Chase Rogers

Setting up Zoho Data Integration

The Zoho CRM Data integration, once set up, will automatically upload and display calls made and received through Global Call Forwarding platform on your Zoho CRM.

This Zoho CRM extension only works if you are an existing customer of Global Call
Forwarding and have activated Zoho CRM integration within the Control Panel.

Some of the key features of Zoho CRM include:

  • Upload inbound and outbound call records related to your contacts, leads, and accounts.
  • Choose an automatic upload frequency
  • See how many follow-up calls were made to a lead
  • See how many times a customer called your team and how long the calls lasted

To set up the Zoho Data integration and install the extension, follow these steps:

1. Login to your Global Call Forwarding account https://newcp.globalcallforwarding.com/login

2. Once in the Control Panel, on the left side, under Services, click on Integration.

zoho select

3. Then, locate the Zoho Data integration CRM and click on Activate.

The system will then automatically generate a secret key. Copy and keep this key safe — you
will need to insert that information into Zoho CRM Extension.

zoho integrations

You can choose to apply this integration to the calls for all your lines or a select few.

4. Save all your changes before going to the next step.

Once the changes are saved, you can see the start date and secret key on your Global Call
Forwarding Control Panel.

save zoho settings

To complete the installation and activation process, head over to your Zoho CRM and complete the following steps:

1. Go to Zoho CRM to install the Global Call Forwarding extension https://marketplace.zoho.com/app/crm/global-call-forwarding-cdr-data-link-for-zoho-crm

2. After the installation, the following screen will appear. Please enter your G number and your secret key and select the desired update frequency for calls to be uploaded to Zoho CRM.

3. After two hours, you will see calls uploaded to the existing contacts and leads that have a matching number. The calls made from or to numbers that are not registered in your CRM will be ignored.

Note: Historical calls won’t be imported. The data link will only import the calls starting from the time the integration was requested in our platform and generated the secret key.

How to Set Up and View Voicemail Transcription

As a Global Call Forwarding customer, you can set up Voicemail Transcription through your Control Panel. Follow these steps:

How to Turn on and Set Up Voicemail Transcription

1. Once logged in to your Control Panel, click on My Phone Numbers and hover over your desired phone line.

2. Click on Settings.

3. Then, select the Call Forwarding tab and under that, click on Voicemail.

4. Here, you will see the Transcription button, click it to turn on Voicemail Transcription.
Note: The cost of this premium feature is $4.95/month + $0.05/minute per line.

Once the feature is turned on, you can view voicemail transcripts in your Control Panel or add email addresses in the text boxes below to automatically receive voicemail recordings and transcripts.

transcription on

How to View Voicemail Transcripts

1. Click on My Phone Numbers and hover over your desired phone line.

2. Click on the Voicemail Inbox icon. icon

3. On this new page, you can listen, view, and download voicemail recordings and transcripts.

voice popup

Note: If you have opted for Voicemail-to-Email, designated email recipients will receive an email with the audio recording and the transcript in text format.

How to Create Users & Roles in the Control Panel

As a Global Call Forwarding customer, you can create users and roles, and then assign roles to these users who have access to your Global Call Forwarding account.

1. Once logged in, from the dashboard, click on the user name in the top right corner of the page.

2. A dropdown will appear, click on Account Settings. Here, you will see two tabs: User Management and Role Management.

3. Under User Management, you can add new users to your account. Enter their Name, Email, and select a Role. Then, click on Add New User.

If your account has pre-existing “Additional Users” or “Additional Emails,” then you will have the below options with the “Legacy” tag as well as access to creating new roles:

  • Legacy User Access: Pre-existing “Additional Users,” will appear under the Legacy User Access role. Each “Additional User” will be assigned to this static role and will continue to have the same access permissions as before.
  • All Email Notifications – (Legacy): This static role is applied to emails listed in the account’s Additional Emails list; Each email listed is a “User.”
  • Invoice Email Notifications – (Legacy): This static role is applied to emails listed in the account’s Additional Emails > Invoice Email list; Each email listed is a “User.”

roles

If you don’t have any pre-existing “Additional Users” or “Additional Emails,” then you will have the following default options:

  1. Super Admin: This role is by default assigned to the main account contact person. This person can create necessary custom roles and new users.
  2. Admin – (Built-In): This static role will give the user access to full permissions, including copies of all emails; except for the ability to create/modify new users and roles.
  3. All Email Notifications – (Built-In): This static role will allow a new user to ONLY receive all email communications from UWT/GCF. This role will NOT give the user any control panel access.
  4. Billing Email Notifications – (Built-In): This static role will allow a new user to ONLY receive invoice email communications from UWT/GCF. This role will NOT give the user any control panel access.

role options

4. You can also create a new role in this tab or go to the Role Management tab to create and manage different user roles.

Besides the above-mentioned default user roles, the Super Admin or the main account contact person for an account can create and assign new user roles.

For each role created, you can allow users to “Modify” (make changes) or “View” (view only).

5. Click on Create New Role and enter the Name and Description of the new role.

new roles

6. Then, select the different permissions you want to provide this role:

  • Order New Service Lines: This option will allow the user to order a new service line for the account. You can provide permission for the user to Order New Phone Numbers or Order New Outbound Service Lines or both.
  • Phone Numbers (Toll-Free, Local, Geo, National, Mobile, etc. DIDs): The permissions in the category allow the user to access only select numbers and specific functions that belong to the number. Here, you will see permissions for each phone number and phone line in your account. You can choose to provide permissions for the user related to Call Activity, Voicemail Inbox, Rates, Line Settings, and Call Forwarding.
  • Outbound Calling: Similar to the above, this permission will handle different functions for your Outbound Calling service lines. Here, you will see permissions for each outbound phone line in your account. You can choose to provide permissions for the user related to Call Activity, Rates, and Line Settings.
  • Emails: Where users have the “View” permission.

7. Click on Save Changes to save the new roles you create.

Important notes:

  • The following categories of permissions are NOT expandable options. You can enable/disable them for full access to each one of these functions for the user: Billing and Payments, Support Tickets, Custom Reports, and Integrations.
  • If a new user role ONLY contains email permissions without any other account permissions, we will only give the assigned user the ability to receive respective email notifications without any control panel access capability.
  • All newly created users will also have the TFA Status option and the ability to change their passwords from the Account Settings menu, for added security.
  • To change your Super Admin Contact Name and Company name, you will need to contact our customer support team.

Generating Call Activity Reports

There are multiple ways to generate call activity reports for a variety of uses. This article covers all the ways to collect a call report for a specific phone line within the Global Call Forwarding control panel. We also go over how to view Call Detail Records, or CDRs, which include dates and times of calls, caller ID, call termination, and call duration. Follow along to see the different ways to collect call activity data.

View Call Activity for Each Phone Line

View call detail records individually for each line by following these steps in our customer portal:

1. Open up the Dashboard
2. Select My Phone Numbers in the menu on the left side.

select my phone number

3. Then, choose Service Plan by clicking on the icon depicting a chart with three bars.

select service plan

4. Select the Activity tab at the top of the menu. Here you can see all your call activity for this phone line. You can filter to see “All” “Answered” and “Missed” calls.

