TCL VoicePro

Using Telephone Extensions
Voice Mail and Msg Notification

Physical Extensions

VoicePro Features The VoicePro can handle up to 12 phone extensions. It uses standard single-line phones. Nothing special or expensive is required. When a regular telephone is connected to the VoicePro it has multi-line capability with flexible professional-quality features as reviewed below. Standard telephones can be connected to the extension jacks on the back of the unit.

Virtual Extensions

Besides physical extensions, extension numbers go all the way up to 99. Those beyond the highest physical extension are virtual extensions, which can be used as voicemail extensions to play a greeting and take a message. Only physical extensions can ring to a phone or be forwarded to another number.

Single-key Menu Options To Ring Extensions

Each phone has a 2-digit extension number. Callers can dial that directly.

But you can optionally assign Auto Attendant menu options to ring to specific extension phones or direct to specific voice mail boxes. So your caller just presses a single key from your custom menu to reach a particular department or a specific person.

Example: "For customer support, press 1. To leave a message, press 2."

Custom Programming

Each extension and its mailbox can be custom programmed...

Room-to-Room Calling

Caller-ID

Caller-ID (name and number) is passed to extensions to view if your phone has a display. This feature requires Caller-ID service from your phone company.

Music on Hold

When a caller is being transferred to an extension, they will hear Music on Hold if you have a music source connected to the music jack on the Voice Pro. A radio, CD player, MP3 player, or even an Apple iPod can be used. Callers will hear silence while being transferred if no music source is connected.

Group Ringing

If you have a need for ringing several extensions so that any of your personnel can answer an incoming call, you can assign an Auto Attendant menu option for the caller to press that will ring multiple extensions.

This is known as departmental or group dialing and is normally only found on larger PBX systems.

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Voice Mail

If a caller dials an extension and there is no answer, they will be routed to that extension's mailbox. Each extension has its own mailbox and your personnel can record their own personal greetings.

The message length is programmable up to the 2-hour storage limit. All messages play the time and date received. Messages can be picked up from any remote phone. All mailboxes are password protected.

Administrator overview

You, as the administrator, can determine which mailboxes have messages in one step so there is no need to dial each mailbox to find which has messages.

99 Mailboxes

In addition to all the physical extensions, there are additional mailboxes (up to 99) that handle "only" Voice Mail. However, only physical extensions can be forwarded to another location. But all 99 mailboxes have live message alert.

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Message Notification

There are several ways the VoicePro can notify you when you have a message.
  1. It can call you remotely at another number. It will tell you that you have a message and allow you to log in during that call.
  2. It can use the message light on your phone extension if you have one.
  3. It can also give you studder dialtone if you don't have a message light indicator.
Remote notification can be done by calling your pager or by calling you live.

Remote Message Notification

  1. Pager Alert can be programmed into any mailbox to notify you that a message was left.

  2. Live Message Alert can be specified to call your cell phone, or any number, by voice, to "tell you" that you have messages. And, if you wish, you can log-in with your passcode during that call to pick up your messages.

Message Waiting Light Indicator

You will also be aware that you have messages by the "Message Waiting Indicator". There are two ways your extension will indicate that you have messages...
  1. Message Waiting Light: If your phone has a standard 90 volt message light, it will flash when you have messages.

  2. Stutter Dial-Tone: If your phone does not have a message light, just disable the "message waiting light" feature for your extension and the system will give you a stutter dial-tone to indicate you have messages when you pick up the phone.

External Message Waiting Light

If you don't have a telephone with a message waiting light, you can add on an external light indicator.

Viking Electronics makes a Universal Message Waiting Light that connects in line between the extension jack on the VoicePro and the phone. I comes with a short wire so you can mount it right on the phone. Then use the regular length wire you already are using to connect the light to the VoicePro.

We tested this device and it works great. The light flashes brightly when there is a message in that extension's voice mail. Note that you will need one for each phone if you want a message light indicator for each. Click the image to order direct from Amazon.

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Three-way Conferencing

The VoicePro lets you set up conference calls with one outside party and another inside party, or two outside parties and you.

In other words, when you receive a call from the outside, you can conference that caller with another person who is either atanother extension, or a remote person at another number.

Here's how...
  1. While on an outside call, press "flash."

  2. You will receive an internal dial tone.

  3. Dial another extension, or for an outside number, press 9 and listen for the dial tone. Then dial the outside number.

  4. When they answer, press "flash" again and the first party will be included in the conference.

Learn more, or select from the feature links in the right-hand column