Asterisk PBX Features

Elastix – Asterisk Features

All available features of the Elastix Asterisk-based PBX Phone System are listed below.

Feature

Description
Analog Phone Support Supports integrated analog ports to connect standard analog telephones, fax machines or credit card machines.
Analog/Digital Ready Not ready to go 100% VoIP? Xorcom IP-PBX allows you to add options such as analog line modules or T1/E1 PRI or R2 protocol interface modules for additional connections to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).
ANI Routing Routes calls to certain departments or certain locations based on the incoming Caller ID or Automatic Number Identification.
Announcement Interface Create customized auto attendant announcements in two methods:
a) Upload .wav files
b) Record them through a telephone handset
Auto Provisioning Complete interoperability with phone manufacturers like Polycom, Linksys, Aastra, Snom and Yealink allow the Xorcom IP-PBX to automatically discover a phone on site. Input a few settings into your Xorcom IP-PBX, plug your phone into the network, and let the system do the work for you. Complete configuration files are downloaded to your phone saving both time and money.
Blacklists Create a list of persons or organizations that have incurred disapproval or suspicion and regulate the telephone system behavior accordingly. For example, the Caller ID of these persons or organizations can be programmed in the Xorcom IP-PBX so when they call they would hear a message that says: “The party you are trying to reach is not accepting calls at this time.”
Blind Transfer Transfer a call to another extension without the need to wait for the other person to pick up. This type of transfer will also send the CID of the outside caller to the extension where the call is transferred.
Call Detail Record (CDR) A log of all calls made including: source number; destination number; call duration, date and time. Full graphic reporting included as standard.
Call Forward on Busy Calls are automatically forwarded to another extension or phone number if the phone is busy.
Call Forward on No Answer Calls are automatically forwarded to another extension or phone number if not answered after a defined number of rings.
Call Monitoring Allows a supervisor to listen in on a phone conversation.
Call Parking Allows a call to be ‘parked’ on a virtual extension and then picked up by a third party by dialing to that extension.
Call Pickup Answer a phone that is ringing across the office by dialing a code such as 9* and the extension number.
Call Queuing Allows multiple calls to be placed in a queue and answered by the next available operator.
Call Recording (Extension) Set up recording of every call made or received on an extension-by-extension basis.
Call Recording (On-the-Fly Recording) Create a rule that dialing a particular sequence in the course of a call (such as *1) will result in the call being recorded.
Call Return Users can access their Call Detail Records through a Web-based User Interface. Missed calls can be viewed and returned directly from the interface, regardless of the IP telephone being used.
Call Screening Want to know who is calling you when a call is being transferred from the office to your cell phone? Enable Call Screening within your User Profile and the caller will be prompted to record their name and then the system will call you. When you answer, the system will speak the caller’s name and give you have the option of accepting or rejecting the call.
Call Whisper The Xorcom IP-PBX can whisper to the user taking the call who or where the call is coming from when they answer.
Caller ID Displays the caller’s phone number on the phone’s screen. Caller ID Blocking Block a call based on the caller’s phone number.
Caller ID Customization Allows you to customize your outbound caller ID extension. Note: Some restrictions by carrier may apply.
Caller ID on Call Waiting
 See the phone number of a second caller while talking to the first caller.
Cell Phone Integration
 Find Me/Follow Me interface forwards calls to your cell phone and all the functions of the Xorcom PBX are available for you to use.
Conference Bridge
 Create a conference call between multiple parties at multiple locations using different phone types; e.g., connect a local extension, remote fixed line, mobile and VoIP connection – all in one conference.
Conference Rooms
 Bring your customers and employees together by sending an option from your auto attendant or pointing one of your inbound phone numbers to a conference bridge. You can have an unlimited number of callers dialed into the conference bridge from within your phone system. Your only limitation to external callers is based on the amount of phone lines you have set up and available in the phone system. Internal users or remote extensions can access the conference bridge without tying up any of your available phone lines.
Database Integration
 The Asterisk Programmable Interface is kept wide open for the IT staff to integrate the telephone system functions with their database for the purposes of screen pops and other functions.
Database Store/Retrieval
 Store call information in a database for later retrieval. Dial by Name Directory Send callers to a dial-by-name directory where they can dial the first or last name to reach any extension in your phone system.
Direct Inward Dial Numbers (DIDs)
 Support for Direct Inward Dialing (phone numbers provided by your VoIP or E1/T1 provider) which allows each person in the company to have their own unique phone number that rings directly to their extension. A number may also be directly dialed to an extension group, auto attendant or custom routing rule. Take this integration a step further by adding a description to each DID that will be displayed as part of the inbound caller ID for users answering the phone.
Direct Inward System Access (DISA)
 The DISA feature can be activated to allow specific employees to dial a pre-configured phone number and provide a pass code. Once entered properly the person calling would have the ability of making an outside call.
DNIS Routing
 Route calls to certain departments or certain locations based on the number the caller dialed.
Do Not Disturb
 Incoming calls are automatically routed to voicemail, reception or an alternate extension.
E911
 Special handling for Emergency Services Number, for example, the ability to place an emergency call when phone is locked, etc.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) / Auto Attendants
 An unlimited number of auto attendant messages and rules are easy to create and manage.
Echo Cancellation – OSLEC (Open Source Line Echo Cancellation)
