Cisco Collaboration and Contact Center Solutions - Messages with tag "phone directory"

Aurus Blog

This blog is to share our expertise in Cisco UCM, UCCX/UCCE and Cisco Meeting Server

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Configuring Cisco Jabber 11 for iOS and Android Mobile Devices

If we have Cisco IM and Presence server and Cisco UCM in our corporate environment, as well as unhandy wi-fi Cisco 7925 telephones, which are heavy and consume the battery as fast as a Formula One car, then sooner or later we’ll think about switching to Cisco Jabber on a mobile phone.

This article tells what you need for that.

Before all experiments, make sure you have the following things:

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager 8.6.2 or higher (preferably the latest version)
  • Cisco IM and Presence (integrated with CUCM, of course)
  • Wi-Fi Wireless Access Point, already set up by an administrator to distribute wireless internet (don’t mix it up with Wi-Fi Router, since if you have Router, your phones will be hidden behind NAT and RTP streams and it will be complicated to route correctly)
  • CUCM и IM&Presence Administrator kind enough to make us a CUCM and Presence user
  • Android 4.x or higher, better and faster (iPhone will do as well)

You can discard Cisco IM and Presence and configure Cisco Jabber for CUCM phone services only. It will be a dull and sad client (as an alternative to Jabber: what can possibly prevent you from registering an Android phone as a SIP third-party device on CUCM?), but you’ll be able to call anyway.

Proceed to Google market (or Apple Store for iPhone)

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cisco.im

And install the app.

But we won’t be able to run it until we perform the configuration steps in our Unified Communication infrastructure. So, led by the craving for launching Cisco Jabber on our phone, we go to the CUCM web interface and add our device.

Use the menu: Device - Phone - Add new – select "Cisco Dual Mode for Android"

Now we configure our precious, paying attention to the following aspects:

Device Name – in case of Android device it should start with BOT prefix (TCT in case of iPhone) and include name in upper case (BOT <NAME>). Allowed characters: a–z, A–Z, 0–9, (.), (_), (-). Total name length is limited to 12 characters. My device name is BOT-ATYRIN.

Description – specify or shyly conceal the phone model (or write any kind of nonsense)

Media Resource Group List – either specified explicitly or assigned through the Device Pool

Optionally specify User Hold MOH Audio Source и Network Hold MOH Audio Source

Owner – select User

Owner User ID – select yourself from the list of CUCM users

Device Security ProfileCisco Dual Mode for Android – Standard SIP Non-Security Profile

SIP ProfileStandard SIP Profile for Mobile Device

If necessary, in Product Specific Configuration Layout section you can turn video support on, and specify a list of SSID Wi-Fi access point names, separated with ( /), if you wish to connect to the specified access points only.

After that we can add a line (DN) to our device.


Associate yourself with this line.

Take notice that since Cisco Jabber 11.0.1 and CUCM 10.5(2)su2 versions you can use conversation recording and listening features!

Quoting the documentation: Silent Monitoring and Call Recording (Built-in Bridge) — In 11.0.1 Cisco Jabber for Android supports silent monitoring and call recording using Cisco Unified Communications Manager 10.5(2) su2 and later releases.

After that proceed to User Management – End User and give yourself the rights to use this device (Device Association)

Don’t forget to ensure that you are an IM and Presence user:

And have the necessary rights:

Last but not least, a bit of Cisco magic without which you may not be able to run anything:

Jabber on Android doesn’t support HOSTNAME in Android kernel before version 4.4.4, and it’s possible that the integration with Call Manager phone services won’t happen. So, you’ll only see chat and presence features.

To solve this problem, first of all it’s necessary to specify FQDN or IP address everywhere in Jabber settings.

Secondly, in System – Enterprise Parameters menu in CUCM you should fill the initially empty Organization Top Level Domain field (initially empty) with the enterprise domain value.

Now cross your fingers and pray to Cisco gods as we proceed to the most exciting part: the first launch and configuration of Cisco Jabber on your phone.

It launches, which is good enough. Let’s open “Advanced settings” and presume that we are clever enough to explore them. Fill out IM and Presence server address and press OK:

Fill out your username and password (End User credentials in CUCM, IM and Presence). If you haven’t made any mistakes, you may rejoice and shed tears of happiness:

Now you can use mobile Jabber:

How to Extend CUCM (CallManager) Features

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CallManager) is the leading IP PBX in the worldwide market. Only certified professionals can deal with its rich functionality. Nevertheless, dozens of software vendors develop products that empower CUCM (Cisco Unified Communications Manager) functionality with new features.

Aurus, the official Cisco Solution Partner, invites you to learn what new features the Aurus PhoneUP product brings to Cisco IP PBX (Cisco Unified Communications Manager or Cisco BE 6000/7000).

Enterprise Phone Directory for Cisco CallManager

The "Directory" module of the PhoneUP application bundle provides the enterprise phone directory service for employees, and is an alternative to built-in CUCM phone directory. The main differences between the "Directory" module and the out-of-the-box Cisco CallManager directory are:

CUCM"Directory" module
Number of directoriesOneUnlimited number with access control for groups of employees
Integration with external systemsADAD, LDAP, IBM Lotus Notes, CSV, XML, CUCM, SQL database
External contacts supportNoYes
Caller IDInternal numbers onlyAny phone number
Incoming call detailsName / Last Name / CompanyFlexible data that may contain an employee photo
Notification of missed calls via e-mailOnly with UnityYes
DTMF support NoYes
Personal directoriesOne (edited manually or imported from Outlook)Unlimited number of directories synchronized with external sources
Auto-redial featureNoYes


The "Directory" module is integrated with Cisco Jabber. Using the standard contact search field of Cisco Jabber not only you can find an employee, but also search for client, partner and any other contact imported from external datasource. Also, when you get a call from the contact (client for example) stored in the directory Cisco Jabber will show the client's name, status and any other information from the CRM system.

Phone Call Recording (CUCM)

Cisco offers its own solution, Cisco MediaSense for call recording that captures and stores audio, forked by Cisco IP phone bridge or CUBE (Cisco Unified Border Element). But MediaSense is a recording platform that only provides basic features to manage call recordings. Cisco officially recommends using 3rd party solutions developed by technology partners that provide additional functionality.

For example, the "Record" module of PhoneUP can be integrated with Cisco Mediasense to bring you extra-features not implemented in Mediasense:

  • flexible management of user access to call recordings;
  • rich search and filter tools;
  • call recording rules (for example, recording only external calls);
  • IP phone user interface to search and play the call recording;
  • playing the recording into the current phone call;
  • and much more.

Attendant Console

Cisco actively promotes Cisco Jabber, the enterprise collaboration tool. At the same time, some business units need a wider range of call control features including specific ones, for example:

  • top manager assistants need to monitor chief's phone lines and intercept calls during his absence;
  • reception staff and contact center need a visual control of the call queues not to miss client calls or VIP calls that should not be left unanswered;
  • top managers need an intuitive, time-saving interface allowing to perform basic call control actions with easy to use UI supporting drag-n-drop.

In these cases you should pay attention to the "Console" module.

Group paging via Cisco IP phones

Features of Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) and Cisco IP-phones, as well as API Cisco provides its technology partners, allow to use the IP telephony network for text and audio notifications to employee groups.

Cisco's collaboration product line doesn't include such a solution, and clients need to turn to 3rd party vendors. The "Paging" module of PhoneUP bundle supports both text and audio paging to Cisco IP phones as well as live broadcasting through speakerphones.

Features that improve the security of IP telephony network built on Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM)

Cisco CallManager (CUCM) provides users with the Meet-Me conferencing feature – each conference has its phone number that needs to be dialed to join the meeting. But the "built-in" Meet-Me conferences do not provide the necessary security. Anyone who knows the number of conference room can dial it and join. To avoid this you can use the "Conference" module that works on top of CUCM conferencing feature and protects meetings with PIN.

The "Lock" module is used to lock Cisco IP phone while its owner is away to prevent abuses and frauds. In some ways this is similar to the "Extension Mobility" feature implemented in Cisco Unified Communications Manager, but is designed to improve the security. Unlike Extension Mobility a phone locked with PhoneUP:

  • stays registered to CUCM;
  • can receive incoming calls;
  • is allowed to make outgoing calls to a limited set of directions;
  • denies the access to the personal address book, call history, call recording, etc .;
  • gets locked and unlocked automatically when you log in/out the PC.

XML-services for Cisco IP phones

Cisco Systems provides technology partners with rich capabilities for development of custom XML-applications for Cisco IP phones - with which users can interact via the IP phone keypad and display. The "Inform" and "Hotel" modules of the PhoneUP bundle may be considered as examples of such applications.

Implementing Unified Enterprise Directory in Heterogeneous UC Environment

Despite the fact that PhoneUP is designed for Cisco UCM its “Directory” module can be used to provide the unified enterprise phone directory with Caller ID support in heterogeneous multivendor communication infrastructure.