Activity

Download CDR Records

You may want to download your call records to view dates and times of calls, caller ID, call termination, and call duration. Visit your customer portal and follow these steps:

1. On the left side of the menu, select Billing & Payments.

download invoice

2. Then, select Invoices from the horizontal menu.

invoices

3. Click on your desired format for the billing date required — filter as needed.

billing downoads

Generate Custom Call Activity Reports

Need to customize the call activity report?

1. Go to Custom Reports from the left sidebar in the Control Panel.

custom reports

2. Enter a time frame in the fields provided and check the Virtual Numbers (choose your line) and/or Call Type (Completed or Missed) checkboxes — filter as needed. Select the line you wish to get call activity.

report options

3. Click on Display Report to view on the screen or Download Report to download a PDF.

Setting Up Outbound Caller ID

Outbound calls come from agents or employees on behalf of a company. Setting up caller ID with Global Call Forwarding transforms these calls from seemingly random phone numbers into a familiar local business number that is easily recognized by customers and establishes a local presence.

This premium feature allows for your company to be recognizable and generates a higher response rate when contacting international customers.

Why does my business need to set up outbound caller IDs?

Setting up your outbound caller ID and using a familiar phone number is proven to be an effective tool in customer outreach. A successful outbound calling campaign can yield results including an increase in engagement and sales.

When a familiar phone number calls – instead of an ‘Unknown’ or ‘ Private’ number – the recipient is much more likely to pick up. And when you get this service from a global telephony provider, you can extend your resources beyond a local area code to even include other countries.

Changing the outbound caller ID can be done with any number purchased with Global Call Forwarding.

How can I manage outbound caller ID?

To set up and manage your Outbound caller ID, you will need an Outbound Calling service and phone numbers from Global Call Forwarding.

You can sign up for Outbound Calling on our website or through your Control Panel.

Setting up an Outbound Caller ID from the Control Panel

Our Control Panel makes it easy and efficient to manage your outbound caller ID. Follow these steps to manage your outbound caller ID:

1. Log in to your Control Panel.

2. Select Outbound Calling.

caller id 01

3. Choose an Outbound Calling phone line where you want to change the Outbound Caller ID.

4. Click on Settings.

outbound caller id

5. Under User Options tab, scroll down to Outgoing Caller ID white list, you can choose the Country and Lines (phone number) you want to display when calling someone.

caller id 3

6. Click Save Settings when you are finished with all changes.

caller is 4

Setting up Your Outbound Caller ID from the Softphone

Once you’ve completed the above steps, you will be able to modify your outgoing caller ID in the GCF softphone to show any number that you are subscribed to on our network.

1. To get started, login to the GCF Softphone app on your device.

2. For first time users, by default, the Setttings window will appear and require you to select your desired Country an Line

softphone caller id

3. To change your Caller ID, Click Settings in the bottom-right corner.

3. From the Outgoing Caller ID section, change the Country and Lines from the dropdown options.

choose caller id

4. Return to the keypad to start making outbound calls with your customized caller ID. Your changes will be applied automatically.

Take your business to the next level and utilize outbound caller ID today! For more information and assistance call us at +1 (561) 908-6171. We’re here to help 24/7!

Privacy Policy

What information do we collect?

We collect information from you when you place an order or fill out a form. When ordering or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your: name, e-mail address, mailing address, phone number or credit card information.

What do we use your information for?

Any of the information we collect from you may be used in one of the following ways:

  • To process transactions — Your information, whether public or private, will not be sold, exchanged, transferred, or given to any other company for any reason whatsoever, without your consent, other than for the express purpose of delivering the purchased product or service requested.
  • To send periodic emails — The email address you provide for order processing, will only be used to send you information and updates pertaining to your order/account.
  • For marketing purposes

Do we use cookies?

Yes, we use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart and compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.

Definition: Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser (if you allow). The cookies enable the sites or service providers systems to recognize your browser and remember certain information.

Do we disclose any information to outside parties?

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential.

We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.

California Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance

Because we value your privacy we have taken the necessary precautions to be in compliance with the California Online Privacy Protection Act. We therefore will not distribute your personal information to outside parties without your consent.

As part of the California Online Privacy Protection Act, all users of our site may make any changes to their information at any time by logging into their control panel and going to the ‘Edit Profile’ page.

Click here to view our Data Processing Agreement (DPA).

How to Set Up an Auto-Attendant?

Auto-attendant is a cloud communication feature that automatically answers your inbound calls and routes callers to their desired destination. This feature is also known as a cloud attendant, digital receptionist, or interactive voice response (IVR).

Auto-attendant is included with each of our business phone number plans at no additional cost. Once your account is activated, you can set up an auto-attendant through our IVR manager located in your control panel.

Set up an auto-attendant for your business with the steps below. Or, check out our instructional video.

1. Log in to your online Control Panel using your account information.

2. Select My Phone Numbers (located under Services) on the left-hand side of the page.

select my phone number

3. Choose which line you’d like to set up auto-attendant for by clicking on the number or the settings icon.

line settings

4. Click the Call Forwarding tab and then the IVR tab.

call forwarding ivr tabs

5. Select Manage IVR Applications.

manage ivr butt

6. In this window, look at the menu to the right side of the screen. Here, you can record or upload custom prompts to guide callers through your phone system. Additionally, you can create lists of phone numbers to route calls to specific individuals, departments, or ring groups and email addresses to forward voicemails and faxes – all in their respective tabs.

prompt menu right side

To record or upload prompts and voice messages:

Click on the Prompts tab and then Add a new prompt. In the pop-up window, hit the Record button and make sure to allow the software access to your microphone. When you’ve finished recording, click the Stop Recording button.

Or, you can upload pre-recorded prompts by hitting the Upload button and selecting your desired audio file from your device.

Then, you can replay, download, or trash the captured audio. Once you’re happy with the prompt or message, add a title and description and click Save Changes.

upload prompts

To add individual phone numbers:

Click on the Phones tab and then Add a new phone. In the pop-up window, enter information such as destination title and phone number. You can choose a ring mode, such as:

    • Sequential routing – Down the list, always starting with the first in line.
    • Random routing – Randomly to people within the list.
    • Simultaneous ringing – Ring for everyone on the list at the same time.

After adding your desired phone number destination, click Save Changes.

Phone prompts

To create phone number lists or ring groups:

Click on the Phones tab and then Add a new phone. In the pop-up window, enter the list or group title. Enter each destination by inputting the phone number and clicking the Add button to continue adding new group members. Then, choose your Ring Mode – Sequential, Simultaneous, and Random. Make sure to click Save Changes.

ring groups

To add email addresses:

Click on the Emails tab and then Add a new email. Here, you can create a list with one or multiple email addresses by hitting the Add button. Once you’re finished entering all the email addresses, hit Save Changes.

email prompt

7. After uploading and entering all the prompts, phone numbers, and email addresses you plan on using, choose Create New Application in the IVR Manager to set up your auto-attendant’s call flow. And don’t forget to title your application.

create new app

When setting up your auto-attendant, you have multiple actions, triggers, and caller interactions to choose from. So, let’s review each option and its purpose. This will help you determine what you need for your call flow.

