How to "Leave" a Conferenced Call when using a softphone

General Help
,
1

Currently we use physical VOIP phones and easily do the following:
a. Agent #1 receives an inbound call (Caller “A”)
b. Agent #1 makes an outbound call to Caller “B”
c. Agent #1 creates a 3 way conference call of Caller “A” & Caller “B” & Agent #1 such that all three can hear each other.
d. Agent #1 then “leaves” the conference call such that Caller “A” and Caller “B” continue the conversation and Agent #1 is free to take another call

We are trying to replicate the above using Bria softphones

We can replicate getting all 3 folks (Agent #1, Caller “A” and Caller “B”) on the phone at the same time, such that everyone can hear each other, BUT we can’t find a way using the Bria softphone for Agent #1 to “leave” the call without ending the conference call.

Is there a key combination Agent #1 can dial to “Leave” the call after the Conference has been created without ending the conference as is done with the physical VOIP phone?

2

Must it be Bria?

3

This is really a question for Bria support.

4

Stewart,

Thanks for your reply, we are open to looking at other softphones BUT Bria has an easy to use provisioning product that makes it ideal for deploying to a large number of folks.

It seems we are one click away from making this work once we have all 3 folks on the call, now we just need the originator/Agent #1/Bria user to drop from the call

Any ideas?

5

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way under the hood. From Asterisk:s point of view, the 3-way call is two separate calls; Bria is mixing the audio. To leave, Bria must command Asterisk to transfer one external leg to the other.

6

I assume the Bria is providing the conference bridge, in which case it isn’t going to want to support calls in which it is not involved.

I’m assuming you are not doing it as described in:

which I think is the way you would have to do it to get Asterisk to provide the conference bridge.

7

Itzik,

I was told that it is a SIP issue by one of the softphone folks we spoke to.

8

Stewart,

Thanks, very helpful. I guess the question is whether there is a way/code/etc. that a user can enter via Bria to tell Asterisk to transfer one external leg to the other?

9

david55,

Very helpful, I’ll try this.

10

Asterisk doesn’t know there is any connection between the two. The phone could initiate it by the same mechanism as it would use to complete a normal attended transfer. The only difference between the enquiry phase of an attended transfer and the three part call, as far as the SIP PABX is concerned, is that neither party is on hold. That isn’t really significant.

11

I’m not a Bria user, but am guessing that you may be able to split a conference, then transfer the active call to the one on hold. See
https://docs.counterpath.com/guides/desk/desk_Retail_5.7.0/UG/clients/UserGuides/Desktop/conferenceCalls/deskConfSeparate.htm
and
https://docs.counterpath.com/guides/desk/desk_Retail_5.7.0/UG/clients/UserGuides/Desktop/calls/deskMultipleCalls.htm

12

Thanks, really helpful.

What do you think of adding something to the Dial Plan such that if an Agent is on a Conference Call with two other callers, if the Agent presses a unique key combination i.e. **### the two other callers are merged and the Agent is released from the call?

That would work if possible.

13

As far as Asterisk is concerned, there is no conference all. Only the phone knows tht both calls are related.

14

David - Thanks. I guess the Aastra/Sangoma physical VoIP phones know which external callers to keep connected and allow the originating caller to drop. Is there a way to add that to a Bria/Zoiper/softphone and/or use the Dial Plan to achieve the goal?

15

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