Whenever a caller selects a digit on a Call Handler there's a 5 second delay before the call is actually transferred. This does not happen on a Caller Input choice on a standard mailbox profile. As soon as 'Wait while I transfer your call'(would be nice to eliminate that) is heard, the destination rings immediately.

I wonder why there is a delay with the Call Handler and can it be eliminated?

Further testing showed the delay can be eliminated by removing the number in the legacy AT&T system and re-configuring it as we do for Cisco phone numbers. I then created the same number in CUCM that routes to a Call Handler. We have 2 systems, migrating to all Cisco at some point. Previously, the number was on a port in the AT&T system call forwarded to Cisco Unity. Strange though, that calling such a number, the delay occurred whether the Caller Input destination was a Cisco or AT&T phone. So, in the case of the Caller Input destination being a Cisco phone, the delay would still occur. In this case the call is completely out of the AT&T system. There was never a delay when calling a number initially, it would route immediately to the greeting associated Call Handler.

The delay will still occur though in a few instances where the initial called number resides in the AT&T system and is no answer call forwarded to a Call Handler in CUCM.

I am working on a similar setup. All comercial trunking is run through legacy Nortel CO. Stations are being gradually cutover to new CUCM. Only works smoothly if they are decommisioned in the Nortel and routed via vitual numbers over tie trunks by RLI programming. Eventually the legacy Nortel will be shut down and all CO calls routed to the CUCM by SIP trunks.

Yes, sounds very similar. Currently, most calls initially come in on PRIs on the AT&T system. If the destination is a Cisco phone, the 5ESS routes it on PRI to Cisco. We may start to go the other way around - SIP to Cisco first then routed to the 5E. Makes sense going forward. Would eliminate the situation we're talking about. Our project isn't progressing quickly. By the time the 5ESS is decommissioned, and maybe when your Nortel is, we may be past retirement age!

"By the time the 5ESS is decommissioned, and maybe when your Nortel is, we may be past retirement age!"

Very very true. I can smell retirement from here.

There is probably a setting for interdigit timing- how long will the system wait for digits to be input before it decides you're done dialing and process whatever dial string has been entered. Most everything involving SIP or a digital trunk is 4 seconds by default. You may be able to tweak that setting somewhere.

Sometimes adding a semicolon or a "#" at the end of a routing instruction will speed things along by telling the system you're done dialing.

The interdigit delay is short, but the Caller Input is set to 1 digit anyway, 'Wait while I transfer your call' is heard immediately after pressing a digit. By changing the menu to be a Cisco number, meaning routing to CUCM as if it's a phone, and that number is set to forward to the Unity access number, there's no delay. If the number for the menu is configured in the 5ESS that's forwarded to the Unity access number, there's a delay after selecting digits. Calling the number will play the menu immediately with either method, it's just when selecting a digit to be transferred. Doesn't make a lot of sense logically, as once your listening to the menu you're within Unity and CUCM. What's even more strange is the 'Wait while I transfer your call' is heard immediately even when the number is configured in the 5ESS, forwarded to Unity. The delay occurs after the prompt is heard.

Going forward any number that's a menu initially I'll configure using the first method. We do have a few though where the number will ring a phone or group of phones in the 5ESS initially, if not answered it'll forward to Unity. In that case the delay will occur, and again - only after hearing the 'Wait while I transfer your call' prompt. The 5 second delay doesn't seem to be a big deal to anyone else as it's been that way long before I came on board, it just bugs me.

Less than a year for me till full retirement age. Don't know if you've checked your Social Security estimates lately - but they've gone up this year.

Spoken like a true technician