CM’s “facility test call” functionality allow administrators to place test calls on specific ports. It’s invaluable when you want to manually operate an analog line remotely – just like you’re attaching an analog phone directly to the line.

To be able to place a facility test call, you have to administer a feature access code. The feature access code needs to be within your dialplan analysis “dac” (dial access code, which is access codes for either trunks or features) or “fac” (feature access code) type.

display dialplan analysis                                       Page   1 of  12
                             DIAL PLAN ANALYSIS TABLE
                                   Location: all            Percent Full: 19

    Dialed   Total  Call
    String   Length Type
[...]
   1           3   dac  
[...]

display feature-access-codes                                    Page   2 of  10
                               FEATURE ACCESS CODE (FAC)
[...]
               Facility Test Calls Access Code: 123
[...]

To determine the dialstring so that you can actually make the test call, use this pattern, determine whether the port is part of a port-network, or on a media-gateway.

If it’s on a port-network, dial in format FAC UU C SS PP:

FAC = facility test calls access code UU = Cabinet number 01-44 C = Carrier sequence (A=1, B=2, etc) SS = Slot number of board (01-20) PP = Port number of line/circuit (01-24)

If it’s on a media-gateway, dial in format FAC MMM V S PP:

FAC = facility test calls access code MMM = media-gateway number (i.e., 025) V = Carrier sequence (always “8” for media gateways) S = Slot number of board PP = Port number of line/circuit

For example, if you just set your facility test calls access code to “123”, and you want to access port 7 on board 2 of media-gateway 25, you would dial “1230258207”.

Once you’ve dialed that entire string, you’ll be provided dialtone from the far end. If you don’t hear a dialtone, ensure that the line or circuit is connected and in-service. When you’re done with that test, hang up.

When you’re done testing your facilities for the moment, ensure that you return to “change feature-access-codes” and clear the administered code for facility test calls access code. Failure to clear that code means that test calling access remains enabled, and anyone who knows the code can place test calls without restriction. This could potentially incur very significant charges from your carrier.

If you fail to clear that code, and you are using SAT through a command line interface or via ASA emulation, if you try to gracefully logoff (command “logoff”), you’ll receive the following reminder:

	Facility Test Call Administered

	Proceed With Logoff: [n]

You can strike “y” to proceed to logoff without clearing the code, but that is only advisable if you need to keep testing facilities in the immediate future.