AT&T Voice DNA® Administrator Support

Overview

Hoteling is a feature of your AT&T Voice DNA® service that enables one user's AT&T Voice DNA phone number and features to temporarily be moved to another user's IP phone on the network.

Hoteling is beneficial when users from one office in your location or enterprise visit another office, because they can work as if they had their own AT&T Voice DNA phone with them.

There are three categories of hoteling users:

• Hoteling host user―An AT&T Voice DNA user sharing an IP phone is called a hoteling host user, and that phone is called a hoteling host phone. (For example, this could be a user who occasionally shares workspace.)
• Hoteling center host user―This AT&T Voice DNA virtual user, called a hoteling center host user, is created so that the office can have a hoteling phone dedicated for use by visitors without a real (non-virtual) user owning the phone. (For example, you might locate a hoteling center host phone in a visitor office and create the virtual user Hoteling Office 1.) Administrators create center host users. See Create Hoteling Center Host Users.
• Hoteling guest user―An AT&T Voice DNA user who associates with (moves service to) a hoteling host phone is called a hoteling guest user. The hoteling guest's own phone number becomes the primary line on the hoteling host phone. Guest users can establish the host/guest association using the AT&T Voice DNA User Dashboard or directly on the hoteling host phone.

As an Administrator, you control whether a user is a hoteling host user, guest user, both, or neither. Users who have one or both of these permissions can control most of their own hoteling settings from the User Dashboard.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hoteling

If a guest user is associated with a host phone, how does the host phone work?

• The host phone's primary line (first line appearance) is updated to be the guest's own phone number or extension. The number of primary line repetitions depends on how the host phone is configured. If your organization has a standard phone configuration (for example, three primary number repetitions with one call per repetition), then you should configure the center host phone the same way. This enables the guest to get the same number of primary number repetitions with the same call capacity on the host phone.
• When the guest's phone number receives a call, the hoteling host phone rings. The guest's own active service features (for example, Locate Me) process the call.
• If the host phone has other users' phone numbers as secondary line appearances, those secondary lines are still available for incoming and outgoing calls.

If a guest user is associated with a host phone, how does the guest's own phone work?

Note: The guest may have secondary devices. If the guest has a secondary device, the secondary device works as usual.

• When the guest's phone number receives a call, the guest's own phone doesn't ring.
• Calls made from the guest's primary line on the guest's primary device are blocked. (Exceptions: 911 calls are permitted, and the guest's own phone works if it's also a host phone in use by another guest.)

If a host phone is in use by a guest, what happens if the host user's own number receives a call?

• The host user's own call-terminating treatment (for example, go to voicemail or forward the call) takes effect. (Exception: If this host user is logged in as a guest user elsewhere, this host user's phone doesn't ring. The phone where this host user is now a guest rings.)
• If the host user's Locate Me feature is set to Ring My All At Once List, the host phone doesn't ring. The other numbers configured in the list ring.

If a guest user is associated with a host phone, what happens if the guest receives a voicemail?

• The host phone receives a Message Waiting Indicator (MWI) message.
• The guest's own phone also receives the MWI. (Exception: If the guest's own phone is also a host phone and a guest is associated with it, the guest's phone doesn't get the MWI.)

How do 911 calls work?

• When a guest user is logged in to a host phone, the guest can call 911 from a host phone primary line, even though it's updated to the guest's own phone number. The AT&T Voice DNA service uses the host phone's own default calling number to identify the phone's location.
• When a guest user is logged in to a host phone, another person can call 911 from the primary line on the guest's own phone. (Other calls are blocked, but 911 calls are allowed.)

Note: To enable emergency responders go to the right location, never call 911 from secondary lines on a phone.

How does the guest/host association end?

• The guest can end (release) the association from the AT&T Voice DNA User Dashboard or directly on the host phone.
• The host can release the association from the AT&T Voice DNA User Dashboard.
• The guest/host association time limit, which was set by the guest user or host user, can expire. If the guest/host association time limit expires during an active call, the parties can complete the call normally, but features such as Transfer Call won't work and another call isn't allowed.

What happens when the guest/host association ends?

• The host phone reverts to the host user's profile (the host user's number is restored as the primary line appearance).
• The host phone is available to accept another guest association.
• The guest's own phone reverts to normal, non-hoteling use. Calls to the guest's number come to the guest's phone. (Exception: If the guest's phone is also a host phone and is in use by another guest, it remains a hoteling host phone.)