Forward Incoming Calls to an External Number via IVR

This topic describes how to allow callers to reach a specific external number in an IVR.

Background information

Forward Incoming Calls to an External Number with IVR is typical and important for 24x7 services, such as Doctor Answering Services and IT Support Services.

For Doctor Answering Services
When a patient calls in an hospital IVR, the patient can press a key to reach the external Doctor Answering Service to schedule an appointment or ask health questions and medical questions.
For IT Support Services
When your customers call in your office IVR after hours, you can give them an option to connect to an emergency support line. This emergency support line can be a Maintenance Engineer's mobile phone number.

Prerequisites

Before you allow callers to reach a specific external number in an IVR, update your IVR prompt that would instruct callers to press a key to reach the external number.

Procedure

  1. Log in to PBX web portal, go to Call Features > IVR, edit the desired IVR.
  2. In the Prompt drop-down list, select the updated IVR prompt.
  3. Click Key Press Event tab.
  4. Select a key to set key press event to External Number.
  5. Optional: In the Prefix field, enter the prefix of outbound route so that PBX can successfully route incoming calls to external number.
    • If the Strip of outbound route is not set, you don't have to set the Prefix.
    • If the Strip of outbound route is set, you need to set the Prefix according to the Patterns of outbound route.
  6. Enter the external number, such as a Doctor Answering Service number or a mobile phone number.
  7. Click Save and Apply.