Planning for Voice Policies

Voice policy scope determines the hierarchical level at which the policy can be applied. In Communications Server 2010, you can configure voice policies with the following scope levels (listed from the most specific to the most general).

• User voice policy: can be assigned to individual users, groups, or contact objects. This is the lowest level policy. Note that for the purpose of assigning a voice policy, a contact object is treated as an individual user.
  
  
• Site voice policy: applies to an entire site, except for any users, groups, or contact objects that are assigned a User voice. To define a Site voice policy, you must specify the site to which the policy applies. If a User voice policy is not assigned, the Site default is used.
  
  
• Global voice policy: is the default voice policy installed with the product. You can edit the Global voice policy to meet the specific needs of your organization, but you cannot rename or delete it. This voice policy applies to all Enterprise Voice users, groups, and contact objects in your deployment unless you configure and assign a voice policy with more specific scope. If you wish to disable this policy entirely, make sure that all sites and users have custom policies assigned to them.
  
  

You can enable or disable the following call features for each voice policy:

• Call forwarding enables users to forward calls to other phones and client devices. Enabled by default.
  
  
• Delegation enables users to specify other users to send and receive calls on their behalf. Enabled by default.
  
  
• Call transfer enables users to transfer calls to other users. Enabled by default.
  
  
• Call park enables users to park calls on hold and then pick up the call from a different phone or client. Disabled by default.
  
  
• Simultaneous ringing enables incoming calls to ring on additional phones (for example, a cell phone) or other endpoint devices. Enabled by default.
  
  
• Team call enables users on a defined team to answer calls for other members of the team. Enabled by default.
  
  
• PSTN re-route enables calls made by users who are assigned this policy to other enterprise users to be re-routed on the public switched telephone network (PSTN) if the WAN is congested or unavailable. Enabled by default.
  
  
• Bandwidth policy override enables administrators to override Call Admission Control policy decisions for a particular user. Disabled by default.
  
  
• Malicious call tracing enables users to report malicious calls (such as bomb threats) using the client UI, and that in turn flags the calls in the call detail records (CDR). Disabled by default.
  
  

Each voice policy must have one or more associated PSTN usage records. For information about planning PSTN usage records, see PSTN Usage Records.

Note:
PSTN usage order is critical because in matching users to routes, the server compares PSTN usages from top to bottom. If the first usage matches the call route, that route is used. If not, the server looks at the next PSTN usage on the list and continues until a match is found. In effect, the subsequent PSTN usages provide backup in the event the first one on the list is unavailable.