Answering Machines - Lucent Technologies MERLIN Plus Release 2 System Manual

Answering Machines

DESCRIPTION
CONSIDERATIONS
6-2 Accessory Equipment
Answering machines can be used as back-up "voice mailboxes" with any
telephone in your MERLIN Plus system. MERLIN Plus is compatible with
many of the most widely used answering machines, including AT&T models
1321 and 1323. Consult the user manual supplied with your answering machine
for specific information on installing your answering machine and using its
features.
Answering machine operation requires the following considerations:
A General Purpose Adapter (GPA) is required to connect an answering
machine to a MERLIN Plus system telephone. (See the section on General
Purpose Adapters in this manual and your GPA Customer Instruction Booklet
for installation instructions.) The GPA connects to the "Other" jack on the
telephone set. The five-button telephone set does not provide an "Other"
jack, and therefore will not support an answering machine. If the "Other" jack
is already in use for another purpose (e.g., a modem), an answering machine
cannot also be used.
A station with an answering machine must have an "Auto Answer" button
programmed. When the Auto Answer feature is activated (green LED is lit),
calls that ring at the station will also ring at the answering machine. When
the feature is not active, calls will not ring at the answering machine.
Your MERLIN Plus telephone can only handle one call at a time. If you are
talking on the telephone and a second call comes through, there will be a
single, abbreviated ring and the associated line button will flash, but the
answering machine will not pick up that call. You may put the first caller on
hold while you answer the second call, or you may allow the second call to
be returned to the receptionist, MERLIN Attendant or transferring party.
Most answering machine features are available to work with MERLIN Plus,
but the following features may not operate inexactly the same manner:
—
Call Screening
Most answering machines have a "call screening" feature that allows you
to listen over a speaker when a caller is leaving a message. This feature
operates slightly differently when your answering machine is connected
to a telephone in the MERLIN Plus system. The General Purpose
Adapter (GPA) that serves as the interface between the MERLIN Plus
system and the answering machine masks the signal used by the
answering machine to sense when the receiver has been lifted. If you lift
the receiver of your MERLIN Plus telephone to answer a "screened" call
while your answering machine is still active, you will be able to talk to
the caller, but the answering machine will continue to record the
conversation. If you cannot stop the answering machine by pressing the
"Stop" button, you should warn the caller that the call is being recorded.