Joining Calls
Description
Joining is adding yourself to a call in progress, the same way you do on a home telephone by picking up an extension. (This is different from conferencing, in which the originator “pulls you into” the call.) Up to three system extensions can join a call on an outside line (for a total of one outside and four inside parties).
Related Features
■You can use Automatic Extension Privacy (#304) to prevent other extensions from joining calls on a specific extension. This is especially useful for answering machines, fax machines, modems, and credit card scanners, because trying to join one of these devices could interfere with its operation.
■Users can program Privacy onto a system phone button to allow or prevent others from joining their calls as needed.
■Caller ID information displays if you join a call; however, you cannot join a call at any extension that has Privacy activated.
■If a line is not assigned to a user’s extension and access to that line is not restricted for that extension, the user can use Direct Line
■You can join a call answered by Automatic System Answer or Direct Extension Dial by pressing the line button and lifting the handset. The message stops playing when you join the call.
■Pooled extension users can add other parties to a call by pressing pool buttons. See Conference.
Considerations
■You cannot join a call by pressing a pool button.
■You cannot join an intercom call or a conference call at another extension.
■You cannot join a call on an extension that has a voice interrupt on busy call in progress.
■You can join a call that is being answered by the voice messaging system, but only if Automatic Extension Privacy is Not Assigned for the extensions associated with the voice messaging system hardware. If this is the case, when you join the call, the voice messaging system disconnects automatically so you can speak to the caller.
■You cannot put a joined call on hold.
■You can tell when someone has joined a call of yours when the lights next to the line or pool button change to alternately flashing red and green.
■If a system phone joins a call on a standard phone, there is a momentary “break” in the call on the standard phone.