 Integrated, field-tested software-based echo canceller.
Extensions (Unlimited)
 You can add an extension at any time, with no limits and no need to contact your telephone provider. There are no per user license fees to create an extension.
Extension Range Flexibility
 Configure extension numbers with between 2 and 10 digits.
Extension Groups (a.k.a. Ring Groups)
 Create and name an unlimited number of extension groups on-the-fly to ring in unison. Choose to ring that group as an option from an auto attendant or choose to have the group rung directly from inbound numbers. All extensions in the group will ring simultaneously while the caller hears either the standard ring tones or your ‘on-hold’ music. The first person to pick up will receive the call.
Fax Support
 Connect your current fax machine to the PBX. Xorcom guarantees the delivery of the Fax with integrated Phase Lock Loop (PLL) technology. VoIP faxing is supported as a best effort service.
Fax to Email
 Built-in Fax-to-Email engine converts inbound faxes to PDF documents and sends them to a pre-determined email address, whether the source be the company’s main fax number destined for the receptionist, or configured based on DID for employees who require their own individual fax number. Fax software for sending faxes from your computer is also available.
Find Me – Follow Me
 Not working at your desk today? Out of town? Working from home? Your customers will never know. Simply login to the user interface and the system will look for you at up to four different phone numbers or extensions and then send the voicemail back to your original voicemail box.
Hot Dial (a.k.a. Ring Down Phone)
 When the handset is lifted on an analog or IP Telephone it will automatically ring a pre-determined extension or outside number. This feature is commonly used in hotels, elevators and airport terminals. The dial pad can be disabled for this application.
Inbound Call Description
 Place a label or description on the inbound call in order to identify the type of call being received.
Interactive Directory Listing
 Allows inbound callers to lookup a person’s extension by their name.
Least Cost Routing (LCR, a.k.a. Outbound Dial Map)
 The complete outbound dial map allows you to prioritize how local, long distance, international and 911 calls are routed. For example, you may want to use the standard telephone lines for local calls and when those are unavailable, move to another provider. Or you may want to route your long distance or international calls through a specific provider.
Local and Remote Call Agents
 Staff can log onto the PBX from any phone using a login ID, allowing them to make and take calls as if they were in their office.
Multiple Music on Hold
 For each department, group or company using the PBX you can create an Extension Group and assign each group custom Music On Hold.
Music on Hold
 No external device is required. Xorcom IP-PBX comes standard with a varied selection of message on hold and music tracks.
Music on Transfer
 Plays music when transferring calls between extensions.
OSLEC (Open Source Line Echo Cancellation)
 See “Echo Cancellation”
Outbound Dial Map (a.k.a. Least Cost Routing)
 See “Least Cost Routing”
Paging (Integrated)
 Page any phone or all phones on the phone system by dialing a paging code.
Paging (Overhead)
 Integrate with your existing overhead paging system using the Xorcom Rapid PA connector.
Privacy Manager
 If a remote caller ID is blocked against automatic display, the Privacy Manager prompts the caller to manually enter their phone number, which is then checked against a blacklist or whitelist. The call will then be blocked or permitted as appropriate.
PSTN or Digital Failover
 Augment your VoIP strategy with a failover solution. The administrator can easily set outbound dial maps that will automatically allow your E1/T1 PRI or analog lines to take over in the case that your Internet connection or VoIP provider is down.
Remote Call Pickup
 Calls can be picked up at a remote location.
Remote Office Support
 Connect phones located in a remote office to the office PBX as local extensions.
Remote Phones
 There is no limit to the amount of Remote Phones you can set up and no toll charges for extension-to-extension calls, anywhere you have a high speed Internet Connection, so take your IP phone with you when you travel.
Remote Linked Servers
 Easily link two or more offices together enabling extensions to dial each other as though they were in the next room on the same network (using 3- or 4-digit extension numbers). All traffic is routed over the Internet via IAX or/and SIP protocol.
Ring Down Phone (a.k.a. Hot Dial)
 See “Hot Dial“
Ring Groups
 See “Extension Groups”
Roaming Extensions
 Individuals are given an extension number rather than phones having an extension. A person logs into the phone in the morning (using a PIN) and all calls to their extension are then routed through to that phone. Single sign-in is also available, so that logging into Windows will also log you into the phone next to the computer.
Route by Caller ID
 Connect a call to a given extension, call queue, or group of extensions based on the caller’s phone number.
Skills-Based Routing
 Minimize customer hold time by sending the caller to the agent that is properly trained to handle their query. Transfer callers who require specific handling in a certain area, such as technical support or sales, directly to those agents. Keep the callers in queue if all agents are busy and provide choices to go to another group, supervisor or even have the system call them back.
Speed Dial Numbers
 Creates a speed dial code so that when any phone on the system dials this code, the phone number that you have programmed is automatically dialed.
System Diagnostics
 Provides the administrator with a snapshot view of vitally important system status and usage information.
Talk Detection
 Detects when a person is talking. Useful for detection of answering machines.
Three-Way Calling
 Connects three people into a mini conference call.
Time and Date
 Announces the time and date to the caller.
Time of Day Routing
 Route incoming calls to a separate auto attendant or call routing rule during off hours (nights, weekends, holidays).
Transcoding
 Conversion between the different voice compression methods.
Trunking
 Connection to PSTN, ITSP or other PBXs via analog or digital lines or via SIP or IAX2 VoIP communication channels.
Unified Messaging
 Define a single DID number to:
a) Receive a Fax that can be sent to you as a PDF document via email
b) Locate you at the phone number of your choice
c) Leave you a Voicemail message that can be sent to you as a .wav file to your favorite email client. 

