CUC 9.x: Broadcasting Messages

System broadcast messages are recorded announcements that are sent to everyone in an organization. You determine whether users can send and/or update broadcast messages, and set up a way for them to do so by using the Unity Connection Broadcast Message Administrator.

System Broadcast properties:

    • System broadcast messages are played immediately after users sign in to Cisco Unity Connection by phone (even before they hear message counts for new and saved messages)
    • Senders control the activation of system broadcast messages (day,  week, month, duartion, etc).
    • A user hears the system broadcast message the first time that he or she signs in to Unity Connection during the period that the message is active.
    • Users cannot fast-forward or skip a system broadcast message
    • If a user hangs up before playing the entire system broadcast message, the message plays again the next time that the user signs in to Unity Connection by phone (assuming that the message is still active).
    • When a user has finished playing a system broadcast message, the message can either be replayed or permanently deleted.
    • Users cannot respond to, forward, or save system broadcast messages.
    • Users can receive an unlimited number of system broadcast messages
    • Users receive system broadcast messages even when they exceed their mailbox size limits and are no longer able to receive other messages. Because of the way that the messages are stored on the Unity Connection server, they are not included in the total mailbox size for each user.
    • By design, system broadcast messages do not trigger message waiting indicators (MWIs) on user phones
    • New users hear all active system broadcast messages immediately after they enroll as Unity Connection users

Configuration Tasks

    1. Setup access to System Broadcast Administrator
    2. Enable Users to send and update system broadcast messages

Phone Access to System Broadcast Administrator

There are four different methods to setup this access:

    a. Create call handler with extension number pointing to System Broadcast Administrator Conversation
    b. Setup call routing rule which matches a called number and points to System Broadcast Administrator Conversation
    c. Setup one-key dialing pointing to System Broadcast Administrator Conversation
    d. Configure a custom keypad mapping conversation

Enable Users to Send/Update Broadcast Messages

    1. In Cisco Unity Connection Administration, find the user account or template that you want to edit.
    2. On the Edit menu, select Send Message Settings .
    3. On the Send Message Settings page, under Broadcast Messages, check the applicable check boxes:
        a. User Can Send Broadcast Messages to Users on This Server
        b. User Can Update Broadcast Messages Stored on This Server

Broadcast Message Administrator Tasks

Users who are able to update system broadcast messages can use the Broadcast Message Administrator to do the following tasks on the local Unity Connection server:
    • Review active messages. (If there is more than one active message, the Broadcast Message Administrator presents them in order based on the start date and time, starting with the newest messages.)
    • Change the end date and time for active messages.
    • Change or add to a recording for future messages. (Note that Unity Connection enforces the total message length limit even when material is added to a message.)
    • Change the start date and time or the end date and time for future messages. (Note that the end date and time does not adjust automatically if senders change the start date and time but do not change the end date and time.)
    • Delete active and future messages. (Note that Unity Connection does not report which users have already played an active message.)

Default Broadcast Message Administrator Settings

You can access the default settings by navigating to System Settings > Advanced > Conversations page in Cisco Unity Connection Administration.
    • Retention Period —Indicates how long Unity Connection retains expired system broadcast messages on the server. By default, Unity Connection purges the WAV file and any data associated with a message 30 days after its end date and time.
    • Default Active Days —Indicates the number of days that a system broadcast message remains active when the sender does not specify an end date and time. The default is 30 days. A value of zero (0) days means that messages that are sent without a specified end date and time remain active indefinitely.
    • Maximum Recording Length (msec)
    • Play Oldest Message First