--- title: "What is a Ring Group and what can I do with it?" slug: "what-is-a-ring-group-and-what-can-i-do-with-it" updated: 2026-05-22T15:50:26Z published: 2026-05-22T15:50:26Z canonical: "help.8x8.com/what-is-a-ring-group-and-what-can-i-do-with-it" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.8x8.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # What is a Ring Group and what can I do with it? ## Ring Groups Overview ### What is a Ring Group? A **Ring Group** is a call-routing feature that allows multiple phones or extensions to ring when a single extension or phone number is dialed. Ring Groups are commonly used to distribute incoming calls across teams or departments such as **Sales**, **Customer Support**, or **Accounting**. Ring Groups help reduce customer wait times and improve employee productivity by ensuring calls are answered by the first available team member. ## Applies To - Admin Console - Ring Groups - 8x8 Work ## Key Capabilities With Ring Groups, you can: - Route one number or extension to multiple users - Distribute calls evenly or simultaneously - Reduce missed calls and hold times - Forward unanswered calls to voicemail or another destination - Assign many types of phone numbers to a single group The Ring Group feature is included **at no additional cost** with 8x8 Work. ## Common Use Cases ### Small Business A business with four employees can place all users in one Ring Group, so: - All phones ring at the same time, or - Calls ring in a specific order to balance the workload ### Sales Teams Route calls to a Sales Ring Group so: - Calls rotate among reps, or - All sales phones ring at once, and the first rep to answer handles the call ### Multiple Departments Create separate Ring Groups for departments such as: - Sales - Technical Support - Shipping Calls can be routed to these groups via: - An Auto Attendant menu (e.g., “Press 1 for Sales”) - A receptionist transferring calls to the appropriate Ring Group ## Ring Group Configuration Details ### Member Limits - Each Ring Group can have **up to 32 members** ### Number Assignment A Ring Group can be assigned: - A virtual number - A toll-free number - The main company number - Any other number in your system Ring Groups can also receive calls from: - An Auto Attendant - Another extension ## Ring Patterns (Call Distribution Options) When configuring a Ring Group, choose how calls are delivered: ### Cyclic (Rollover) - Calls rotate evenly among members - Promotes equal call distribution - You can define how many cycles occur before sending the call to voicemail **Example:** Call 1: Ext. 101 → Ext. 102 (answered) Call 2: Ext. 103 → Ext. 101 (answered) ### Cyclic Repetitive - Calls always start with the first extension in the list - Follow the same order for each call - You can define how many cycles occur before voicemail **Example:** Call 1: Ext. 101 → Ext. 102 (answered) Call 2: Ext. 101 (answered) Call 3: Ext. 101 → Ext. 102 → Ext. 103 (answered) ### Simultaneous Ring - All extensions ring at the same time - The first user to answer handles the call ## Behavior When No One Answers If all Ring Group members are unavailable, calls can be: - Sent to the Ring Group’s voicemail, or - Forwarded to another extension, Auto Attendant, or call flow --- ### FAQ #### **Can users tell if a call is direct or from a Ring Group?** No. Ring Group calls cannot be distinguished from direct calls for ringtone or alert configuration. #### **Can Ring Group members log in or out?** If Ring Group members are given permissions, then they are able to log in and out. #### **Is an Auto Attendant the same as a Ring Group?** No. They are separate features. An Auto Attendant can route calls to a Ring Group. See: [Set Up or Change Auto Attendant Forwarding Rules in Admin Console.](/support/docs/set-up-or-change-auto-attendant-forwarding-rules-in-8x8-admin-console) #### **Do Ring Groups have schedules?** No. Ring Groups do not have their own schedules. Call handling schedules are controlled by the Auto Attendant. See [Set Up or Change Auto Attendant Forwarding Rules in 8x8 Admin Console.](/support/docs/set-up-or-change-auto-attendant-forwarding-rules-in-8x8-admin-console) #### **Why don’t unanswered users see a missed call?** If any Ring Group member answers the call, it is considered answered and does not appear as a missed call for other members. This is expected behavior. #### **Can callers wait on hold in a Ring Group?** No. Ring Groups do not support call queuing or hold messages. For a waiting experience with announcements or music, forward unanswered Ring Group calls to: - An Auto Attendant, or - A Call Queue #### **How to manage call handling and status settings for employees in a ring group?** You can manually log your agents in and out of a Ring Group, but it might be more efficient to set up a Call Queue.
#### **Do Ring Groups have to have at least one member?** Yes, Ring Groups need to have at least one member for the calls to be directed to.