how to use the telephone system - IT Services

how to use the 

telephone system 

manual

introduction 

The University telephone system is based on 23 Siemens ISDX exchanges, 

and is extended to certain outlying student residences via NTL’s centrexbased 

Network. The following notes describe features on the main 23 

exchanges: only Call Transfer is available on NTL centrex extensions. 

This section is intended to help you to use the telephone system and take 

full advantage of its facilities. Instructions are given for all facilities on the 

network though not every extension has access to the complete range. 

On the back cover of the directory you will find a reference section 

comprising: 

— quick reference for facility codes. 

— description of tones employed by the system. 

— how to use Voicemail. 

— how to report a fault. 

do’s and dont’s 

DO wait for holding or dial tone after pressing the Recall (R) button and 

before dialling any further codes. 

DO make sure you press the keys firmly. 

DO NOT wait too long before keying the number you require after lifting 

the receiver, or between digits; the system will time-out after about 

twenty seconds. 

DO NOT wait for a second dial tone after the tie-line or public network 

access code; 

TELEPHONES 

Most types of telephones, modems and facsimile machines which are 

CE approved may be used on the network. Siemens Optipoint headsets 

give single key access to many ISDX features, together with Calling Line 

Identity, may be purchased from the Telecommunications Section. 

RANGES OF FACILITIES AVAILABLE (COS & TAC) 

All extensions have access to most facilities described here, but each 

extension is allocated a Class of Service and Trunk Access Class which 

control certain aspects of telephone use. 

The Class of Service (COS) defines the facilities available, and normally 

takes one of the values 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25. The following table displays 

the special facilities available to each COS: 

COS: 

Facility: 5 10 15 20 25 26 

Do Not Disturb * * * * 

Save Number Dialled * * * * 

Personal Short Code Dialling * * * * 

Save Number Dialled * * * * 

If you try to use a facility which is not available to your extension you 

will hear the Number Unobtainable Tone. 

The Trunk Access Class (TAC) defines which external calls can be made 

from an extension. It normally takes a value from 0 to 3 or 8 and 9 for 

student services. The table below indicates which calls may be made 

by each TAC, but note that additional TACs are available which can bar 

charged calls during evenings and weekends. 

Extensions with any of these TACs are barred from calling some expensive 

premium rate numbers directly, as many of these are for entertainment 

purposes which are inappropriate to the work place. However, where 

it is essential to be able to dial a particular premium rate number this 

can be achieved by giving it a System Short Dialling Code (q.v.). For 

instance, the US Embassy premium rate Visa application hot line is on 

Short Code 513. Ask the Telecommunications Help Desk (88888) for 

advice. Where fully open access is required, e.g. for an extension which 

is used by a resident who is paying for all their calls, it can be set to TAC 

28, which has no barring. 

tAC: 

Type of Call: 0 1 2 3 8 9 

International * 

Mobiles * * 

National (inc 0870) * * 

National (STD) * * * 

Local (inc. 0845 etc.) * * * 

Voice Mail * * * * 

Freephone (0800 etc.) * * * * * * 

Chargecard (144) * * * * * * 

Emergency (999 & 112) * * * * * * 

Internal and Tie-Line * * * * * * 

You can find out your own COS and TAC by dialling 88888 and asking 

the operator. COS and TAC levels are decided by your college or 

department; if you have any queries about them please contact your 

Telephone Co-ordinator. 

TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND OPERATORS 

In this directory, the following conventions have been adopted to identify 

different types of telephone numbers: 

An extension on the University network: 88660 

An extension on an exchange connected by tie-line: 556 305 

(556 = tie-line code, 305 = extension number) 

* 

A telephone on the public network: 9 812812 

(9 = access code for public network, 812812 = external number.) 

All University extension numbers consist of five digits, beginning with 

1,2, 3, 7 or 8. Although there are 20 interlinked exchanges in the system, 

it is not necessary to dial any access codes to access extensions on 

another exchange, the system will work out the routing for itself. 

