Pod Connect for Desktop

Getting Started

Your Pod phone service can be used to make or receive calls from your desk phone, your PC or Mac, and your mobile devices.

For this to work on your desktop, you need to install the Pod for Desktop software on your PC or Mac. This guide will help you to do that.

Ensure Your Computer is Compatible

Pod for Desktop works on PCs running Windows 7 or Windows 8. It also runs on Macs that have OS X 10.7 or later versions.

You can use your computer’s built-in microphone and speakers, but you will have much better audio quality if you use a headset. Pod works with most common headsets, including Bluetooth. It will even work with the answer/reject call button on some headsets.

Your Password

You will need your Pod CommPortal phone number and password to start using Pod for Desktop. If you don’t have this information, contact your administrator.

Download and Install the Software

Download Pod for Desktop from https://commportal.connectbetter.net

When prompted, save the file. Find the file in your downloads folder, open it, and follow the on screen instructions to install the software.

 

Exploring Pod Connect forDesktop

Pod Connect for Desktop is like having your desk phone on your computer. You can make and receive calls, hold calls, transfer calls, and make three-way calls.

You can also use Pod Connect for Desktop to send instant messages, transfer files, and send presence information to other people in your corporate directory who are using Pod on any device.

Pod Connect for Desktop uses the Wi-Fi, broadband, or mobile data services connected to your computer.

Making & Receiving Calls

Making Calls

Making a call is as easy as entering the number on the keypad or clicking on a contact’s call button.

If your contact has more than one number, you can choose which number to call from the drop-down list.

If the person you are calling has caller ID, they will see your individual phone number.

Receiving Calls

When someone calls your Pod number, you will see a pop-up window appear on your computer screen and hear a ringing tone through your speakers or headset.

The pop-up shows the number of the person calling you.
If that person’s details are already in your contacts list, the pop-up displays the caller’s name.

Depending on the other services you have with Pod, you may see the incoming call on your desk phone, on your mobile phone, or on a tablet device. You can answer the call on whichever device is most convenient for you.

During the Call

While a call is in progress you can use the call window to:
1. Add a participant
2. Transfer the call
3. Perform a CRM look-up
4. Put the call on hold
5. Send video
6. Mute your microphone
7. Adjust the volume
8. Access the keypad
9. Record the call
10. Merge calls
11. End the call

You may receive a call while you are already on another call. If you answer the new call, the current call is automatically placed on hold and the new call appears in a new call progress window.
Switch between the two calls using the window for each one, or click on the Merge calls icon to merge other callers into a single call.

Video Calling

If the person you are talking to is also using Pod on the same network, you can upgrade your call to video at any time. Click on the Video icon to send your video. The other person will receive a prompt inviting them to switch on their video too. Click on the Video icon at any time to turn off your video feed.

Send the Call to Someone Else

Use the Call Transfer icon to send any call to another number.
A menu will pop-up allowing you to select a contact, or you can type in a completely new number to transfer the call to.
You can also transfer the call to another of your devices that has Pod installed, without having to hang up!

Instant Messaging

If you have Pod for desktop with Instant Messaging, click on a contact’s Chat icon to send them an instant message.

From within the chat window, you can send files, view your chat history with the contact, call the contact, and add one or more participants to the conversation.

Reject Call with IM

If the caller is in your Contacts list, you can reject a call and send the caller an instant message explaining why you can’t take the call.
Click on the drop-down list next to Reject and select one of the system messages, or click Custom Message to type your own message.

Presence & Call Manager

Presence

Let others know whether you are available or busy by setting your presence to Online or Busy.

Your Presence information automatically shows when you are Away, On the Phone, or In a Meeting (this references the information in your Outlook calendar).


Call Manager

You can tell Podr how to handle your incoming calls. Click on the Presence selector, expand the Available option and choose between:


If Do Not Disturb is selected, callers hear a recorded voice announcement saying that you are unavailable and are then connected to your voicemail. None of your devices will ring until you turn off Do Not Disturb, so be sure to use it carefully!

You can select Forwarding to forward all incoming calls to another number. You are then prompted to enter the number you want to forward calls to.

Note that when you change your Presence or Call Manager settings, the change applies on all of your Pod devices. So if you step away from your computer and forget to update your status, you can change your status using the Pod app on your mobile phone instead.

Choosing Which Calls to Receive

You can specify how calls should be handled if they are from anonymous numbers, from VIPs, or from numbers on your Unwanted Callers list.

To do this, click on the Presence selector, expand the Available option, and select the View all settings option at the end of the menu.

This opens the Call Manager Status window, where you can set your call handling preferences.

Contacts & Favourites

Your Contacts List

Pod for Desktop assembles a contact list for you to use.

Depending on how your service is set up, the contact list may include:

- Contacts that you type directly into Pod for Desktop  
- Contacts in the Outlook or Mac local address book stored locally on your computer
- Contacts in CommPortal contacts
- Contacts in your corporate directory

Favourites

For quick access to frequently-called people, add the contact to your Favourites list.
Use the right-hand mouse button to click on any contact and choose Add to Favourites from the drop-down list.
Favourites appear in the Favourites list and in the Contacts list.

Visual Voicemail

If you have a voice or video message, the Message button changes colour and indicates the number of messages received.

Click this button to see a list of messages received, to see transcriptions of the messages into text (where available), or to listen to the messages.

Emergency Calls

Pod lets you make calls from anywhere on the most convenient device.

If you place a 999 call from Pod, the 999 operator may not be able to identify where you are calling from.