**Note: Remember to click Close at the end after entering all parameters for actions or rules. This will save the action within the auto-attendant.

application menu

Standard Actions

announcement optionAnnouncement – Plays a custom message (greeting, announcement, etc.) for the caller. You must include a prompt for this announcement. Select one of your previously uploaded prompts from the drop-down menu.

Toggle the Interruptible green key to allow callers to interrupt the message. You can also add an action for what happens after the message is played by clicking the trigger button icon trigger-butt next to Played.

 

call optionPhone Call – Directs calls to a specific destination, individual, or department. For this option, you must include:

  • Prompt (optional): announcement or instructional voice message.
  • Destination: where you want to send the phone call. It can be a particular department or agent, voicemail, or fax address. This is where you use the phone number and email lists you created before.
  • Ringback tone: the tone the caller will hear as they wait for the call to be answered.
  • Maximum wait period: how long the caller will wait on the line before the Failed action takes place.

After you complete these fields, you can decide what happens when the call is answered or if it fails. Simply select the trigger button next to Answered or Failed. Then, select a standard action, caller interaction, or advanced action from the window that opens.

 

voicemail optionVoicemail – Forwards calls to your voicemail inbox. This action requires you to include:

  • A Prompt asking the caller to leave a message
  • Maximum wait period
  • A Destination to send the caller’s voicemail message to a business phone number or email address.

Fax – Sends incoming faxes to your desired email addresses. Use this feature if you have set up fax forwarding. You must include the Destination for where you want to receive the incoming fax. Choose an email address or email address list you created earlier.

fax option
goto option
Go To – Redirects callers to a previous destination within your auto-attendant’s call flow. For example, you can direct the call back to your auto-attendant’s main menu, so callers can hear each option again.

Caller Interactions

User Menu – Design an auto-attendant menu with custom messages and options for callers to explore. This option requires the caller to respond through their phone’s keypad. When creating the User Menu, you will need to include:
menu

  • Prompt: The main voice message that welcomes and provides the caller with different menu options.
  • Interruptible option: Callers can or cannot interrupt the message played.
  • Maximum wait period
  • Repeat: Number of times the message will repeat
  • Trigger for keys (number on the keypad): Choose from the different possible actions and triggers. You can assign each key (1, 2, 3, etc.) to a specific target such as a hunt group, department, voicemail, list of email addresses, etc. This is where you use the phone number and email lists you created before.
    • Example: #1 will send the call to the customer service department list. #2 will send the call to the billing department list. #3 will send the caller to voicemail.
  • Invalid: Choose what happens when the caller presses the wrong key or number.
  • Timeout: Choose what happens when the message has repeated the desired number of times, but the caller pressed no key.
    • Example: Caller cannot find the right option within the menu, so wait in line instead. You can send the caller to voicemail, so they can leave a detailed message for assistance.

User Input – Create an auto-attendant menu with voice messages and options for callers with custom rules.input option screen

  • Prompt: The main voice message that welcomes the caller and gives them different menu options.
  • Interruptible option: Callers can or cannot interrupt the message played.
  • Maximum wait period
  • Repeat: Number of times the message will repeat
  • Invalid: Choose what happens when the caller presses the wrong key or number.
  • Timeout: Choose what happens when the message has repeated the desired number of times, but the caller pressed no key.
    • Example: Caller cannot find the right option within the menu, so wait in line instead. You can send the caller to voicemail, so they can leave a detailed message for assistance.
  • New Code: Enter a code to direct the call to a different action, including attended transfers.

Advanced Actions

Time-Day Routing – Route calls during a specific period of time to an alternate destination (locations or list of numbers). tod screen

Include the following:

  • Timezone: The time zone of the location or region you want to route calls to. In other words, if you want to route calls from your US head office to Hong Kong, then you need to enter Hong Kong’s time zone, which is Hong Kong (GMT+8).
  • New Rule: Here, you create a new rule for incoming calls during a certain period of time.
    • First, select parameters for when this action should go into effect. Select the days and holiday list (if applicable) and the time range.
    • Then, click Next. Choose Phone Call from the different actions and triggers.
    • Then, select the Destination number or list where the calls will be forwarded. See Phone Call section for further information on how to set up this part.

Caller ID Routing – Route calls to a specific destination based on the caller’s location or caller ID. This is also known as geo-routing, location-based routing, and geographic routing.
cir screen
Fill out the following fields:

  • Invalid: Choose what happens when the caller presses the wrong key or number.
  • New Rule: Here, you can create a new rule for calls coming from certain area codes and locations.

Choose Country and Area/State codes for the desired country. Example: if you want to use caller ID routing for calls coming from Canada. Then, pick Canada under Country and enter Canada area/state codes like 778, 780, 647, etc.

Then, click Next and choose what happens to a call with one of these caller IDs. You can send the call to another hunt group by selecting Phone Call or send it to Voicemail. You can also determine what happens if the call failed (team didn’t answer) such as sending the caller to another hunt group (team) or voicemail.

Use these Standard Actions, Caller Interactions, and Advanced Actions to set up an auto-attendant that meets your business communication needs and helps you manage your incoming call flow.

8. Click Save Application in the top right corner to save your new rule.

save the app

Still need help with auto-attendant setup? Read our blog post for more information, or call us at +1 (561) 908-6171. We’re here to help 24/7!

How to Set Up Call Groups and Ring Groups

You can set up ring groups and add hunt groups to your call flow in your Global Call Forwarding Control Panel.
There are two ways to add and use hunt groups with your business phone numbers:

  1. Have incoming calls forwarded directly to members of your hunt group
  2. Include hunt groups within your IVR system (e.g., customer service group, tech support HQ, etc.)

To forward all calls to your hunt group:

Once you sign up for our service, you can easily set up call groups in our online Control Panel. Here’s how to set up a call group within your Global Call Forwarding account:

1. Log in to your Control Panel.
2. Choose a phone service line and click on Settings.

select settings

3. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Advanced Routing.
4. Click on the orange Go to Rules button.

select call recording

5. Click the green Create a New Rule button. Add the description and select your desired days and times.

create a rule

6. Select Forward All Calls and add your preferred call group phone numbers.
7. Then, choose your ring strategy under the Call Method section, either Sequential, Simultaneous, or Random.

add phone number and save

8. Click Save Rule.

Related: How to Add Hunt Groups in Your Account?

How to Add Hunt Groups in Your Account?

You can set up ring groups and add hunt groups to your call flow in your Global Call Forwarding Control Panel.

There are two ways to add and use hunt groups with your business phone numbers:

  1. Have incoming calls forwarded directly to members of your hunt group
  2. Include hunt groups within your IVR system (e.g., customer service group, tech support HQ, etc.)

To forward all calls to your hunt group:

  1. Log in to your Control Panel.
  2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the page, under Services.
  3. Choose a phone service line and click on Settings.
  4. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Advanced Routing.
  5. Click on the orange Go to Rules button.
  6. Click the green Create a New Rule button. Add the description and select your desired days and times.
  7. Select Forward All Calls and add your preferred call group phone numbers.
  8. Then, choose your ring strategy under the Call Method section, either Sequential or Simultaneous.
  9. Click Save Rule.

hunt groups

Now, an incoming call will automatically forward to members in the hunt group, based on your call routing method.