The system has been designed to make it as quick and easy as possible 

for incoming callers to find the individual they want. Most extensions 

can be reached from outside the system by using the feature of Direct 

Dialling In (DDI), prefixing or replacing the first digit of the extension 

number with the appropriate number as below: 

Internal extension number range: DDI number 

1xxxx Some DDI 01865 6 1xxxx 

1xxxx non DDI use Auto Attendant on 01865 280000 

2xxxx non DDI use Auto Attendant on 01865 280000 

3xxxx NTL Network - Staff 01865 4 3xxxx 

3xxxx NTL Network - Students 0870 276 xxxx 

34xxx NTL Network - Students 0870 276 1xxx 

7xxxx all DDI extensions 01865 2 7xxxx 

8xxxx all DDI extensions 01865 2 8xxxx 

DDI calls ring on the extension without operator intervention and if it 

is unanswered the caller incurs no charge. Please publicise your DDI 

number as widely as possible on letterheads, business cards etc. The 

DDI numbers of department enquiry points and College lodges are also 

publicised in the BT directory. Calls may also be answered by the main 

central University operators on 01865 270000 or by the auto-attendant 

01865 280000. 

To call the Operator 

Department or college enquiry point operator — dial appropriate 

enquiries number. 

Central Operator — dial 70000. 

INCOMING CALLS 

There are three distinctive types of ringing: 

An incoming exchange call gives repeated pairs of short rings. 

An incoming internal call gives a repeated single, rather longer, ring. 

A call from another member of your Communication Group, or an 

Auto Callback gives a single ring of two seconds duration. 

Most departments and colleges rely on the DDI facilities to provide access 

from outside the system when the local enquiry point is unattended. 

Some departments, however, have night bells which ring when an 

incoming call is made to the enquiry point number. Any extension in the 

department can answer the call by dialling the night bell code allocated 

to that department. You can find out from your departmental Telephone 

Co-ordinator whether your department has such a code. 

Callers from outside the University dialling employees in NHS space 

should refer to the Telecommunications web pages at:- http:/www. 

ox.ac.uk/telecom for the external dialing prefixes. 

OUTGOING CALLS 

Internal Calls 

1 Lift the handset and listen for dial tone. 

2 Key the extension number. 

3 Listen for ringing tone. 

If there is no reply or you hear engaged tone, try again later or use the 

Auto Callback facility (see below). 

External calls 

All calls via the public network are made by keying 9 followed by the 

telephone number. Your access to external numbers is governed by 

your TAC. If you are not allowed access to the number you have dialled 

you will receive the Number Unobtainable tone during keying; you can 

ask the departmental or college operator to dial the number for you. 

1 Lift the handset and listen for dial tone. 

2 Key 9. 

3 Key the external number (do not wait for dial tone after the 9; there 

will not be one). 

4 Listen for ringing tone. 

Tie-line calls 

Dial in the same way as an internal call without waiting for dial tone 

between the tie-line code and the extension number. 

NUMBER ENGAGED OR NO REPLY 

There are two pairs of facilities to assist you if the number is engaged or 

there is no reply, one pair for external calls and one for internal calls. 

Save number dialled (External calls only, COS 20 & 25) 

This facility enables an external number to be stored and repeated when 

required. In addition to its use for number engaged or ring no reply, it 

can be used to break off a call which you have dialled and you wish to 

resume later. Only one number may be stored at a time, and it will be 

retained until a new number is substituted.

1 During a call or while receiving Ring Tone, or Engaged Tone, Press 

R and wait for holding dial tone. 

2 key #4; if the call was answered you will be reconnected to your 

original call; otherwise you will hear the assurance tone. 

3 Hang up. 

Call Saved Number (COS 20 and COS 25 only) 

1 Pick up the handset and listen for dial tone. 

2 key #7. 

3 Wait for ringing tone. 

There is no limit to how many times you may use the stored number, but 

storing a new number erases the previous one. 

Auto Callback (Internal calls only) 

This facility enables you to instruct the system to call you back 

automatically, either if the called extension is engaged, in which case 

you will be called back when the handset is replaced, or if there is no 

reply, in which case you will be called back when the extension is next 

used and the handset is replaced. In both cases your extension will give 

one long ring (COM group ring); you must pick up the handset within 15 

seconds or the auto callback will be cancelled. Auto Callback will also 

be cancelled after a successful callback or at midnight. You may set up 

only one auto callback to other extensions but it is possible for several 

different extensions to set up auto callback on your extension. 

To set up: 

1 While receiving ringing tone or engaged tone, press R and listen for 

dial tone. 

2 Key #1, you should receive assurance tone unless you already have 

an Auto Callback set or the extension you are calling is in Do Not 

Disturb mode. 

3 Hang up. 

4 When the handset of the called extension is next replaced your 

telephone will give one long ring (COM group ring). 

5 Pick up your handset within 15 seconds or the callback will be cancelled; 

the extension you want will ring as for a normal internal 

call. 

To cancel: 

You will need to do this if you wish to set up a new auto callback number 

where there is already one stored in the system. 

1 Pick up your handset and wait for dial tone. 

2 Key ##1; you should receive assurance tone. 

3 Hang up. 

CALL DIVERSION 

There are a number of ways in which the system can be instructed to 

divert your incoming calls to another extension if yours will be engaged 

or if there will be no reply or if you know in advance that you will be 

elsewhere in the University. 

Automatic Call Diversion 

If your extension number is set up for Automatic Call Diversion, calls will 

be diverted automatically to a predetermined extension number in one 

or more of the following circumstances: 

a) An internal call is not answered within about five rings, 

b) An internal call arrives while your extension is busy, or in Do not 

Disturb, 

c) An external call is not answered within about five rings, 

d) An external call arrives while your extension is busy, or in Do not 

Disturb, 

This facility can only be set up by the Telecommunications Section and 

if you wish it to be set up for you, or changed, you will have to make a 

request through your Telephone Co-ordinator. You may only specify a 

single extension number to which your calls will be diverted, but you 

may choose whether or not diversion should take place for each of the 

conditions a) to d) above. 

Extension-controlled diversions 

There are three types of call diversion which may be controlled by the 

extension user: Unconditional Diversion; Busy Extension Diversion and 

Diversion on No Reply. All these diversions can be used to over-ride any 

Automatic Call Diversions. 

Unconditional Diversion 

This facility enables all calls to be routed unconditionally to another 

extension. It can be used either to divert your calls to someone else if 

you know that you are going to be away, or to arrange for your calls 

to follow you to one or more other extensions as you move around 

the University area. Call Diversion can be set up only from your own 

extension, rediverted only from the extension to which it is currently 

diverted, or cancelled from either. 

To set up: 

1 Pick up handset and wait for dial tone. 

2 Key #9 followed by the extension number to which you wish your 

calls to be transferred. 

3 Wait for assurance tone and hang up. 

While Call Diversion is set you may still make outgoing calls from your 

own extension but you will receive an interrupted dial tone whenever 

you lift your handset as a reminder that you may wish to cancel the 

diversion. 

Follow Me (redivert to a new extension from the extension to which your 

calls are currently diverted): 


2 Key #9#, your own extension number, *, new extension number, #. 


To cancel from your own phone: 

1 Pick up your handset and wait for interrupted dial tone. 

2 Key ##9. 


To cancel from the remote extension: 


2 Key #9*, your own extension number, #. 

3 Wait for dial tone and hang up. 

Busy Extension Diversion 

This facility routes calls to another extension if your own is busy. It can be 

set up from your own extension and will override Automatic Call Diversion 

if it is set up for either of the busy conditions. Used in conjunction with 

Automatic Call Diversion it would be possible, for example, to arrange 

that unanswered calls were diverted from a departmental extension to 

a college extension but that if your extension were busy they could be 

diverted to someone nearby who could take a message for you. 

To set up: 


2 Key #0# followed by the extension number to which your calls 

should be diverted. 


To cancel: 


2 Key ##0#. 


Diversion on no reply 

This facility routes both internal and external calls to another extension 

if there is no reply on your own after about 5 rings. It can be set up 

from your own extension and can also be used in conjunction with 

Automatic Call Diversion or Busy Extension Diversion to route calls to 

different extensions, depending on whether your extension is engaged 

or unattended. 

To set up: 

1 Pick up hand set and wait for dial tone 

2 Key #0* followed by the extension number to which your calls should 

be diverted. 


To cancel: 

1 Pick up hand set and wait for dial tone 

2 Key ##0* 


transfers and enquiries 

There are four related facilities which allow you to transfer calls to 

another extension or to speak to another extension while holding the 

original call or to hold or park your call. 

