Specialized Telephone Requirements

If you need services beyond one number for one person, see these services. You may also want to see Zoom Phone's Call Delegation feature for sharing lines.

Zoom Phone Common Area Phones

The intent is to use softphone only, not deskphones, in the current phase of Zoom Phone deployment.  If you can’t function without a deskphone at the present time, then Zoom Phone may not be the right option for you.  If there is a campus-wide deployment in the future, then deskphone will be an option.  In the meantime, please feel free to speak with IT Network and Infrastructure for more information regarding "common area" phones that can be used by anyone (subject to specific conditions and limitations).

Common area phones can:

  • be used by anyone who works in the area
  • be used by visitors to an unattended reception desk
  • be used for hot desking—signed into by employees who are hoteling or doing shift work at a shared desk
  • provide a single 911 response address

Common area phones cannot:

  • provide voicemail
  • support call handling rules based on business, closed, or holiday hours
  • add numbers to a custom blocked list
  • support nomadic 911 locations

If you require one of the unavailable features, consider using one of these workarounds:

  • Add a phone user and assign the desk phone to that user. You can still enable hot desking to allow other phone users to sign in to the device.
  • Use the common area phone's Call Handing settings to forward to a call queue, auto receptionist, or shared line group (not a nomadic 911–workable option). See below for these services.

Zoom Phone Auto Receptionists

Auto receptionists answer calls with a personalized recording and routes calls to a phone user, call queue, common area phone, or voicemail. You can also set up an auto receptionist to route to an interactive voice response (IVR) system to allow callers to select routing options.

Zoom Phone IVRs

Interactive Voice Response, or menu tree

IT Division can help users set up IVR system for callers to select routing options using the dial pad. The IVR system can present callers with choices to:

  • connect to a phone user
  • connect to a call queue
  • connect to a common area phone
  • leave a voicemail

Any individual who is in the menu to receive a transfer from the IVR will need to have a licensed phone number.

Zoom Phone Shared Line Group

IT Division can set up a Zoom Phone Call Queue (see below) or Shared Line Group that shares one direct phone number and extension. Call Queues offer more options and flexibility, but if you just need a basic shared service: 

Shared Line Group shares one direct phone number and extension with a group of up to 10 phone users or common area phones. All members of the shared line group have access to the group's direct phone number and voicemail. You can apply custom business, closed, and holiday hours to shared line groups and set routing rules.

  • Each member can only belong to one shared line group.
  • A shared line group can have 0–50 phone numbers. All members can use these numbers to make or receive calls.
  • By default, a shared line group can handle up to 4 calls at the same time.
  • Shared Line minimum wait: 15 seconds; maximum wait: 1 minute
  • If routing to voicemail, you can only route to the shared line group's voicemail inbox. You can't route to a voicemail inbox that belongs to another extension.
  • A shared line group will ring all members simultaneously for incoming calls.

Zoom Phone Call Queues

IT Division can set up a Zoom Phone Call Queue number for you. This routes incoming calls to a group of users. For example, you can route calls to your office's business department.

There are three call distribution options for call queues:

  • Simultaneous: Ring all available members at the same time.
  • Sequential: Rings available members one at a time.
  • Rotating: Rings available members in a regularly changing order so that calls are distributed evenly.
  • Longest Idle: Rings first the member who has been idle for the longest time.

Each Call Queue can have a maximum of 50 members. All members of the queue must have a licensed Zoom external phone number. Common area phones can be included. Call Queues also have a voicemail inbox.

Choose a Call Queue instead of a Shared Line Group (above) if:

  • Any of the members are involved in more than one Call Queue
  • You want Call Queue's minimum wait: 10 seconds; maximum wait: 30 minutes
  • You want a recorded greeting to play before the call routes
  • You want sequential or rotating routing, rather than simultaneous