FORWARD ALL RULE

[joebocop]

Hello,

I would like to have a Ring Group member that dials an external number on the PSTN. I've attached the instructions given by 3CX, in a screenshot.

I create a dummy extension (one with no phone associated with it), but where do I specify the "FORWARD ALL RULE"?

Thank you.

 

[lneblett]

A little more info is needed -

Is the intent for the ring group to contain actual extensions or is it merely going to go out on the PTSN? Or, are you looking for a combination of inside and an external number? What is the ring strategy? I am of the opinion that you want to ring both internal extensions and an external number within the group.

Presumably, if you have created the dummy extension, then you would go to the settings for that extension and do a forward rule there. As the extension will not have a registered phone, you could use the available status and set the external number under no answer, busy, not registered and then forward to the number.

However, I am somewhat of the opinion that this will not work. The reason being that a call directed to a ring group is a "system owned" call. By this I mean that the forwarding rules for a given extension do not apply to system calls. But you have nothing to lose by trying. Once the system sees that there is no phone registered, then it will by-pass that extension.

Depending upon what you really want and the ring strategy employed, you could set up the ring group and use the external number as the number to call when no one else answers (bottom of the ring group definition). You might even set up a phone (turn the phone ringer down or off) and then set the extension to ring my extension and mobile simultaneously. If this works, you may have to play with the ring timeout in the ring group as it will take more time to go out the PTSN route than to an extension. I have never tried this and am a little skeptical that it will work, but perhaps.

 

[joebocop]

Thanks for weighing-in.

The behaviour I have seen, is that if there is no phone registered with the extension, a call placed to it goes to voicemail, not to that extension's mobile phone number, regardless off the settings under any/all of the statuses of that dummy extension's forwarding rules.

The behaviour I am after, Prioritized Hunt:
- extension 101, 12 seconds
- an external cell phone number, 12 seconds
- extension 102, 12 seconds
- another external cell phone number, 12 seconds
- finally, the voicemail of extension 101.

Ringing those internal extensions, and the "finally" clause is easy. But how to get an external call placed? As in my screenshot, 3CX makes it pretty clear that all I need to do is create an extension with a "FORWARD ALL RULE" on it. What does that mean? I have not seen that nomenclature elsewhere, and I don't see it as an option on any of the settings pages of the dummy extensions I have created for each of those external cell phone numbers...

Thanks again.

 

[lneblett]

OK, I set up a dummy extension (101) and using V12.5, disable vmail for the extension and then set the status of the phone to available. I then set the forwarding rules for available to call my mobile (external number). I did this for both internal and external calls. I then dialed the extension from another extension (being internal) and indeed it rang my mobile. I then did the same from external to 101 and again it dialed my mobile.

I then included the dummy extension into the ring group and using an external line called into the system and dialed the ring group extension. I was inserted into the ring group.

12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.641 [CM503025]: Call(C:20): Calling T:Line:10000>>1956XXXXXX@[Dev:sip:[email protected]:5060] for L:20.1[Line:10000<<1956XXXXXXX]
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 [CM503005]: Call(C:20): Forwarding: T:Line:10000>>1956XXXXXXX@[Dev:sip:[email protected]:5060]
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 Line limit check: Current # of calls for line Lc:10000(@NexVortex[<sip:[email protected]:5060>]) is 1; limit is 8
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 L:20.1[Line:10000<<1956XXXXXXX] forwards call from Extn:100 to Out#:>>Rule{11 Digit nexVortex}>>19565352334 based on rule Fwd[Out of office/AllCalls]
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 L:20.1[Line:10000<<1956XXXXXXX] forwards call from RingAll:807 to Extn:100 based on rule
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 L:20.1[Line:10000<<1956XXXXXXX] failed to reach RingAll:807, reason Temporarily Unavailable
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 [CM503026]: Call(C:20): Route 1 to RingAll807[Ext.101Ext.101] is not active (Busy/Not registered)
12-Dec-2014 16:33:33.583 L:20.1[Line:10000<<1956XXXXXXX] target's endpoint Extn:101 is Not Available/Not Registered

As you can see, the ring group saw that the extension was not registered and therefore by-passed it altogether. As 101 was the only extension to be had, the system subsequently sent the call to my personal extension as the last rule in the ring group (when no answer). My extension was set to out of office and it followed this rule (as the call is no longer a system owned call) and sent it to my cell.

Sorry, but the scenario you seek within a ring group will not function as you desire.

