What the «Ring SIP accounts» module does
«Ring SIP accounts» is the step that makes your office phones ring when a call arrives on a number. You can add from 1 to 20 SIP accounts, that is the user accounts on which your desk phones, computer softphones, the browser webphone or the Vohippo app are registered.
The module has three settings: the accounts, the ringing mode and the «Ring time». The mode is a straight choice between «All together», the default, and «One after the other». The time ranges from 5 to 300 seconds and, if you do not change it, is 30 seconds.
If someone answers, the flow stops. If nobody answers within the time, the call moves on to the next step in the flow: another ring step, a forward, voicemail. How the whole flow works is explained in the guide to the call routing modules; here we focus on ringing.
«All together»: simultaneous ringing
With «All together» the chosen accounts ring at the same time and the call goes to whoever answers first. The others stop ringing as soon as someone has picked up.
This is the right mode when the people are interchangeable from the caller's point of view: a reception with two desks, a service counter with three staff, a small office where anyone can book an appointment. The advantage is speed: callers wait as little as possible, because it only takes one person to be free.
The drawback is that it does not decide who answers. If two people are always on the phone and one is not, the free one will end up answering everything. And in a large office, twenty phones ringing at once distract people working on something else. For large groups it is better to split into steps: first the group that usually answers, then the others.
«One after the other»: sequential ringing
With «One after the other» the accounts ring one at a time, in the order in which you added them. If the first does not answer, it is the second one's turn, and so on.
It is useful when there is a hierarchy in who answers: the assistant before the owner, the technician on duty before a colleague, the salesperson before the sales manager. Whoever is at the top of the list takes most of the calls, and the others are only disturbed when necessary.
The price you pay is the caller's wait, which grows with the number of accounts in the sequence. That is why a sequence works well with two or three people, and much less well with ten.
Comparing the two modes
| «All together» | «One after the other» | |
|---|---|---|
| Who rings | All accounts at the same moment | One account at a time, in order |
| Caller's wait | The shortest | Grows with the number of accounts |
| Who answers | The first person free | The first available person on the list |
| Ideal for | Reception, service counters, small teams of peers | Different roles, owner as back-up |
| Risk | Phones ringing for everyone | Callers hang up before their turn comes |
The two modes can also be combined across several steps: a first «Ring SIP accounts» with «All together» on the reception, then a second one with «One after the other» on the managers.
How long to ring: the «Ring time»
The ring time is the number of seconds after which the step gives up and makes way for the next one. It ranges from 5 to 300 seconds, and the default 30 seconds is a good starting point.
Some practical guidelines:
- Staffed desk or reception: 20-25 seconds. If nobody answers in that time, they are probably all busy and it is better to move on.
- Someone who moves around, in a warehouse or workshop: 30-40 seconds, to give them time to reach the phone.
- Last ring step before voicemail: do not go beyond 30 seconds. After a minute of ringing, callers often hang up without leaving a message.
Remember to add up the times of all the steps: a flow with three 30-second ring steps keeps callers waiting a minute and a half before voicemail. If you add a forward to a mobile, count that too.
There is also an effect worth knowing about: if an earlier step has already answered the call, for example a welcome «Play a message» or the AI secretary, callers hear hold music during the ringing instead of the ringing tone. This is normal, and actually more pleasant during long waits.
The app with push notifications and other devices
The Vohippo app for iPhone and Android uses the same SIP account as the desk phone or the softphone. When a call arrives, accounts with the app are woken up by a push notification: the mobile rings even if the app is closed or the phone is in standby.
This changes the way you think about ringing. Someone who works both in the office and out and about does not need two steps: the same account can be registered on the desk phone and on the app, with up to 5 registered devices per account. For people working across several sites or from home, the page on VoIP for multiple sites and remote teams shows how to organise things.
If you still need to set up the devices, there are guides to configure a VoIP phone and to install a softphone. Before relying on the app, run a test with the phone locked and on mobile data, to be sure the call comes through.
Combining ringing with forwarding to a mobile and voicemail
Ringing on its own leaves one question open: what happens if nobody answers? Here are the most common combinations.
