Define one call-handling job
A ring group sends an incoming call to a defined set of destinations. It fits a small team sharing responsibility for answering; use a queue when callers need managed waiting and agents need login, pause or reporting behavior. Begin with the group number, members and the person who owns the unanswered-call destination.
For an illustrative sales group, use two test extensions and a short ring period before a shared mailbox. Decide whether both phones should ring together or whether the list represents a real priority order. A long hunt through several members can leave a caller hearing ringing for much longer than the first timer suggests.
Configure the group
In the Ring Groups application, create a descriptive group and enter its members. Choose the ringing strategy, ring time and final destination. Submit and Apply Config. Keep the number separate from existing extension and feature-code ranges.
A plain extension entry and an entry suffixed with # have different behavior: the latter can invoke dialplan destinations such as Follow Me or external numbers. Do not add # indiscriminately. An external mobile mailbox may answer first and capture the call; confirmation behavior is strategy-dependent.
Test the exception paths
Call the group with both members idle, one busy, one in DND and one unreachable. Leave everyone unanswered and confirm the final destination. Check whether a phone shows a missed call when a colleague answers; answered-elsewhere signaling depends on device support.
A failure only when the external destination participates points toward outbound routing or mobile voicemail, not basic group membership. Compare the outbound symptom guide before changing the group strategy.
Maintain the handoff
Document who updates membership when staff leave and who checks the shared mailbox. Retest after changing Follow Me, busy-agent handling or caller-ID prefixes. Keep the previous member list and destination so the group can be restored without guessing.
Watch the explanation
Builds receptionist and department ring groups, then tests answering, no answer and unavailable members. The fallback examples make the difference between a group and a queue concrete.
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Sources & applicability
Primary references for the technical details above. Operational examples and planning checklists are VoIP.info editorial guidance.
Examples require adaptation to your topology. No live PBX or hardware testing is claimed.