IP Office 500v2 Difference "Follow Me To" and "Forward Unconditio

[Flexxy]

Hi all,

i know there is/was a thread handling this topic already but for an older system and with different results.
At least i can't get these results (Voicemail handling, 2nd forwarding etc.) described in this old thread.

In my tests i can't see any difference between "Follow Me To" and "Forward Unconditional - All Calls".

I've tested it with voicemail at the forwarding as well as the target user. I've tested forwarding and following at the source and target stations. No difference.
Both functions seem to work exactly the same way with the only difference, that i can't "Follow Me" to external numbers.

I know the idea behind these 2 functions....but i can't see any difference in call handling.
Why is there a "follow me" when i can get the same results with "Forward All Calls" ?

Could someone please explain to me where in detail there a differences?!

Thanks you very much in advance,
Flexxy

 

[Flexxy]

sorry, forgot to mention... it's an
Avaya IP Office 500v2 Rel. 7.0(5)

 

[tlpeter]

Follow me is only internal and forward is also external.

Here a bit more about follow me:

Follow Me is intended for use when a user is present to answer calls but for some reason is working at another extension such as temporarily sitting at a colleague's desk or in another office or meeting room. Typically you would use Follow Me if you don't have a Hot Desking log in code or if you don't want to interrupt your colleague from also receiving their own calls, ie. multiple users at one phone.



BAZINGA!

I'm not insane, my mother had me tested!

 

[Flexxy]

Hi Peter

this is the description i know. But i can't see any difference in call handling.
For example... let's use "Forward unconditional all calls" instead of Follow Me for the user you've mentioned.

So this user is sitting at another phone for half of the day ... but instead of Follow Me he's using Forwarding.

The phone on the new desk can still receive calls no matter if it's Follow Me or Forwarding.
He will use the new extension for outgoing calls no matter if it's Follow Me or Forwarding.

He gets the same results with Follow Me and Forwarding.

So why is there a "Follow Me" function when he can get the same with Forwarding?
I guess there must be any difference but can't see any beside the "idea" that's behind.

flx

 

[amriddle01]

Follow me can be set up before you go and sit at someone elses desk just as forwarding can, but you can also invoke follow me (follow me here) when already at the other desk if you have forgot to do it befor moving, you can't do that with forwarding

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[Flexxy]

that's correct amriddle01 ... BUT ..

i'm talking about "Follow Me To" not "Follow Me Here".

 

[amriddle01]

Follow me does not remember the number it was last used to, this forces you to enter it every time, forwarding remebers the number so if you used that and forgot to also change the number it would go to the wrong destination, basicaly forwarding is designed to be more permenant and switched on/off, follow me is a temporary thing that can be used aongside but without messing up your "more permenant" forwarding settings

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[amriddle01]

Dear me, there are loads of typos in there

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[amriddle01]

To elaborate, if you had foward unconditional to another users phone all calls would just try that handset, if you used follow me it would still try that handset but it would also follow your own "fowrward on busy/no answer" and so could then go to your mobile if you were busy or didn't answer, that wouldn't happen with forwarding

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[Flexxy]

amriddle thanks for this info ...

i've tried this with my phones here but it isn't working the way you said.

Let's say 720 has "Forward No Answer All Calls" to 429 as well as "Follow Me To" 998.
429 and 998 have no special forwarding or Follow Me (beside Voicemail).

Someone now calls 720
- 998 is ringing
- after some seconds call is forwarded to 429

Now we change the forwarding at 720 from "Follow Me To" to "Forward Unconditional All Calls" again to extension 998:
Someone calls 720 again
- 998 is ringing
- after some seconds call is forwarded to 429


So it's the same (again)

 

[amriddle01]

Not supposed to:

Forward Unconditional


Summary: Have your calls redirected immediately to another number including any external number that you can dial.

· Priority
This function is overridden by DND and or Follow Me if applied. Forward Unconditional overrides Forward on Busy and Forward on No Answer.

· Destination
The destination can be any number that the user can dial. If external and Inhibit Off-Switch Transfers is applied, the caller is directed to voicemail if available, otherwise they receive busy tone.

· If the destination is an internal user on the same system, they are able to transfer calls back to the user, overriding the Forward Unconditional.

· Duration
The destination is rung using the forwarding user's No Answer Time. If this expires, the call goes to voicemail if available. Otherwise the call continues to ring at the destination. Calls to an external destination sent on trunks that do not signal their state, for example analog loop start trunks, are assumed to have been answered.

· Phone
When enabled, the phone can still be used to make calls. An D is displayed on DS phones. When a user has forward unconditional in use, their normal extension will give alternate dialtone when off hook.

· Calls Forwarded
Once a call has been forwarded to an internal destination, it will ignore any further Forward No Answer or Forward on Busy settings but may follow additional Forward Unconditional settings.

http://www.ipoffice.tel

 

[amriddle01]

Did you cancel the follow me before you set it to forward unconditional? If not it was still following the follow me as that overrides forward unconditional giving the impression it's working the same when it isn't

http://www.ipoffice.tel