question

I have read and followed suggestions on the board (including Chuck and Ben) and they are not performing the above (I thought simple) task.

Rex

New user (but may cancel soon and try another provider)

Rex,

To get the solution you want, you need to do two things:

First is to turn off auto attendant. Under the auto receptionist, Click on "Company Call Handling". Then Choose the option that says "Connect Directly to Extension". After that, Choose your extension. This is basically the on/off switch for auto attendant. Save Changes

Next is to configure your user.

Go into your extension. Under your User Info, Select your hours to 24/7 open. Save Changes.

Then under "Screening, Greeting, and Hold Music", set all the options, except hold music, to "Off", and set your "Audio while connecting" to "Ringtones" so it sounds like a normal ring. Save Changes.

Now go to "Call Handling and Forwarding" Every phone you want, needs to have at least one ring. So, for your desk phone, change the active to off. Add your cell phone (If you haven't already). Set your cell to 15 rings. Your cell's voicemail usually picks up after about the 5th ring. Save changes.

Lastly, we have to disable the call announcement so that the cell voicemail will pick up. Go back into "Call handling and Fowarding". Click "Incoming Call Information" under "Play announcement before connecting" select "Never".  Save changes.

Now, calls should work like this: Customer calls --> It rings your cell --> IF nobody answers, your cell phone's voicemail answers the call --> once the customer hangs up, the call is finished.

However, I have to say, that's not really how the system was designed. One of the great features is the ability to have it email you a copy of your voicemail. Comes in handy if you need someone else to take care of the call, or need a record of the voicemail.

The auto attendant has been a life saver because were getting non-stop spam calls.  One thing that they don't tell you is that you NEED to make your own recording for the auto attendant so you can say "press one for sales, two for support...". We actually ended up setting the auto attendant up so that it ends up hanging up if no one presses a button. We still have a receptionist who still answers the phone cause people always press zero for the operator, but it's not as bad as it used to be.