Here is the case study.

The holding with 15+ companies has a multivendor enterprise communications network with IP PBXs of different vendors (Cisco UCM, CME, Siemens, Asterisk etc) connected with SIP trunks:

Managing 15+ local directories were too labour-intensive and did not provide the unified contacts directory available for every employee of the holding.

The solution implemented includes:

  • Cisco Unified Communication Manager which proxies all the calls of the communications network;
  • PhoneUP “Directory” app integrated with new CUCM and all sources of employee details.

So, what are the benefits achieved?

1. Unified always up to date enterprise directory available for everyone.
PhoneUP Directory is synchronized with the employee database of each company. A set of built-in connectors allowed to integrate it with various datasources like AD, CUCM, HR software etc. The public web-interface is available for any employee and provides sort/filter/group features for fast contact search.

2. Caller ID for any IP endpoint.
Integrated with CUCM PhoneUP Directory supplements each call with the Caller ID string which is displayed on any SIP-endpoint with no matter to IP PBX that receives the call.

If you want to know more tech details about the project, contact us and we’ll share our experience with you.

Cisco Jabber 11 – “And I admit, it's getting better…”

We suppose our readers don’t need to be told what Cisco Jabber is. This article is about the corporate environment it was introduced to, where it is extremely important to support TelePresence devices, work with VDI, let mobile users stay online, quickly create complicated meetings and conferences. And also to conform to a whole lot of rules and security policies.

In June 2015, Cisco Collaboration 11 was released, and Jabber, as a part of it, has changed for the better and acquired a lot of helpful features.

In brief:

  • Support of all main desktop and mobile operating systems except Linux;
  • Interface unification even for Cisco TelePresence devices;
  • Safe access for mobile users (an encrypted channel is created after Jabber launches);
  • A p2p analogue for VDI stations without excessive transfers from terminal to server;
  • Simple guest access for browser-only users.
Now let’s go into more details.

Supported devices

Cisco made Jabber client suitable almost for every device: Windows, OS X, iOS, Android, and also browsers and VDI thin clients. There’s no Linux and Windows Phone support yet. This variety provides maximum accessibility for users and allows them to use their favorite device for communications.

Licensing for a heterogeneous device park becomes easier and more intelligible.

After transition from Personal Communicator (Jabber’s predecessor) to Jabber the application design has become almost identical on all devices. You can see the same interface even on TelePresence terminals (personal and group ones) which provide high communication quality. That helps users to adjust and start using the services.

The features available in Cisco Jabber for Windows are:

  • Presence – real-time availability of employees within and outside the enterprise network
  • Instant messaging – including p2p chat, group chat, chat rooms
  • Phonebook – contains only AD and MS Outlook contacts, but you can integrate Cisco Jabber with CRM and any enterprise DB to make other contacts available in Jabber phonebook
  • Desktop sharing – the whole screen, not the certain app only
  • Conferencing – voice and web meetings
  • Integrated video – with media escalation
  • Security features – encryption, single sign-on, enterprise policy management

Mobile clients provide a bit less functionality.

UC outside the office

Only two or three years ago it wasn’t easy to provide mobile and remote employees with access to corporate communication services. There has always been a choice between using VPN connections and restricting functionality. It may seem easy to build a VPN tunnel, but in reality it created a lot of obstacles and issues: organizational (VPN and UC are usually managed by different departments), technical (encryption matters) and user problems. The last ones could nullify all the efforts to overcome the others, because it was simply unhandy to establish a VPN connection every time you leave your office. In any case, the solution turned out to be expensive and complicated.

After the Mobile and Remote Access (MRA) function was created, everything got better. The function name speaks for itself: it allows providing mobile and remote users with a secure access to UC services. The users can use Jabber anywhere without thinking about their location or changing any settings. All they have to do is to launch the application, and Jabber will find the required server by itself. What makes this function even more attractive is that it is completely free. Software for the edge servers that provide Jabber functioning outside a corporate network costs $0, and Jabber clients don’t require a license for internal calls. Perhaps this is one of the most useful and important functions, that is implemented today in every project where Jabber is used.

Guest access

In the end of 2013 Jabber Guest solution was introduced. It allows to simply send a link to a remote party or place it online. The remote subscriber can connect from a browser or a mobile device using this link, and an employee can use the accustomed means of communication. This function is very helpful for HR, communicating with natural persons and small companies, or recruiting experts from the outside.

