Hunt groups - one number, every mobile rings
A hunt group turns your main number into a team sport. A customer dials one number and it rings several mobiles - all at once, or one after another in the order you choose - until somebody answers. No missed call, no "sorry, he is out on a job", no single point of failure.
Traditionally this needed a phone system and a row of desk phones. On ONSIM it is a network feature on ordinary mobiles, and one hunt group is included on every Landline SIM account with two or more users.
How it works on ONSIM
Calls to your main number - typically a landline number on a Landline SIM account - hit the hunt group in the network. The network then rings the members you have chosen: simultaneously, so the first to answer takes the call, or sequentially, trying each mobile in turn. The caller just hears ringing; they never know four phones lit up to serve them.
Because the distribution happens at network level, your staff need nothing new. No app, no VoIP account, no desk phone - the phones they already carry simply ring. A plumber under a sink and a colleague in the office are equal members of the same group.
Changes are self-served in the dashboard: add a member, remove one, reorder the sequence, switch between simultaneous and sequential. Cover for holidays or a new starter takes seconds, not a call to a support desk.
What it costs
Landline SIM is £10/user/month + VAT with unlimited UK calls and SMS, and one hunt group is included on accounts with 2 or more users - no add-on fee, no setup charge. Two people and a shared number is a complete, professional answering setup for £20/month + VAT.
As with everything at ONSIM it is monthly rolling: no contract, cancel any time. If you later want a menu in front of the group, an IVR is available as a paid add-on - see virtual switchboard.
Hunt group questions
What is a hunt group?
A hunt group takes calls to one number and distributes them across several phones - either ringing everyone at once so the quickest hand wins, or ringing in a set order until someone picks up. On ONSIM those phones are ordinary mobiles on Landline SIM accounts, so the group works wherever your team is.
Simultaneous or sequential - which should I use?
Simultaneous ringing answers calls fastest and suits small teams where anyone can help. Sequential ringing suits a pecking order: try the office manager first, then the workshop, then the owner. You can change the mode and the order yourself in the dashboard at any time - no support ticket needed.
Is a hunt group included in the price?
Yes - one hunt group is included on Landline SIM accounts with 2 or more users, at no extra charge on top of the £10/user/month + VAT. That makes it the cheapest way to stop a busy colleague being the only person who can answer the main number.
Do staff need an app to be in the group?
No. The hunt group runs at network level, so members receive normal mobile calls on the phone already in their pocket. There is no VoIP app to stay logged into and no desk phone to sit beside - if the mobile has signal, the group member is reachable.
What happens if nobody in the group answers?
You decide. Unanswered calls can fail over to another colleague, to voicemail-to-email, or into a call queue where callers hold until someone is free. Pair it with timed call routing and the group can behave differently out of hours.
Stop missing the main number
Order two SIMs and the hunt group comes with them. Not sure which number the group should answer? The free business number chooser will tell you in two minutes, or request a quote and talk it through.
This is one feature of the ONSIM network - browse the full feature set, or see it in context on Landline SIM.