To include a hunt group within your IVR menu:

1. Log in to your account.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the page, under Services.

3. Click the Settings icon for the phone number line to create its call flow.

4. Click the Call Forwarding tab and select IVR.

5. Click the Manage IVR Applications to customize your IVR processes in the call flow builder.

6. Next, hover to the right side of the screen to create a hunt group and add phone numbers to it:

    • On the right, click on the Phones tab and then Add a new phone. Here, you can create a hunt group with multiple destination sip or phone numbers. This can be your sales team in the head office or your remote customer service team located in a different country.
    • You can also choose what type of Ring Mode you want for this hunt group:
    • Sequential routing: Route calls down the list, always starting with the first in line.
    • Random routing: Route calls randomly to people within the list.1. Simultaneous ringing: Route the incoming call to everyone on the list at the same time.

Pro tip: Save the title with a descriptive name, such as Customer service team UK for your service team in the UK. If it is an individual, then save it as [name] + phone number + location.
Example: Customer service UK or Peter phone number UK.

7. Once done, Save Changes.

8. Then, click on your existing IVR menu or Create New Application.

9. If creating a new menu, select User Menu from the pop-up box.

10. Fill in the necessary information: select a prompt, max. wait time, etc.

11. Then, assign your hunt group by clicking the arrow for the desired number and selecting Phone Call from the pop-up box.

12. Choose your hunt group in the Destination field and fill in the rest. When done, click Close and then Save Application.

call flow menu

Now, when customers call, they will hear a message with an IVR menu. If they want to speak with a salesperson, they press 1 and the call routes to the main office. If they want to speak with a customer service rep, they press 2 and the call routes to your call center. You can add multiple destinations to either of these hunt groups.

Need more help? Our account management and tech support team are always available to assist you in creating a well-functioning phone system. Speak with your account manager or chat with tech support!

How to Manage Phone Numbers in Your Account?

Global Call Forwarding makes phone number management easy with our array of call features and user-friendly online control panel. From phone number ordering to managing features for specific lines, you can conveniently manage phone numbers and control your call flow with our service.

In this guide, we will take you through a few phone number management essentials, such as how to:

  1. Add new numbers to your account
  2. Port a number to our service
  3. Use our phone number API
  4. Change your forward-to phone number
  5. Create custom routing rules
  6. Set up an IVR and call flows for different phone lines

1. Add New Phone Numbers and Lines to Your Account

You can add new phone lines by:

  • Purchasing phone numbers from our website,
  • Purchasing numbers from your control panel (log in here), or
  • Speaking with your account manager.

New customers can purchase new phone numbers from our website by filling out the form on our Pricing page.

To purchase numbers from the website:

  1. Visit our Pricing page.
  2. Select your new number from the left dialog box — Choose the country, type of number, prefix, and number available.
  3. Then, enter the necessary information in the right dialog box to have your calls forwarded.
    Note: You can forward calls to any location or VoIP/SIP system.
  4. Click on View Rates and choose from our five different plans.
  5. Add premium services, if desired. We offer Call Recording, Outbound Calling, Rollover Minutes, and an Inbound SMS plan.
  6. Click Add to Cart.
  7. Fill in the remaining information, submit your order, and wait for your service to be activated.

To purchase numbers from the Control Panel:

1. Log in to your control panel.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the page.

. Click on the Add Phone Number button on the top-right side of the page.
Note: Alternatively, you can click on Add Service Lines from the left-hand panel and choose a Call Forwarding or Outbound Calling line. From there, use the phone number ordering form and follow the prompts to get a new service line.

add a phone number

4. Using the form on this page, you can select the number you want to purchase.

5. From the left dialog box, Select Your New Phone Number, select the country for your desired number.

6. Next, select the type of virtual phone number you want for your business (local, toll-free, international toll-free, and vanity numbers). Pick the prefix and number available.

7. Then, enter where you want calls forwarded in the right dialog box Forward Incoming Calls To.

8. Next, review plans and pricing for this number.

signup form, add new number

9. Scroll down to add optional features such as Rollover, Call Recording, Inbound SMS Plan, and Outbound Calling.

10. Click Add to Cart.

select feature options

11. On the Checkout page, review your cart. Here, you can choose to Add More Numbers or Submit Order.

For more information, check out our post on How to Purchase / Add New Phone Numbers.

2. Porting a number to our service

Want to add an existing phone number to the Global Call Forwarding network? You can port a number to our service by filling out a number porting request form or speaking with your account manager.

3. Using our phone number API

With our Voice and Phone Number API, you can look up numbers available for purchase. With a few lines of code, you can get a list of countries and cities where local, national, or toll-free numbers are available and directly purchase numbers you need.

4. Change your forward-to number

With time, you may need to change or update your ‘forward-to’ number. You can easily change this information within the control panel:

  1. Log in to your control panel.
  2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left side.
  3. Click on the Settings icon of the service line you want to change.
  4. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Basic.
  5. Change the number in the field under Forward calls to, and click Save.

5. Add routing rules

Need to send calls to multiple teams and users at the same time? Or, want to route calls to different locations during certain times of the day? You can customize the way calls are routed within your phone system with advanced call routing.

Here are some routing strategies you can use with our service and how to set them up within the control panel:

6. Set up IVR and call flows for different phone lines

You can configure IVR (auto-attendant) to greet callers, offer a predetermined list of menu options, and route callers to the appropriate extension — all with our call flow builder.

Here are the steps to configure IVR:

  1. Log in to your account.
  2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the page.
  3. Click the Settings icon on the phone line you would like to modify.
  4. Then, select the Call Forwarding tab, and under that, click on IVR.
  5. Click the Manage IVR Applications to customize your IVR processes in our IVR call flow builder.
  6. Here, you can add voice prompts, phone numbers, and email addresses (on the right side).
  7. Click on Create New Application and select User Menu to start building your IVR menu.
  8. Once you build your IVR application, click Close on the bottom right and then Save.

Here are some resources on setting up your IVR system and using our call flow builder.

Need more help? Our account management and tech support team are always available to assist you in creating a well-functioning phone system. Speak with your account manager or chat with tech support!

How to Add Outbound Calling to Your Account?

You can add outbound calling by:

  • Purchasing the service from our website
  • Adding it to your existing account from the control panel
  • Speaking with our sales or account management team.

To purchase Outbound Calling from the website:

  1. Go to our Outbound Calling page.
  2. View rates and select an Outbound Calling plan.
  3. Add Call Recording, if desired.
  4. Then, fill in information about your new phone number and where you want calls to be forwarded.
  5. Select an Inbound Voice plan.
  6. Fill in the necessary information, Add to Cart, and then Submit.

To purchase Outbound Calling from the Control Panel:

1. Log in to your control panel.

2. On the left-hand panel, under Services, click on Add Service Lines.

add outbound service line

3. Then, choose an Outbound Calling line.
From there, use the phone number ordering form and follow the prompts to get a new service line.

choose your outbound plan

4. Select the country and phone number you want to purchase.

5. Choose to Activate call recording for this outbound calling line.

6. Next, review plans for this number, and select a plan.

7. A dialog box will appear asking to Add this new Outbound Plan. Click Yes, Add to complete your order.

yes add plan

How to Create Additional Logins in the Control Panel

You can add additional people (login) to your account. Follow these steps to ad or remove a new user to your account.