Call Transfer 

This enables you to transfer a call to another extension without involving 

the operator. 

1 Ask the caller to wait while you transfer the call. 

2 Press R and wait for holding tone. 

3 Key the number of the extension you wish to transfer to. 

4 If the extension is answered, announce the caller and hang up; the 

call will be transferred to the extension. 

5 If the call is not answered or is engaged, or will not accept the call, 

press R and wait for holding tone. 

6 Key *1 and you will be reconnected to the caller. 

Enquiry call 

This facility enables you to hold a call you are already making and make 

an enquiry call (internal or external) without losing the first call, and 

to alternate between the two, without either party overhearing your 

conversation with the other. 

To set up: 

1 Ask the caller to hold. 


3 Key the internal or external number of the person you wish to 

consult. 

4 When the call is answered, make the enquiry. 

5 To reconnect with your original call press R and wait for holding 

* 

manual

tone. 

6 Key *1 and you will be reconnected. 

If the person you have consulted stays on the line you may alternate 

between the two by repeating steps 5 and 6 (R, *1), neither party can 

overhear your conversation with the other. 

To disconnect the current party and return to the held party: 


2 Key **1. 

To leave the call, leaving the other two parties connected: hang up. 

Call Hold 

This facility places a call on hold while you have a private discussion 

within your room without the caller overhearing. It is essential to do this 

if you want privacy, modern telephones can be overheard quite plainly 

even if the mouthpiece is covered. 

To set up: 

1 Ask the caller to hold. 


3 Key *9 and listen for assurance tone indicating that the other party 

is on hold. You may hang up or leave the handset off; in either case 

you have 75 seconds in which to reconnect with the other party. 

To reconnect (handset replaced): 

1 Pick up handset and wait for holding tone. 

2 Key *1; you will be reconnected. 

If you do not reconnect within 75 seconds your extension will ring; lift 

the handset to be reconnected to your caller. 

To reconnect (handset off): 



If you do not reconnect within 75 seconds the call will be transferred to 

the central operator. 

Call Park 

This enables you to hold a call, parking it on another extension. For 

example, if you wish to answer an enquiry by going to another room. 

To set up: 


2 Key *6 followed by the number of the extension you wish to park 

on. 


You have 75 seconds to reconnect to the caller before the other extension 

rings. If the other extension is busy you can still park the call and the 

extension user will hear a single warning tone; if the extension is still 

busy after 75 seconds, the call will be referred to the central operator. 

To reconnect the caller: 

1 Lift the handset of the parked extension and wait for holding tone. 


If you do not reconnect within 75 seconds your extension will ring; lift 

the handset to be reconnected to your caller. 

VOICE MAIL (Not available TAC 3 or 9) 

Introduction 

Voice mail is available to all unbarred OUTN extensions .Once you 

have set up voice mail with diversions, it will answer your telephone 

if it is busy or you are unable to answer it. Callers will hear a greeting 

recorded by yourself, you will be notified of the incoming message by 

your telephone ringing briefly (or displaying a message if you have a 

display terminal) and you will be able to listen to it either from your own 

telephone, or, if you have registered for advanced features, from any 

telephone which has tone dialling. 

getting started on voice mail This comprises two steps: (1) 

setting up your voice mail box and (2) arranging for your calls to be 

answered by your mail box. 

1 To set up your mail box 

Key 00 from your own extension and follow the prompts to record a 

greeting and set up your mail box. 

2 To get calls answered by voice mail 

You can set your telephone to be answered by the voice mail service by 

keying in special codes on your telephone, in a similar way to setting 

up ordinary diversions. In each case you will hear the assurance tone to 

confirm that the appropriate diversion has been set up or cancelled. Note 

that diversions to voice mail will over-ride any other diversions. You 

have three options which may be invoked individually or collectively: 

Voice mail answers all calls (Unconditional Diversion) This is only 

recommended if you know you are going to be away from your 

telephone for a long time or are in a meeting which cannot be disturbed 

(e.g. a tutorial) as otherwise callers will be extremely frustrated trying 

to contact you. It is very bad manners to hide behind voice mail without 

good cause. 

To set up: key 11# then hang up To cancel: key 11* then hang up 

Voice mail answers when your telephone is engaged (Diversion on 

* 

Busy) You are recommended to set this and leave it set permanently. 

