Conferences
Conferences allow two or more participants to communicate with each other at the same time using voice, video, or both. Default limit for active conference members in PBX is 256 users in all conferences, meaning that you can have a single or multiple conferences but their total active users count cannot exceed 256.
This screen lists all system conferences with the following details
- Name:
Conference name
(E.g. Sales, Development)
(Display)
- Conference Number:
Conference system or network number
(E.g. 2255)
(Display)
- Edit
Edits the Conferences configuration
(Button)
- Delete
Deletes a Conference from the system
(Button)
Search
By selecting the 'Search' Command, the search menu will be displayed. Searches can be done by Name and Number.
Add Conference
Clicking on the 'Add Conference' button will allow you to add a new conference.
- Conference Name
Unique Conference identifier/name, this name will be displayed once the 'Conferences' menu is selected.
(E.g. Main Conference)
([a-z][0-9])
- Conference Number
Unique Conference PBX number, this number should be dialed in order to access the conference.
(E.g. 106)
([0-9])
- Conference Group
Here you can select a conference group that you have made before. In this group you can define users permissions and conference options. Conference groups are added under a Conferences -> Group -> Add Conference.
(E.g. Staff)
Advanced Options
Click on the "Advanced Options" button to open more detailed conference options.
- Maximum number of users
This is the maximum number of users permitted in the Conference.
- Conference PIN
Conference PIN number. If set, this PIN will have to be provided by all callers before entering the Conference.
(E.g. John dials the sales conference (1001), but this conference has this field set to 9576. John is asked to provide the conference PIN. If a valid PIN is provided, John will enter the conference, or his call will be rejected after 3 invalid PIN entries).
- Conference Admin PIN
When users enter the Admin PIN, they dynamically gain administrative rights for the conference that they are dialing into.
(E.g. John is the operator, but he needs to enter the conference as an admin. Since he does not have admin privileges set, when entering the conference he will use an admin PIN to dynamically gain those privileges).
- Conference Marked User PIN
When users enter the Marked PIN, they dynamically gain marked user rights for the conference that they are dialing into.
(E.g. John is the operator, but he needs to enter the conference as a Marked user. Since he does not have Marked user privileges, when entering the conference he will use a Marked user PIN code to dynamically gain those privileges).
- Conference Language
Set the language used for announcements to the conference. Default language is English.
- Rings to answer
Number of rings played to the caller before the call is allowed to enter the Conference.
TIP: It is recommended to set the "Rings to answer" rather than just "falling" into the Conference.
- RTP Delay [sec]
Delay time in seconds inserted before the conference operator answers. This delay solves the "half-played" greeting file problem. Keep this value set between 1-3 for optimal performance.
NOTE: The "half-played" greeting file problem usually exists on VOIP trunks.
(E.g. John enters the sales conference (1001) and hears '... currently the only user in this conference' message. This message is only partial and can confuse conference members. Set this field to 1 (or higher, depending on how much is not heard) to play the message in full length.)
- Color
Determines which color will be used for this conference in Aline Systems Communicator.
- Send E-mail after conference
After the conference ends, an email containing the sound file can be sent to the predefined email address.
- Notification E-mail
Enter the email address which will receive the conference sound file after the conference has ended.
NOTE: These two options have no effect if the "Record Conference" option is not selected in the conference group for that conference.
Groups
Conference Groups are used to create groups of users that have certain permissions for conferences.
General
- Group Name
Name of the conference group.
- Users
Extension numbers of users added to this group.
- Edits the Conference Group configuration.
- Deletes a Conference Group from the system.
When you click on the "Add Conference" Group button, you will be able to add a new Conference Group.
Add/Edit Conference Group
Add Conference Groups screen
- Group Name
Write unique Conference Group name here.
Options
- Announce user join/leave
If this option is checked/enabled, all new conference members will be asked to say their name and press the '#' key before they enter the conference. After a user presses the '#' key, the following menu will be presented:
- 1 - press 1 to accept your name and enter the conference
- 2 - press 2 to listen to your name
- 3 - press 3 to re-record your name
This name will be recorded and played to other conference members when a caller joins/leaves the conference.
(E.g. John dials the 1001 sales conference and is asked to say his name and to press the '#' key. Of course, he says 'John' and presses the '#' key. After that he is introduced with a menu where he chooses to accept his name and enter the conference. At the same time, all conference members will hear "John has entered the conference". When John leaves, all conference members will hear "John has left the conference" message).
- Quiet mode
If this option is checked/enabled, conference members will not hear the enter and leave sound.
(E.g. Check this option if you do not want to hear the join/leave sound).
- Record conference
This option will enable recording the conference so you can download the recorded file.
NOTE: You can download the recorded file in Conferences: CDR's, by selecting a conference and clicking on the Listen button.
- Enable music on hold
Enable MOH (Music On Hold) if there is a single member in a conference. Enable this feature to play MOH music files until someone else joins the conference.
(E.g. If John enters the conference first and he is the only one there, he will hear MOH. John will hear this sound till someone else joins the conference).
- Present menu
Plays Conference options once '*' is dialed while in a conference.
(E.g. John enters the sales conference and dials '*', Conference options are played back (e.g. 'Please press 1 to mute/un-mute yourself')).
- Announce the number of participants
Announces the number of conference participants to a new conference member. "There is currently only 1 other participant in the conference."
(E.g. The Sales conference has this option enabled and is currently empty. John enters the conference and hears "You are currently the only person in this conference" played back to him).
- Close the conference when the last marked user exits
Closes the conference once the last marked user exits, no matter how many participants are still active in the conference conversation, their calls are immediately dropped.
(E.g. John (marked user) enters the sales conference. This conference has this option enabled and there are 3 other members participating in the conference (who are not marked users). As soon as John leaves the conference, all other conference members will have their calls dropped and will no longer be able to talk to each other).
- Wait for the marked user before allowing anyone to talk
Disables the conference until the marked user enters the conference.
(E.g. This option is enabled for the sales conference. There are 3 members waiting for John (marked user) to enter the conference. These 3 members will hear nothing and will not be able to talk to each other until John enters the sales conference).
Users
There are two options for enabling users to join a specific conference room. You can either enable all users by selecting the check box "Enable All Users". The other option is to click the drop-down menu and to pick desired extension. After picking click the '+' sign and extension/user will be added and you will be given new options for that particular extension.
- Extension
The extension number of the user that you have added to the group.
- Name
The name of the user that you have added to the group.
- Admin
Sets the admin conference mode. If this option is enabled, conference calls coming from the extension will be treated with admin privileges.
- Marked
Sets the marked conference mode. If this option is enabled, conference calls coming from the extension will be given less privileges than admin, but more than regular conference participants.
- Talk-Only
Sets the "talk only" conference mode. If this option is enabled, conference calls coming from this extension will be allowed to talk only (no voice will be heard on the UAD/Phone).
- Listen-Only
Sets the listen only conference mode. If this option is enabled, conference calls coming from the extension will be allowed to listen only (no voice will be sent from the UAD/Phone).
- Exit-#
If this option is enabled, users will be allowed to exit the conference by dialing the '#' key.
- Exit-Digit
If this option is enabled, users will be allowed to exit the conference by dialing any digit.