Detailed description of Centralized Attendant Service

Last Updated : Oct 30, 2012 |

With Centralized Attendant Service (CAS), you can provide attendant services in a private network from a central location.

The CAS main system operates independently of the individual CAS branch systems. The operation for CAS main system traffic is identical to the operation of a stand-alone system.

Each branch in a CAS network connects to the main office through RLTs. These trunks provide paths to:

  • Send incoming attendant-seeking trunk calls at the branch to the main location for processing and extend the calls back to the branch. Both parts of a call use the same trunk.

  • Return timed-out waiting and held calls from the branch to the main location.

  • Route calls from the branch to the main location.

Two queues are associated with CAS calls. One queue is at the main office, and the other queue is at the branch. If idle RLTs are available from the branch to the main location, RLTs are seized. CAS calls are then queued at the main location, along with other attendant-seeking calls. If all RLTs are in use, CAS calls to the attendant are queued at the branch in an RLT queue. The length of the queue can vary from 1 to 100 calls. You set the length of the queue when you administer the RLT group.

Backup service provides for all CAS calls to be sent to a backup extension in the branch if:

  • All RLTs maintenance-busy

  • All RLTs are out of service

  • The attendant presses a Backup button that is not lit

To activate this feature and to provide notification that backup service is in effect, assign the backup extension to a Backup button and an associated status lamp.

  • The status lamp remains lit as long as backup service is in effect.

  • To deactivate the CAS feature, the attendant presses the Backup button while the status lamp is lit. The system does not send calls to the backup extension unless all RLTs are maintenance-busy, or out of service.

The attendant can put a CAS call from a branch on Remote Hold. The branch holds the call, and drops the RLT. After a timeout, which is the same as the timed reminder for an attendant-held call, the branch automatically attempts to route the call back to the attendant. The returning call can queue for the RLT. Attendants can use Remote Hold when the attendant must put a call on hold to prevent the unnecessary use of RLTs.

Centralized Attendant Service (CAS) supports the following capabilities: