Ring Groups

Loading ring groups

Ring Group Configuration

Loading ring groups

Ring Group Members

Add extensions or external numbers to ring groups

📚 Ring Groups Guide

What are Ring Groups?

Ring groups (also called hunt groups) allow you to ring multiple extensions simultaneously or sequentially when someone calls a single number. This is perfect for departments, teams, or ensuring calls are always answered.

Common Use Cases

  • Reception: Ring receptionist's desk phone and mobile simultaneously
  • Departments: Sales extension rings all sales team members
  • Support: Technical support line rings all support staff
  • On-Call: After-hours number rings on-call staff in order
  • Executive: CEO's line rings desk, assistant, and mobile

Ring Strategies

Ring All (Simultaneous)

All members ring at the same time. First person to answer gets the call.

Best for: Small teams where fastest answer is priority.

Hunt (Sequential)

Rings members one at a time in order. If first doesn't answer, tries second, then third, etc.

Best for: Priority-based answering (receptionist first, then backup).

Memory Hunt

Like hunt, but remembers where it left off. If member 2 answered last call, next call starts at member 3.

Best for: Fair distribution among team members.

Random

Randomly selects which member to ring first, then proceeds through the rest.

Best for: Equal distribution without predictable patterns.

How to Create a Ring Group

  1. Go to "Manage Ring Groups" tab
  2. Click "Create New Ring Group"
  3. Enter a group number (e.g., 6000 for Sales, 6001 for Support)
  4. Give it a descriptive name
  5. Choose ring strategy (start with "ringall")
  6. Set ring time (20-30 seconds is typical)
  7. Configure no-answer destination (usually voicemail)
  8. Click "Create Ring Group"

How to Add Members

  1. Go to "Members" tab
  2. Select the ring group from dropdown
  3. Click "Add Member"
  4. Choose member type:
    • Extension: Internal SIP extension (2000, 2001, etc.)
    • External: Outside phone number (mobile, PSTN)
  5. Enter extension number or phone number
  6. Set order (for hunt strategy - lower numbers ring first)
  7. Click "Add Member"
  8. Click "Apply Configuration" to activate

Understanding Settings

Ring Time

How long to ring before giving up or trying next member. 20-30 seconds is standard.

Skip Busy

If enabled, members already on a call won't ring. Recommended: ON.

Confirm Calls

Member must press 1 to accept the call. Prevents calls going to voicemail when ringing mobile phones.

Use when: Ring group includes external mobile numbers.

Announcement

Audio file played to caller before ringing starts. E.g., "Please hold while we connect you."

No Answer Destination

Where to send call if no one answers:

  • Voicemail: Send to voicemail box
  • Extension: Forward to specific extension
  • Queue: Send to call queue
  • IVR: Return to menu
  • Hangup: Play goodbye and disconnect

Ring Groups vs. Call Queues

Use Ring Groups When:

  • Small team (2-10 people)
  • Simple ring all or sequential
  • No need for statistics or wallboard
  • Quick setup required

Use Call Queues When:

  • Larger teams (5+ agents)
  • Need for statistics and SLA tracking
  • Agent pause/unpause required
  • Caller position announcements needed
  • Call center environment

You can use both together! Ring group can overflow to a queue, or queue can overflow to ring group.

Best Practices

  • Keep it Simple: 3-5 members per ring group is ideal
  • Use Confirm Calls: Enable when using mobile phones
  • Set Reasonable Ring Time: 20-30 seconds per member
  • Always Set No-Answer Destination: Never leave calls hanging
  • Test Before Deploying: Call the ring group to verify behavior
  • Document Member Order: For hunt groups, document the priority order
  • Use Meaningful Numbers: 6000s for departments, 7000s for teams, etc.

Integration with Other Features

With Call Queues

Ring group can overflow to queue after timeout, or queue can overflow to ring group for escalation.

With Call Parking

Members can park calls using *70 and others can pick up from any device.

With IVR Menus

IVR options can route to ring groups: "Press 1 for Sales" → Ring Group 6000

With Time Conditions

Route to different ring groups based on business hours vs. after hours.

Troubleshooting

Ring group not ringing

  • Verify ring group is enabled
  • Check that members are added
  • Ensure "Apply Configuration" was clicked after changes
  • Verify dialplan reloaded successfully

Only some members ring

  • Check if members are registered (admin dashboard)
  • Verify "Skip Busy" setting if members are on calls
  • Check member enabled status

External numbers go to voicemail immediately

  • Enable "Confirm Calls" setting
  • This requires user to press 1 to accept
  • Prevents mobile voicemail from grabbing the call

Calls not reaching no-answer destination

  • Verify destination is configured correctly
  • Check that destination extension/queue exists
  • Review Asterisk CLI for errors

Example Configurations

Reception Desk (Ring All)

  • Group Number: 6000
  • Strategy: Ring All
  • Members: Extension 2000 (desk), Extension 2010 (mobile softphone)
  • Ring Time: 25 seconds
  • No Answer: Voicemail 6000

Sales Team (Hunt)

  • Group Number: 6001
  • Strategy: Memory Hunt
  • Members: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (in order)
  • Ring Time: 20 seconds
  • No Answer: Queue 5001 (Sales Queue)

On-Call After Hours (Sequential)

  • Group Number: 6100
  • Strategy: Hunt
  • Members: Primary on-call (order 1), Backup (order 2), Manager (order 3)
  • Ring Time: 30 seconds each
  • Confirm Calls: Yes (calling mobile phones)
  • No Answer: Voicemail with urgent callback number
💡 Pro Tip: Use ring groups for simple team coverage and call queues for formal call center operations. Combine them for powerful routing: Ring group tries immediate team → overflow to queue with all agents → final voicemail.