# Handoff (Personal Ring Groups, Multi-device User Groups)

## Description

The Handoff feature for Personal Ring Groups (PRGs) allows calls to be "Pushed" or "Pulled" between group member devices. A Push passes the call to the group, where it can be answered by any other present group device. A Pull takes an in-progress call away from another member.

To use this feature, you configure a Handoff key or equivalent feature access code (FAC). However, a FAC can only be used to pull a call (regardless of a set type). You cannot push a call using a FAC, unless you are an External Hot Desk User (EHDU) and the system is configured to use multi-digit mid-call feature codes.

69xx IP Phones do not require a Handoff key or FAC. Instead, users of these devices (excluding the 6905 and 6910) are presented with Push Call and Pull Call softkeys.

You can program any key, including Programmable Key Module (PKM) keys, as a Handoff key. See Programming for details. The LED associated with the key lights when a Push or Pull is allowed. See Group Presence in Conditions and Feature Interactions for exceptions to LED behavior.

The same key or, if applicable, FAC is used to Push a call and to Pull a call. If the Handoff feature is invoked while on a call, the call is Pushed. If the PRG member device is idle or listening to dial tone, and there is an in-progress call on another member in the PRG, the call is Pulled by invoking the Handoff feature.

The voice path to a non-member device remains connected to the member device that initiated the Handoff until that device releases the call or another PRG member answers. If the Pushing device stays connected until the new device answers, the caller hears a short break in audio when the call is Pushed to the new device. If the Pushing device releases the call before the new device answers it, the caller hears ringback until another member device answers the call.

When a call is Pulled, it connects to the Pulling member's set and disconnects from the Pulled-from member's set. The caller hears a short break in audio when the call is connected to the new device. The caller does not hear Music On Hold. The call is not disconnected from the originating party until it is successfully connected to the party that Pulled the call.

If a Push goes unanswered, when the line that initiated the Handoff becomes available, it rings simultaneously with all other available members. See Group Presence for information about Presence checking. If the call remains unanswered and the Pushing member does not release the call, the other PRG members stop ringing when the ring timer expires. If the Pushing member does release the call prior to the Call Forward No Answer timer expiration, it is redirected to the Call Forward No Answer destination for the PRG.

If more than one PRG member is in an in-progress call, the programmed order of the members in the group determines which call is Pulled. If an in-progress call is not Pullable, the next call is checked to determine if it can be Pulled. For example, if member two is on one call, and member three is on another call, the member-two call is Pulled first. However, if the member-two call cannot be Pulled (for example, if the call is on Hold), then the call on member three is Pulled.

## Conditions and Feature Interactions

### Push and Pull Conditions

- Handoff is supported for PRGs, as well as Multi-device User Groups (MdUG).

- The call must be in talk state.

- The call does not have to originate as a PRG call, nor does it have to be on a key appearance of a PRG member. The prime line of the device Pushing or Pulling the call must be a member of the PRG.

- The call must be a two-party call.

- An emergency call can be Pushed or Pulled.

- A call cannot be Pushed or Pulled if

- the call is on a key appearance of a PRG member, but the prime of that device is not a member of the PRG.

- the call is on hold.

- the call is part of a conference.

- the other party is an Attendant console.

- Route Optimization is in progress.

### Push Conditions

- At least one member of the PRG must be available and able to receive a call.

- When a call is Pushed, it rings all present members in the group. A Push overrides the following options:

- One Busy All Busy

- Call Forwarding Always

- Call Reroute Always

- DND

- Make Busy

- A call cannot be Pushed if

- no PRG members are available to receive the call.

- a call is already ringing to the PRG.

- a call is Camped On to the PRG.

- all other group members are absent.

- A Push does not override Group Presence.

- Absent members are not presented with Pushed calls.

### Pull Conditions

- The Pulling device must have an available line to receive the call, and must be idle or listening to dial tone when the Handoff is initiated.

- A call can be Pulled if

- the device is in DND
  Do Not Disturb , Make Busy, or a member is absent from the group, as long as all other conditions are met.

- another call is ringing to the PRG as long as the line that is Pulling the call is not ringing.

- The prime line of the device the call is being Pulled from must be a member of the PRG and the prime line of the device the call is being Pulled to must be a member of the PRG.

### Feature Interactions

This section identifies the feature interactions between Handoff and other call control features. It does not include feature interactions that are the same as for the PRG feature.

- Add Held – A Handoff cannot be performed while in a conference.

- Attendant – Handoff cannot be used with a call connected to an Attendant console.

- Call History – An additional Call History log is generated for the Handoff call if both the device receiving the Handoff and the prime member have Call History enabled.

- Call Park – A Handoff can occur if a call is parked against the PRG pilot. A Handoff cannot be performed on the Parked call.

- Call Pickup can be performed on a Pushed Handoff call, however the call is not released automatically from the PRG member that Pushed the call. Instead, the device that Pushed the call can cancel the Push when the Pickup is answered, or can complete the transfer at that time.

- Camp-on (Call Waiting) – Camp-on is not available for Handoff calls. The Handoff cannot be executed unless there is an available member. A Push cannot be performed while there is a call waiting for the PRG.

- Conference Call – A call that is part of a conference cannot be Pushed or Pulled.

- Direct Page – A Pull cannot be performed while receiving a Direct Page. If the Direct Page is answered, the call may be Pushed or Pulled.

