Forward calls to multiple phone numbers at once with groups (simultaneous ring)

In this article:

Want to forward your calls to two or more phones at the same time? Sending calls to a group allows your calls to ring on multiple numbers at the same time. Or perhaps you are only forwarding calls to a single user but you want to take advantage of our Call Screening and Call Whisper functionality. This is also known as simultaneous ring. You can create groups of users to enable this feature.

• Login to your account
• Select Numbers
• Click on the number you wish to edit
• Click the dropdown next to Send all calls to a
• Select the Group option
• In the field presented, enter the name of this group you are creating. (If you have previously created a group, it will be available here to select)
• Check the users you wish to be a part of the group. (You'll need to add your users first) A group can contain a single user or multiple users. You can also click "Edit" next to a user to edit their settings.
• Call Screening - If your group contains multiple users, or if you want to better screen calls, enable the "User must press 1 to accept call" checkbox. When enabled, all users will hear this prompt when they answer the phone and can press 1 to accept the call. Or the user can hang up and leave the call for another user to answer.
  
• Call Whisper - Additionally, you can enter a "Call Whisper" message that you will also hear before accepting the call. For example, if you enter "Business Call,"  you will hear that greeting and be required to then press 1 to accept the call. You may want to format your message as "Business Call. Press 1 to accept the call."
• There are a few important notes to share regarding the Call Screening functionality:
  • You cannot use Call Whisper without first having Call Screening enabled. If Call Screening is NOT enabled, Call Whisper will NOT work but Call Screening can work without a Call Whisper.
  • Both of these features can be used even if you only have a single user in your group.
  • If you wish to have different Whispers for each of your telephone numbers you will need to create a new group by selecting "Add New Group" in the dropdown menu listed below.
    
• Click Save Changes

All calls will now be forwarded to your group, ringing all members simultaneously. Be sure to go to Account and then Users to ensure that a call forwarding number is entered for each individual user. Click Edit next to each user to quickly update their settings as your configuring your group. 

Please note that each user can forward to one telephone number so forwarding calls to more than one number will require multiple users in NumberGarage. Learn more about pricing for additional users here.

Sending calls to a group can also be a part of a menu keypress or added as a function of a schedule.

How long with calls ring to the group before going to voicemail?

When calls route to a group, it will ring to each user for the duration configured in their individual user settings. And once the longest duration has been reached, the call will go to voicemail. The following article walks you through your call forwarding settings for your NumberGarage users:

Call forwarding to a User

Add and update a user's voicemail greeting

Members of the group will be prompted to press 1 to accept the call.

Which voicemail box will answer if no user accepts the calls?

The general voicemail box tied to your telephone number will answer the call. To configure this voicemail, take a look at this article:

Add/update my phone number's voicemail greeting

Are groups the same as a call queue?

Groups are similar to queues in that you can send calls to multiple numbers at a time. NumberGarage and NumberBarn does not currently offer queuing or automated call distribution (ACD) functionality where you can distribute calls to multiple numbers in a round-robin fashion or based on skills. If this is something you truly need for your business, please feel free to leave a comment or contact customer service as we may be able to add this in the future.