Using Communicator for Calls

Placing a Call

Place the call using one any of the options as described below. You will hear a ringing tone while Communicator attempts to make the connection.

• Enter the phone number in the call entry field using the dialpad or computer keyboard, then click the “Call” button or press [Enter].

• Drag an entry from the Contacts or History tab to the call entry field, “Call” button, or dialpad.
• Right-click (Windows) or [Control]-click (Mac) an entry from the Contacts or History tab and choose Call.
• Double-click an entry from the Contacts or History tab.
• Hover over a Contact entry to show the click-to-call button. Clicking it will place a call to the primary phone number for this contact.
• To redial, click the “Call” button when the call entry field is blank.

You can change the default behavior of the “Call” button to either “Call,” “Make a video call” or “Start a conference.”

• Windows users: Use the “Softphone > Preferences” menu option. Click the “Application” tab and scroll down to the “Default Actions” section.
• Mac users: Press the [Option] or [Alt] key on your keyboard when clicking the drop-down arrow next to the “Call” button to select from a list of actions.

If you know that your call will be answered by an IVR (interactive voice response) menu and you know what items you will choose, you can include those menu selections in the phone number as you dial it. You can also include pauses to allow the other side to answer the phone or respond.

• Type the number into the call field.
• Type a capital P to denote a 0.5-second pause and then the desired extension or menu option (for example).
• End the string with a semicolon (“;”), to tell Communicator to process the pauses.

Example 1: The number to dial is 123-456-7890, and when the IVR requests you enter an extension, you want to dial 500 after a two-second pause. The call field would look like the following:

1234567890PPPP500;

Example 2: To go through a series of menu options, this example dials the number, waits six seconds, dials 1, pauses for two seconds, dials 3, pauses for two seconds, and finally dials 7.

1234567890PPPPPPPPPPPP1PPPP3PPPP7;

Letters to Numbers

You can type letters and Communicator will convert the letters to numbers when placing the call. To turn this feature on or off:

• Windows users: Use the drop-down “More call options” menu on the right side of the toolbar.
• Mac users: Use the “a>1” toolbar button.

Incoming Calls

Communicator must be running to answer incoming calls. It can be running in the system tray (Windows) or hidden (Mac), but if you have exited the program, incoming calls will continue on to your next Call Handling Rule (typically going to voicemail).

The new call appears in its own call panel:

• Answer button: If you are on another call, that first call is placed on hold automatically and are connected to the new caller.
• Forward button (person with arrow): Once clicked, a call entry field appears. Enter the name or number to forward to and click “Forward Now.”
• Decline button: the caller will continue on to your next Call Handling Rule (typically going to voicemail).

The Call Alert box also appears:

• Video button: Click to answer the call and start sending your video immediately.
• Audio button: Click to answer the call using audio only. If you have a camera and wish to turn the call into a video call, you can add video at any point during the call using the “Start Video” button (a webcam with a green plus symbol) in the call panel.

Auto Answer

To turn the Auto Answer feature on or off, use the toolbar drop-down menu option (Windows version) or the toolbar button (Mac version). It is initially configured to auto-answer a call after one ring (three seconds), and to send only audio when the call is established. To change this configuration, go to “Preferences > Call Automation.”

Auto Answer is turned off automatically when the program is shut down.

Ending a Call

Click the red “End” call button; the call can either be active or on hold. You should hear a disconnect tone, and the call panel closes after a few seconds.

Transfering a Call

Blind Transfer (transfer this call now):

• During a call, click the “Transfer” button; the active call will be placed on hold and a call entry field appears. If you change your mind and want to resume the call, press the “X” button on the right side of the panel.
• Type a number or extension to which you want to transfer the call, or select a contact from your Contact List.
• Click the “Transfer now” button. (If it says “Call First,” click the drop-down menu and select “Transfer Now.”)
• You will be disconnected immediately.

Attended Transfer (call, then transfer):

• During a call, click the “Transfer” button; the active call will be placed on hold and a call entry field appears. If you change your mind and want to resume the call, press the “X” button on the right side of the panel.
• Type a number or extension to which you want to transfer the call, or select a contact from your Contact List.
• Click the “Call First” button. (If it says “Transfer Now,” click the drop-down menu and select “Call First.”)
• You will have the opportunity to speak with the transfer recipient first; you can also hold, resume or cancel either of the calls.
• After speaking with the new party, press the “Transfer Now” button; you will be disconnected immediately.

Windows users can change the default behavior of the “Transfer” button to either “Transfer Now” or “Call First.”

• Windows users: In the “Softphone > Preferences” screen, click the “Application” tab and scroll down to the “Default Actions” section.

Placing a Video Call

Calls made with Communicator will work without a video camera, but the video camera is necessary to allow other parties to see your image. Communicator works with most external USB video cameras, or internal ones.

When placing a call, instead of simply pressing the “Call” button, click the drop-down arrow and select “Video Call.” The call will be connected and the video window will automatically open if it’s not already visible. You can also right-click (Windows) or [Control]-click (Mac) an entry from your Contact or History lists and select “Video Call.”

If you have a camera, you can add video at any time to a call that started as an audio call. Click the “Start Video” button (a webcam with a green plus symbol) in the call panel. The party you are speaking with can choose to do the same at any time. If the other party starts their video first, your video window automatically opens and the video is played; simply click the “Start Video” button to start sending your own video (assuming you want to do so and have a camera).

To stop sending your video, click the “Stop Video” button in the call panel, or close the video window.

Conference Calls

When placing a call, instead of simply pressing the “Call” button, click the drop-down arrow and select “Conference Call.” Another call entry field will appear, where you will be able to place a call to another party while your first call is in progress.

If you have a call established already, use the drop-down arrow on the right side of the call panel to “Invite to Conference Call.” If you have two calls in progress (one active and one on hold), you can use the same arrow and then select “Merge Calls.” You can also add more participants to an existing conference using any of the following methods:

• Right-click a Contact or History entry and select “Add to Conference Call.”
• In the conference call panel, enter a name in the call entry field and click Add.
• Place a new, separate call that is not part of the conference call, then click the drop-down arrow for that caller and choose “Merge Calls” to add this call to the conference call.

Once the conference call is active, the call panel will display the participants. A drop-down arrow will appear next to the caller ID of each participant, allowing you to “Separate” that caller from the conference; the call becomes a separate call on hold. You may also remove that caller from the conference and end that one call.

Click the “Hold” button in the call panel to suspend the conference; all participants are placed on hold. If you need to speak to one participant separately, do so using the drop-down arrow for that person and then take that call off hold. When done, you can merge the participant back into the conference.

To end the conference and hang up on everyone, click the “End” button in the call panel.

Video Conference Calls

Again, calls made with Communicator will work without a video camera, but the video camera is necessary to allow other parties to see your image.

When you start a brand new conference call, video is not included, but you can choose to add video at any time. Video is then sent to all current participants.

If you start a conference from established calls, video is automatically included if at least one of the calls already includes video.

The person who starts the conference serves as the host for all of the video signals. Whatever the conference host receives will be sent to the other parties. If the host pauses or stops video, or places the conference on hold, the other participants will stop receiving video.

Voicemail and Message Waiting Indicator

A voicemail icon is located near the top of the window, in the toolbar. You can click it at any time to call your voicemail and listen to your messages. When you have a new message in your inbox, a red badge will appear over the icon, indicating how many new messages are waiting.