Summary: Automatic Voice and Fax Mail Notification via Digital Cell Phones, Standard Pagers, or Email

There are 5 different ways that an extension owner can be notified of new Voice or Fax mail:

• Paging to a standard pager.
• Paging without ringing to a digital cell phone (see the examples at the end).
• Paging to an ordinary telephone or an old analog cell phone with a voice message announcing the new mail.
• Email to the computer on an employee's desk.
• Email to a digital or PCS cell phone. (Rapidly becoming the most popular method. See the sample Extension Web-Management Page and the linked explanation.

The email options require that an extension owner use the Web-Management Page. It is possible to have both pager and email notification, and it is even possible to have pager and email notification go to different extension owners.

When an extension on a customer's Virtual PBX® receives voice or fax mail, the message is stored on the system until retrieved and deleted by the extension owner. It is possible for the extension owner to call into the system regularly to check if he has mail, but the Virtual PBX® also has either a pager or an email notification feature, i.e. a "message light" for when an extension receives new voice or fax messages. Contact phone number 7 has been reserved for pager contact numbers. The pager can be defined as either a standard pager or a combination cell phone pager. When a voice or fax mail message is received, the system pages the number stored in contact phone number 7 with the following message: [Toll free number][extension number][voice/fax code]

The voice mail code is "001", and the fax mail code is "002".

For example if the Virtual PBX® toll free number is (888) 825-0800, and extension 312 received a new voice message, the pager string that would be delivered to the pager would be:

"8888250800312001"

If a fax message were received instead, the pager string delivered to the pager would be:

"8888250800312002"

If the pager is defined as being a combination cell phone/pager or if the MSG box is checked on the Extension Web-Management page, then the system first speaks a message before sending the actual paging string:

"[Company Name] new [voice/fax] message page for [extension owner]"

Pager notification may be turned on or off by going to the Extension Web-Management Page and checking the NP box under the stored Pager number or by calling into the Virtual PBX® and dialing the string:

"#[Extension]#[Password]#2221" or it may be turned off with the dial string: "#[Extension]#[Password]#2222"

System administrators must dial a "1" before the first "2" in order to act as an extension owner. The default for all extensions when a new Virtual PBX® is created for a customer is "on", i.e. new-message paging is enabled.

If an extension owner wishes to be notified of new Voice or Fax Mail via a standard pager, he simply enters the pager number in Contact Phone Number 7. If there is no after-page-character, the # is automatically sent by the Virtual PBX® system.

Some paging systems, for example MCI, require a more complicated string with their pagers. The purpose of the extra characters in the string is to respond to the MCI menu options. This can be checked manually by calling in to the MCI paging number and walking through the menus. For example MCI pagers require:

"1[10-digit MCI paging number][wait-for-answer][7-digit pager number][literal # character][pause][pause][pause]1 [after-page-character] [literal # character][literal # character]" An example MCI paging number is 1-601-949-5680, and from the web this would be entered as: "16019495680x[7-digit pager number]#,,,1z##" where x is wait-for-answer, "," is a one-second pause, and z is the after-page-character.

From the phone menus the string would be entered as:

"16019495680#2[7-digit pager number]#1*2*2*21#3#1#1" where #2 is wait-for-answer, #1 is a literal-#-character, *2 is a one-second pause, and #3 is the after-page-character.

Extension owners can carry a separate pager to receive new message notification from the Virtual PBX®. However, since many people now have the new digital or PCS cell phones that can also act as a pager, the Virtual PBX® voice/fax mail notification can be sent to the cell-phone so that it is not necessary to carry both a cell phone and a pager.

