Alternate Numbers

Description

The Alternate Numbers (Multiple Numbers per User) service allows a user to have up to ten alternate phone numbers in addition to the main phone number. The user can assign one of four distinctive ring patterns each with a distinctive call waiting tone for each alternate number.

Primary and Alternate Numbers

The user can be reached through any of the phone numbers. The first number is the main or primary phone number, while the additional ten numbers are the user’s alternate or secondary phone numbers. Each alternate phone number can be a direct inward dialing number (DID) or an extension. The alternate numbers must be set up by the administrator and the numbers are read-only to the user.

Ring Patterns

For each alternate number, the user can associate one of the four ring patterns. All calls to the main number result in the normal ring pattern. Calls to the alternate numbers result in the distinctive, corresponding ring pattern. If a user is busy (and Call Waiting is enabled) an incoming call to the main number results in the usual call waiting tone, while an incoming call to any of the alternate numbers results in a distinctive call waiting tone.

Ring Patterns available:

• Normal Ring Pattern
• Distinctive Pattern 2 (Long-Long)
• Distinctive Pattern 3 (Short-Short-Long)
• Distinctive Pattern 4 (Short-Long-Short)

Provisioning

Users can be provisioned with alternate numbers without the main number being provisioned. The user can select whether or not a distinctive ring should be provided when a call arrives on an alternate number, or whether the normal ring (pattern 1) should always be used. The support for a distinctive ring pattern depends on the capability of the user’s device. If the device does not support a distinctive ring pattern then the normal ring pattern is applied.

Common Use Case

An alternate number is very helpful in providing a means to allow toll free numbers and/or other long distance local numbers to ring into a particular group handling calls.