BLF monitor multiple extensions

FreePBX Tips and Tricks
1

Hi everyone. First question from me.

I have recently started using Asterisk with FreePBX. I have a system working with Asterisk 10.7.

I was wondering if there is a any way to enable a BLF key to monitor multiple extension? or a call / pickup group?

for example:
A pickup group is set-up with 3 extension in it. Someone rings one of these extensions. The Extension that was called rings. At the same time all 3 phones have a BLF key which lights showing a call. When the BLF key is pressed on any of the 3 phones the call is picked up.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

2

You would have to add the hint to the custom file,

etc/asterisk/extensions_custom.conf

You can concatenate as many extensions as you want in a hint:

IE:

exten => 200,hint,SIP/201&SIP/202&SIP/203

3

Many thanks, that’s great. Im heading in the right direction now.

What would be the best way to make the BLF key on the phone dial the general call pickup feature code? Is there a way to have an extension number mapped to a call feature?

4

This might be a back door way of doing this
And Referencing Skyking’s example…but…
Instead of a ring group, from ext 200, Create a follow me from 200 including all of the extensions, including 200.
Set all of the Follow Me timeouts as short as possible.

Set up the hints as Skyking suggested.

I have no idea if this will work, but may give you something to play with.

Not really sure what you mean by having an “extension mapped as a call feature”, but will the “Misc. Application” module help you out?

BF

5

Problem i have at the moment is that i have 3 extensions being monitored on a single BLF key. When the BLF key is pressed to pick up the call it does not know how to pick the correct call up.

example:

exten => 200,hint,SIP/201&SIP/202&SIP/203

So the BLF key is monitoring exten:200. If extension 201 rings, the BLF flashes. Once the BLF button is pressed it dials **200 to try a directed call pickup. but there is no call on exten:200.

6

You did not mention what kind of phone it is. The directed call pickup is a phone feature.

7

I’m not sure how you could do all of this. I don’t know of a function that will let you allow you to do a pickup to a call group rather than just to an extension.

If I knew a little more about your setup…how you’re wanting to use this setup, we might be able to come up with some type of work-around.

BF

8

I’m using the Grandstream GXP2100.

9

ok. Lets say I have 3 phones in the sales department, extensions 200, 201 and 202. all three extensions are in the same pickup group.

I would like to have a single BLF key configured on each phone which will monitor all three extensions. (Thanks to Skyking I have found this is possible by adding “exten => 2000,hint,SIP/200&SIP/201&SIP/202” to extensions_custom.conf).

Then when any one of the extensions is called, I would like to be able to use the BLF key on either of the other two phones to pick up the call.