Lucent Technologies MERLIN Plus Release 2 System Manual page 294

ADMINISTRATION
PROGRAMMING
HOW TO USE
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Toll Saver
Most answering machines allow you to determine whether or not you
have messages by dialing your telephone number from an outside
telephone and counting the number of rings. The answering machine will
take longer (usually four rings) to answer the first call than to answer
subsequent calls (usually two rings). This feature works with
MERLIN Plus even though you may not be able to hear the ring under all
conditions. If you call on personal lines that bypass the
MERLIN Attendant and the receptionist, you will hear the ring. If your
call is transferred to your telephone by the MERLIN Attendant, the
receptionist, or another telephone, you will be on hold until your
answering machine answers, and you will not hear the ring. Even if you
are on hold and cannot hear the ring, you can use the fact that one ring
cycle takes 6 seconds to determine the number of rings. For example, if
your answering machine answers toll saver calls after four rings, 15 to 21
seconds (2-1/2 to 3-1/2 ring cycles) is longer than the answering machine
will take to answer if you have messages, yet shorter than it will take to
answer if there are no messages. (If your answering machine uses a
different number of rings for the toll saver feature, adjust the time
accordingly.)
The MERLIN Plus system normally has every line appearing on, and ringing at,
all telephones. A maximum of one telephone with an answering machine should
ring for each line. If a line rings on more than one telephone that has an
answering machine, more than one answering machine may answer the call.
Calls that come in on common lines should be handled by a receptionist or the
MERLIN Attendant, and transferred to the individual telephone requested
by the caller.
MERLIN Plus returns calls to the receptionist, the MERLIN Attendant or the
caller's telephone if no answer is received within the number of rings specified
by the Transfer Return Interval. The Transfer Return Interval must be set to be
longer than any answering machine on the system will need to answer a call. In
most cases, it is sufficient to administer the Transfer Return Interval to six rings.
MERLIN Plus normally provides voice announcement for intercom calls.
This feature will not activate answering machines. If intercom calls are to be
answered by machine, the the Voice Announcement feature must be disabled so
that intercom calls will ring. See "Voice Announcement Enable/Disable" in
Section 5.
To use an answering machine for back-up call handling on your MERLIN Plus
telephone, activate the Auto Answer feature when you leave the office and
deactivate the feature when you return to the office.
Accessory Equipment 6-3