VMI Not Passing DTMF 1

[PTerrell]

I'm trying to use a Voice Mail Interface (VMI) as a "fax interface" between a Norstar MICS 6.0 and a Brooktrout analog fax board. I want to use part of my block of DID numbers to allow external fax machines to dial directly the desired extension. The fax board is set to listen for DTMF to determine which e-mail address the fax needs to be directed to.

The VMI is plugged into digital ports 309 and 310, which defaulted to DNs 2044 and 2045. The range of DNs for the faxes have been setup to fallover to the default DNs on no answer.

The VMI passes the inbound fax, but only passes a DMTF if the extension dialed is 2044 or 2045.

What is wrong with my setup?

Of course, I'm a computer support specialist and have minimal experience with phone systems.

 

[PTerrell]

It looks like I'll be answering my own question.

I need to correct my observation in that further investigation revealed that DTMF was generated on the second line when the first line of the VMI was busy.

The PBX100 Telephone System Programming Guide for the Nortel VMI gives the following table:

DTMF strings for the Norstar VMI
[tt]
Description Digit string
Direct calls No digits sent to first line
Direct calls when first line is busy Prefix digit & the DN of the first line
Forwarded calls Prefix digit and the forwarded DN
Set MWIFF 1 plus extension number
Clear MWIF #1 plus extension number[/tt]

So the system is behaving the way it is supposed to! But this behaviour is not documented in the Nortel VMI Insallation guide. :-(

Any insights to why the VMI works like this?

I'm going to start a seperate thread regarding the need for virtual DNs to work around this behaviours.

 

[lowradiation]

Because VMI's were made for voicemails, not fax servers.
I have used these for Toshiba's voicemails.
- Direct calls do not send any DTMF so it plays the default mailbox greeting - usually the company greeting.
- Forwarded calls send the DN plus prefix so that it will go to the correct extension's mailbox.
- The 1 and # 1 are for Feature 1 and Feature #1 - turning the message light on and off for the extension.

 

[PTerrell]

Thanks lowradiation,

I knew what the VMI was for...something about "Voice Mail Interface". I just couldn't figure out it's behaviour so I could trick it into talking to my fax server.

The logic is being strange to me. For Norstar voice mail, I set the "Fwd no answer" capabilty to have inbound calls directed to the voice mail. If a third-party VM is used through the VMI, and it works only when "Call Forward" is set, then the voice mail gets used only when the user sets the call forward. So they loose the "Fwd no answer" and "Fwd on busy" features...

I don't think I could teach my users to punch a "Voice Mail" button when they left their desk...