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Ring Groups

Ring groups distribute incoming calls to multiple extensions. This document explains how to create and configure ring groups for department coverage and hunt groups.

What are Ring Groups?​

A ring group is a collection of extensions that ring together when a call comes in. Ring groups are ideal for:

  • Department coverage - Sales, Support, Billing teams
  • Hunt groups - Finding available agents
  • Overflow handling - Distributing high call volume
  • Backup coverage - Ensuring calls are answered

Ring Group Strategies​

OPBX supports three ring strategies:

Simultaneous (Ring All)​

All members' phones ring at the same time. The first person to answer gets the call.

Best for:

  • Small teams where anyone can answer
  • When speed of answer is critical
  • Departments with equal responsibility

Example:

Call comes in → Extensions 201, 202, 203 ring simultaneously
→ First to answer gets the call

Round Robin​

Calls are distributed evenly across members in rotation.

Best for:

  • Distributing workload evenly
  • Fair call allocation
  • Teams with similar roles

Example:

Call 1 → Extension 201
Call 2 → Extension 202
Call 3 → Extension 203
Call 4 → Extension 201 (rotation repeats)

Sequential (Hunt Group)​

Extensions ring one after another in a specific order.

Best for:

  • Priority-based routing
  • Escalation scenarios
  • Hierarchical teams

Example:

Call comes in → Extension 201 rings for 10 seconds
→ If no answer, Extension 202 rings for 10 seconds
→ If no answer, Extension 203 rings for 10 seconds

Creating a Ring Group​

Step 1: Create the Ring Group​

  1. Navigate to Ring Groups in the main menu
  2. Click Create Ring Group
  3. Enter a Name (e.g., "Sales Team")
  4. Add an optional Description
  5. Select the Ring Strategy
  6. Set the Timeout (how long to ring in seconds)
  7. Configure Fallback options
  8. Click Save

Step 2: Add Members​

  1. Open the ring group you created
  2. Click Add Member
  3. Select an extension to add
  4. Set the Priority (for sequential strategy)
  5. Click Save
  6. Repeat for all members

Step 3: Configure Fallback​

Set what happens when no one answers:

  • Send to Voicemail - Leave a message
  • Forward to Extension - Route to another person
  • Forward to Another Ring Group - Escalate to another team
  • Forward to IVR Menu - Provide options
  • Send to AI Assistant - Automated handling

Ring Group Settings​

Timeout​

How long to ring before trying the next member or fallback:

TimeoutUse Case
10-15 secondsQuick escalation
20-30 secondsStandard (recommended)
45-60 secondsPatient callers

Ring Turns​

How many times to cycle through all members:

  • 1 turn - Try each member once
  • 2 turns - Try each member twice
  • Unlimited - Keep ringing until timeout
tip

For simultaneous strategy, ring turns don't apply (all ring at once).

Member Priority​

For sequential strategy, priority determines the order:

PriorityOrder
1Rings first
2Rings second
3Rings third

Ring Group Configuration Examples​

Sales Team (Simultaneous)​

Setup:

  • Name: Sales Team
  • Strategy: Simultaneous
  • Timeout: 25 seconds
  • Members: Ext 201, 202, 203, 204
  • Fallback: Voicemail

Behavior:

Caller dials Sales number
→ All 4 sales reps' phones ring
→ First to answer gets the call
→ If no answer in 25 seconds → Voicemail

Support Tier 1 (Round Robin)​

Setup:

  • Name: Support Tier 1
  • Strategy: Round Robin
  • Timeout: 20 seconds per agent
  • Members: Ext 301, 302, 303
  • Fallback: Support Tier 2 ring group

Behavior:

Call 1 → Ext 301 (no answer) → Ext 302 (answer)
Call 2 → Ext 303 (answer)
Call 3 → Ext 301 (answer)

Escalation Chain (Sequential)​

Setup:

  • Name: Escalation Support
  • Strategy: Sequential
  • Timeout: 15 seconds each
  • Members:
    • Priority 1: Ext 301 (Tier 1)
    • Priority 2: Ext 302 (Tier 2)
    • Priority 3: Ext 303 (Manager)
  • Fallback: Manager voicemail

Behavior:

Caller dials support
→ Ext 301 rings 15 seconds (no answer)
→ Ext 302 rings 15 seconds (no answer)
→ Ext 303 rings 15 seconds (no answer)
→ Goes to manager voicemail

Managing Ring Groups​

Editing Members​

To add or remove members:

  1. Navigate to Ring Groups
  2. Select the ring group
  3. Click Members tab
  4. Use Add Member or Remove buttons
  5. Adjust priorities as needed

Changing Strategy​

You can change the ring strategy at any time:

  1. Edit the ring group
  2. Select new Strategy
  3. Adjust Timeout if needed
  4. Save changes
note

Strategy changes take effect immediately for new calls.

Disabling a Ring Group​

To temporarily disable:

  1. Edit the ring group
  2. Change Status to "Inactive"
  3. Save changes

Calls will not be routed to inactive ring groups.

Ring Groups and Extensions​

Creating the Extension​

Ring groups need an extension number to receive calls:

  1. Create an extension of type Ring Group
  2. Select your ring group as the target
  3. The extension number becomes the dial-in number

DID Routing​

Route incoming calls to your ring group:

  1. Configure a DID number
  2. Set routing type to Ring Group
  3. Select your ring group
  4. Test the configuration

Advanced Features​

Nested Ring Groups​

Ring groups can cascade to other ring groups:

DID → Ring Group A (Tier 1 Support)
         ↓ (if no answer)
      Ring Group B (Tier 2 Support)
         ↓ (if no answer)
      Manager Extension

Dynamic Membership​

While OPBX doesn't support automatic membership changes, you can:

  • Quickly add/remove members through the UI
  • Use priorities to control inclusion
  • Create multiple ring groups for different scenarios

Call Overflow​

Handle high call volume:

DID → Main Ring Group (5 agents)
         ↓ (if busy/no answer)
      Overflow Ring Group (3 backup agents)
         ↓ (if still busy)
      Voicemail with callback request

Troubleshooting​

Members Not Ringing​

Problem: Some members don't receive calls.

Solutions:

  1. Verify members are added to the group
  2. Check member extensions are active
  3. Ensure members are not already on calls
  4. Review strategy settings

Calls Not Reaching Ring Group​

Problem: Calls to the ring group extension fail.

Solutions:

  1. Verify the extension is active
  2. Check the ring group status
  3. Ensure the extension is properly associated
  4. Review DID routing configuration

Wrong Ring Order​

Problem: Sequential or round-robin not working as expected.

Solutions:

  1. Check member priorities (for sequential)
  2. Verify ring turns setting
  3. Review timeout configuration
  4. Check if members are available

Best Practices​

Design​

  1. Keep groups manageable - 3-7 members ideal
  2. Match strategy to workflow:
    • Simultaneous for equal teams
    • Round robin for fair distribution
    • Sequential for escalation
  3. Set appropriate timeouts - Don't make callers wait too long
  4. Always have a fallback - Never leave calls hanging

Monitoring​

  1. Track answer rates - Monitor who's answering
  2. Review missed calls - Identify coverage gaps
  3. Adjust membership - Add/remove based on performance
  4. Test regularly - Verify routing works as expected

Maintenance​

  1. Update for staff changes - Add new hires, remove departed
  2. Review quarterly - Ensure still meets needs
  3. Document configuration - Keep records of setup
  4. Plan for absences - Adjust for vacation/sick days

Next Steps​

Related Documentation: