Alpha Tagging associates names with external numbers entered in the system telephone directory. When a call from an "alpha tagged" number is received on a display device, the user sees the associated name and number. Alpha Tagging is intended for (but not restricted to) jurisdictions that do not provide calling party name in incoming signaling from the PSTN.
Alpha Tagging is an option in the System Options form. The option controls whether or not the system performs alpha tagging. You do not need the option enabled to program alpha tagging entries in the Telephone Directory form.
Alpha tagging names display when a call rings any line for which the display of caller ID information is enabled in the device's Class of Service.
Only PSTN calls on the following trunk types are subject to alpha tagging: LS Class, T1/D4, T1 CAS, T1 PRI, T1 QSIG, E1 PRI, E1 R2, E1 QSIG, and E1 BRI.
Alpha tagging is only performed on calls from the PSTN that have a calling party number.
An outgoing PSTN call from extension that is answered, and then subsequently transferred from that extension to another are subject to alpha tagging.
A name obtained through alpha tagging takes precedence over a name received from the PSTN for display purposes.
When an alpha tagging name cannot be found, the PSTN-provided name is displayed (if available).
An alpha tagging name does not replace a PSTN-provided name when the call routes off-switch, unless the switch is another 3300 ICP that is also using alpha tagging. Each switch performs its own alpha tagging. Thus, it is possible for an alpha tagging name to change as the call transits from one switch to the next (assuming that the telephone directories are not synchronized using Remote Directory Number Synchronization).
No alpha tagging is performed when the incoming signaling indicates that the caller's identity is private.
Incoming PSTN calls to a named hunt group is not subjected to alpha tagging.
In a network environment that uses Remote Directory Number synchronization to maintain the telephone directory, alpha tagging is invalid for numbers that are external to the cluster, but internal to the network. The following examples illustrate when alpha tagging is invalid for external numbers:
If a user with DN 17000 and name Smith, hosted on ICPA with PNI 811, is distributed to a node ICPB outside the cluster but within the network, then a telephone directory entry appears on ICPB with DN=81117000 and the name Smith. The entry on ICPB will be identified as an external number but this number is invalid for alpha tagging because it is internal to the network. An attempt to include the ~ in the DN would fail.
If DN 81117001 with name Smith2 is added to the telephone directory on ICPB and SDS has not yet distributed the DN to the database of ICPA, the DN appears as an external number. In this case, you could add the ~ into the DN field of this entry. However, the ~ would be invalid because the DN is internal to the network. A shared data update is generated for the DN.
To allow the system to perform alpha tagging, enable Alpha Tagging in the System Options form.
Program alpha tagging entries in the Telephone Directory form.
None.