Softphones
A softphone is a software program for handling telephone calls using the networking and sound processing capabilities of a general purpose computer. In VoIP systems, a softphone application is associated with a user at the moment of login, and it is identified by the user’s name and extension number for the duration of the login session.
When a new user is created in the system, a softphone extension number is assigned to the user automatically. The extension number can be used for making direct calls to this user when numeric input is preferred or when it is the only way to make a call (e.g., dialing the extension number from a simple hardphone or entering it through an interactive voice (IVR) system). Note that the softphone extensions are recycled (i.e., when you remove a user from the configuration, the user's extension number becomes available for assignment to another new user). All forwarding options of such a recycled softphone extension will be reset to their default values.
In Bright Pattern Contact Center, the softphone functions are implemented in the Agent Desktop Helper Application component, which is an integral part of the Agent Desktop. This component is installed on the computers of all users of the Agent Desktop application. For more information about the functions of this component and methods of its installation, see section Agent Desktop Helper Application.
Note that computers of users of the Agent Desktop application must conform to a number of system requirements.
To view the current extension number assignment, get the real-time softphone status, and set up call forwarding options, select the Softphones option from the Directory menu.
Screen Properties
The Softphones screen properties are organized into two tabs--Phone and Forwarding--which are described as follows.
Phone tab
Number
Number is the softphone extension number. This is a read-only parameter that also shows the first and last name of the user who is currently assigned to this extension number. If you wish to assign a different extension number to the user, click the username.
Phone registers dynamically as
The Phone registers dynamically as property is the unique softphone registration name consisting of the extension number and your tenant access domain name. This parameter is read-only.
Note: The Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) registration mechanism is used for detection of softphone connection problems. If the softphone cannot register with the SIP server upon login, or if the softphone loses connection after a successful initial registration, the following error message will be displayed on the Agent Desktop: SIP phone has lost connection with the system. Softphones refresh registration every 15 seconds. On the SIP server side, the timeout for registration renewal is set to 30 seconds. Thus, there may be up to a 15-second delay between loss of connection and the display of the error message.
Forwarding tab
Call forwarding settings
The Forwarding tab contains call forwarding settings related to the softphone extension. The same settings appear in the configuration of the user to whom the softphone extension is assigned.