.

Call Forwarding Over Private Facilites: You can’t use call forwarding to forward to a long distance number. Also important, if you have voicemail, and you forward your number to someone else with voicemail, when the call goes into the voicemail system, it will look for the mailbox of the 1st number called. Ex, 3400 forwards to 3500, both have voicemail. When a caller calls 3400, it will forward to 3500 and then go to voicemail and will go to the voicemail box for 3400. Both Call Forwarding Features have a Reminder Ring Feature when the lines are forwarded that can be turned off by Verizon.

3 Way Conference Calling: This feature allows a user who is currently talking to add another person to the call. On analog Centrex lines, the customer presses the Link or Flash button on their phone, they will get another dial tone, dial the number of the person to add on and press Link or Flash again. This will bring all 3 of you together. To get rid of the person you just added on, press Link or Flash again. On an ISDN phone, customers just press the Conf button, get dial tone, dial the number of the 3rd party and press conference again. Can be added to CCRS using code CXR and then for analog Centrex /MWCTIA1 and ISDN /MWCTIA

Call Transfer – This feature works the same way as 3 Way calling for analog Centrex lines. After you Link the 2 callers together, you just hang up and they stay connected. For ISDN lines, you press Transfer, dial the number and press Transfer again. Can be added to CCRS using code CXR and then for analog Centrex /MWCTIA1 and ISDN /MWCTIA

Call Hold – Puts caller on Hold, press the Hold key on phone If no Hold key, press # to activate the Hold feature.

State of Vermont Optional Features:

Call Pick Up – This feature allows users in the same call pick up group to answer each other’s lines by hitting the * key. Users can be added or deleted through CCRS.

Six Way Conference Calling – Directions attached, this feature costs $150.00 to install and $10.00/mo. Allows a total of 6 people on the call at 1 time.

Call Forwarding Over Private Facilities – explained above with Call Forwarding Variable

Uniform Call Distributors and Muilti-Line Hunt Groups – These services are used in call center environments where you have many people answering calls for the same agency from customers calling the same number. Agencies like State Parks, Tax, DET use these features. It’s basically a group of ISDN or Centrex lines, in the same hunting group, that answers the calls from the public. DET for example has 25 people in their call center in Montpelier. When the customer calls DET’s main number, it will forward that call to the next available person out of the 25 in the group to answer the call. Most of these are ISDN lines with a MAKEBUSY key on button 17 so if the employee has to step away from their desk, they can hit this key so no calls will come to their phone.

Call Park – only a few agencies have this feature, Bennington Veterans Home is the only one I’ve installed. When a call comes in to the receptionist for a certain person, she can put the call on Park by dialing a special 2 digit access code. The receptionist then pages the person the call is for advising they have a call on park. The person can go to any phone, dial the call park code and the call is connected.

Speed Dialing – This feature is available but most phones come with speed dialing buttons and most of the State’s speed dialing is used with those buttons.

Caller ID and Caller ID with name – Can be added only on a work order. Caller ID $1.50/mo, Caller ID with name $5.50/mo. This is a standard feature on ISDN lines and there is no charge for ISDN customers for this feature