How to setup discreet calling

I have this scenario:

A facility using FreePBX has been attacked by insurgence, phone users can dial a number and it will call a specific emergency number and play a pre-recorded message to the other line. On the physical phone, it will just seem like there is a voicemail pending and the phone will not show as being “in-use” as not to alarm the attackers.

Is it possible to do this configuration with FreePBX?

That is not really a FreePBX thing as dialing something on the phone will make it go off hook and play audio. It’s a phone specific feature and we built this into Clearly IP phones called panic calling. https://www.clearlyip.com/solutions/education-solutions/panic-button/

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The scenario should be disassociated from seeing to be using a phone, banks use knee operated panic buttons, railroads use ‘dead man’s handle’ be creative, use a capacitative touch sensor on a loved-ones photo frame, a 2 dollar esp2866 , mqtt to alert the ‘good guys’ over 2m walkie-talkies .

yes, being silly here but triggering a panic needs to be rock solid (no ‘boy cried wolf’ ) multiply redundant, (insurgent kills receptionist, what then?) and not dependant on a single point of failure, (the bad guys always cut the phone/network/cameras before abseiling in from the skylight)

Thank you for the input guys. I was checking if it was a possible solution rather than using a separate button. All desks have phones and are aware of aviation security procedures. I was just exploring ways on how to comply with airport regulation with regards to panic procedures.

If your phones have BLF button support for XML apps, you could use one to load a URL that initiates an alarm. It would be pretty easy to trigger a false alarm tho.

If any of your staff is already on a call, adding an ‘in-call’ feature code and associated application would be not easily noticed by the bad guys

Some low end phones (Yealink, Grandstream, etc.), though lacking XML apps, can still map a BLF key to a URL, which could trigger an alarm with no visual or audible indication on the phone itself.

Every phone, high end, low end, soft, SIP, IAX2, FXS, et al . . . . can dial an ‘in-call’ feature code. none need any special attention to do that. if you are not ‘in call’ then so be, i.e call your voicemail , dial the secret sauce code, done , so hang up and put your hands in the air :wink:

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