Any Info about Phone Networks

Hi,
I will be starting work in a new company in August, and they have told me i will be working helping set up phone networks. I was wondering if anyone had any good links on how a phone network is set up within a company. You know what i mean. How do extension numbers work. How can I add a new extension if i want a new phone on the network etc.

I know a little about what you might be after.

If you are talking about traditional phone services (not IP phones), a lot of what you want to know will depend on the PABX (large) or keyphone (small) system being used.

Each system usually has several interface methods for configuration
1 is usually via certain extensions (must have a display on the phone) and the other is via connection software direct into the PABX and a third method is via dialup into the PABX.

Every manufacturer has a fairly similar interface they use for each of these methods. They all have seperate manuals (usually a bookshelf full for one model) on how to use/install and configure them.

To add an extension you need to know how the PABX is setup and what to configure. It will involve 2 steps.
1. the cabling from the user outlet through any patch points back to the MDF and into the PABX. Within the PABX you will need to find out which ports are used and which are free (or already connected but not active).
2. the commands (once you get into PABX configuration/setup) to enable the line and configure it according to the site setup. This involves assigning extension ID, adding any pickup or ACD groups, key assignments, mailboxes, etc.

Whoever has been doing it up until now should be able to teach you how to do it for you work configuration.

If you want to learn more you should consider doing PABX configuration training courses or try and get some documents on the PABX and read up on them (they usually assume you know how the basics work).

Hope this is of some use to you.