You can however, use a queue to enable external calling.

 

[joebocop]

Thanks for labbing it up for me!

What do you make of the tool-tip text from my screenshot?! 3CX devs explicit placed that text there... is it deprecated?

 

[joebocop]

Interesting stuff...

I created a Queue instead, as you suggested. Added "External Agents", which turn up in the list of extensions as some sort of half-breed extension. They work slick in a Queue, but can ALSO be dialled directly as a regular extension! BUT! They can't be added to a Ring Group.

We're way down the rabbit hole now. Thanks for the help.

 

[lneblett]

I do not know if deprecated. In all honesty, I had never hovered over it on the ring group page. However, I have setup quite a few ring groups and I have never seen the system react the way you wish. I also just removed extension 101 and replaced it with extension 200 which is a registered phone and I then set the phone to have a 1 second timeout and then to forward the call to an external number. I do have the allow setting enabled in the advanced setting configuration and I was able to test successfully using a Q.

I wonder if you might be able to create the ring group and then connect a phone and within the phone web interface set to forward all or unconditionally to you external number?

 

[leejor]

Keep in mind, even if you could get an extension, as part of a Ring Group (ring my mobile at the same time?), to forward out on a PSTN gateway, that the call, will (in most cases) will be considered , by 3CX, to be answered, just after sending the digits to the gateway and therefore would stop ringing all other members.

A long winded way of saying that a Ring Group, may not be the option to be trying.

 

[joebocop]

Thank you both for the expertise.

It does seem that a Prioritized Hunt "Queue" does exactly what we need, so long as the extensions are "logged-in" to the Queue system.

Again, my thanks for the help, very much appreciated.

 

[joebocop]

leejor, it seems you were right.

Behaviour I see with a "Call Queue" (not using a Ring Group any more here), is that it will ring the first extension, then infinitely ring the second option (which is a cell phone)!

How do I get 3CX to respect the call queue order if there are external agents in the mix, rather than just stopping at the first cell phone it hits?!

Thanks again for the expertise.

 

[leejor]

If you use external devices as extensions, then 3CX would need to know the ongoing status of the device (has it answered the call). This can usually be done by using VoIP trunking, but, some gateways will also support it if the PSTN Provider does as well.

Answer supervision using PSTN trunking is accomplished by using current reversal supplied by your provider, many do not do this, or charge extra if available. The gateway itself must also support this and be optioned correctly. So a few hoops to jump through, to make this work using PSTN trunking.

You might consider trying out a single VoIP trunk (new trunk group in 3CX), see if it works, then add additional "channels" as needed.

 

[joebocop]

Thank you again, a million times over, for the help.

You are quite correct, when I force the calls to external agents out over one of our VoIP trunks (instead of the PSTN trunk), the queue works perfectly... the cell phones ring for 12 seconds, aren't answered, and then the call moves on to the next extension or cell phone. Too bad it doesn't work over the PSTN, but this is a workable solution in the meantime.

Thank you again.

 

[joebocop]

One more thing; I doubt that our PSTN provider will support the feature (current reversal, as you say), but in case they do, we are using a Patton SN4316 PSTN gateway device to connect to their lines... do you know off-hand that devices supports the features you are talking about?

 

[craigreilly]

I would get with Patton as their support team is quite knowledgeable and can answer your questions pretty efficiently.
Is there an issue with keeping the VoIP line for this need?

 

[joebocop]

We have 4 VoIP trunks, and they are great except for the fact that the internet connections at this location are less reliable than the PSTN connections (same provider, only provider in the area, unfortunately). At the moment, the call queue works the way we want it to (thanks to the help provided in this thread) using the VoIP trunk, but in the event that the trunk is down, the queue will not work the same way. This particular queue services an "emergency line" for people who have trouble with boilers or plumbing issues in their homes... so it's at least somewhat important that they reach "someone" quickly.

Fingers are crossed for the VoIP trunk doing its job, and I will indeed contact Patton with regards to "current reversal".

 

[leejor]

Before you start spending too much time on this...talk to your PSTN provider to see if they even offer answer supervision in the form of polarity reversal. I know that while it is offered, or available, to some PBX trunks from some switches, it can require a new line equipment in the central office, to support the feature.

 

[joebocop]

As ever, leejor, thank you.

Our PSTN provider does not support the features you've described so, for the time being, we are routing these calls over the VoIP provider instead.

Again, my thanks for sharing your expertise.