Message/Announcement groups

Message and announcement groups allow a text message or announcement to be sent to several internal users at the same time. The announcement is either made live via a microphone or is played back from an audio file. There are two types of announcement types: normal announcement and emergency announcement.

Separate or joint message and announcement groups can be created. However, note that text messages can only be received on system phones with alphanumeric display, and that an announcement can only be made on system phones with loudspeaker.

The announcement itself is made via the microphone of the executing phone, from an audio file or from a combination of both (the audio file is played back once or several times, followed by an announcement via the microphone). Whether a signal tone must be heard before the announcement on the receiving phone, can be configured per group.

Announcement types

A distinction is made between a normal announcement and an emergency announcement:

  • A normal announcement can be answered by each user in the announcement group. The announcement is thus converted to an internal call and all other users in the announcement group are switched out. This is not the case with emergency announcement.

  • A set can be protected against a normal announcement, but not against an emergency announcement.

  • Both announcement types are activated with different function codes.

  • An emergency announcement can only be made via function code. Activation via foxkey/softkey is not possible.

  • Analogue phones in an announcement group are allowed during an emergency announcement but are ignored during a normal announcement.

Announcement destinations

There are 3 announcement destinations:

  • Announcement to one user

  • Announcement to several users

  • Announcement to one announcement group

Message/announcement groups:

  • It is possible to define up to 50 groups.

  • Each group can consist of up to 16 users.

  • Group 15, 16 is reserved for system event messages.

notes:
  • Only one announcement (on one or more users or an announcement group) can be triggered at the same time.
  • Several announcements can be active at the same time on announcement groups (valid as of R4.0 SP1).
  • For each group one announcement can be made to a maximum of 16 phones simultaneously. This limit is quickly reached if several phones are allocated to each user. The first 16 phones of the members of a group are taken into account, starting with the lowest member number. Only the phones for which the announcement can actually be made count (e.g. a set can be protected against a normal announcement).
  • An announcement from an audio file requires an audio channel, regardless of whether the announcement destination is a user, several users or an announcement group.
  • Call forwarding is not taken into consideration, but personal call routing is, for users with several terminals (One number concept).

Opening a message/announcement group

  1. Click on the symbol.

    A selection window opens.

  2. Select one or more (up to 16) users.

Tip:

To select several users, use the Ctrl key or Shift key.

  1. Click OK.

  2. Give the group a name.

  3. Choose whether a signal tone can be heard before the announcement.

  4. Click on the symbol.

Editing a message/announcement group

  1. Click the group number you wish to edit.

    The edit view for the group opens.

  2. Add users to it or delete some users, by setting it to None.

  3. Choose whether a signal tone can be heard before the announcement.

  4. Click the Apply button.

Note:

You can change the name of the group in Overview.

Deleting a message/announcement group

You can delete a group by left-clicking the symbol in Overview.

Recording audio data for announcements with phone or audio device

You can record audio files for announcements either by speaking into a phone, or via an audio device connected to the communication server audio input. The recordings created in this way are stored as audio files.

Table 1. Function code for managing announcements

Function

Function code

Recording with the phone

*917 xx #

Recording via communication server audio input

*927 xx #

Check recording

*#917 xx # (or *#927 xx #)

Delete recording

#917 xx # (or #92 xx #)

xx: Two-digit file number <01...40>

To start the recording, proceed as follows

  1. Enter the recording procedure.

    You hear a long start tone.

  2. Speak the text you wish to record or start the audio device.

    You can monitor the recording made via the audio input using the terminal’s handset.

  3. To end the recording, go on-hook or press the Stop Foxkey.

    The recording is automatically stored as a wave file in the file system.

notes:
  • A user can only carry out the function codes if he has been allocated an authorization profile with the right Audio services. Also the user PIN must not be set to the default value “0000”. You can configure both settings in the user configuration For this, click in the User list view on the corresponding user.
  • The duration of recording is limited by the size of the memory allocated in the file system. To specify the duration of recording use the Recording capacity parameter. Once this time has expired, the recording stops automatically and the audio data is stored.
  • The recording procedure overwrites the wave file activated in the file system.

Uploading audio files as wave files for announcements

You can also load existing records in form of a wave file onto the file system. To do so proceed as follows:

  1. Under Announcement files click the Browse... button on the line corresponding to the announcement you want and select the wave file you want to load.

