Using Exchange Unified Messaging as your FreePBX voicemail

[JaredBusch]

Client has an existing setup with the voicemail from the PBX being sent to their Exchange Unified Messaging server that i needed to replicate in FreePBX.

First, I am not telling you how to setup Exchange. I found this guide with Google if you want to do that part. Exchange is managed by the client IT staff and is long configured and working.
http://savithomas.blogspot.com/2013/08/connecting-exchange-2013-unified.html

Now on to what I did. Luckily the existing PBX was Asterisk, raw, no distribution, but Asterisk. So I was able to poke through the dial plan and find the Exchange configuration on the old system for a few pointers.

First, you have to go into the Asterisk SIP settings to enable TCP as that is how Exchange speaks SIP.
Go to Settings -> Asterisk SIP Settings and then click on the Chan SIP Settings tab.

Scroll all the way to the bottom to find Enable TCP, then click the Yes to turn it on.

Then click save and reload asterisk like normal.

Now you just go make a normal SIP trunk as per this guide:
https://mangolassi.it/post/264856

Use these settings. Note, I am not sure how much a couple of these settings are required. But I do not have my own setup to test on. Note the name you used for the trunk on the outgoing tab you need it on the next section.

type=friend
host=YOUR.EXCHANGE.IP.ADDRESS
transport=tcp
port=5065 ;By default Exchange uses port 5065 for UM
insecure=port,invite
context=default
unsolicited_mailbox=@default
disallow=all
allow=ulaw&alaw
canreinvite=no
qualify=yes
promiscredir=yes

Submit and apply, like normal.

Now comes the fun part.
Go to Admin -> Config Edit

Select extensions_custom.conf

Then paste in this new custom context in the box on the right. Note that the name u=you used before goes in here in the Dial section. The 9999 should be replaced by whatever your UM's Outlook Access Number is.

[um-vm]
exten => s,1,Wait(1)
exten => s,n,SipAddHeader(Diversion:<tel:${DEXTEN}>\;reason=no-answer\;screen=no\;privacy=off)
; UPDATE THE BELOW LINE APPROPRIATELY
exten => s,n,Dial(SIP/ExchUM/9999)
exten => s,n,Hangup()

Click save and apply like normal.

Now go to Admin > Custom Destination

Create a new destination like this.

Click save and apply like normal

Go to your extension and click on the Advanced tab.

Scroll to the bottom in the Optional Destination and change it from the defaults of this.

To this.

[JaredBusch]

To Do: Find a way to make that the default setting on a new extension.