HIR Issue 4: Voice Mail and PBX Systems
by Axon
The Meridian Telephone system is becoming very popular for mid-size and large companies. Basically, all that the Meridian system is, is a PBX with Voicemail and outdial capabilities. It's very flexible, and easily programmed. Almost all user-definable functions can be utilized via a standard DTMF phone keypad, from listening to your voice mail, to changing the mailbox greeting, and changing passwords, allowing off-site access to voice-mail and other functions. I've seen this phone system at two of my three places of employment, as well as others. Chances are, you'll have no choice but to run across these systems once in your lifetime, simply because of their popularity. I am in no way saying that this is the BEST PBX or Voice-mail system, I'm just going to go over some basic information.
Stations-
Like any PBX, there are trunks (outdial lines) and stations (Phones hooked up to the PBX). The Meridian Mail System is a Digital PBX, and I don't think any phones other than the ones Meridian distributes, will work on it. I'll cover three types of meridian phones, which are the most popular, and the only ones I have seen.
Meridian M2006 Telephone:
The M2006 is a digital telephone that offers a standard DTMF keypad, Volume control, Release, and Hold buttons. It features Five programmable buttons along the right side of the phone, a one way speaker for on-hook dialing, plus a red light that indicates a voice-mail message. Alongside the programmable keys is an LCD status display bar. Below is a picture:
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≥ ≥ ≥ ≥HOLD ≥RLS ≥ >≥ ≥ P1 ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ ≥
≥ ¿ƒø ⁄ƒŸ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ≥ >≥ ≥ P2 ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥1 ≥2 ≥3 ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ≥ >≥ ≥ P3 ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥4 ≥5 ≥6 ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ≥ >≥ ≥ P4 ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥7 ≥8 ≥9 ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ ≥
≥ ⁄ƒŸ ¿ƒø ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ⁄ƒƒ ≥ >≥ ≥ P5 ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥* ≥0 ≥# ≥ ≥ ⁄ƒƒƒƒƒƒƒ ≥
≥ ≥ ≥ ≥ >≥ ≥ xNNNN ≥
≥ ¿ƒƒ¬ƒƒƒŸ ⁄ƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒƒ¬ƒƒƒ ¿ƒƒŸ ≥
≥ ≥ ≥<<<| |>>> ≥
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≥ ≥
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¿ƒŸ Note that the status Bar uses Little black arrows to indicate if a programmable function is active, such as forwarding, a conference call, etc. The xNNNN button, typically is labeled with the extension/mailbox number, such as "x1023". Pressing this button when the handset is on-hook will pick up the line and you'll hear your dial tone and dialing on the one-way speaker. The Ascii drawing on the left is not exactly how the phone looks. It's just how the keypad is layed out. There is a Speaker above the keypad, and the keypad is about half as tall as It appears to be in the drawing. The <<< >>> bar, is the volume control. It's one solid button, but it rocks to the left or right, to decrease or increase volume, respectively. The programmable keys can be programmed various ways. I have seen the following functions assigned to programmable keys: Intercom, Conference, Transfer, Speed Call, Forward, Auto Dial, Program*, Call Pick-Up, and Message. Most of those functions are self-explanatory. I'll explain the ones that are not.
Speed Call-
Similar to speed-dialing on a normal telephone. Program numbers into 10 memory allocations, 0-9, and then just press [Speed Call] [x].
Auto Dial-
Works in the same manner as Speed Call, but it calls one pre-programmed number, at the touch of this button.
Program-
This is only available on the other phone, and some of the larger phones that i will talk about, not the M2006. It is used for adjusting Volume of the speakerphone, Contrast of the status screen (which I'll talk about when i get to the next section), Call Timer enable, Idle Screen Format, and key clicks.
Call Pick-UP-
This is a function that allows a user to answer another phone in the same office. It's fairly useless, unless you feel like intercepting your boss's phone calls (I've tried it. fun.)
The M2616 Telephone-
Features include all of the ones found on the M2006 Telephone, plus a two-way speakerphone, 16 Programmable keys instead of five, and allows for modular options such as a status display (2 line Alphanumeric LCD display that shows number dialed, length of call, time, and other things). This phone also has a female DB25 port on the back of it. Materials i have acquired speak of the 2616's ability to support a programmable data adapter. I assume that's what the port is for, although I really don't know what the precise function of the programmable data adapter is.