  2. Click the Apply button to run the upload.

notes:
  • The audio file must have the “.wav” file name extension and be stored in the format “CCIT A-Law, 8 kHz, 8 bit, mono”. The communication server will be unable to play back audio files that do not have the correct format.
  • If the file system already contains an audio file by the same name, it will be overwritten.
  • The file played back is always the file entered under File name in the text field. If the file system does not contain a file by that name, nothing is played back.
Tip:

More files than planned can be uploaded to the file system, provided they each have a different name. The uploaded files can also be seen in the file browser under voice/announce/. Files can also be uploaded and/or deleted there.

Making a normal announcement

Table 2. Function code for making a normal announcement

Function

Function code

Announcement to one user with phone

*7998 <SC No.> #

Announcement to one user with audio file

*7997 x yy <SC No.> #

Announcement to one user with audio file and phone

*7996 x yy <SC No.> #

Announcement to several users with phone

*7998 <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

Announcement to several users with audio file

*7997 x yy <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

Announcement to several users with audio file and phone

*7996 x yy <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

Announcement to a  group with phone

*7988 <group No.>

Announcement to a group with audio file

*7987 x yy <group No.>

Announcement to a group with audio file and phone

*7986 x yy <group No.>

Stop an ongoing announcement with audio file

*7990 or *7980 1

answer an ongoing announcement

89 2

SC No. = user number

x = <1...9> number of audio file repetitions

yy = <01...40> 2-digit file number

Group No. = <01...50>
Note:

You can also make a normal announcement via the microphone on the handset to a user or announcement group on system devices via Menu. The ongoing announcement can be answered by lifting the headset or via the menu. The announcements do not apply to Mitel SIP phones.

Making an emergency announcement

Table 3. Function code for making an emergency announcement

Function

Function code

Emergency announcement to one user with phone

*7995 <SC No.> #

Emergency announcement to one user with audio file

*7994 x yy <SC No.> #

Emergency announcement to one user with audio file and phone

*7993 x yy <SC No.> #

Emergency announcement to several users with phone

*7995 <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

Emergency announcement to several users with audio file

*7994 x yy <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

emergency announcement to several users with audio file and phone

*7993 x yy <SC No.> * <SC No.> * ... <SC No.> #

Emergency announcement to a group with phone

*7985 <group No.>

Emergency announcement to a group with audio file

*7984 x yy <group No.>

Emergency announcement to a group with audio file and phone

*7983 x yy <group No.>

Stop an ongoing emergency announcement with audio file

*7990 or *7980 3

SC No. = user number

x = <1...9> number of audio file repetitions

yy = <01...40> 2-digit file number

Group No. = <01...50>

notes:

During announcements (especially to a group) the system limits must be observed, and sufficient system resources made available. Otherwise, the announcement may not be switched through to all users:

  • Assign enough system resources (audio channels, VoIP channels, DECT channels) and check that sufficient licences are available.
  • Check that audio channels can be reserved for announcements.
  • During simultaneous and/or successive announcements to several analogue terminals FXS interface cards may be overheated or the internal power supply unit may be overloaded (if, for instance, the phones no longer hang up after the announcement, the FXS interface remains active). In such cases the interface ports are switch off in groups. To avoid overheating, not more than 50 FXS ports may be active at the same time. Moreover, not more than 30% FXS ports should be active at the same time for each 32FXS card. Therefore, distribute the FXS ports to different FXS cards and/or to different communication servers, if necessary. To avoid overloading on Mitel 470, add an external auxiliary terminal power supply unit.
Tip:

Maximum 16 users are allowed for announcements to several users. The maximum dialling string length of 32 strings is quickly reached. Remedy: Store several users in abbreviated dialling.

Example:

Abbreviated dialling 7000 contains 200 * 201 * 202

Abbreviated dialling 7001 contains 203 * 204 * 205

Announcement to the users 200 to 205: *7998 7000 * 7001 #

Parent topic: Auto attendant
1 Only by the executing user and with many repetitions
2 By a user outside the group. The other users in the announcement group are switched out. Several announcements can be active on groups. Therefore, acceptance with *89 is not clear.The announcement that first reaches the system is answered.
3 Only by the executing user and with many repetitions
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