How To Set Up Call Screening with ICM
- NOTE: This article assumes you already have ICM set to Use Rules in the Summary tab, as you must be set to Use Rules for any configured rules to function.
You can configure you phone line to screen incoming calls, asking the caller to identify themselves verbally before the call is actually sent to your phone. You have two options for this.
Ask the caller to say their name before I accept the call
OR
Ask the caller to say their name before ringing more than one phone at the same time or in sequence (Simultaneous Ring/Sequence Ring etc.)
To do this, the first thing you will need to do is add a rule to the RuleSet you will be using.
From the MyAccount home page, click on Call Forwarding to get to ICM.
Next, select the RuleSet you will be using, and click Add Rule under the Rules section to add a rule to the selected RuleSet.
The source number window that will define which calling number the rule will be applied to will appear. For the purposes of this walkthrough we will assume you want to screen every caller that calls you regardless of other factors. To apply the rule to all incoming calls, you select the option this number... and enter ten question marks ?????????? as shown in the image below, then click the Forward button.
- Note: If you want the rule to apply to only a select contact or contact group, you would instead define that contact or contact group instead of the wildcards.
Next, the window where you will define the behavior you want applied to the call will appear. If you simply want the caller to identify themselves before the call is sent to your registered Phone Power number, you would select Ask the caller to say their name before I accept the call and then click Finish, and then click Save at the bottom left of the screen to save and apply your changes.
If you want the call to ring multiple numbers, either simultaneously or in sequence, select Ask the caller to say their name before ringing more than one phone at the same time or in sequence and then click Forward to move to the next step.
You will now be asked to define the phone number(s) you wish to send the call to, as well as the time each number should start ringing and stop ringing. In this example we will simultaneously ring two numbers for 20 seconds, and then ring a third number afterwards if the call is unanswered. By default, if all numbers go unanswered, the call will be sent to the Phone Power Voicemail box.
To do this we will enter the first number we wish to ring, which would have a start time of zero, and an end time of 20. Then click Add to add the number to the list above. We will then do the same for the second number, and add it to the list as well. Finally, for the third number that will ring after the first two simultaneously ring for 20 seconds, we will define that number and use a start time of 20 since that phone should ring after the other two. This number will also ring for 20 seconds, so that would put the end time at 40.
- Note: You can adjust the start and end times for each number even after you have added them to the list by clicking their respective drop down lists
Once you have all of your desired numbers and start/end times added to the list click Finish, then click Save at the bottom left.