Voice mail will answer immediately when you are using your telephone 

for another call. 


Voice mail answers when there is no reply (Diversion on No Reply) You 

are recommended to set this and leave it set permanently. Voice mail 

will answer your telephone after about five rings when you are away 

from the office/lab. 


To Listen to messages 

You may listen to messages from your own extension, or, if you have 

registered as an advanced user, from any other OUTN extension or 

from any telephone in the world which has tone dialling. After you 

have listened to your messages they are stored for about a week then 

automatically deleted. Alternatively messages may be deleted by the 

user. 

To listen to messages from your own extension: Normally you will 

use your own extension to listen to incoming messages. Key 00 and 

follow prompts. 

To listen to messages from another University extension: To listen to 

your messages from any university extension key 01, then key in your 

extension number, your password then follow prompts. 

To listen to messages from outside the University Network: To listen 

to your messages from any other telephone which has tone dialling 

dial 01865 280001. 

If you are interested in further features, such as remote 

access, email notification, scheduling, secretary working 

and many more please call the help desk on 88888 or email 

telecommunications@oucs.ox.ac.uk. 

Whilst listening to messages several useful commands are available: 

1 Save 2 Repeat 3 Delete 

4 Skip back 10s 5 Pause 6 Skip forward 10s 

7 Skip back 1 msg 8 Take action 9 Skip forward 1 msg 

* Return to Main Menu 

Personalizing your voice mail 

If you have not enabled voice mail on your extension before, you will be 

prompted to personalize your mailbox. 

Recording your greeting 

In order for you to use voice mail you need to personalize your mail box 

by recording a personal greeting, PIN and a name tag; these options are 

available from the main menu by dialing 3 and then 1 for personalization 

options. Within the personalization sub-menu, press 1 to record your 

personal greeting , 2 to record your PIN and 3 record your name. Follow 

the spoken instructions for further assistance. Remember to press any 

key to finish your recording. 

Online access to voice mail 

It is now possible to be emailed whenever you receive a voice mail. 

Furthermore, if you have a multi-media computer, you will be able to 

listen to your voice mails through your computer sound card, without 

having to log into voice mail from your telephone and without needing 

to install any special software on your computer. This is a particularly 

useful feature for staff who need to keep in touch when away from their 

offices, especially if they are abroad. 

Whilst web access for voicemail is available at:- 

https://voicemail.telecoms.ox.ac.uk/ 

Web access to voice mail is currently only available to either internal 

users, or users using VPN/remote access. To log in, you will need your 

voice box number (typically your extension number) and voice mail 

PIN. 

Getting Help with voice mail 

By Telephone — Ring 88888 for the voice mail help line. 

On the Web — http:/www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/telecom 

Summary of voice mail Dialling Codes 

From University Extensions (listen for dialling tone then): 

00 Interrogate Voice Mail from your own extension 

01, wait for prompt, then dial* Interrogate Voice Mail from any 

extension 

88888 Help line 

11# Unconditional divert to voicemail 

11* Cancel 

12# Busy divert to voicemail 

12* Cancel 

13# Divert on no reply to voicemail 

13* Cancel 

From outside the University Network: 

01865 280001 Interrogate mail box from non-university telephone.

other facilities 

Conference Call 

You can bring other people into a conversation to set up a conference. 

There can be a total of six people in a conference call. 


2 Key the extension or external number you wish to join your existing 

call. 

3 When the caller answers announce the conference. 


5 Key *4; both of you will join the conference. 

6 To bring in the next person, repeat 1 to 5 as required. 

Anyone may leave the conference at any time without affecting the 

others involved. 

Do Not Disturb (COS15, 20 and 25 only) 

Bars access to your extension on a temporary basis to all callers 

outside your Communication Group. The system will act as though 

your extension were busy and calls will be diverted to your nominated 

diversion extension if you have one. 

To set up: 

1 Lift handset and wait for dial tone. 

2 Key #5 and wait for assurance tone. 

3 Hang up. 

If you pick up the handset while Do Not Disturb is set you will receive 

interrupted dialling tone as a reminder. 

To cancel: 

1 Lift handset and wait for interrupted dial tone. 

2 Key ##5 and wait for assurance tone. 

3 Hang up. 

Communications Group 

A Communications (COM) Group consists of up to ten extensions with the 

ability to call each other by keying a two digit number in the range 60 to 

69. A COM Group call gives a distinctive, single, two second ring and will 

override Do Not Disturb or Call Diversion if set on the called extension. 

COM Groups can only be set up by the Telecommunications Section and 

should be requested through your Telephone Co-ordinator. 


2 Key the two digit code. The called extension will give one long ring 

and you will hear one long ring tone. 

Call Pick-up 

This facility enables you to answer a call ringing on another extension 

provided that you know the extension number. 


2 Key *3 followed by the ringing extension number. You will be 

connected to the caller. 

Group Pick-up 

If your extension is one of a Pick-up Group covering a number of 

telephones in your area this enables you to answer a call ringing on 

another extension in your group by means of a short code. Pick-up 

Groups are set up by the Telecommunications Section at the request of 

Telephone Co-ordinators. 


2 Key **3. You will be connected to the caller. 

System Short Code Dialling 

A directory list of frequently called numbers has been configured into 

the system for each department or college. These numbers can be 

called by using a three digit code shown in the list distributed by your 

Telephone Co-ordinator. All extensions have access to the numbers in 

their departmental or college list; this enables them to dial numbers 

outside their normal access class which are needed in the course of their 

work. 

1 Look up the short code for the number you require. 


3 Key #6 followed by the short code. 

Personal Short Code Dialling (COS 25 and above only) 

This facility enables you to store up to twenty numbers in a personal 

directory and access them by keying a two digit access code and a single 

digit short code. You are not limited to storing only telephone numbers, 

any sequence of up to 19 characters, which may include # and * but not 

R, may be stored. This enables frequently used facility sequences, e.g. 

call diversion to a regularly used remote destination, to be set up so that 

they may be called by only three keystrokes. 

To store a new number or change an existing one 


2 Key ##3. 

3 Key a short code (10–29). 

4 Key the number or key sequence to be stored including any exchange 

line access code. 

5 Hang up. 

6 Repeat 1 to 5 for each short code and its associated number to be 

stored. 

To use Personal Short Code Dialling 


2 Key #3 followed by the short code. The system will call the number 

or call the facility for you. 

Manager/Secretary Working 

The Telecommunications Section can provide at extra cost special 

telephones for manager/secretary working but most of the required 

facilities may also be provided using standard telephones and ISDX 

facilities. The Telecommunications Section should be asked to set 

up one or more of the following features for each manager/secretary 

group: 

— COM Group — to give 2-key intercom. 

— Pick Up Group — to allow either party to answer calls directed to 

the other telephone by keying **3. 

— Conditional Diversion — to allow calls directed to one telephone to 

be answered on the other when the first is engaged or unattended. 

Some managers will want to have all of their calls intercepted by their 

secretaries. This can be done by using the normal diversion facilities in 

one of the following ways: 

— # 9 7xxxx, where 7xxxx is the secretary’s extension, or‐ 

— # 9 6x, where 6x is a COM Group number 

This diversion may be cancelled by keying ##9, or may be left in 

permanently, as desired. 

Alternatively, where automatic diversion on busy has been 

programmed, diversion can be achieved by using the Do Not Disturb 

facility (#5). 

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) 

The University telephone network is connected to the public networks 

via ISDN digital lines. It is possible to extend ISDN services in multiples 

of two 64k bits/s channels (ISDN2) to any line jacks on the telephone 

network. This makes it possible to use Video-conferencing, Group 4 Fax 

or any other ISDN-based system on the University network. For more 

details contact the Telecommunications Manager. 

Other Facilities 

There are many facilities available on the system which are not 

described here and are either not relevant to the University’s pattern 

of working, or are used in special applications where it is more 

appropriate to issue local instructions for their use. There are also 

facilities which can only be accessed by the Telecommunications 

Section. Use of facilities is kept under review and if it becomes 

appropriate to make changes this will be done. The system has a 

powerful range of facilities and if departments or colleges have 

problems with their use of telephones or feel that there could be a more 

convenient way of working, the Telephone Co-ordinator should consult 

the Telecommunications Manager. 

* 

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