# Preparing for Mailbox Programming for Pagers

Whether you are programming the system to outdial to a pager or to call a user to provide message delivery, the principle is the same; you want the system to duplicate the steps to activate the pager or to place the phone call. These steps must be programmed into the pager outdial index (access code index) and pager number (“Step 3: Choose Pager System Outdial Index and Pager Number”).

When you select Message Waiting Type 5 (Pager) while creating a mailbox, the system prompts you for an outdial index, a pager number, a pager frequency, and a pager interval. You can program up to three pagers (pagers 1, 2, and 3) per mailbox. Use the following procedure to answer prompts.

## Step 1: Determine the Activation Protocol

Manually activate the pager, or call the user who wants message delivery; as you do, carefully note exactly what steps were necessary.

Example:

Many pagers require that you dial the telephone number of the pager company, listen for a computer tone, then dial the code number of the pager. However, before dialling the pager company telephone number, pick up the telephone receiver and listen for a dial-tone to be sure that the telephone system is ready to accept the number.

The steps for successfully activating this type of pager are as follows:

1. Go offhook and listen for the dial tone.

2. Dial the pager company number.

3. Listen for the computer tone.

4. Dial the pager number.

## Step 2: Formulate the Coding String

Translate the activation protocol into a coding string that the system understands. Use the following codes to describe your actions:

Code | Description
--- | ---
0-9,#,* | Send out these DTMF tones (as if they are dialed from a standard touch-tone telephone)
A-D | Outdial these fourth column DTMF tones (keys on special phones)
T | Go offhook and wait for a dial tone
( ) | Digits enclosed should be dial pulsed (all other tones are DTMF)
+ | Pause for one second
G | Greet - wait for a person or pager to answer
F | Switch hook flash and wait for dial tone
S | Switch hook flash (no wait required)
V | Play the first unplayed message (and update the mailbox to count it as played)

Special Programming Notes

1. After the last character is outdialed, the system goes on-hook ("hangs up") automatically, except when message delivery is specified.

2. When a mailbox is programmed for message delivery, the system automatically waits for a greeting. (If a G is erroneously programmed at the end of the dial string, the system ignores it.)

3. A "V" anywhere in the dial string causes the system to play the first unplayed message only. If there is more than one message in the mailbox, the user will probably be paged again. The next unplayed message will play because each unplayed message generates its own paging request.

4. When the system is programmed to outdial a telephone number to the outside network, and the number is followed by a G (wait for person or pager to answer), the "clicks" and "pops" of particularly noisy switching equipment may be misinterpreted as a greeting. To avoid any misunderstanding, dial the telephone number, then count the number of seconds it takes for the receiving telephone to ring or the pager to answer.

5. If the call is made to a pager, insert the appropriate number of plus signs (+) between the number and the G. For example, if the dial string is "T95551212G," and it took five seconds to answer, change the string to "T95551212+++++G."

6. Since Message Delivery always assumes a G at the end of the dial string, insert the appropriate number of plus signs (+) at the end of the pager number.

## Step 3: Choose Pager System Outdial Index and Pager Number

The coding string you must formulate is divided into two parts:

- Pager system access code, represented by the outdial index (access code index)

- Pager Number

The choice of outdial index and pager number is flexible. For example, if the coding string you formulate is T94085551212++G1234, you can choose:

- Outdial Index 0 and Pager Number 4085551212++G1234; OR

- Outdial Index 2 and Pager Number 5551212++G1234; OR

- Outdial Index 5 (without a dial string), and put the entire coding string into the Pager Number (where outdial indexes match those shown in the table below).

Limitations:

- Pager numbers are limited to 24 characters.

- Access codes are limited to 30 characters.

The outdial index serves two purposes.

- It tells the system what characters to outdial before dialing the Pager Number.

- It assigns a pager system to the mailbox.

If you want to enter the entire outdial string into the Pager Number field, you must choose an outdial index to assign a pager system. If you do not select an outdial index for a mailbox, the system cannot issue a page when a message is left in that mailbox.

You can obtain a report of pager systems, outdial indexes, and dial strings by running the Pager Access Codes Report (Text console only). The system displays the available indexes, access codes (dial strings), and pager system names.

Sample Report:

    INDEX
     PAGER NAME
                         ACCESS
    CODE
                  HOLD
    TIME
0 Internal 20 1 Long Distance T 20 2 Local T9 20
    3
        415 Area Code
                     T9415
                         20
4 Pager 916-325 T991635 20 `5` `Empty`

Up to 16 different page systems are allowed; only 4 were necessary for this installation. Pager System 5 (Empty) is set to use with Pagers that have entire dial strings in the Pager Number.

To add a pager that must outdial more than 24 characters (that is, when the coding string is too long to fit into the Pager Number field) when an appropriate outdial index does not exist, the system technician must configure a new pager system before the pager can be added.

## Step 4: Choose the Pager Frequency

The pager frequency is the maximum number of times that the system attempts to notify the user of an unplayed message if each page is successful. The default pager frequency is three.

A page is considered successful if the system does not encounter a busy signal or a reorder tone after the pager/message delivery call is made. After a successful page, the system waits the number of minutes specified for the pager interval (see "Step 5: Choose the Pager Interval"); then (if the message in the mailbox remains unplayed), the system repeats the page. For a review see Successful versus Unsuccessful Pages.

If the page was unsuccessful, the system continuously retries the number until the party is successfully paged. For this reason, it is important that you make a test call to verify the pager programming (see "Step 7: Test the Pager").

## Step 5: Choose the Pager Interval

The pager interval is the number of minutes that the system waits before re-paging when the previous page was successful. The default pager interval is 30 minutes.

## Step 6: Message Delivery

When messages are left in a user’s mailbox, message delivery calls the user at a specified telephone number, indicates the number of messages, and asks whether the user wants to check them.

## Step 7: Test the Pager

It is important to test a pager immediately after it is added to a mailbox. An error in programming can cause every page to fail. To test a pager or message delivery, leave a message in the mailbox and contact the user to be sure the page was successful.

- Radio pager - ensure that the pager is activated

- Display pager - the user must check the display digits to ensure that they are accurate

- Voice pager - the user must ensure that the first (unplayed) message plays at the appropriate time

- Message delivery - the system must call the appropriate telephone number

  - When the call is answered, the system should prompt:

  - "Hello, <name>. You have <number> unplayed messages in your mailbox. Please enter your passcode."

  - If the first part of the greeting is cut off, add more plus signs (+) at the end of the pager number.

  - If the user answers, and there is a long silence before the system plays the greeting, decrease the number of plus signs (+) at the end of the pager number.

See Special Programming Note # 4 above.