Call routing, menus and hours
How do I forward business calls to my cell phone?
There are three ways to get business calls on your cell phone. The mobile app rings on your phone over data and shows your business number when you call back. External forwarding rings your cell number directly as a member of a ring group. Find-me/follow-me tries your desk phone first, then your cell, then voicemail. Most people use the app; forwarding suits staff who will not install anything.
Step by step.
Choose the method
App: best call quality control, business caller ID, and calls stay in the system for recording and reporting. Forwarding: works on any cell phone with no install. Find-me/follow-me: desk first, then cell, in sequence.
Add your cell as a destination
In the admin portal, open Users → your user → Call Handling and add your cell number or enable the mobile app. A 3CTel specialist can make this change for you.
Set ring timing
Give your desk phone 10 to 15 seconds before the cell rings, or ring both at once. Keep the total under the point where your carrier's voicemail would pick up.
Decide what happens if you do not answer
Send unanswered calls to your business voicemail, not your carrier's, so messages arrive by email with the rest of your calls.
Test from another phone
Call your business number, let it ring through to the cell, then let it go unanswered and confirm the voicemail lands in the right place.
App versus plain forwarding
With the mobile app, the call stays inside your phone system end to end. That means the caller sees your business number when you return the call, the call can be recorded or transferred, and it shows in reports. The app uses data or Wi-Fi, so quality follows your connection.
Plain forwarding hands the call to your cell carrier. It is dependable and needs no setup on the phone, but returning a call from your cell shows your personal number unless you dial through the app or a callback feature, and your carrier's voicemail can intercept calls if the ring time is too long.
Common setups
- Owner of a small shop: desk phone rings first, cell rings after 12 seconds, voicemail to email after 30.
- Field technician: mobile app only, in a ring group with the office so either can answer.
- After hours: forward the on-call cell number only when the schedule is closed.
- Temporary: forward everything to a cell during an office move or internet outage, then switch back.
Related questions.
Will callers see my personal cell number?
Not when you use the mobile app or the system's callback feature; those show your business number. If you dial directly from the cell's own dialler, your personal number shows. Many people keep the app as their default for work calls for that reason.
Does forwarding to my cell cost extra?
Forwarding uses an outbound leg to your cell, which is treated like any other call to a Canadian number. Your quote sets out how calls are covered. The mobile app uses data rather than a forwarded call leg.
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