Public Numbers

An incoming number is your link to the outside world. It lets people call you from anywhere, from a normal phone or a VoIP system. Birchills lets you purchase incoming numbers and route calls through to your extensions in different ways.

Incoming numbers look like a regular telephone number with an area code at the beginning and a series of digits at the end. Public numbers can be geographic (e.g. numbers beginning with 01, or 02) or non-geographic (03, 08). You can purchase different numbers for different purposes; for example, a non-geographic number for your website, and a geographic number for your local press advertising.

To receive calls from outside the Birchills system, you will need to add at least one incoming number to your account.

Adding a Public Number

You would need to send an email to Support@birchills.net for us to send you a list of available numbers in the required area

1. Define Your Destination

Incoming calls can be sent to any of these destination types:

A phone extension, either Regular or Virtual (How to add an extension)

A Ring Group, also known as a ‘hunt group’, containing several extensions; these can ring simultaneously, or one by one in turn (How to add ring group)

A Call queue, where the call is held until someone answers (How to add a call queue)

An IVR menu, where they can choose from a list of options (How to add an IVR)

A Shared mailbox, or voicemail destination (How to add a shared mailbox)

Use the icons across the top of the screen to create the destinations you’ll need.

2. Assign a Destination to Your Number

Click Incoming Numbers at the top of the screen.

Then, click the incoming number you want to edit. The number you select is highlighted with a grey outline.

If the number is new, you will see Not set next to the destination. Click here to create the default destination for the number.

Choose from the destinations that you created in the previous step.

Advanced Destination Options

Birchills allows you to define a number of additional destination options:

Routing Rules allow you to specify how a call is handled at different times. For example, you may want work calls routed to your mobile during office hours, and routed to voicemail on evenings and weekends. To add a new rule, click Add and set the time interval and destination.

Welcome Sound lets you choose a sound file that is played to the caller on when they first connect.

SMS Settings allows you to receive SMS messages to your chosen number. This option only appears for enabled numbers (such as those with geographic area codes)

Set Identifier lets you see which number someone has dialled by giving the number a unique name

Switch to Fax converts the number into a fax line. Fax numbers are noted with a small fax machine icon

Remove Phone Number permanently deletes the incoming number from your account