- Do Not Disturb

- A Push overrides DND of the prime member of the PRG. A device in DND can Push a call.

- A call can be Pulled to a device that is in DND.

- A call can be Pulled from a device that is in DND.

- DSS/BLF – If a DSS/BLF appearance of a PRG member is configured on a device that is not a member of the PRG, the DSS/BLF key can still receive a Pushed call. However, the call is not released automatically from the PRG member that Pushed the call. Instead, the device that Pushed the call can cancel the Push upon answer of the DSS/BLF key, or can complete the transfer at that time.

- Group Listen – A Push can be initiated while using Group Listen but Group Listen is terminated. A Push cannot be received at a device using Group Listen.

- Group Page – Initiating a Pull terminates a received Group Page. A Push does not ring to a device receiving a Group Page.

- Group Presence

- The system checks PRG member availability as often as every four seconds.

- Pushed calls do not ring members that are absent.

- A call can be Pushed from a member that is absent.

- A call can be Pulled to a member that is absent.

- A call can be Pulled from a member that is absent.

- When previously absent members become available, they are then included in PRG calls.

- Calls cannot be pushed to an EHDU
  External Hot Desk User that is absent. Note that the Handoff key on the set that attempts the push is lit suggesting that the call can be pushed, however, the display shows "Not Allowed".

- Handsfree Operation – A Pull can be performed while in Handsfree operation.

- HCI®/CTI – HCI Redirection Support applies to a Handoff call.

- Hold – Neither a Push nor Pull can be preformed while a call is on Hold or Consultation Hold.

- Hotline devices can Push, but they cannot Pull calls.

- Hunt Groups – An answered call to a Hunt Group member who is also a PRG member can be Pushed or Pulled.

- Interconnect Restrictions – For either Push or Pull to succeed, nether the PRG party receiving the call nor the party the PRG member would be connected to can be Interconnect Restricted. The two PRG members that are part of the Handoff are not checked for Interconnect Restrictions.

- Login/Logout

- A logged out device cannot receive a Pushed call.

- A logged out device cannot Push a Handoff call.

- A logged out device cannot Pull a Handoff call.

- A call cannot be Pulled from a logged out device.

- Make Busy

- Pushed calls override Make Busy of the prime member of the PRG.

- A device in Make Busy can Push a call.

- A call can be Pulled to a device that is in Make Busy.

- A device that is in Make Busy can Pull a call.

- Malicious Call Trace – A call that has been tagged can be Pushed or Pulled, however, if it is being recorded, the recording is stopped.

- Off-Hook Voice Announce – A Pull cannot be performed on an off-hook voice announce.

- Override – A Handoff cannot be performed on an Override call (three-party call). Override cannot be used to Handoff a call to a busy extension. A Handoff call automatically overrides Call Forwarding Always, and DND and Make Busy on the prime member.

- Paging – Handoff cannot be performed on a Page.

- Privacy Release – If privacy release has been invoked on the call, a Handoff cannot be performed.

- Record-a-Call – If Record-a-Call is active and a Handoff is performed, the Record-a-Call session is terminated and the recording does not continue. The user can initiate a new Record-a-Call session once the Handoff is answered.

- Recorded Announcement Device (RAD) – A Handoff cannot be performed on a call involving a RAD.

- Redial – A Handoff is not stored as redial digits.

- Ring Groups – A call originating to a Ring Group that is answered by a PRG member can be Pushed or Pulled.

- Silent Monitor – A Handoff can be performed on a call that is being Silent Monitored, but the Silent Monitor remains against the original device. Another Silent Monitor session may be initiated against the device receiving the handoff once the Handoff is complete.

- SMDR – An additional SMDR log is generated when a Handoff is performed. The SMDR log generated is in the same format as a SMDR log generated on a Transfer.

If the call is Pushed,

- the transferring party is the party who initiated the Push.

- the transferred-to party is the party who answered the Push.

If the call is Pulled,

- the transferring party is the party who the call was Pulled from.

- the transferred-to party is the party who initiated the Pull.

- Tenanting – Tenant restrictions apply to both Pushes and Pulls. If the PRG member receiving the Handoff call is Tenant Restricted from the other party that the member would be connected to, then the Handoff cannot take place. The two PRG members are not checked for Tenant Restrictions between them.

- Transfer – A Transfer cannot be performed during a Push while waiting for the other PRG party to answer the Handoff request. A Handoff can be performed on a previously transferred call as long as the third party has released the transfer and the call is a two-party call.

## Programming

1. Multiline Set Keys form

- Program a Handoff key. Leave the Button Directory Number and Ring Type fields blank.

2. Feature Access Codes form

- Assign a feature access code to the Handoff feature

## Device Support

- Supported on all devices.

## Operation

Any multiline display phone

To Push an in-progress call to the PRG or MdUG:

- Press the Handoff key or Push Call softkey (6920, 6930, 6940 only).

OR (only if you are an EHDU and the system is configured to use multi-digit mid-call feature codes)

- Dial the equivalent feature access code.

To Pull an in-progress call from another member of the PRG or MdUG:

1. Lift the handset (optional if the device supports hands free operation).

2. Press the Handoff key or Pull Call softkey (6920, 6930, 6940 only).

Or

Dial the equivalent feature access code.

Related Topics

- Hunt Groups

- Multiline IP Sets

- Multiline Set Keys

- Personal Ring Groups

- Ring Groups

- System Capacity