Hamilton County ACS/ARES®

Apison Meshphone BPX User Guide

APISON PBX USER GUIDE SERVING SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE 423-37XX

  This document is intended to be a user guide for mesh phone users of the APISON PBX.  The Apison PBX serves southeast Tennessee 423 public telephone calling area outlined below.       This includes counties of Chattanooga, Sweetwater, Bristol 37xx Counties: Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Hamilton, Rhea, Meigs, Bradley, McMinn, Polk, Monroe  

Dialing Instructions

 

Dialing instructions for extensions on this PBX:

  Calling local numbers in the 37xx (423-37xx) calling area, dial the four digit extension.   

Non-local numbers on the mesh network. 

  To call mesh phone extensions outside the APISON PBX calling area, dial  78 to obtain a new dial tone.  When the new dial tone is received, dial the full seven digit mesh phone number.1 Seven digit mesh phone numbers on this mesh phone system can be found at http://ka4ema-pbx-cha.local.mesh/whitepages.php or at the master list at http://n2mh-meshphone2/meshphone/whitepages.php.   Edits to the information in either directory can be made using the links found on the webpages.   These white pages directories can only be reached from a device connected to the AREDNⓇ  mesh network.    Updates to the master list will appear in both directories after 3:00 am each day.  Changes made will not be immediately visible in the end user directory.   

Dialing by Callsign

  Hams may be called by dialing their call sign on the phone pad.  Press the number that corresponds to the callsign character.  The automated dialing plan scripts that update each day, creates a new extension for each call sign that matches the call sign letters on the phone dial pad.   However, in the case of consecutive call signs where the same number corresponds to characters on the dial pad, errors can occur.   For instance in the example of calls signs KJ6FER AND KJ6FES, both will dial the same extension 556337.  As the PBX travels down the dialing plan to match the numbers, it will call the first matching extension, regardless of call sign.    To use calls sign dialing, first dial 73 to obtain a new dial tone and then enter the dial pad numbers . corresponding the the callsign characters.   For example, W4AM would be 9426.    

Hamshack Hotline dialing from this PBX. 

  Hamshack hotline is one of several VOIP telephone calling system that exist on the public internet.   Hamshack hotline extensions can dial into the APISON PBX by calling Hamshack hotline extension 4908 and following the prompts.  This is made possible via a HHUS trunk between Hamshack Hotline and the  APISON PBX.    Calling from the APISON PBX to a Hamshack Hotline number is configured for existing Hamshack Hotline users for use by authorized individuals during emergencies.    

Other PBX systems

  Other PBX that make up our mesh network can be found on the map at this URL:   http:/ka4ema-pbx-cha.local.mesh/map.    There are other PBX systems that have been implemented on the mesh network that use a different dialing plans.  Dialing plans that don’t match across PBXs will not connect to each other.  All the PBXs shown on the map link above use the same seven digit dialing plan.1  

Calls to the public telephone exchange.  

  The mesh phone system does not connect to the public telephone system.  There are many Federal regulations around phone systems connected to the public phone network that we are not prepared to meet.  One such regulation surrounds 911 service.  Your mesh phone cannot dial 911 or POTS (plain old telephone system) numbers, unless your have decided to purchase at your own expense an extension from a VOIP service provider who provides these services.2  If the credentials to your purchased service are provided,  we can set up your mesh phone to dial out to and receive calls from the public phone system.   Since the majority of mesh phones cannot reach the public phone system, the cannot dial 911.  It is highly recommended that you place a sticker on your mesh phone indicating that 911 service is not available from this phone  and educate persons who normally come in contact with your mesh phone.    When a user has not obtained service with a commercial VOIP provider as discussed above dials 911 on a mesh phone, the following will happen:   
  • The user will receive a special phone message stating that 911 cannot be called from this phone. 
  • After the recording plays twice, the system will begin dialing random extensions in hopes of reaching someone who may be able to assist. 
  Notes:  1 Being able to dial from one PBX to another using the Non-Local dialing instructions is subject to connectivity between nodes on the mesh network and trunks built between PBXs.   All phone connections pass from one PBX to another via a trunk connection.  Connections may pass via multiple trunk connections to reach the destination. The trunk connection passes through the mesh network.   If either the trunk or mesh connections fail or is non-existent, the call will not go through.   If a call fails, listening to the end of the automated announcement will indicate the last PBX the call was routed through before failure. 2 Mesphone users on the  APISON PBX have been successful with obtaining service from Callcentric.com for minimal expense.  There are several plan and configuration options with Callcentric and users planning to purchase service should discuss with the PBX admin before making the purchase.