In addition, you can have a dedicated Fax DID number and a separate DID number to receive voice calls to provide the same functionality at no additional cost.
User Interface
 Every user is provided a unique Web portal interface to manage specific functions relative to their call preferences. Find Me/Follow Me, Unified Messaging, Call Recording, Voicemail .wav files, and personal call history logs. Supports different languages.
Voicemail Blast Groups
 Distribute a single voicemail message to multiple extensions by creating a group of voicemail boxes from any group of extensions on the phone system.
Voicemail Boxes (Unlimited)
 Voicemail boxes are automatically set up for a user when an extension is created. In addition, you can create a voicemail box without attaching an endpoint to the extension.
Voicemail Bypass
 The receptionist on the Xorcom IP-PBX can transfer the outside caller directly to the voicemail box without forcing him to wait while the extension is rung, saving the outside caller time and frustration.
Voicemail Callback
 Caller ID information of the person leaving a voicemail is recorded, allowing the user to choose to call the person back directly from the voicemail box. This comes in very handy when retrieving messages from your cell phone as you can return the call and the person you are calling receives the caller ID of your office extension, and not your cell phone.
Voicemail Web Access Access voicemail messages through the Web-based user interface, both from within the office or outside the office.
Voicemail to E-mail Sends voicemail messages as .wav files to the email client of your choosing.
Voicemail Notification via SMS
 Sends an SMS message to your cell phone to notify you that you have a new voicemail message in your Xorcom IP-PBX mailbox. Details include caller ID, length of the message and the time and date that the message arrived. Note: Requires external SMS server, and development resources for integration.
Voicemail Call Out
 Program the voicemail system to Call Out to your cell phone when a voicemail message is left in your mailbox. Upon answering you can: 

a) listen to the message

b) call back the party that left the message using a few keystrokes
VoIP Compression
 The bandwidth required for VoIP connections depends on the method used to transport it. The standard G.711(u) that ships with Xorcom IP-PBX is sufficient in most installations. This method uses 80 – 100Kbps per simultaneous phone call. The G.729(a) codec is an industry standard that supports placement of more calls in limited bandwidth to utilize IP voice in more cost effective ways. G.729(a) reduces the call to 25-40Kbps. This compression eliminates the need to replace or upgrade your Internet connection without sacrificing call quality. G.729(a) compression can be installed for a one time license fee of $15 per the number of simultaneous calls you wish to place. Contact your sales representative for more details.