1. From the dashboard, click on the user name  in the top right corner of the page.

2. A dropdown will appear, click on Account Settings

account settings button

3. Click on the Additional Logins tab from the horizontal gold nav.

additional logins

4. Add the new user name, email and password for that user.

user added

5. Click the orange Add button

How to Change the Ringback Tone

Ringback tones are the sound the caller hears on the line while the call rings, prior to call being answered. Each international location has a distinct ringback tone. Follow the steps to change your ringback tone.

1. Log in to your Control Panel.

2. From the Dashboard click on My Phone Numbers.

3. Choose a phone service line and click on Settings.

settings icon
3. Select the Greeting & Ringback tab in the gold bar.

4. On the right hand side is a dropdown to select a country specific ringback tone.

ringback-tone

5. Select the desired tone and click Save Changes.

 

 

How to Set Up a 3cx Phone

1. From the 3CX Management Console, select “SIP Trunks” > “Add SIP Trunk”.

2. Select the “Generic” option in the “Select Country” dropdown menu and then choose “Generic VoIP Provider” or “Generic SIP Trunk”.

3. Enter the SIP trunk main number (+15619086171). Click “OK” to create and proceed to configure the SIP Trunk.

trunk details

4. Enter a name for this VoIP provider account (Global Call Forwarding). Crosscheck the pre-filled “Registrar/Server/Gateway Hostname or IP” : mysipaccount.net

5. Specify the “Number of Simultaneous Calls” your provider allows: 24

“Authentication”, select “IP based” – enter SIP authentication ID (XXXXXXXXX) and password (XXXXX).
Click “OK” to save the trunk settings.

sip authentication

Route Calls Over SIP Trunk

Outbound rules dictate how 3CX routes outgoing calls, i.e. via different SIP trunks or gateways, based on which user or group is calling, the dialed number or the number length. You need to create at least one outbound rule to start calling with 3CX.

route calls

1. Go to “Outbound Rules”, select “Add,” and enter a name for the new rule.

2. Specify any matching criteria to trigger this outbound rule in the “Apply this rule to these calls” section:

How to Set Up 2 Factor Authentication

Add additional protection to your account with two factor authentication (TFA). How does it work? When you turn TFA, you will receive an automated email with a unique code each time you log in to your account. Enter this code in the login screen to access the account.

1. From the Dashboard, click on the name icon and select Account Settings from the dropdown.

Account-settings

2. On the Account Profile tab select the toggle button to turn on or off the two factor authentication.

TFA toggle

3. Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.

How to Configure Geo-Routing | Geographic Routing

What is Geographic Routing?

Geographic routing—also known as location-based routing and geo-routing—is an advanced IVR routing service that lets you forward calls based on the location of the caller.

For example, you can route incoming calls from a certain country (Thailand) to your support center in that region (Asia).

Related: How to Create a Call Flow in the IVR Manager

How to Set up Geo-Routing?

You can set up geo-routing from your control panel in just a few steps. Add unlimited rules for your geo-routing schedule. Here is how to set up geographic routing in six easy steps.

1. Log in to your control panel.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the dashboard.

select my phone number

3. Click on the Settings icon on the line that you would like to modify.
settings icon

4. Then, click on Call Forwarding.
call forwading ivr

5. Next, click on IVR and Manage IVR Applications. This will take you to our IVR Manager.

6. Click on Create New Application.
create application

7. Then, under Advanced Actions, choose Caller ID Routing.

caller id routing

8. Add a Name for this application and action.

9. Click on New Rule to set up a new rule to route calls based on caller ID; i.e., the location of the caller.

name and click new rule

Here, you can enter the country codes and area codes of your customers; i.e., caller ID information of customers whose calls you want to forward/route to another location.
add country and area code

For example, if you want to forward calls coming from customers in Florida, United States. Then, you enter the US country code (+1) and Florida area codes (786, 904, 352, 772)

10. Click Next to choose the next action (i.e., what happens to a call with this country or area code).

11. Select Phone Call and:

select phone call

  • Add a name for this action
  • Choose a prompt (if needed) from pre-recorded and uploaded prompts. You can add prompts in the right-side toolbox.
  • Choose a destination — hunt group or phone number where you want to forward the call.
  • Pick a Ringback tone — Default or specific to the country where the calls will be routed.
  • Determine wait time.

12. You can also decide what happens after the call is answered (post-call survey) or if it fails (send the call to another backup phone number or to voicemail).

choose geo options

13. Click Close on the bottom right of the caller ID card.

14. Then, click Save Application to save your IVR call flow.

Benefits of Using Location-Based Routing for Improved Caller Experience

  • Simplified call process and channels incoming call traffic based on location.
  • Offer one number for multiple locations.
  • Provide customer support in their time zone and region.
  • Offer 24/7 global customer support.
  • Use an efficient, automated service for improved call management.
  • Access to call tracking and local call reports.
  • Directs international call traffic to specific locations.
  • Easy to use and quick set up through the control panel.

Is Geo-Routing Right for You?

Set up geo-routing if your business to better manage your global customer support system. This way, customers can get help in their time zone and even their language. Want to learn more about call routing strategies, speak with one of our experts today!

How to Create a Call Flow in the IVR Manager

You can create custom call flows for your business phone system with the IVR Manager (also known as the Call Flow Builder). This service is included free with our business phone service and can be set up from the control panel. Design how calls move within your phone system to improve caller experience and manage calls more effectively.

Related: What Is a Call Flow & Its Purpose?

Here are the steps to create a call flow for a specific business phone line:

1. Log in to your account.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side of the page.

select my phone number

3. Click the Settings icon for the phone number line to create its call flow.
settings icon

4. Click the Call Forwarding tab and select IVR.

call forwading ivr

5. Click the Manage IVR Applications to customize your IVR processes in the IVR call flow builder.

6. Next, hover to the right side of the screen to upload prompts and add or create lists of phone numbers and email addresses in their respective tabs:

select prompts, phone numbers or emails

To upload prompts and voice messages:
Click on the Prompts tab and then Add a new prompt. Here, you can upload or record a prompt and voice message. This is what customers will hear when interacting with your phone system. You can include greetings, company information and updates, directional or navigational instructions, and more.

Pro tip: Save the new prompt with a descriptive and memorable title.
Example: Opening greeting or IVR main navigation menu.

add new prompts

To create phone number groups:
Click on the Phones tab and then Add a new phone. Here, you can create a list or hunt group with multiple destination sip or phone numbers. This can be your sales team in the head office or your remote customer service team located in a different country.

You can also choose what type of Ring Mode you want for this hunt group:

    • Sequential routing: Route calls down the list, always starting with the first in line.
    • Random routing: Route calls randomly to people within the list.
    • Simultaneous ringing: Route the incoming call to everyone on the list at the same time.

Pro tip: Save the title with a descriptive name such as Customer service team UK for your service team in the UK. If it is an individual, then save it as [name] + phone number + location.
Example: Peter phone number UK.

To add email addresses:
Click on the Emails tab and then Add a new email. Here, you can create a list with one or multiple email addresses.

