net2phone includes three features that help route calls and organize users: Ring Groups, Departments, and Call Queues. While they may sound similar, they serve different purposes.
| Feature | What It Does | Who Gets Calls | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ring Groups | Rings multiple users at once (or in a simple order) | All members of the group | Shared team lines |
| Departments | Organizes users for directory and call flow logic | No direct call routing | Directory structure and reporting |
| Call Queues | Manages high call volumes with wait lines and agent assignment | Licensed Queue Agents | Support or sales call centres |
| |||
Ring Groups
Ring groups offer a simple way to send incoming calls to multiple users simultaneously or in a predefined order.
If you belong to a Ring Group, you will see:
- Ring Group membership with sign-in and sign-out status (Profile Settings > Call Options).
- Group calls ring your extension while you are signed in.
Ring Groups are best for:
- Small team lines (Sales, Billing, Support).
- “Ring-all” behaviour.
- Shared departmental numbers.
Ring Groups were not designed for:
- Wait times or hold music.
- Performance metrics,
- Advanced call distribution.
If you only need multiple people to answer the same phone number, a Ring Group is usually enough.
Departments
Departments organize users by team or role. They do not route calls on their own; think of Departments as labels—not routing tools.
If you belong to a Department, you will see:
- A Department selector (Profile Settings > Company), if enabled.
- Department name in the Company Directory.
Departments are best used for:
- Directory grouping.
- IVR menu logic (for example, “Press 1 for Sales”).
- Reporting team analytics.
Departments were not designed for:
- Ringing phones.
- Handling inbound call volume.
- Acting like a queue.
Departments help structure your company—they don’t distribute calls.
Call Queues
Call Queues are an advanced system for handling high call volumes. Callers wait in line, hear hold music, and are assigned to available Queue Agents based on configured rules.
Only users with Queue Agent or Queue Supervisor licenses will see queue-related features.
Cal queues are best for:
- Dedicated Support lines.
- High-volume Sales teams.
- Structured call centre workflows.
Cal queues include:
- Wait lines and hold music.
- Agent distribution logic.
- Queue statistics and reporting.
- Supervisor monitoring tools.
If your team needs performance tracking and fair call distribution, use a Call Queue.