3CX - Best practices for "Use Call Deflection (302)"? Can it be used with a Ring Group? What about for all calls outside of office hours?

[TotalTechTeam]

• 3CX Version: Standard Annual 18.0 (Build 418)
• Host and Server OS: Azure Hosted with whatever default came from 3CX
• IP Phone Make/Model/Firmware version: 3CX Softphone
• Trunk Provider: Voxtelesys
• Has the Firewall Checker passed: YES
• Are custom Phone Templates being used: NO

Here's the situation; I've posted about it before here with a different set of questions, but still need some guidance. I have found a provider (Voxtelesys) that supports 302 Diversion/Deflection and is 3CX Preferred, so that part is covered.

Scenario:

• Small business with low user count but fairly high call volume.
• ALL unanswered calls forward to an outside number (call forward on busy/no answer).
• No voicemail is used. Outside answering service handles all overflow.

Current setup:

• 4 POTS lines to old-school key-system PBX
• Currently, ALL unanswered calls forward at the provider level and free up the line

Is there any way to replicate this?

I understand why 302 diversion/deflection cannot be used with an IVR, that makes perfect sense, because an IVR is technically answering the call. However, the client doesn't need an IVR, so this is irrelevant. Either a human on-site answers the phone, or a human at the answering service answers the phone. That's what they want - humans!

What I don't understand is why it can't be used with a ring group. Or maybe it can and I haven't quite figured it out yet? The goal is to have all office phones ring like they do on the current system, but if nobody answers, forward to third-party off-site answering service.

I have tried playing around with this in my own 3CX install with fresh trunks, fresh ring group, fresh extensions, etc. I haven't quite figured it out, so I figured I'd ask here.

I've looked extensively for options in ring groups, but haven't found anything.

Here's what I've tried so far, and unfortunately NONE of these attempts work properly. All attempts forwarded the calls, but all used 1SC (which isn't really that bad, but still not ideal):

• Incoming Trunk --> Ring Group ---no answer at ring group---> Connect to Dummy Extension ---no answer dummy extension---> Forward to Mobile using 302 deflection
• Incoming Trunk --> Ring Group ---no answer at ring group---> Connect to Dummy Extension ---no answer dummy extension---> Forward to Number using 302 deflection
• Incoming Trunk --> Active extension in 3CX softphone, set to DND, with DND status set to Forward to mobile using 302 deflection
• Incoming Trunk --> Inactive dummy extension, with forwarding set to Forward to mobile using 302 deflection

I also noticed that if the extension is set to Available, there is no 302 Deflection option - only for DND, Away, etc. Why is this?

Also, what about after hours? Would I use a dummy extension there, too?

Any other suggestions to get these calls to bounce/deflect and not take up a call channel? At least I'm only seeing one channel in use, unlike the expectation that two would be used in my previous thread, but I'd still like this to work properly.

Thanks in advance!