Pro tip: Save the title of the new list as [name / department name] + email address.
Example: Peter email address or Billing email addresses. This way, you can potentially send incoming fax messages and invoices directly to your Billing directly.

7. Once, you have the prompts, numbers, and email addresses in place, you can click on Create New Application on the top right to start building your call flow.

When creating a call flow, you have multiple trigger options and caller interactions to choose from. Let’s go over each action and its purpose. This will help you determine what you need for your call flow.

**Note: Remember to click Close at the end after entering all parameters for a rule. This will save the action within the call flow.

create application

Standard Actions

Announcement — Play an announcement or instructional voice message.
You must include a prompt for this announcement. Toggle the Interruptable green key to allow callers to interrupt the message. You can also add an action for what happens after the message is played by clicking the trigger button trigger icon next to Played.

Phone Call — Send the call to a specific destination, individual, or department.
You must include:

    • Prompt (if applicable): announcement or instructional voice message.
    • Destination for this action: particular department or agent, voicemail, fax address. Here is where you use the phone number and email lists you created before.
    • Ringback tone: the tone that the caller will hear as they wait for the call to be answered.
    • Maximum wait period: how long the caller will wait on line before the Failed action takes place.

Then, you get to decide what happens when the call is answered or fails.

    • Answered: You can play an announcement or send the call to another agent.
    • Failed: Click on the trigger button to add another action such as sending the call to another agent.
    • New Code: Enter a code to direct the call to a different action, including attended transfers.

Voicemail — Send the call to your voicemail inbox.
You must include:

    • Prompt: voicemail message that asks the caller to leave a message.
    • Maximum wait period
    • Destination for this action: send the caller’s voicemail message to a business phone number or email address.

Fax — Send incoming fax to desired email addresses.
Use this feature if you have set fax forwarding. You must include the Destination for where you want to receive the incoming fax. Choose an email address or email address list you created earlier.

Go To — Send the call to one of the previous destinations defined within the call flow. For example, you can make the call go to the main IVR menu so callers can hear the message again.

user menu

Caller Interactions

User Menu — Create an IVR menu with voice messages and options for callers to explore. They will need to press certain keys on their phone’s keypad or dial pad.
When creating the User Menu, you will need to include:

    • Prompt: A main voice message that welcomes the caller and gives them different menu options.
    • Interruptable option: Callers can or cannot interrupt the message played.
    • Maximum wait period
    • Repeat: Number of times the message will repeat
    • Possible trigger for each key (number on the keypad): Choose from the different possible actions and triggers. You can assign each key (1, 2, 3, etc) to a specific target such as a hunt group, department, voicemail, list of email addresses, etc. Here is where you use the phone number and email lists you created before.
      • Example: #1 will send the call to the customer service department list. #2 will send the call to the billing department list. #3 will send the caller to voicemail.
    • Invalid: Choose what happens the caller presses the wrong key or number.
    • Timeout: Choose what happens when the message has repeated the desired number of times but no key was pressed by the caller.
      • Example: Caller cannot find the right option within the menu so wait in line instead. You can send the caller to voicemail so they can leave a detailed message for assistance.
    • New Code: Enter a code to direct the call to a different action, including attended transfers.

User Input — Create an IVR menu with voice messages and options for callers with custom rules.

    • Prompt: A main voice message that welcomes the caller and gives them different menu options.
    • Interruptable option: Callers can or cannot interrupt the message played.
    • Maximum wait period
    • Repeat: Number of times the message will repeat
    • Invalid: Choose what happens the caller presses the wrong key or number.
    • Timeout: Choose what happens when the message has repeated the desired number of times but no key was pressed by the caller.
      • Example: Caller cannot find the right option within the menu so wait in line instead. You can send the caller to voicemail so they can leave a detailed message for assistance.

Advanced Actions

Time-Day Routing — Route calls during a specific period of time to a different destination (location or list of numbers). This is also called time-based routing and time of day routing.
You will need to include:

    • Timezone: The timezone of the location or region you want to route calls to. In other words, if you want to route calls from your US head office to Hong Kong, then you need to enter Hong Kong’s timezone, which is Hong Kong (GMT+8).
    • New Rule: Here you create a new rule for calls coming within specific time periods.
      1. First, select parameters for when this action should go into effect. Select the days and holiday list (if applicable) and the time range.
      2. Then, click Next.
      3. Choose Phone Call from the different actions and triggers.
      4. Then, select the Destination number or list where the calls will be forwarded. Here is where you use the phone number and email lists you created before.
      5. Then, choose a Ringback tone and Maximum wait time.
      6. You can also determine what happens if the call Failed (team didn’t answer) such as sending the caller to another hunt group (team) or Voicemail.
      7. Once everything is set up, click Close.

Caller ID Routing — Route calls to a specific destination based on the caller’s location or caller ID. This is also known as geo-routing, location-based routing, and geographic routing.

You will need to include:

    • Invalid: Choose what happens when the caller presses the wrong key or number.
    • New Rule: Here you can create a new rule for calls coming from certain area codes and locations.
      • Choose Country and Area/State codes for the desired country. Example: if you want to use caller ID routing for calls coming from Canada. Then, pick Canada under Country and enter Canada area/state codes like 778, 780, 647, etc.
      • Then, click Next and choose what happens to a call with one of these caller IDs.
      • You can send the call to another hunt group by selecting Phone Call or send it to Voicemail.
      • You can also determine what happens if the call Failed (team didn’t answer) such as sending the caller to another hunt group (team) or Voicemail.

Use these rules to create a call flow that meets your business communication needs.

8. Click Save Application on the top right corner to save your new rule.

To get started, check out our call flow templates for ideas! Have more questions? Please contact us via phone or live chat. We are happy to help customers with their call flow setup.

SIP Information for Call Forwarding

Need to forward your calls SIP?

Did you know you can forward your calls to your PBX via SIP?

Learn how…

SIP forwarding:

If you have a VoIP PBX or any other VoIP capable equipment, you can receive calls using the SIP protocol. If this is the case, select this option and then enter the phone number (username) you want us to call and specify the IP at which you want your call to be sent. Please note this field only allow for a maximum of 31 characters.Send calls to your SIP server by entering sip:<number>@<ipaddress> where:
<number> is any number you want to use that matches an inbound rule on your PBX
<ipaddress> is the IPv4 numeric representation of your IP address (no domain names supported)

Calls can also be sent via TCP or TLS by entering your destination as:

sip:<number>::::tcp@<ipaddres>:<port>
sip:<number>::::tls@<ipaddres>:<port>

Firewall:

Please make sure the following IPs are allowed inbound traffic from ports 5060/5061 into your network:

66.110.73.74
66.110.73.75
66.110.73.76
66.110.73.77
66.165.168.100
66.165.168.101
66.165.168.103
66.165.168.106
66.165.168.107
66.165.168.108
66.165.168.109
18.136.6.181
52.77.6.176

Your firewall should also authorize all UDP packets from ports 10000 to 60000 for any IP.