Cloud and VDI

Jabber can be used together with Cisco WebEx cloud services and newly created Collaboration Meeting Rooms (CMR) Cloud service which also is based on WebEx Cloud. Joint usage of Jabber and these services provides an opportunity to use the client to take part in cloud arrangements and also initiate them with a single click. The last version of Jabber introduced an opportunity to start a WebEx or CMR session directly from the chat window without planning, inviting participants, etc.

There used to be a problem with VDI, because a workstation with an operating system would be situated in a data center, and the peripheral devices (monitor, web-camera, microphone, speakers) in the office would be connected to a thin client. This caused a significant delay in voice and video transmission to/from the data center. Standard video conferencing and UC applications can’t work in these circumstances. However, a special intermediate for Jabber, installed on a thin client, allows to overcome this limitation. Audio and video data is being transmitted directly between the thin client and a remote subscriber, avoiding the workstation in data center.

How We Improved Our CUCM (CallManager) Phone Directory

Hi, I’m Kirill Basikhin, international key account manager from Aurus. Here, at Aurus, we develop a bundle of applications for Cisco Unified Communications Manager. And, yes, we do use our products, because they help us work faster, smarter and easily.

This post is not going to be a promotional one, I’ll just describe the way we setup the enterprise CUCM directory with our product. Each paragraph below is a real-life daily use-case.

The important feature used in all cases below is that our phone directory is integrated with CRM, so every contact I create in CRM automatically appears in the enterprise CUCM directory with phone numbers, manager (me or one of my colleagues) name, city, products purchased (or interested in).

Incoming Calls from my Clients Get Routed Directly to Me

We’ve got UCCX installed that receives any incoming call. A simple UCCX script sends the caller’s phone number to the CUCM directory software (PhoneUP Directory). The phone directory searches its database for the client number provided and sends the response to UCCX containing the phone number of manager (me), responsible for this client. UCCX then just forwards the call to me.

So, every time my client calls Aurus he reaches me automatically. Cool? Yep!

What if the Caller is Unknown?

If UCCX does not receive the phone number to transfer the call to, it routes it to the reception (actually one of the marketing managers, we’re not a huge company). The girl receiving the incoming call gets a CAD (yeh, we still use the old-school Cisco Agent Desktop) popup with the list of employees to whom calls from the calling party were transferred most often (PhoneUP Operator).

So when my aunt from Germany calls Aurus again (she doesn’t call my mobile, its expensive) the girl receiving the call gets a list with my name only (cause my aunt called previously and asked for me). Then she just clicks my name to forward the call.

How do I Handle Calls from my Clients

When the call reaches me, my Cisco IP phone shows the client name, the city and the product(s) purchased (remember, the CUCM phone directory is synchronized with our CRM).

So I can greet the client, saying “Hi John, Kirill speaking. I can’t believe you finally tested PhoneUP!”.

After all I’m a sales man and every smile on my client’s face will finally turn to another penny in my pocket.

How do I Call my Client

Our Cisco UCM phone directory provides the search interface on Cisco IP phone, but typing the client name using the IP phone keypad makes me wanna die (though several my clients do use it!). I usually make calls in 2 ways:

  • when I work with client card in CRM, I just click the client’s phone number to call him; this is the simple click2call feature but what is REALLY useful is that our click2call supports DTMF – even if the phone number is stored unformatted (like “+1 (408) 526-7209 ext.. 4576”) the CUCM directory software calls the PSTN number, waits for the answer and then dials the DTMF;
  • when I just want to call some person, I push “Ctrl-Q” to activate the “PhoneUP Agent” and use it to search the contact and make a call, the DTMF also works.

My colleagues use Cisco Jabber and its phonebook is also integrated with CRM, but I’m old and I use the old-fashioned IM client.

How do I Lunch


When I’m quitting for the lunch, I just lock my PC. What happens then is that my Cisco IP phone automatically locks its keypad (PhoneUP Lock feature) and activates the “Forward All” mode.

So, all calls from my clients are forwarded to my mobile.

When back to my workplace I unlock my PC and my Cisco IP phone goes to the normal mode.

How do I Manage Missed Calls

At the end of working day I do not setup the Forward All, cause most of my clients do not bother themselves about the time shift.

When I’m back to the office the next day, my Cisco IP phone shows the list of missed calls (XML-service provided by PhoneUP Directory).

What is important, this list contains names of clients called. So I know who called me and I can check the CRM before calling back.