Ringing and voicemail
The simplest flow, suitable for anyone with a single phone or a small team:
- «Ring SIP accounts», «All together», 30 seconds.
- «Voicemail», with a message saying when you will call back.
Callers always get an answer, even if only a recorded one. Tips for the greeting are in the guide on VoIP voicemail.
Ringing, mobile and voicemail
For an owner who does not want to lose customers while out of the office:
- «Ring SIP accounts» on the office, 25 seconds.
- «Forward to a number» to the mobile +39 345 218 0937, 20 seconds.
- «Voicemail».
The forward shows the caller's number, because «Show the original caller number» is on by default, and it is charged as an outbound call according to the price list. If the owner has the Vohippo app, you can skip the forward and add their account to the first ring step: it costs less and works the same way.
Reception, managers and SMS alert
For a practice with a reception and two professionals:
- «Ring SIP accounts», «All together» on the two reception desks, 20 seconds.
- «Ring SIP accounts», «One after the other» on the two professionals.
- «Send an SMS» to the reception: «Missed from {CALLER} on {DID}».
- «Voicemail».
The SMS goes out only if nobody answered, and costs €0.05. This pattern is common in professional firms that do not want any call left without follow-up.
Ringing screened by the AI secretary
If you have many unanswered calls, you can have the AI secretary answer after the first ring step: it collects name and reason, sends you the card and, if you accept, a new «Ring SIP accounts» starts. This is explained in the guide on the AI phone secretary.
Common mistakes to avoid
Most ringing problems do not depend on the mode chosen but on configuration details. These are the ones that come up most often:
- Account not registered: if a colleague's phone is switched off or has lost its registration, their account does not ring and the step seems «not to work». Check on the phone or in the app that every account in the flow is registered.
- Time too short: with 5 or 10 seconds the phone rings once or twice and moves on. Hardly anyone manages to answer that quickly.
- Same person in several steps: if an account appears in both the first and the second ring step, that person hears the same call ring twice. Sometimes this is intended, often it is not.
- Battery saving on the mobile: some Android phones restrict background apps. If the app's notifications arrive late, check that the app is excluded from battery optimisation.
- Flow with no way out: a flow that ends with a ring step leaves callers listening to the phone ring out until the call closes. Always finish with voicemail or a message.
After every change, make a test call from an outside mobile and let it ring all the way through: it is the quickest way to experience the flow as your callers do.
What ringing does not do
The module is not a call queue. It does not hold callers when everyone is busy, does not distribute calls fairly between agents and does not change behaviour according to the time of day: queues and time conditions do not exist in Vohippo.
If you need them, because you run a call centre or a customer service desk with many simultaneous calls, the way forward is a PBX, either your own connected with a SIP trunk or the virtual PBX from our partner robottino.ai, which has queues and time conditions. For closing hours without a PBX, the most practical solution is still to end the flow with voicemail. Between accounts of the same customer, on the other hand, you can call each other with short extensions, free of charge.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between simultaneous and sequential ringing?
With simultaneous ringing, «All together», all the accounts ring and the first person free answers. With sequential ringing, «One after the other», they ring one at a time in the order you set.
How many accounts can I ring at once?
From 1 to 20 SIP accounts per step. If you need more, add a second «Ring SIP accounts» step straight after it.
How long should the phone ring before voicemail?
The default is 30 seconds, which works in most cases. Adding up all the steps, try not to exceed a minute of waiting before voicemail.
Does the mobile ring even when the app is closed?
Yes, accounts with the app are woken up by a push notification. Still, run a test with the phone locked before relying on the app.
Can I queue calls when everyone is busy?
No, Vohippo does not have call queues. You get them with a PBX connected over a SIP trunk; without a PBX, the flow moves on to the next step, for example voicemail.
Is the app or forwarding to a mobile better?
The app uses the same SIP account and is included, whereas a forward is charged as an outbound call. Forwarding is useful when the mobile cannot use the app, for example if it belongs to an external collaborator.