 

How to Change Your Outbound Local Caller ID from the Control Panel

Global Call Forwarding offers outbound calling with caller ID management features such as Local Caller ID and Call Masking. You can easily update your outgoing caller ID within the Global Call Forwarding control panel:

1. Log into your control panel and adjust your call masking settings.
2. Go to your Outbound Calling.

select outbound calling

3. Choose the Outbound Calling line where you want to change the caller ID setting.
4. Click on Settings.

choose outbound line

5. Under Outgoing Caller ID, choose the Country and Lines (phone number) that you want displayed.

choose country and line

7. Click Save Settings and start making local calls with local IDs!

How to Set Up a Call Forwarding

1. Login to your account control panel
2. Click on My Phone Numbers in the left-hand navigation

select my phone number

3. On the service line you wish to update, click on the settings icon.

settings icon

4. In the horizontal nav click on Call Forwarding tab and select Basic.

call forwarding

5. Enter your desired phone number or sip account to forward the call to.
6. Click Save Changes

How to change the main email address?

1. Login to you account control panel.
2. From the dashboard click on the small triangle on the top, far right side. This will display the Account Setting dropdown.

account settings arrow

3. Click the Account Settings button.

account settings button

4. From the Account Setting page you can change the account email address or other settings and click Save Changes

account settings page

How to update/change the contact information on the account?

1. Login to you account control panel.
2. From the dashboard click on the small triangle on the top, far right side. This will display the Account Setting dropdown.

account settings arrow

3. Click the Account Settings button.

account settings button

4. From the Account Setting page you can make changes to the contact name or other setting and click Save Changes

account settings page

How To Set Up Holiday Routing

1. Log in to your Control Panel.
2. Choose a phone service line and click on Settings.

settings icon
3. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Advanced Routing.
4. Click on the Holiday Routing button.

select holiday

5. Click the green Create a New Holiday List button. Add the name of the list, description, and select your days.

holiday list
6. Then, click on Save New Holiday List. You can set up multiple lists for different holidays.

holiday options
7. Go back to Advanced Routing and click on Go to Rules.

holidays rules
8. Click the green Create New Rule button. Add a description and select the desired holiday list from the dropdown box on the right-hand side. Then, add the necessary routing rules for this particular holiday list.

create rule

holiday setup rule
9. Click Save Rule.

How to Establish a New PayPal Automated Payment

To update your PayPal account, start by logging into your account.

1. On the bottom right-hand side of the page, click Update Payment Information.

credit card info

2. You may need to deactivate your old PayPal account from within PayPal

3. To use a new Paypal, select the PayPal button and click Activate PayPal Autopay.

paypal activate

4. From there you will be brought to a PayPal login to activate your new PayPal account with your Global Call Forwarding account.

PayPal

How To Set Up Random Forwarding

When using random forwarding the call is forwarded to a series of phone numbers in random. The first number will ring for a certain number of seconds (you set the desired length). If there is no answer within that time, the call is automatically redirected down to an alternate second preset phone number. If the second number does not answer, the call is again forwarded and so on. Up to 4 numbers can be added to the sequence. If the call is never answered you have the option to send it to voicemail.

Here is how you can set up sequential forwarding:

1. Log in to your control panel at https://newcp.unitedworldtelecom.com/login with your email and password.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left side.

call forwading

3. Click on the Settings Icon of the service line you want to change.
settings icon

4. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Advanced Routing.

5. Click the orange Go to Rules button.

sequential advanced routing

6. Click the green Create New Rule button.

click on new rule

7. From here, you can enter all the parameters your wish to ad to your random forwarding rule. Enter description, days-of-the-week, start and end dates, and phone number to forward to.

new rule screen

8. Select the Random tab and add additional numbers that will ring randomly if the previous number does not answer. Click Save Rule.

random forwarding

How to Update Payment Method

To update credit card information or PayPal account, please get started by logging into your account.

1. On the bottom right-hand side of the page, click Update Payment Information.

credit card info

2. Enter your new payment information and click Save Changes.

credit card

3. To use Paypal, select the PayPal button and click Activate PayPal Autopay.

paypal activate

4. From there you will be brought to a PayPal login to activate PayPal with your Global Call Forwarding account.

PayPal

How to Set Up the New Control Panel

1. From the old control panel click on the  the button “New Control Panel”.

old control panel
2. From there you will be taken to a new login screen that requires you to create a new password.

control panel activation

3. Once you login from this screen all your data will be  brought into the new control panel format. In the future you can login at this address https://newcp.globalcallforwarding.com/login

new control panel

How to Reactivate an Old Account

1. Login to your old control panel at https://newcp.globalcallforwarding.com/login

2. On the left-hand navigation click on Billing & Payments and add a new billing method and save.

billing payment

3. Once billing is setup, click on Add Service Line from the left-hand nav.

add service line

4. Click on the Call Forwarding button.

call forwarding button

5. From this window, fill out the form to select your toll free or local number.

add new number

6. Some international numbers may require documentation. We will be in touch with you in 1-2 business days about the activation of your new number.

Setting Up Outbound Calling Using a Softphone

A VOIP softphone is an app or software you can install on your device which enables you to make calls via the internet. Setup is simple! Just select a device below and your operating system to see detailed step-by-step instructions on installation and connection to your service line.

Computer – Windows

Computer – Macintosh

Phone – Android

Phone – iOS Apple

Related articles:

How to Access Call Recording Files

1. In your control panel, go to My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side

select my phone number

2. Click on the Service Plan  on the service line you wish to view.
select the plan

3. Click on the Activity tab on the top, center navigation, to view details. From here, you can download individual call recordings in the Action column.

call recordings downloads

How to Set Up Sequential Forwarding

When using sequential forwarding the call is forwarded to the first (main) preset number which rings for a certain number of seconds (you set the desired length). If there is no answer within that time, the call is automatically redirected down the sequence to the second preset phone number. If the second number does not answer, the call is again forwarded and so on. Up to 4 numbers can be added to the sequence. If the call is never answered you have the option to send it to voicemail.

Here is how you can set up sequential forwarding:

1. Log in to your control panel at https://newcp.unitedworldtelecom.com/login with your email and password.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left side.

call forwading

3. Click on the Settings Icon of the service line you want to change.
settings icon

4. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Advanced Routing.

5. Click the orange Go to Rules button.

sequential advanced routing

6. Click the green Create New Rule button.

click on new rule

7. From here, you can enter all the parameters your wish to ad to your sequential forwarding rule. Enter description, days-of-the-week, start and end dates, and phone number to forward to.

new rule screen

8. Add additional numbers that will ring sequentially if the previous number does not answer. Click Save Rule.

additional numbers

How to View Remaining Minutes Left for the Month

1. Go to My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side

select my phone number

2. Click on the Service Plan icon on the service line you wish to view.
select service plan

3. Click on the Rates tab on the top, center navigation.

time remaining

Related: How to Add RollOver Minutes

How to View Call Detail Records

1. In your control panel, go to My Phone Numbers on the left-hand side

select my phone number

2. Click on the Service Plan icon on the service line you wish to view.
select service plan

3. Click on the Activity tab on the top, center navigation, to view details.

Activity

Related: How to Download Call Detail Records

How to Change Your Forward to Number

Over the course of time, users may want to change or update their destination or ‘forward to’ number. This is the number where your incoming calls are forwarded to. You can quickly change this information through the control panel.

