Hunt Groups > Hunt Configuration > Unanswered Call Handling
Unanswered Call Handling is where you set up the failover options that determine what happens when a call isn’t answered by any line in the group.
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In a linear or simultaneous configuration, Unanswered Call Handling rules apply to any line that does not answer. If all lines are out of service, the call follows the Out of Service rule. If all lines are busy, the call follows the Busy rule.
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In a sequential configuration, Unanswered Call Handling rules are determined by only the last line in the sequence. See how this works in the examples below.
Total Ring Time
For a sequential configuration, the Total Ring Time is listed here. The maximum total ring duration is 150 seconds (2.5 minutes). Lines that are busy or out of service will be skipped in the hunting sequence, resulting in a shorter total ring time.
Unanswered Call Rules
Similar to Direct-Call Handling in Business Lines or User Call Handling in a cloud PBX, there are three failover types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| No Answer |
Choose what happens when the call is not answered. For a linear or sequential configuration, also enter the number of seconds a call will ring before it times out. The default is 24 seconds (4 rings). |
| All Lines Busy |
Choose what happens when all lines are busy. In a sequential configuration, this will apply if the last line in the sequence is busy. |
| Out of Service |
Choose what happens when the last line is not registered. In a sequential configuration, this will apply if the last line in the sequence . |
Each failover type can be set to one of the following settings:
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Busy Tone |
The caller will hear a busy tone. |
| Forward To |
Enter a phone number for calls to be forwarded to. When forwarding calls, hunt groups use the account's calling plan. |
| Send to Voicemail |
Choose an existing voicemail box or [+ New Voicemail] to create and use a new one. |
Save your settings!
Once saved, the settings will be immediately applied to the hunt group.
Sequential Configuration Scenarios
In a sequential configuration, Unanswered Call Handling is dependent on the status of the last line in the sequence. This is different from the other configuration types, in which Unanswered Call Handling will be applied to any line that does not answer.
To explain how this works, a few call scenarios are outlined below using the following hunt group configuration. In each scenario, Line 3 is the last line. Click the image to enlarge.
| Example | Screenshot |
|---|---|
Hunt Configuration
Unanswered Call Handling
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| Scenario | Result |
|---|---|
| All Lines: Available |
A new call will ring Line 1 for 18 seconds, line 2 for 18 seconds, then line 3 for 18 seconds. If Line 3 does not answer, the caller will hear a busy tone. |
| All Lines: Out of Service |
Because Line 3 is out of service, a new call will be immediately forwarded to the specified number. |
| All Lines: Busy |
Because Line 3 is busy, a new call will be immediately sent to voicemail. |
| Line 1: Busy (on a call) Line 2: Out of Service Line 3: Available |
A new call will ring Line 3 for 18 seconds. If Line 3 does not answer, the caller will hear a busy tone. |
| Line 1: Available Line 2: Available Line 3: Busy (on a call) |
A new call will ring Line 1 for 18 seconds, then Line 2 for 18 seconds. Then, because Line 3 is busy, the call will be sent to voicemail. |
| Line 1: Busy (on a call) Line 2: Available Line 3: Out of Service |
A new call will ring Line 2 for 18 seconds. Then, because Line 3 is out of service, the call will be forwarded to the specified number. |