Tech

Disable pickup on a BLF

Published on:

October 12, 2018

In Vodia PBX version 60.3, users can now customize call pickup LED behavior by adding "no" to the pattern syntax, preventing the LED from blinking. This feature is useful in scenarios where specific permissions are required, such as limiting call pickup on a manager's phone to selected extensions. The enhancement ensures flexibility without sacrificing backward compatibility, providing a more user-friendly experience.

It’s usually quite useful to be able to pick up calls by pressing a fast-blinking LED on your VoIP phone. This has become a standard feature on most IP-PBXs today, and practically all VoIP phones support it. 

There are, however, some situations wherein you don’t want to press the LED - sometimes the LED should just come on without blinking, so the user can see the extension or resource is busy. This can be a problem of permission, when users shouldn’t be able to pick up calls, e.g., on a manager’s phone only certain, predetermined extensions should be able to retrieve that call. 

A blinking LED actually "promises" pressing the LED will pick up an incoming call. This wasn’t always the case with the Vodia PBX; it could happen the LED was blinking, but the user might press the button and find it wasn’t possible to pick up the call. This didn’t result in a good user experience, so we decided to correct it. 

In every account we had the field, "permissions to monitor this account" (pretty much from the beginning), and this was a flexible way to define who could see the status on the resource. This list could exclusively show extensions or use simple patterns to define the permissions.

The problem was the LED was either dark or lighted - what we needed was a mode between these two states that would just enable on/off status. We discussed adding another field to define this, but it turned out a simple extension of the pattern syntax was easier.

Beginning with version 60.3, the PBX would look for a flag, “no” (for no pickup) behind the pattern. This way it would be easy to mix the permissions, e.g., the pattern "44 55:np 5*" would mean extension 44 can see anything, extension 55 would only see on/off status and other extensions beginning with 5 would see everything. The pattern is backward compatible with previous versions, so there’s no worry about behavior in upgrades. 

Latest Articles

View All

Why Area Codes Still Matter in a Mobile World

Even in 2025, area codes remain important for personal and business communications. People move frequently but usually keep their original phone numbers because changing them is inconvenient and tied to banking, two-factor authentication, and multiple online accounts. For PBX administrators, area codes are essential for routing calls accurately, displaying the correct caller ID, and managing costs. Vodia PBX simplifies area code management with pattern-based dial plans, automatic updates, and smart trunk selection. This ensures that calls reach the right destination efficiently, maintain a local presence to increase pickup rates, and provide reliable communication both in North America and internationally.

September 16, 2025

Keycloak OpenID Connect Integration for the Vodia PBX

Vodia’s PBX now integrates with Keycloak OpenID Connect, providing secure single sign-on for users so they can access all connected applications without repeated authentication. Logging out from one application automatically logs the user out of all connected systems, simplifying user management and improving security. Keycloak, a Cloud Native Computing Foundation project, supports standard protocols including OpenID Connect, OAuth 2.0, and SAML, offering enterprise-grade identity and access management. To ensure proper integration, Keycloak user emails must match the corresponding PBX extension emails. Complete guidance is available in the Vodia Keycloak integration guide.

September 12, 2025

Vodia Announces Partnership with Comms Group Global

Vodia Networks has announced a strategic distribution partnership with Comms Group Global (ASX: CCG), aiming to expand the reach of its feature-rich cloud PBX solutions across APAC and EMEA. Through this collaboration, Comms Group Global will serve as an official reseller, providing businesses of all sizes with scalable, secure, and integrated telephony solutions. Customers will benefit from advanced call management features, Microsoft Teams integration, and robust security standards, while also gaining access to Comms Group’s SIP coverage in over 65 countries. The partnership enables a streamlined “one-touch” provisioning process, ensuring fast and seamless deployment for enterprises and SMEs seeking to improve efficiency.

September 8, 2025