On Hold Music Being Blocked???

B-Rad

I hate to post this because it seems like beating a dead horse, BUT...

I am evaluating some of NCH's software to determine if I want to purchase, but this problem is driving me crazy!

Summary:

Sound disappears on hold...

I am demo'ing Axon, IMS, IVM, and Express Talk.

First since I haven't been able to get IVM working in the mix yet (different question), we are only talking about Axon, IMS, and Express Talk.

I have setup a group, or queue in Axon, and directed incoming calls to that group, and that group is setup to work with IMS.

As soon as a call comes in the queue grabs it, and IMS starts playing right away. No Problems thus far!

However, once I answer the phone, then put it back on hold, you can hear a second of the IMS, but then goes silent like something is blocking it. This goes the same for the "Basic Hold Chimes".

My current VoIP provider plays some kind of music when you place a caller on hold, and I thought that it was just overpowering, or overwriting what was coming from IMS.

I called my VoIP provider, and I was told that they could not get rid of the music, so I signed up with one of the "recommended VoIP providers" (Callcentric), only to find a similar problem, only now instead of hearing someone else's music, there is just silence.

I contacted Callcentric's support about this because I thought they were doing it on purpose, but the response I got said differently:

"Your second question is strange because once a call is connected we do not cut off the audio because you place a call on hold, it may be that your PBX is not configured properly. Double check your configuration, if you continue to have problems then update this ticket."

RE-CAP: I get sound from IMS through my speakers, through my headset, and even through Axon PBX when answered in the queue, but nothing when a call is placed on hold. You can hear it start but then get cut off.

Once again... Does anyone have any thoughts, or ideas???

Greg4266

I have the exact same thing happening as you describe above.

If you have IMS set up as a SIP extension as well as a server, try dialing directly into the extension. When I do this, I hear the music fine... even on client machines where it means the music is moving over the network. But when I configure it to stream on port 606, ensure the firewall is open, and configure an Express Talk installation to use it... it doesn't work. When I put a call on hold, 1/10th of a second of the audio is heard, then silence. I happen to be using CallCentric as well, though I can't imagine why this would make a difference.

Anyway, if anyone finds anything out please let me know!

B-Rad

This thing is driving me nuts :blink: !!! I have tried everything, at least that I can think of.

Now I have Axon, IVM, and IMS all working together, but there is still something not right.

Using the soft phone:

I can dial Ext. 197, and get the IMS. If I dial Ect. 198, I get default OGM, I press 1 (to leave a message), * (to go back), or 2 (to keep waiting), this option transfer you to Ext. 701 which is a queue, and I am hearing the IMS just as I should. If I dial Ext. 199, I get the same thing as dialing Ext. 198.

Using an outside line:

Now, if I call in from an external line, the call goes directly into Ext. 701 and I hear IMS as I should, again here no problem. After 30 sec. call is transferred to IVR, caller is asked to either leave a message (press 1), or keep waiting (press 2). On press 1, everything completes as expected, but if press 2, caller is transferred back to Ext. 701, but now no more IMS, and again after 30 sec. process will repeat.

Now even though everything is configured to use IMS as a server, when you press 2, you will hear a fraction of a sec. of something other than the IMS, but then goes silent.

I'm not sure whether the IMS problem lies in the server part, or in the "On Hold Ext. 197" part. Since Ext. 701 is set to "Link to IMS On-Hold Player", and works when the calls go directly to that Ext., but not when they are transferred back. And NO test call, that I have actually placed on hold, hears anything from IMS except for that fraction of a sec. of sound.

So any thoughts, comments, or suggestions???.... Anyone????

kthanid

I am having the same problem as well. I have 6 external lines ringing into one group (701) which with IMS set as default "on hold player" plays the music fine while the line is ringing. No problems so far. Except when I answer the line and place the caller on hold they get no music at all, no sound, just silence. not even the fraction of a second you were talking about. I have Axon, IMS, IVM and callcentric with 3 grandstream 1200 phones.

I have had the system for about 6 months and never have been able to solve this problem.

I think NCH knows about this, I also don't think IMS was designed to work with axon as a pbx. Maybe just an after though for the programmers.

My 2 cents

jrickta

Just wondering how the IMS would work when using Carousel telelphony adapter. eg someone rings your fixed landline, signal converts to your voip lines for axon pbx use, then once answered via voip phone, gets put on hold, would Ims music not get blocked?

[deleted]

teknical wrote:

Just wondering how the IMS would work when using Carousel telelphony adapter. eg someone rings your fixed landline, signal converts to your voip lines for axon pbx use, then once answered via voip phone, gets put on hold, would Ims music not get blocked?

Hi,

The issue is that On hold music is handled by the phone/softphone involved in the call. Not by Axon.

Heres what happens when someone calls.

They call, axon starts playing the hold music to them in place of the ringing tone. (at that point the phone is ringing so the only people talking to each other is Axon and the caller)

Once the person being called picks up the phone, a negotiotion takes place between the caller and the person called, and Axon effectively stands to the side and lets the two phones communicate to each other. (well not phones exactly but the two parties)

Basically once two people are talking, axon is done with being the middle man. Its then up to the phone to send on hold music when it puts the caller on hold.

If you use our express talk software it has a feature to link directly to IMS for the on hold music.

Now Some IP phones etc have a feature where they can transfer a call to an extension when its put on hold. So you can push the hold button and it calls the IMS extension so the caller can hear the music. sort of like a conference in a way. then when you take them back off hold it just disconnects the IMS extension because its still in charge of the call.

I hope this clears things up for you a bit.

Thankyou