Ring Groups and Call Queues - Possible issue with Users not being "idle"

[OwenC]

I'm new to 3CX (using the hosted Enterprise version - 18.0 update 4 - build 965) and trying to set up the following logic when a call comes in:

• 20 seconds call the following users
  • User 101 (calls forwarded to mobile as well)
  • User 102 (calls forwarded to mobile as well)
• +10 seconds call the following users
  • User 101 (calls forwarded to mobile as well)
  • User 102 (calls forwarded to mobile as well)
  • User 100 (calls forwarded to mobile as well)

As such, I have my Ring Groups with Ring All set up as:

• 800
  • Ring all
  • Ring time = 20 seconds
  • Group Members = 101 & 102
  • Destination if no answer = 801
• 801
  • Ring all
  • Ring time = 20 seconds
  • Group Members = 101, 102 & 100
  • Destination if no answer = Voicemail of extension 963

All users are using the 3CX desktop app, and having calls forwarded to their mobiles. With this all in place what is happening when a call comes in is:

• 20 seconds
  • User 101 & 102 ring - both on the desktop app and mobiles - all is good
• +10 seconds
  • ONLY User 100 is ringing (both on desktop and mobiles) - this is not good

This seems to be because the transfer between ring groups is so quick that the users are still in an "unavailable" state due to "rejecting" (there may be a better word) the initial Ring Group.

Given we're on the Enterprise version, I've tried a Call Queue, as such:

• Call Queue 804
  • Skill based routing ringall
  • Ring time = 20 seconds
  • Destination if no answer
    • Max wait time = 180 seconds
    • Location = Voicemail for extension 963
  • Agents
    • 101 = Level 1
    • 102 = Level 1
    • 100 = Level 2

The behaviour of a ringing user there seems to be handled differently as if we just let the two "level 1" users ring, they continue (albeit after a brief pause) to keep ringing until the maximum timeout - so Level 2 is never triggered. In essence, the transition between the ring time seems to have a slight delay, allowing the user to be seen as idle again.

With all of this in mind, how do I get the logic I'm looking to achieve set up?

I come from a FreePBX background, so I'm happy to troubleshoot things and create warped logic (if I have to use a dummy extension with some cludgy logic so be it).

 

[leejor]

+10 seconds

• ONLY User 100 is ringing (both on desktop and mobiles) - this is not good

I'm wondering if this isn't because the mobiles of the original two members were also ringing, and that 3CX has not had time to "tear down" those connections, and therefor still sees the extensions as being busy.

Perhaps try sending unanswered calls from the first ring group to an IVR, briefly, that then routes automatically to the second ring group. That may introduce enough of a delay that all three extensions are seen as idle. Callers may hear "please wait while I transfer your call", and some hold music, however.

 

[OwenC]

Yeah, I tried an IVR (Digital Receptionost) and it does work - which is why I think it's a delay thing, but it completes the call for the caller (the call time starts ticking on their phone) and the ringtone changes. It's not really a hack I want to put in place permanently.

It's still odd that the Ring Group and Call Queue treat the same situation so very differently.

Is there a way to have a Ring Group include internal (agents) & external (their mobiles) calls at the same time? I could remove the "forward to my mobile" feature and possibly end up with the right logic if it is related to the "tear down" of the mobile calls (still odd this behaviour isn't consistent with the Call Queue though - if it was that'd be perfect for what I want).

 

[leejor]

Did you remove the Call my moble options on the extensions, and then try it? If that works as expected, then I have to assume it is the delay in "handling" the calls to the mobiles.

What about sending the first RG no answer, to another RG with one extension, set to ring for 3 seconds, then to the final ring group, just to add a delay?

 

[OwenC]

I've not tried removing the "call my mobile" option (largely because I want that in the logic), however I'm now wondering if using a couple of dummy users that *just* have the mobile assigned (and will never be used otherwise) and adding them to the logic might get me closer to what I want to happen.

I might even try usong the mobile number as an ring group number and see how that goes. Won't really be able to test until Monday, but now I have some ideas to try to workaround this issue at least.

 

[leejor]

I've not tried removing the "call my mobile" option (largely because I want that in the logic),

I'm not suggesting removing it permanently, simply as a test, to see if it's use is indeed the cause of the problem. I'm certain that what you are trying to achieve is not a scenario that was considered.
You just need something to slow down the call routing, back to the same RG members, before the outbound calls to the mobiles can be dropped.

 

[OwenC]

I've done some further testing this morning, and it looks like the issue is tied to the mobile phones.

I've removed the "ring my mobile simultaneously" option, and the desktop app continues to ring fine in the transition between ring groups.

I then set up some "dummy" users (using 7##) that just had our mobile numbers in (and set to ring the mobile simultaneously), and then added those to the ring groups alongside the actual user. So User 101 has a corresponding 701 for their mobile number. With this in place, the mobile phone only rings for the first ring group it is in. Here's the updated Ring Group structure:

• 800
  • Ring all
  • Ring time = 20 seconds
  • Group Members = 101, 701, 102 & 702
  • Destination if no answer = 801
• 801
  • Ring all
  • Ring time = 20 seconds
  • Group Members = 101, 701, 102, 702, 100 & 700
  • Destination if no answer = Voicemail of extension 963

So for the first 20 seconds, the 2 desktop apps & 2 mobiles ring = great start!

Then when 801 kicks in, the 3 desktop apps ring, and only 700's mobile rings = not so great, but maybe a bit closer to figuring out how to get this logic to work fully?

 

[leejor]

You might consider using the solution in this issue, maybe even just a 2 second delay.....

https://www.3cx.com/community/threa...p-because-i-can’t-respond.116178/#post-538355

 

[OwenC]

We had a separate issue with the mobiles (Link to thread) that is going to have me investigating the possibility of just using the 3CX app on the mobiles instead of forwarding the calls externally.

In short - the voicemail on the mobiles is switched off, and when the phone is out of signal (off, or in airplane mode) and the phone is run, an automatic recording is played instantly which completes the call and ruins any call logic set up in 3CX. Given 3G-5G and WiFi coverage, this should be good enough for our operations.