Ringtone overrides are critical for managing customized ringtone behaviours in various call scenarios. This guide helps users configure and verify the functionality of ringtone overrides through proper setup and understanding of their behaviour.

Behavioural Scenarios for Ringtone Overrides

Internal Call Transfers from External Calls

Ringtone overrides are designed to function in specific scenarios, such as when an external call is transferred internally. The receiving device's ringtone should change according to the override configuration in these cases. Proper setup ensures this behaviour, enhancing call management efficiency.

How it works 

The HostedPBX can include an Alert-Info value on calls (e.g., on ring groups/queues/IVRs, and on "internal" calls such as departmental calls). Phones read that header and pick a distinctive ring. 

Distinctive Ring

This feature allows different incoming calls to be identified by different ring patterns or tones. It can be helpful in various scenarios, such as distinguishing between internal calls, external calls, priority calls, or calls from specific groups or individuals. This will utilize the platform's "Alert-info" feature.

There are two ways to set up a Distinctive ring within our platform, depending on your SIP device.

1. Distinctive Ring by Department
2. Distinctive Ring by DID

The Distinctive Ring feature adds a department name to the Alert-Info header of the SIP INVITE message of internal calls. An endpoint that receives such an INVITE can be configured to play a special ringtone based on the content. For example, the Alert-Info header in the INVITE contains the text "info=Restaurant" because the caller has been assigned to the "Restaurant” department in the portal. Therefore, any endpoint that receives this call can be configured to play a special ringtone with the overrides. 

Distinctive Ring by Department

This feature can easily be added to the profiles of all the users for whom you want the Distinctive Ring in their department affiliation. Please see the screenshot below, which shows a sample user 255 in the Sales department.

If a user is already a part of a Department and you want them to ring differently from external calls, then all you need to do is add the overrides for their specific SIP device, which will be discussed next in this article.

Add overrides to the receiver's SIP devices.

To add an override, navigate to the Inventory tab in the portal and select Phone Hardware. Then, select the Pencil icon for the device to which you want to add the override. 

The Edit modal will open, select the Advanced tab and enter your override into the Override field.

Here are some of the most common SIP devices with their Overrides. 

Cisco SPA Series Distinctive Ring

The Cisco SPA series phones (501G, 502G, 504G, 508G, 509G, 525G) do not allow you to customize the content of the Alert-Info header with an override. To use a distinctive ring, you must set the Caller’s department to one of the following values:

• Classic-1
• Classic-2
• Classic-3
• Classic-4
• Simple-1
• Simple-2
• Simple-3
• Simple-4
• Simple-5
• Office

The Cisco phone will play the ringtone that matches the name of the caller’s department.

Grandstream:

Grandstream devices utilize "P-codes.” Each P-code is different for every override you add to your Grandstream device.

Here are the P-codes for the Distinctive Ring, which most models of Grandstream use:

P1488="Sample"
P1489="3"
P1490="Office"
P1491="2"

This will use Ringer 3 if the user receives a call from a member of the “Sample” Department or from the DID with the “Sample” placed as their Alert-info in the backend. The same will be true for users or numbers with "Office" in them.

HTek

Here are the P-codes for the Distinctive Ring, which most Htek models use:

P1399="Internal"
P1402="2"

Polycom

se.rt.1.ringer="ringer2"
se.rt.1.type="ring"
voIpProt.SIP.alertInfo.1.class="1"
voIpProt.SIP.alertInfo.1.value="Sample"

This will use Ringer 2 if the user receives a call from a member of the “Sample” Department or from the DID with the "Sample" placed as their Alert Information in the backend.

You can place another override if you have two Distinctive Rings with "Office" as the Alert-info, but the number will change. Here's an example:

se.rt.2.ringer="ringer3"
se.rt.2.type="ring"
voIpProt.SIP.alertInfo.2.class="2"
voIpProt.SIP.alertInfo.2.value="Office"

SNOM

Add these two codes to the device override.

Yealink

account.1.alert_info_url_enable="1" distinctive_ring_tones.alert_info.1.text="Sample" distinctive_ring_tones.alert_info.1.ringer="2"

This will use the Ringer 2 if the user receives a call from a member of the "Sample" Department or from the DID with the "Sample" placed as their Alert-info in the backend.

You can place another override if you have two Distinctive Rings with "Office" as the Alert-info, but the number will change. Here's an example: account.2.alert_info_url_enable="1" distinctive_ring_tones.alert_info.2.text="Office" distinctive_ring_tones.alert_info.2.ringer="3"
 

Best Practices for Troubleshooting

To maintain proper ringtone override functionality, follow these best practices:

Test Scenarios: Simulate common call scenarios (e.g., external to internal transfers) to ensure the expected ringtone behaviour aligns with your customization preferences.

Consult Documentation: Always refer to the UnitedCloud support resources for additional button and ringtone customization guidance.

By ensuring correct setup and testing functionality, you can optimize the behaviour of ringtone overrides to meet organizational needs efficiently.