Cisco IP Phone: Lacking Features

Employee, for the first time getting Cisco IP Phone, discovers all the delights of the enterprise IP telephony described in numerous articles by Cisco Systems and its partners.

Indeed, the high call quality, audio / video conferencing tools and other collaboration services (voice mail, presence indication) make enterprise communications more convenient and efficient.

However, your Cisco IP phone can be supplemented with additional features Cisco doesn't provide, which will increase the ROI of your new enterprise communications network.

Let's start.

Phone directory and Caller ID info

The alternative solution to the out of the box CUCM phone directory allows you to synchronize all company contacts (employees, clients, partners and so on) into the one, always up to date enterprise directory, that provides users with fast search, Caller ID, click to call, call control and other features.

When receiving an incoming call the display of your Cisco IP phone shows the detailed Caller ID info even when the call has come from mobile, PSTN etc.

The list of missed calls contains not just phone numbers, but also the caller info – contact or company name. This allows user to identify the really important missed calls and call them back on time.

These features of Cisco IP phone are provided by the "Directory" module of the PhoneUP bundle.

Cisco IP phone for enterprise paging

The "Paging" module allows using Cisco IP phones for group paging to enterprise employees.

The ability to send text and audio messages to the group of Cisco IP phones allows you to use your IP telephony network for employee notifications. Unlike email and IM, the message sent to IP phone won't be overlooked due to the sound alarm played by the IP phone.

Cisco IP phones can also be used for emergency announcements. With just one button you can put all phone calls on hold and broadcast your message through speakerphones with the max volume.

Pre-recorded text and audio messages can be sent manually or on schedule. The paging may also be triggered by a third-party system (for example alarm system, manufacturing process monitoring tool etc) no notify the group of employees about the incident occurred.

Special call control features

The "Priority" module of the PhoneUP suite provides several special features for managers.

The Forced Connection feature allows top manager to contact any employee even if his phone line is busy – the current call is put on hold and the employee gets connected to the manager.

Silent Monitoring is another useful feature, which helps evaluating the quality of customer service. The supervisors' interface shows the client names sales managers are talking to and allows to listen to any conversation.

Using the Whisper feature the supervisor is able to connect to any call and talk to the agent without making the client aware of the supervisors' presence. With the Barge feature the supervisor is able to add himself to the sales managers' call.

Images from video cameras on the Cisco IP phone display

Even if your Cisco IP phone doesn't support video, its display can still show video frames grabbed from the camera. For example, with just one push of a button the security officer will see who is at the door before opening it, any employee will access the video from the parking lot, the technologist will monitor the manufacturing area from anywhere in the enterprise, etc.

Frequently used info on the Cisco IP phone display

Cisco IP phones are able to display any data from the enterprise software in the real-time mode. For example:

  • exchange rates – for bank cahier,
  • KPI – for top managers,
  • agent performance data – for contact center supervisor.

The benefit of using the IP phone for this purpose is that you only need to push one button to see the data without launching the software and navigating to the certain interface.

This opportunity is provided by the "Inform" module of the PhoneUP bundle.

Cisco IP Phone as an interface to enterprise software

In some cases IP phone can be used to provide the user interface to 3rd party enterprise app. This is useful when the PC is unavailable, but the user interface is simple enough to be run on the IP phone display.

For example, employees can use Cisco IP phone to maintain records of the working time - by pressing a few buttons the employee registers the start / end of the work, and the entered data is transferred to the enterprise software.

Another example - the employee who issues goods needs to enter the order number to verify its status and configuration, confirm the issuance and print necessary documents – these operations don't require a PC, the IP phone with a large display will be enough.

System Requirements

The PhoneUP bundle integrates with Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CallManager) providing Cisco IP phones with all the features described above.

Supported IP PBX and IP phones:

IP-PBX Cisco:

  • Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) 6.X, 7.X, 8.X, 9.X,10.X;
  • Cisco BE 6000 / 7000.

Cisco IP phones and other endpoints:

  • Cisco 6900 Series (6911, 6921, 6941, 6945, 6961);
  • Cisco 7800 Series (7821, 7841, 7861);
  • Cisco 7900 Series (7906, 7911, 7914, 7915, 7916, 7921, 7925, 7931, 7937, 7941, 7942, 7945, 7961, 7962, 7965, 7970, 7971, 7975);
  • Cisco 8900 Series (8941, 8945, 8961);
  • Cisco 9900 Series (Cisco Unified IP Phone 9971, Cisco Unified IP Phone 9951);
  • Cisco IP Communicator;
  • Cisco Jabber for Windows.