Cisco CallManager Issues with Call Forward All

The purpose of this document is to remedy problems users can encounter when the Call Forward All (CFwdAll) feature is set or removed for the Cisco CallManager.

Prerequisites

Requirements

There are no specific requirements for this document.

Components Used

This document is not restricted to specific software and hardware versions.

Conventions

Refer to Cisco Technical Tips Conventions for more information on document conventions.

Call Forward All Issues

These sections discuss six scenarios related to Cisco CallManager CFwdAll issues.

The IP phone that requests the CFwdAll operation must select a destination dialed number (DN) that is contained in a Calling Search Space (CSS) or a partition that this phone has rights to call. For example, if the IP phone is not allowed to place calls to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), then any attempts to set the phone to forward calls to an outside number fail.

It is possible to set the line to a different CSS than the one the phone uses in order to further restrict or allow call forwarding destinations. Refer to Configuring External CFA Extension on IP Phone When Doing Overlap Sending for an example of this configuration.

Refer to Partitions and Calling Search Spaces for more information.

Scenario 2 - Database Unreachable, Replication/Network

The Database Unreachable message is displayed on the IP phone (7960 or 7940) when the subscriber CallManager has Structured Query Language (SQL) connection or replication problems with the publisher CallManager. This message is triggered by a function or feature request which requires the subscriber to access the SQL database on the publisher. Check for replication errors and basic network connectivity. Refer to Reestablishing a Broken Cisco CallManager Cluster SQL Subscription for more information.

Note: If you receive the Error Database error message and a busy signal when there is an attempt to forward calls, restart the Telephony Call Dispatcher (TCD) Service in order to resolve the issue. Refer to the Activating the Cisco Telephony Call Dispatcher Service section of Cisco CallManager Attendant Console Configuration for more information on how to restart the TCD Service.

Scenario 3 - SQL Call Routing Tables Not Updated

It is possible to have a phone stuck in a forwarding situation, that is, the end user is unable to clear the CFwdAll from the IP phone itself. See the Scenario 1 section of this document and refer to Cisco bug ID CSCdx87673 (registered customers only) : Forwarding table keeps residual phantom entries of deleted DNs, for more information.

Scenario 4 - Loops

An IP phone must not be set to CFwdAll to a destination that results in a loop situation. For example, Phone A forwards to Phone B, Phone B forwards to Phone C, and Phone C forwards back to Phone A. Cisco CallManager has the Max Forwards Hops to DN service parameter (with a default value of 12) in order to detect loop conditions and drop the call. In order to change this default value, go to the Cisco CallManager administration page, choose Service > Service Parameters, scroll down to Clusterwide Parameters and select Feature > Forward > Max Forwards Hops to DN. Also refer to Cisco bug ID CSCds43736 (registered customers only) : Feature Req: Call Fwd loops should be handled gracefully by Cisco CallManager.

Scenario 5 - Hunt groups

A line is configured to CFwdAll and placed within a hunt group. If a call comes to the pilot number for that hunt group and that line is selected, it does not forward the call to the destination number. In this case, it simply rings the line.

If the call is directly placed to the line, then the call is properly forwarded to the configured destination number.

Refer to Cisco bug ID CSCec54565 (registered customers only) : CFA does not work if line is in hunt group.

Scenario 6 - Cannot Cancel CFwdAll

A user cannot disable Call Forward All from the IP phone. The user tried to do it from the Cisco CallManager Administration page but was still unable to remove the Call Forward All.

In order to solve this problem, restart the Cisco Database Layer Monitor service and run DBLHelper.exe in order to reinitialize the database. DBLHelper.exe is located in the C:\Program Files\cisco\bin directory of the Publisher server. Refer to Using DBLHelper for more information on DBLHelper.

Scenario 7 - Call Forward does not work after the Upgrade from CUCM 5.x to 6.x

The Call forwarding option does not work on any of the IP phone and this message is heared:

Call cannot be completed as dialed.

This occurs when Cisco Unified Communications Manager is upgraded from version 5.x to 6.x. The service parameter is set to the default value in CFA CSS Activation Policy. Choose the service parameter and set the CFA CSS Activation Policy as indicated in these steps in order to resolve this issue:

In the Cisco Unified Communications Manager Administration Page, choose Service Parameters > CUCM 6.x IP Address > CM Service.
Set the CFA CSS Activation Policy as With activating device/line CSS.

Known Issues

Refer to these Cisco bug IDs for known issues:

CSCdw94888 (registered customers only) —Delay between activating/deactivating CFwdAll and actual forwarding.
CSCeb26362 (registered customers only) —IP Phone CFwdAll functionality is unusable/out-of-sync.
CSCdx73743 (registered customers only) —Unable to disable CFwdAll once it has been enabled.
CSCea50393 (registered customers only) —Unable to perform CFwdAll if shared line on same device is offhook.
CSCdr03425 (registered customers only) —AVVID: Allow additional line appearances to be forwarded from phone.
CSCds43736 (registered customers only) —Feature Req: Call Fwd loops should be handled gracefully by Cisco CallManager.
CSCec54565 (registered customers only) —CFA does not work if line is in hunt group.
CSCsj09236 (registered customers only) —Unable to clear CFA from IP phone.