Most cell phone companies that provide digital or PCS cell phone service allow callers to send a page to a cell phone without ringing the cell phone itself. A caller dials the voice message center phone number provided by the cell phone carrier, and when prompted, enters the cell phone number of the person they want to page. This sends them to the voice mail for the cell phone owner. They then select a menu option to leave a call back number, enter the number, press pound to send the page, and then hang up. Some cell phone carriers (Nextel as an example) require the caller to answer one or two more menu prompts after the page is sent. The Virtual PBX® uses multi-stage dialing to accomplish the same task. It dials the message center, waits for an answer, dials the cell phone number that it wants to send a page to, sends the menu selection digit to leave a call back number, and then sends the page. If an after page character is present in the pager contact phone number, it sends the remaining digits after sending the pager string. It should be noted here that when there is no after page character in the pager contact phone number, the Virtual PBX® automatically sends a "#" character at the end of the page. If an after page character is present, then the pager contact phone number must be defined with an explicit "#" character in the after page string if the message center requires it.

While the method to be described below may seem more complicated than simply storing a pager number, it should be emphasized that the paging string in the example below for a digital cell phone must only be entered one time when it is stored in contact number 7; and that it gives much more satisfactory mail notification because it has the advantage of sending the page without calling the cell phone. Furthermore, VirtualPBX's Technical Support staff is always ready to help you set up your digital cell phone to double as a pager. The standard pager contact phone number string for paging a digital or PCS cell phone through a message center is:

[message center number] [wait-for-answer] [cell phone number] [menu option] [page string] [after page character] [after page string]

The [after page character] and [after page string] components are only required for some voice messaging systems, specifically MCI, Verizon, or NEXTEL.

As an example, for Verizon CDMA digital cell phones (using the Verizon message center phone number of (415) 515-6300), the owner of extension 312 declares the pager to be a standard unit and stores the following in contact phone number 7:

"14155156300[wait-for-answer][Extension 312's 10-digit cell phone number] [pause][pause]1[after page character][literal # character][pause] [pause][literal # character]" which (if the cell-phone number is 1-415-221-6600) would be entered from the Extension Web-Management Page as the literal string: "14155156300x4152216600,,1z#,,#" where x is the "wait-for-answer" character, "," is a one-second pause, and z is the "after-page-character".

From the phone menus one would enter the literal string:

"14155156300#24152216600*2*21#3#1*2*2#1" where "#2" tells the system to insert a wait-for-answer character, "*2" tells the system to insert a one-second pause, and #3 is the after-page character.

When this method is used with the Verizon digital cell phones, the cell phone beeps several times instead of ringing, and the message box on the digital display is checked showing the cell phone owner that a page has arrived.

If the extension owner so wishes, he may simply enter his cell phone number in contact phone number 7 and check the MSG box on the web or declare the pager to be a combination cell-phone/pager unit. In this case his cell phone will be called each time that a voice or fax mail arrives, and when he answers he will hear the recording listed above, followed by the tones of the paging string described above. The reason that both a recording is played followed by the page tones is that the system cannot tell whether a person or the cell-phone voice mail answered, and both cases must be covered.

It should be clear that most people will prefer to use the first method (i.e. direct paging without ringing the cell phone), even though the initial phone number entry in contact number 7 is slightly more complicated.

It should also be clear that entering the above string into contact phone number 7 only one time is much easier than trying to explain to clients and coworkers that your pager number consists of the voice mail number followed by "wait-for-answer" followed by your cell-phone number followed by the menu selection followed by the page followed by # (or worse, other menu options). Thus the Virtual PBX® gives you the convenience of not having to carry a cell phone AND a pager yet making it possible for you to be paged as well as to have a voice or fax message as a bonus.

To set up the feature where the cell phone acts as a standard pager and does not ring for mail notification, an extension owner should take the following steps:

