Support ⋟ Call Rules and Blacklists
Call Rules
Call Rules allow you to make exceptions for specific callers based on their CallerID. For example, your default configuration forwards calls to your mobile phone. But for a specific caller, such as your Mom, you might want to forward it to your home phone. You can create a call rule for your Mom that forwards her calls to your Virtual Number to your home phone, while everyone else still forwards to your mobile phone.
You can also send annoying callers away by having them hear a Busy signal or even that your number is Disconnected, while all other callers get right through to you, enabling you to effectively create a blacklist.
In summary, by creating Call Rules, you are able to handle Different Callers in Different Ways.
By default, incoming calls on your Virtual Numbers are forwarded to a single number. But sometimes you might need to forward certain calls to a different number, play a Busy or Number Disconnected message, or send the call directly to Voicemail, depending on who is calling or where they are calling from. With Call Rules, also known as CallerID Routing, you can! For each Virtual Number, or for ALL of your numbers, you can set different rules that change based on the CallerID of the caller.
Types of Rules
There are four basic types of rules that can be set. You can mix and match these rules as needed, without limitation. With these rules, you can effectively create your own blacklist.
1. Forward: Forward the call to a different phone number.
2. Busy: The Caller hears a busy signal.
3. Disconnected: The Caller hears a familiar "This number is disconnected" message.
4. Voicemail: The Caller is sent directly to your Voicemail, and never forwarded.
CallerID Wildcards
You can create a rule to cover entire area codes using our Wildcard matching. By adding an asterisk (*) at the end of the CallerID value, such as "+1 312*", you can forward all calls from callers in the 312 Chicago, IL area code to a different number. This might be useful if you have several salespeople in different regions -- you can set up entire areas so that callers in those areas get the most knowledgable and local person possible, all while dialing the same number.
Rules for Blocked, Private or Unavailable Callers
When someone calls from a Blocked number, the CallerID is set to +1 000 000 0000. To handle callers with Blocked CallerID, set the CallerID for the rule to +1 000 000 0000, then choose the action.
Adding Multiple Rules at Once
You can add multiple CallerID rules for the same Forwarding Number and Description. Just separate each value with a comma. You can mix normal CallerID and Wildcard CallerID values. For example, if you want specific customers AND all of Illinois to reach a specific sales agent, you would enter this in the CallerID textbox:
702-500-4000, 212-900-8000, 217*, 224*, 309*, 312*, 331*, 618*, 630*, 708*, 773*, 779*, 815*, 847*
This will add 14 rules: two number-specific rules for a special client in Vegas and New York, plus twelve other rules for the twelve area codes that serve Illinois. We suspect this will be useful for adding a large quantity of rules without having to fill out the form several times. Note that this will only work for numbers within the same selected country code.
The Order Rules are Applied
Specific Extension Rules are always applied before Global Rules, and rules with a full CallerID number are always applied before Wildcard rules.
For example, even if a Global Rule for "1312*" is set, you can add an Extension specific rule that is the same "1312*" to a different number, and that rule will be used by the system. Additionally if an Extension specific rule "1312*" is set, you can set an exception for a full number, such as "3125551000" that will be used, as it is more specific than the Wildcard rule. An easy way to check what rule will match for a given caller is that the rules are listed on the Number Configuration page in order of reverse precedence; the rule closest to the bottom that matches the callers CallerID is the rule that will be the one that is used.
Uses for Call Rules
Manage Google Local Listings for Clients
Before Tossable Digits, you would have to tell your clients ahead of time that Google Local would be calling to verify their listing. With Forwarding Rules, you can make sure YOU get Google Local Phone Verification phone calls while your client gets the calls from their customers!
Tell Telemarketers Your Number is Disconnected
Telemarketers are annoying. Create a call rule for a telemarketer and set the action to "Disconnected" so when they call they'll take you off their list!
Transfer Clients to a Different Person
If you have handed off a client to a different person, just forward their calls to the new person. That way they get to the right person rather than bothering you because they didn't update their Contacts list or can't remember the new number to call.
