Headset Auto Answer

Information About Headset Auto Answer

Auto Answering Calls Using a Headset

In Cisco Unified CME 4.0 and later versions you can configure lines on specific phones to automatically connect to incoming calls when the headset key is activated. The phone cannot be busy with an active call and the headset key must be engaged to automatically answer calls. Incoming calls are automatically answered one by one on the phone as long as the headset light remains lit. For each ephone, you can specify one or more lines for headset auto answer.

After a phone is configured for headset auto answer, the phone user must press the headset key to start auto answer. The headset light is lit to indicate that auto answer is active for the lines that are designated in the configuration. When the phone auto answers a call, a zip tone is played to alert the phone user that a call is present. To stop auto answer, the phone user presses the headset key again and the headset light goes out. At this time, the phone user can answer calls in a normal manner using the handset.

Difference Between a Line and a Button

Note that a line is similar to, but not exactly the same as, a button on the phone. A line represents a phone’s capability to make a call connection, so each button that can make a call connection becomes a line. (For example, unoccupied buttons or speed-dial buttons are not lines.) Note also that a line is not the same as an ephone-dn. A button with overlaid ephone-dns is only one line, regardless of whether it has several ephone-dns (extension numbers) associated with it. In most cases an ephone’s line numbers do match its button numbers, but in a few cases they do not.

When is a Line the Same as a Button? illustrates a comparison of line numbers and button numbers for different types of ephone configurations.

Figure 1. When is a Line the Same as a Button?


Configure Headset Auto Answer

Enable Headset Auto Answer

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. ephone phone-tag
  4. headset auto-answer line line-number
  5. end

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose

Step 1

enable

Example:

Router> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:

Router# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

ephone phone-tag

Example:

Router(config)# ephone 25

Enters ephone configuration mode.

  • phone-tag —Unique sequence number that identifies this ephone during configuration tasks. The maximum number of ephones for a particular Cisco Unified CME system is version- and platform-specific. For the range of values, see the CLI help.

Step 4

headset auto-answer line line-number

Example:

Router(config-ephone)# headset auto-answer line 1

Specifies a line on an ephone that will be answered automatically when the headset button is depressed.

  • line-number —Number of the phone line that should be automatically answered.

Note

 

Repeat this command to add additional lines.

Step 5

end

Example:

Router(config-ephone)# end

Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Verify Headset Auto Answer

Procedure

Step 1

Use the show running-config command to verify your configuration. Headset auto answer is listed in the ephone portion of the output. 

Router# show running-config 
			 
			 ephone  1
			  headset auto-answer line 1
			  headset auto-answer line 2
			  headset auto-answer line 3
			  headset auto-answer line 4
			  username "Front Desk"
			  mac-address 011F.92B0.BE03
			  speed-dial 1 330 label “Billing”
			  type 7960 addon 1 7914
			  no dnd feature-ring
			  keep-conference
			  button  1f40 2f41 3f42 4:30
			  button  5:405 7m20 8m21 9m22
			  button  10m23 11m24 12m25 13m26
			  button  14m499 15:1 16m31 17f498
			  button  18s500
			  night-service bell
			  

Step 2

Use the show telephony-service ephone command to display only the ephone configuration portion of the running configuration.

Configuration Example for Headset Auto Answer

Example for Enabling Headset Auto Answer

The following example enables headset auto answer on ephone 3 for line 1 (button 1) and line 4 (button 4). 

ephone 3
		 button 1:2 2:4 3:6 4o21,22,23,24,25
		 headset auto-answer line 1
		 headset auto-answer line 4
		 

The following example enables headset auto answer on ephone 17 for line 2 (button 2), which has overlaid ephone-dns, and line 3 (button 3), which is an overlay rollover line. 

ephone 17
		 button 1:2 2o21,22,23,24,25 3x2
		 headset auto-answer line 2
		 headset auto-answer line 3
		 

The following example enables headset auto answer on ephone 25 for line 2 (button 3) and line 3 (button 5). In this case, the button numbers do not match the line numbers because buttons 2 and 4 are not used. 

ephone 25
		 button 1:2 3:4 5:6
		 headset auto-answer line 2
		 headset auto-answer line 3

Feature Information for Headset Auto Answer

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to https://cfnng.cisco.com/. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Table 1. Feature Information for Headset Auto Answer

Feature Name

Cisco Unified CME Version

Feature Information

Headset Auto Answer

4.0

Headset auto answer was introduced.