SOLVED: Newb with question concerning IVR and Forwarding

Asterisk Asterisk Support
1

Hello,

Am new to Asterisk and would like to ask a question concerning the IVR and call handling within our company.

We’ve recently had Asterisk installed (with Elastix interface) and have a query on how to implement forward on no answer ONLY with IVR calls and not within the company phone network.

In other words, all calls coming in from the IVR to the extensions should ring the predefined number of times (or seconds) and then should automatically be forwarded to a group extension (secretary) if not answered, with the exception of the extensions located in the company which should not automatically be forwarded.

Can this be done? So far we’ve set up all the phones to forward on no answer on ALL calls, and it’s driving the secretarial staff crazy with extensions being forwarded to them from inside the company!

I appreciate any help and sorry if my terminology isn’t correct… as I’ve mentioned above, I’m new to all of this!

Telly

2

IVRs are a concept created by the dialplan. I believe the dialplan for Elastix is the FreePBX one. Therefore you need to go to the forum on freepbx.org/.

(Also note that what you call an extension is called a device by Asterisk, whereas what you call an IVR will correspond to an extension.

As extensions are not devices, it is certainly possible for one extension to ring a device and then fallback to a second device, but for another extension to call the second device immediately.

3

Following up on the original post, our techie managed to find a solution by adding a second account to each handset with call forwarding when unanswered, and having the IVR call that account, leaving the original account without call forwarding.

Sounded complicated, but everything works as it should with no complaints so far!