Ring Call Group Until Answered - Never go Back to AA/VM 1

[doughonea]

I have a doctor's office with a Partner system and Partner VM. We have set up a call group (71, with exts. 10, 13, 14, 24). The auto attendant directs callers with "emergencies"s to select "2" which transfers to this call group. I want all the extensions in this call group to ring until someone answers. I never want it to go back to the AA or VM.

Right now, after 4 rings, the AA/VMS intervenes and asks to transfer to another extension, or "0" for operator. "0" sends them to extension 10, with no mailbox, so they can go through this "press 0" loop until ext. 10 answers, but this is a poor workaround at best.

How do I set this call group to ring forever?

Thanks!

 

[ttech]

#105 - 0

 

[doughonea]

It appears from the documentation that #105 applies to all extensions on the system. I have other extensions that need to go to VM after four rings. Is there a way to set the non-transfer to only extension 71?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Extensions covering to VM are controlled by #310, Automatic VMS Coverage, and #321, VMS Coverage Rings. Sloppy programmers do not turn #310 on, and the unanswered transfer returns to the VM port that transferred it in the first place, which looks for a matching mailbox. Finding it, that's where the call goes, not finding it, you hear "Transferring call....", and then the call transfers to the Call Answer Service Operator.

Here's how it is supposed to work:

The VM ports should have their Transfer Return Extension setting pointing to Ext. 10. through #306-(VM Extension Port)-10. Unanswered calls transferred from the Auto Attendant to an extension without voice mail coverage turned on, will return to Ext. 10 instead of the VM port that did the transfer.

However, transfers to calling groups will NOT return to Ext. 10, nor will they return to the VM port, if #306 is set for the VM ports.


You can take advantage of a quirk, and create a coverage for calling groups, by purposely NOT setting #306 for the VM ports, being sure to set #310 for extensions with mailboxes, and creating mailboxes for the calling groups (71, 72, 73, and/or 74)

 

[doughonea]

Please forgive my ignorance. So how should I set extension 71 to make sure it just keeps ring until answered?

 

[TouchToneTommy]

Set the transfer return destination for each voice mail port to Ext. 10, set the Transfer Return Rings to whatever you want it to be for the rest of the extensions, and be sure to set Automatic VMS Coverage for those extensions that have mailboxes.

When a call transfers to a calling group, it will ring until answered or abandoned.

 

[doughonea]

Thank you!