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Use case

Send unanswered calls to a mobile

When nobody picks up at the desk, the call moves on to a mobile, either in the phone.systems™ app or by forwarding to any phone number.

The problem

Small teams are often away from their desks: at a client site, on the road or covering for a colleague. If the office line only rings in the office, calls go unanswered even though someone is available on their mobile.

Giving out personal mobile numbers solves the immediate problem but creates new ones: the business loses the contact when the person leaves, calls are not recorded in any company system, and staff receive business calls on their private number at all hours.

How phone.systems™ handles it

phone.systems™ offers two ways to reach people on mobiles, and they can be combined in one call flow.

1. The phone.systems™ mobile app. Team members install the app on iOS or Android (and on macOS, Windows or Linux for the desk). Calls to company numbers ring in the app with push notifications, the company number is used as caller ID for outgoing calls, and every call appears in Call History. This keeps personal numbers private.

2. Forwarding to an external number. A Forwarding object in the call flow sends the call to a PSTN destination, such as a mobile number on any network, or to a SIP destination. Forwarding destinations are set up in Contact Methods; each seat includes one PSTN and one SIP forwarding destination. PSTN forwarding may incur per-minute charges.

A typical fallback chain: a Ring Group rings the team's desktop and mobile apps; if nobody answers within the ring timeline, the call goes to Forwarding to the on-call mobile. If you prefer a message over a second ring, connect the no-answer output to Voicemail instead. Add a Time Router so forwarding to the on-call person only happens at the times you choose.

Example fallback to mobile

Ring the user's desktop and mobile app first. If nobody answers, forward the call to an external on-call number. Every routing attempt remains visible in Call History.

  1. Virtual number

    A department or direct number.

  2. Ring group

    Rings the user in the desktop and mobile apps, then a colleague.

    • AnsweredCall handled in the app
    • No answerForwarding
  3. Forwardingon-call mobile

    PSTN forwarding to an external mobile number.

  4. Call History

    The routing attempts and final status are logged.

What you can use

  • Mobile and desktop apps

    iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and Linux apps, with company numbers, push notifications and encrypted calls (SRTP/TLS).

  • PSTN forwarding

    Forward calls to any mobile or landline number.

  • SIP forwarding

    Forward calls to a SIP address, for example a desk phone or another PBX.

  • Ring timeline

    Ring Groups ring destinations in sequence or together, so the app rings before the call is forwarded.

  • Multiple caller IDs

    When calling back from the app, choose which company number the customer sees.

  • One call history

    Answered, forwarded and lost calls all appear in Call History.

How to set it up in phone.systems™

  1. Invite users to the app in Users

    Send app invites; each user signs in on their phone and computer.

  2. Add a PSTN forwarding destination in Contact Methods

    Enter the mobile number that should receive forwarded calls.

  3. Build the fallback in Call Flows

    Connect the Phone Number to a Ring Group and the Ring Group's no-answer output to Forwarding (or to Voicemail if you prefer a message).

  4. Limit forwarding by time if needed

    Add a Time Router with a schedule from Time Schedules so forwarding only applies at certain hours.

  5. Review forwarded calls

    Check Call History in Call Analytics to see which calls were forwarded and answered.

Capabilities used

The phone.systems™ features this relies on. Each page explains how the capability works.

Frequently asked questions

Is it better to use the mobile app or call forwarding?

The mobile app keeps personal numbers private, uses the company number as caller ID for outgoing calls and logs calls with full detail. Forwarding is useful for people who do not use the app or for an external on-call number.

Does forwarding to a mobile cost extra?

PSTN forwarding may incur per-minute charges at DIDWW voice rates. Each seat includes one PSTN forwarding destination and one SIP forwarding destination.

Can I forward calls only outside office hours?

Yes. Place a Time Router before the Forwarding object and connect Forwarding to the branch where you want it to apply.

Will the customer see my personal mobile number?

Not when you use the app. Outgoing calls from the phone.systems™ app show a company number, and you can choose which one if you have several.

Set up a phone system that fits how you work

Configure numbers, users and call routing in one place, and change them whenever your business changes.

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