A ring group can be used to define a list of members (either SIP extension numbers, or PSTN phone numbers) that can then be used by other applications within the SmartPABX to dial all of those numbers at once (in a ring-all type fashion, where the first person to answer receives the call).
A ring group is useful when one person could be at two or more different locations, and they need to be able to answer their calls from any of those locations.
By creating a ring group and defining the extension numbers (or PSTN numbers) of those locations as members of the ring group, when a call rings this ring group all phones in the ring group will ring, and the person can answer the call on any of those ringing phones. Once the call is answered from one of the ringing phones, all other phones immediately stop ringing.
This functionality is sometimes referred to as single number reach.
Ring groups can dialled in the following scenarios:
A ring group can be dialled from within an IVR using the “Dial” action. See “Configure IVRs” for more details.
- A ring group can be dialled when an extension has the “Send inbound to Ring Group” option enabled. See “Configure Extensions for more details.
Ring groups cannot be dialled in the following scenarios:
A ring group cannot be dialled from within a Queue
- A ring group cannot be set as an action for a Direct Indial number.
For a Direct Indial number to be configured to dial a ring group, the Direct Indial number must either:
be configured to first route through an IVR (using GotIVR), and that IVR should dial the ring group (using the “Dial” action)
- be configured to first route to an extension (using GotoExtension) which has the “Send inbound to Ring Group” option enabled.