Intercom calling allows you to dial an Ooma Office extension and have the device on the receiving end of the connection pick up the call with its speakerphone, creating a two-way audio call. This feature can be handy in cases where an announcement needs to be made over the phone (for example, if someone is waiting in reception). It can also be useful in cases where two people must be in constant communication while working separately on the same task.
You can use most Ooma Office devices to make and receive internal calls via intercom. The way that you will make and receive intercom calls depends on the type of phone you are using:
Analog phone or DP1 desk phone
Making an intercom call
Pick up the phone and dial *40, followed by the extension number.
Receiving an intercom call
The intercom call will arrive as a regular call.
IP phones
Making an intercom call on an IP phone with programmable buttons
You can make intercom calls using Programmable Buttons, which are available on select IP phones. If your IP phone supports Programmable Buttons, you may press the intercom button that corresponds to the extension you wish to dial.
Making an intercom call on an IP phone without programmable buttons
Pick up the phone and dial *40, followed by the extension number.
Receiving an intercom call on a compatible IP phone
Before you can receive intercom calls, your administrator must first enable this feature on the phone models listed above. If your IP phone is configured to receive intercom calls, it will automatically pick up incoming intercom calls with the speakerphone. Note that incoming intercom calls are always enabled and cannot be disabled on the on Yealink 56H IP phone.
Your extension will be muted by default when an intercom call comes in to prevent any current conversation you may be having from being overheard. If you would prefer that your phone not be muted when intercom calls come in, your administrator can change that setting. This can be useful in some executive-assistant scenarios.
The administrator can also set whether an incoming intercom call will interrupt an active call if the party receiving the intercom call is on the phone. This is also known as Intercom Barge. If the party is on another call, the default setting is that the intercom call will arrive as a regular extension to extension call regardless of what type of phone the user has.
Receiving an intercom call on an IP phone that is not compatible
Certain IP phones are not fully compatible with the intercom functionality. If you don’t have an IP desktop phone that is capable of receiving intercom calls or if your IP desktop phone is not configured to receive intercom calls, intercom calls will arrive as regular extension to extension calls.