Odd RingGroup sequence to voicemail?

[silicon2]

3cx v18.0 Update 3 (Build 461) running on Windows 10 dedicated hardware - on premise, with Polycom VVX410 phones

I have a small client with about 10 extensions, and a Ring group set to RingAll with Ring Time of 40 seconds and a "Destination if no answer" set to "voicemail box for extension" 101.
I had thought that if the ring group caller timed out at 40 seconds with no extension picking up, then the caller would be transferred to leave a voicemail against extension 101 (dedicated to VM).

But sometimes we seem to get the calls being transferred to the voicemail of a member extension of the ring group - why would that be? See an example below/attached:

x211 is a user extension with a phone and x100 is an unused "Operator" extension (no phone allocated)

I don't expect any users to use voicemail (but is is on by default - so I may need to disable it) - but I want to understand the overall behaviour first. Any ideas? TIA.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

This is probably happening due to the fact that callers connected to a vmail can press * to then be connected to the operator extension who as you said is unregistered so will then route the call to his voicemail.

So essentially what probably happened:

1. Caller calls your DID
2. Gets connected to Ring Group and times out.
3. Gets connected to voicemail set as the Ring Group's "Destination if no answer".
4. Caller presses *
5. Gets connected to operator who is unregistered.
6. Operators unregistered forwarding rule routes calls to his voicemail.

 

[silicon2]

That could possibly explain the 2nd routing to the x100 and x100VM; but the x211VM that occurred just prior is a user extension in the ring group - I don't understand how it would be routed to x211 VM - as that is NOT the defined "Destination if no answer"

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

My apologies, I completely missed that. It may just be that users, in this case 211, hit the send to voicemail button:

 

[silicon2]

Not sure if it is relevant; but the x211 staff member was working from home that day; so would have been using the 3CX softphone on her Pixel 3a. There is a tendency for the staff to be taking or making GSM calls as well; so it might be that the 3CX call was sent through whilst the mobile was already on a GSM call, in which case perhaps it was user dropped (i.e. not answered deliberately) - but wouldn't that just take the extension out of the ring group temporarily, rather than redirect to VM?

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

If they received a call while they were already on a GSM call then most likely the call still went through to them as they would've not been considered busy. If the user pressed "send to Voicemail" then the call will be directed to voicemail, it's not the same as the extension being busy. If the extension was in fact busy, say on another 3CX call, the extension would simply not ring for the Ring Group call.

 

[silicon2]

Yes, I agree with what you've said. But when I put a test call through to myself (our own 3CX setup), the only immediate options were Drop and Answer call - can't see a send to voicemail button

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

, the only immediate options were Drop and Answer call - can't see a send to voicemail button

Which 3CX client are you using, could you perhaps provide a screenshot?

 

[silicon2]

My own Android phone (OnePlus 9 Pro, Android 12) is running 3CX App for Android V18, 18.1.0.30 Beta, March 2022. I have now seen that the initial connection offer "Drop" and "Answer" as an Android popup; and if you click neither, but an area within the popup, the full 3cx screen is available with Drop and Answer again, but also with a "Voicemail" option in between the two main options "Answer" and "Decline". Seems odd that the terminology changes as well. Just my 2p; but I guess that could be what staff are doing to send calls to voicemail. I was unable to grab screenshots from the phone itself.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

I have now seen that the initial connection offer "Drop" and "Answer" as an Android popup; and if you click neither, but an area within the popup, the full 3cx screen is available with Drop and Answer again, but also with a "Voicemail" option in between the two main options "Answer" and "Decline".

Ok that would explain it then, you're right, it only appears on the apps full screen UI.

but I guess that could be what staff are doing to send calls to voicemail

Might indeed.

I was unable to grab screenshots from the phone itself.

That's alright, it won't be needed since the scenario you described makes sense.