Inbound hunting between SIP and PSTN

[Bman040]

I'm planning on a 3CX install for my business. Been playing with it for a few weeks, really like the feature set and this will be a huge leap in call centre functionality for us - I'm excited. I currently have 6 pots lines coming into an old NEC pbx. Going to replace NEC with 3CX and going to replace 3 of the pots lines with a sip trunk. Going to run the remaining 3 pots lines through a patton4114.

The reason I'm not going ALL sip is poor internet - best available is cable. I also like the idea of redundancy (if phones are out we have a few sip lines, vice versa)

Currently my phone bill lists a feature called "hunt" on each of my pots lines and that is what I understand gives me the ability to have 1 public phone number for my business. Our main "yellow book" number. Every inbound call is dialled on that 1 number but the actual call is connected over the next open line (out of the 6). Here is where my phone system knowledge is insufficient- I'm not sure if this inbound hunting is happening at the provider level (century link) or if its being done on my NEC pbx. Whatever the case its critical that I retain this aspect with 3CX.

Can someone shed light on if this is possible in an environment like mine with 1/2 pots lines through a gateway and 1/2 sip trunk. Is it handled by my 3CX or must this logic be done at the provider level? If provider must I use the same provider for both services?

Sorry if this is a dumb question - I feel like I'm using the wrong terminology in my searches because surely every business out there wants only the 1 "Primary" external phone number. All the use cases and documentation I've found with 3CX specifically seem to be all sip with 1 provider. I will have 1/2 and 1/2 and likely different providers. Thanks a million for any help!

 

[leejor]

Trunk group "hunting" or "over-line" is done at the provider end. In some cases the main number is assigned to the first line and the remaining are either assigned dial-able numbers, or non dial-able pseudo-numbers.

What you could do is to talk to your existing provider to see if they will forward callers to another number if all trunks are busy. Check to see how many concurrent calls they will forward, you will want as many as VoIp trunks you wish to use.. If they will, you could then keep the existing "main" number, with them along with 3 of the PSTN lines. You can then subscribe to a VoIP service, with a new number, for the remaining lines. If the 3 PSTN lines are all engaged, calls could then be forwarded to your new, VoIP number.. If you subscribe to a VoIP provider that allows you to send any caller ID, you could then send your existing PSTN pilot number out when calling over the VoIP trunks. Only you, and your existing PSTN provider, will have to know your new VoIP number.

If your PSTN provider can not, or will not forward your calls, you could still keep 3 PSTN lines and use them for incoming only, Route your outgoing over the new VoIP trunks sending your existing number on caller ID. The PSTN trunk group could be set as an overflow, for outbound calls

Later, when you felt comfortable about the stability of the VoIP trunks, you could port over your PSTN number.

 

[cobaltit]

Currently my phone bill lists a feature called "hunt" on each of my pots lines.....I'm not sure if this inbound hunting is happening at the provider level (century link) or if its being done on my NEC pbx. Whatever the case its critical that I retain this aspect with 3CX.

The phone bill answers the question

Regarding the call forwarding @leejor is correct. More specifically you'll probably want call forwarding multi-path. Traditionally call forwarding is only going to allow for 1 active forward. So in your scenario assuming 3 POTS lines and 3 VoIP call paths regular forwarding would forward the 4th call from POTS to VoIP but the 5th call would fail.

 

[Bman040]

Thank you for your answers, it makes sense I know what to ask my providers