1. Call customer support for the digital cell phone provider and determine the correct dial string to enter in contact number 7. Explain to the customer service representative that it is wished to have the numbers which send a page directly to the cell phone without calling it. This may require a little patience and persistence to be sure to get the right information since some customer service representatives may not be familiar with this feature and may not understand the question at first. Also be sure that the required voice-mail features have been ordered and set up. It is recommended that the dial string be written down before proceeding to the next step. Don't forget to insert the wait-for-answer character "z" (from the Web) or "#2" (from the phone menus) after calling the voice mail or pager number and any pauses, "," (from the Web) or "*2" (from the phone menus), to allow for the voice prompts. It is a good idea to try the dial string once manually before writing down the final version.
2. Log in to the Extension Web-Management Page or Call the Virtual PBX® toll free number and log in as an extension owner: Enter "#[Extension number]#[Password]#".
3. On the Web go to the pager box and simply type in the desired string, or from the phone follow the menus or simply dial "212721" (without waiting for the voice prompts) followed by the dial string determined from the first step . System administrators must enter a "1" before "212721" to act as an extension owner. In the phone menus, if you enter a "#" into the dial string, you will be prompted to enter "1" for a literal "#" character, 2 for the wait-for-answer, or 3 for the after page character. If you enter a "*" in the dial string, you will be prompted to enter "1" for a literal "*", or "2" for a one-second pause.
4. An after page character in the dial string allows the extension owner to designate further digits to be sent after the page is complete. This is necessary for some systems, such as NEXTEL. The "212721" string in the phone menus has the following meanings: 2: Access phone extensions. 1: Access phone numbers. 2: Review or edit phone numbers. 7: Access pager phone number. 2: Store a new pager phone number. 1: Standard pager unit. Enter the dial string necessary to page the cell phone including wait-for-answer, #2, and pauses, *2, as needed.

SPECIAL HELP NOTES: After calling in to the system, the string:

"#[Extension]#[Password]#2128" gives special instructions on the use of the pause, wait-for-answer, or after-page characters. (System administrators must press a "1" prior to "2128" to act as extension owners.) At any time except when entering a dial string, it is possible to go backwards one menu level by pressing "*".

Some examples of some common pager dial strings for San Francisco digital cell phone or PCS providers are:

VERIZON:

"14155156300[wait-for-answer][10-digit cell phone number][pause][pause]1[after page][literal # character][pause][pause] [literal # character]" which would be entered literally from the web as: "14155156300x[10-digit cell phone number],,1z#,,#" or from the phone menus as: "14155156300#2[10-digit cell phone number]*2*21#3#1*2*2#1"

NEXTEL:

"1[your area code][your prefix]7243[wait-for-answer] [pause][pause][pause][10-digit cell phone number][literal # character]11 [pause][after page character][literal # character][pause][pause]111" which would be entered literally from the web as: "1[your area code][your prefix]7243x,,,[10-digit cell phone number]#11,z#,,111" or which would be entered literally from the phone menus as: "1[Your area code][your prefix]7243#2*2*2*2[10-digit cell phone number]#111*2#3#1*2*2111"

CELLULAR ONE from the Web:

"14156998255x,[Your digital cell phone number WITHOUT the 1 before the area code]," CELLULAR ONE from the Phone Menus: "14156998255 #2 *2 [Your digital cell phone number WITHOUT the 1 before the area code] *2"

SPRINT PCS:

Sprint does not have the direct page feature. This means that Sprint PCS users must enter their phone number with 1 plus the area code in contact number 7 and (from the web) check the MSG box, or (from the phone menus) declare the unit as a combination cell-phone/pager. Thus a voice or fax mail will always result in a call to the Sprint phone with the recorded message "[Company name] new [voice/fax] message page for extension [Extension owner's name]" followed by the tones of the pager dial string.

AT&T from the Web:

"14156998255x,[Your digital cell phone number WITHOUT the 1 before the area code]," AT&T from the Phone Menus: "14156998255 #2 *2 [Your digital cell phone number WITHOUT the 1 before the area code] *2"

PAC BELL:

Pacific Bell GSM cell phones do not have the direct page feature. This means that Pac Bell users must enter their phone number with 1 plus the area code in contact number 7 and (from the web) check the MSG box, or (from the phone menus) declare the unit as a combination cell-phone/pager. Thus a voice or fax mail will always result in a call to the Pac Bell phone with the recorded message "[Company name] new [voice/fax] message page for [Extension owner's name]" followed by the tones of the pager dial string.