Weird issue with call forwading

[newguy444]

I have a FFL account and have it set to always forward to my iphone cell phone number sequentially. The strange this is that when someone dials my FFL number and I let my cell phone ring without answering, the caller does not get my cell phone voicemail. Instead they get my FFL voicemail generic message "the caller you are trying to reach is unavailable"
Now even stranger, if someone dials my FFL number and I press Decline, they go straight to my cell phones voicemail.

How do I se things up so that my cell phones voicemail is only being used whenever someone calls regards of my actions?

[Liptonbrisk]

The cellphone's voicemail system would need to answer the call before the entire follow me ringing sequence is finished. In order for your cellphone's voicemail to kick in, your cellphone must
ring a specific number of times.

Log in at https://www.freephoneline.ca/addFollowMeNumber
Set number of rings for your cellphone's follow me number to match the number of rings (actually set it to one more than needed to be safe) required for your cellphone's voicemail system to pick up.

(Also, FPL's ring before voicemail setting is found here: https://www.freephoneline.ca/voicemailSettings).

The bottom line is that if the call is never answered, FPL's voicemail system will eventually answer the call.
By pressing "decline", you're effectively sending the incoming call to your cellphone's voicemail system, which is answering the call. That's normal.

If nothing in your Follow Me list answers the call (including your cell phone's voicemail system), FPL's voicemail system will answer the call eventually when using Sequential ring mode.

[newguy444]

Hi there and thanks for the reply. Unfortunately that did not work. I set the follow me setting from my cell number to 6 https://www.freephoneline.ca/addFollowM ... ditSection rings, and set my voicemail settings to 5 https://www.freephoneline.ca/voicemailSettings.

[Liptonbrisk]

Hi there and thanks for the reply. Unfortunately that did not work. I set the follow me setting from my cell number to 6 https://www.freephoneline.ca/addFollowM ... ditSection rings

You have Follow Me set to "Enable", Ring Mode set to "Sequential, Follow Me mode to "Always Call Forward" (actually, this setting doesn't matter since the call will be transferred to the cell phone regardless if no one answers), and your first number in your follow me list set to your cellphone number with 6 rings, correct? Check to ensure your cellphone's voicemail is set to pickup within 6 rings (call your cell number directly to test).

If your cellphone number is not first on your follow me number list, also check to ensure another number's voicemail system (one that precedes your cell number in the follow me list) isn't picking up before the call gets handed off to your cell.

I can't reproduce your issue. The cell's voicemail kicks in, and because the call is answered at that point, Freephoneline's voicemail never picks up. Works fine for me.

[newguy444]

Hi sorry I misunderstood what you were saying. I see you were referring to my actual cell phone number of rings. I went ahead and set the follow me number of rings to 6 and it worked because my actual cell phone needs 5 rings to go to VM so thanks for clearing that up.
I have my voicemail settings https://www.freephoneline.ca/voicemailSettings "Rings before voicemail" set to 5 but does this voicemail setting make any difference if I always have my FFL number on call forward?
What is the purpose of the voicemail settings while always forwarding if any?

[Liptonbrisk]

Hi sorry I misunderstood what you were saying. I see you were referring to my actual cell phone number of rings. I went ahead and set the follow me number of rings to 6 and it worked because my actual cell phone needs 5 rings to go to VM so thanks for clearing that up.

You're welcome.

I have my voicemail settings https://www.freephoneline.ca/voicemailSettings "Rings before voicemail" set to 5 but does this voicemail setting make any difference if I always have my FFL number on call forward?

Not for your scenario

It's FPL (FreePhoneLine), by the way, and not FFL (not a big deal, but some people may be confused in conversation outside of this forum).

What is the purpose of the voicemail settings while always forwarding if any?

Nothing. Rings before voicemail also has no effect on Simultaneous ring mode.

Rings before voicemail doesn't matter unless you're using Sequential Ring Mode while "Call Forward when Unavailable" is enabled with a device (ATA or IP Phone), desktop app, or softphone app registered with your FPL account. When "Call Forward When Unavailable" is enabled while a device, desktop app, or softphone is registered with a FPL account, the device, desktop app, or softphone will ring the number of "rings before voicemail" that's been specified before transferring the call, sequentially, down the follow me number list. If no one in the follow me list answers the call, the call will finally be dropped to FPL's voicemail system.