I won't bother showing a second picture. Just imagine the first picture with 2 rows of programmable buttons, 8 on each side of the status bar. Most of the programmable buttons i've sen on these phones are dedicated to AUTO-DIAL buttons, so typically these phones are found in supervisor offices, with preprogrammed numbers to all the stations of their underlings.
The M2617 Telephone-
The most luxurious and feature-rich phone I've seen is the M2617. While it has all of the functions of the 2616, it has only 11 programmable buttons, and 5 "soft keys" across the top of the phone, under the display, which is, again, an alphanumeric LCD screen. The soft keys' functions can be programmed to change with the status of the phone. These keys can display the last number called, forwarding functions, speed dialing programmability, and a host of other options. The keys are used to navigate the whole menu Subsystem of the phone itself. The only place I've ever seen this phone was at the operator's desk, and it was hooked up to several modular adapters that were for transferring calls to different stations. I do not know all of the modular options that are available for these phones, but i do know that there are options for display screens, and additional programmable buttons.
In addition, the 2617 (and I believe the 2616) are capable of handling multiple incoming phone lines. Remember the xNNNN button on the 2006? Well the 2617 is capable of handling many incoming lines, which take up one programmable key per line, so you can press one of the incoming line buttons to connect to that line.
The Voice mail System-
The following information may be system specific to the location for which i found the informative literature. If this doesn't work with all meridian systems, so sue me.
If you're actually at the place where the system is, this is a lot easier, if you have access to a station (a phone hooked up to the PBX). To enter the voice mail system, press the [MESSAGE] programmable button. If the phone does not have one of these, try dialing 4444. This may or may not work properly. If it does not, you're shot out of luck, or you can try to find a phone with a message button on it. Some way or another, though, there is an extension that can be dialed that will allow some of the phones to access messaging and setup options. Ceretain stations can be programmed from the console as to not allow mailbox setup on that station. Keep trying, I guess.
Some phones may not have a mailbox set up. IF this is the case, you MAY be in extreme luck, as usually the system will begin prompting you for all the information it needs to CREATE a voice-mail box for that extension. You may hear a menu for how to play messages, or you may be told that there are no messages at all. There is also the possibility that you will be asked for a password. There is a VERY neat trick with meridian mail systems passwords... by default, ALL, that's right, EVERY SINGLE mailbox has a password, and ALL of the passwords, unless the default configuration was altered before set-up, is the same as the extension number, so if you see the number "x3125" on the programmable button on your phone, then try that as the password. It will probably work unless that mailbox is someone's personal mailbox and they have changed the password.
Once you've entered the password, you're ready to do one of a few things. The most interesting of these, is obviously TAKING OVER the mailbox, since that's probably one of the things you want to learn about. Rest assured, though, that your efforts in this stage could be taken the wrong way by the big corporate people, and also, it's nothing more than a few lousy keystrokes and maybe 5-10 minutes of work to completely wipe out the mailbox, or to change the password on it again and give control of the mailbox back to whomever it originally belonged.
After the password has been entered, There are all sorts of things you may want to do.
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≥Enter Password
≥
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≥[2] Reply to ≥[3] Discard ≥[4] Forward ≥[5] Keep ≥[6] Make ≥[7] Play ≥
≥Last message ≥last message ≥message to ≥message. ≥message to ≥Messages ≥
≥Listened to. ≥Listened to. ≥other phone ≥send later ≥
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≥[8] User Options. ≥[9] Exit (hang up
≥(Passwords, Voice
≥Greeting, etc.)
≥This is FUN! I'm really only going to focus on the User Options menu in this article, because the rest is mundane, and can be easily explored by simply listening to voice prompts. The User Options menu is the most powerful menu that any normal person will have access to.
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≥User Options
≥
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≥[4] Record ≥[6] Record ≥[7] Change/ ≥[8] Help ≥[5] Make
≥Personal ≥your name. ≥assign your ≥Distribution
≥greeting. ≥passcode. ≥List. (We
≥won't cover
≥this) Pressing 9 from this menu will take you back to the previous menu.
Obviously, taking over the mailbox can be done simply by changing the passcode. If you want, you can leave the greeting and name the same, or you can scream something obscene. When you are recording, remember to hit the # key to stop the recording. For the love of god and hackers, please don't mess with the distribution list. It's not very user-friendly and I personally think it's the lamest thing since the 1960's phone phreaks designed 200 different colors of "boxes", all of which were different ways to put someone on hold or tie up their phone line.
Have phun with all the meridians you can find!