Here is how you can change the forward-to number on your end:

1. Log in to your control panel at https://newcp.unitedworldtelecom.com/login with your email and password.

2. Click My Phone Numbers on the left side.

call forwading

3. Click on the Settings Icon of the service line you want to change.
settings icon

4. Select Call Forwarding from the horizontal menu and click Basic.

5. Change the number in the field under Forward calls to, and click save.

change forward number

Your changes will be applied immediately in real-time.

Why is Documentation Required to Get a Number?

Due to a rapidly increasing level of fraud in the telecommunications industry, local regulatory authorities in a number of countries now require to fully identify the owner of a phone number prior to its activation.

When requirements are not met, some countries have completely banned the sale of certain types of numbers while others have disconnected numbers at will. These requirements are introduced mainly to make it harder for fraudsters and scammers to obtain virtual numbers to use in the perpetration of international crimes.

As a result, telecom companies that sell phone numbers for those countries and number types without documentation from the intended owner are risking recall or deactivation of the number(s) sold. Additionally, these companies face the possibility of further local restrictions from those countries.

While we are trying our very best to provide a smooth purchasing experience to our customers, we also want to provide a reliable service with properly approved phone numbers.

If one or more of your numbers require proof of ID and other documentation, we strongly encourage you to provide them to our provisioning team as soon as possible to facilitate the activation process.

Your information is always secure with us and will only be shared with intended local partners and authorities.

How to Keep Global Teams Connected with Call Routing

Call routing is a telecom service offered with virtual phone numbers to help businesses stay connected irrespective of geographical boundaries. Call routing has been used by multinational companies to communicate across multiple markets as well as small businesses to expand to new markets. Here are some ways companies can use call routing and international call forwarding for international business communication and keeping remote and global teams connected:

1. Time-based routing
Route incoming calls from one location to another during certain times of the day or days of the week. When your main office closes for the day or week, you can provide business continuity by routing calls to employees in a different time zone, remote agents, an offshore call center, and more.

2. Location-based routing
This type of routing forwards calls from one location to another based on the location of the caller. This is a valuable feature for businesses with offices and customers in multiple locations, time zones, and regions. With this type of routing, you can route calls to remote teams or satellite offices in different regions and offer support in your customers’ time zone and language.

3. Skill-based routing
This type of routing helps callers reach the right department and agent. When customers call, they interact with an IVR system that helps determine the caller’s need and then transfers them to the appropriate agent located anywhere. Skills needed include specific languages, customer’s past interactions, agent expertise, etc.

4. Simultaneous ringing
Ring multiple phones with one number with the simultaneous ringing feature. This type of routing rings an incoming call on multiple phone numbers within a predetermined group. You can add and remove users in the group as and when needed. By ringing on multiple phones simultaneously, your business increases the chances of calls being answered and reduces the number of missed or unanswered calls.

5. Follow the Sun customer support model
All these types of call routing make it possible for a company to adopt a Follow the Sun customer service model where your business offers customer support 24/7 irrespective of its location. This is because you can route calls to different locations during certain times or based on the caller’s location and needs.

How to Make Remote Working Secure?

When working remotely, businesses have to pay close attention to managing remote teams and keeping company, employee, and customer data and privacy secure. So, here are some helpful tips to make remote working secure for your business:

1. Educate employees about cyberattacks and phishing scams. Teach employees how to identify suspicious activity and report it.

2. Use a Business VPN to ensure employees work on a private network instead of public networks.

3. Use a VoIP phone system and adhere to best practices to ensure your communications occur over a secure internet connection.

4. Encourage employees to install antivirus software on their devices, especially the ones used for work.

5. Draft an employee technology or security policy that outlines how to protect data and privacy.

6. Ask employees to use different devices for work and personal use.

7. Conduct security checks every couple of weeks to ensure systems are working properly.

Using Unified Communications for Remote Teams

Unified communications bring together all vital business communication tools in one place. Such platforms have many benefits for remote teams.

Unified communication as a service (UCaaS) focuses on internal communication and helps keep distributed teams connected. Therefore, it supports team collaboration and connectivity. So, how exactly can your remote teams use a UC platform?

1. Use VoIP & UCaaS to increase mobility and virtual collaboration. Make and receive calls via the internet no matter the location. Use the GCF Softphone to convert any device into a business phone.

2. Take advantage of the variety of features and services available to make remote communication smooth. Top features include international call forwarding, global call routing, outbound calling with a local caller ID, hosted call recording, SMS and fax options, and more.

3. Maintain productivity and efficiency even with distributed teams. By tracking time, reviewing call records, conducting regular meetings, your teams continue to be accountable for the work they do, even if they are not working out of the office.

Need UCaaS to power global voice coverage for your remote teams? Speak with our telecom experts today to get the right solutions for your company.

Related: Best Practices for Workplace Health & Safety

Remote Team Management Solutions

The COVID-19 pandemic led to many businesses switching to remote work or work-from-home set-ups. Here we will outline the different remote work solutions businesses can adopt to make work-from-home easier and manageable:

1. Get a Virtual Phone Number

Virtual phone numbers help businesses make and receive business calls from any location and device. This means that your remote teams can make and receive calls through the business phone number, even when they are not in the office. And so, they will not have to use their personal phone numbers for business-related calls. If you don’t already have a virtual phone number, go to our homepage and sign up for a new business phone number or port your existing phone number to our service.

2. Set Up Call Routing

Call routing or call forwarding is a telecom service that enables users to route calls from one line to another. In other words, your customers can call your business number, and the call gets routed to your employees’ home phones or smartphones. You can even set up different call routing rules such as:

  • Time-based routing — route to various groups, lines, and locations during certain times of the day
  • Location-based routing — route calls to different groups or locations based on the location of the caller
  • Simultaneous ring — ring multiple phones with one number at the same time to increase the chances of the call being answered
  • Sequential ringing — ring phones down a list (sequence) predetermined by managers.

Call routing helps your business continue to offer sales and support even as employees work from home.

3. Get a Softphone or Web Dialer

Equip your remote teams with an easy-to-download and use softphone or web dialer. These are webphones that can be downloaded on browsers, desktops, or as an app. Through a softphone:

  • Employees can make and receive business calls with customizable caller ID
  • Convert any device into a business phone
  • Connect with other employees within the office network
  • Transfer calls
  • Update customer information
  • Access voicemail, and more.

4. Chat and Video Conferencing Tools

For more internal collaboration, consider chat and video conferencing tools such as Google Chat, Google Meet, Zoom, etc., to help your employees easily connect with each other in real-time and work together. This is especially helpful with monthly meetings, handovers, product development, and more.

5. Content & Project Management Systems

You may even consider using a project management system or content management system to track everyone’s projects and tasks, view updates and progress, track work time, and collaborate on projects. Popular examples include Teamwork, Trello, Monday, etc.

How to Install GCF Softphone for Macintosh

1. Go to the link here and the file will automatically start to download

2. Locate the dmg file on your desktop and double click it.

click dmg file

3. When the popup appears, drag the GCF Softphone icon to your Applications folder

drag file to apps

4. In the Applications folder, double click the GCF Softphone icon. A permission window will appear, click “Open”

gcf app permissions

5. The Softphone will open and allow you to sign in.

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