Phone Extensions | VoIP Features

Q: How do you dial extensions?

For employees sharing the same business phone system , they should be able to pick up their handset and dial the extension number, and the call will be connected. With a VoIP softphone calling app, you can dial the extension or tap the user from your contacts to be connected. We recommend setting up your phone number extensions to be four digits long. This phone feature will help avoid issues with speed dial and placing outgoing calls with area codes.

How to set up phone extensions

Setting up phone number extensions with Nextiva is easy. You always have control over your team's extensions.

Sign in to the Nextiva Voice Portal as an administrator.
Hover over Users at the top, and select Manage Users.
Click the pencil icon next to the user you want to change.
Scroll down and click to expand the Phone Number section.
You can adjust the user's telephone number and extension. The extension may automatically change to the last four digits of the phone number, so you may need to switch it back.
When finished, click the Save button.

For more information about managing your business phone number settings, please read this support article.

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Phone extensions FAQs

For employees sharing the same business phone system, they should be able to pick up their handset and dial the extension number, and the call will be connected.

With a VoIP softphone calling app, you can dial the extension or tap the user from your contacts to be connected.

We recommend setting up your phone number extensions to be four digits long. This phone feature will help avoid issues with speed dial and placing outgoing calls with area codes.

Yes, one of the best aspects of having a phone extension is that it allows employees to share the same business phone service and stay connected. They won't need to divulge personal cell phone numbers. They can dial each other from the company's name directory.

Phone extensions follow the employee with whatever phone they're using, including desk phones and softphones.

If they're taking time off, they can also forward their extensions to an extension of a supervisor or a colleague on their behalf. It's a better option than coming back to a full voicemail box.

Phone extensions are similar to virtual phone numbers, but they serve different purposes.

Virtual phone numbers generally refer to phone numbers that receive incoming calls from the public. Phone extensions are used to direct phone calls to a specific user, team, or department.

Phone extensions and phone numbers are always "virtual" since neither of them is hard-coded to a user. They exist within the logic of a PBX to direct calls to different people. Sometimes called virtual or internal phone numbers, phone extensions function within the office phone system such as a cloud PBX.

Traditional phone service doesn't provide unlimited extensions without additional telecom equipment.

You can save time calling toll-free phone numbers that require extensions or passcodes with your smartphone. One little-known trick is to store a special number to your contacts.

When you add a phone number to your contacts, hold down the asterisk (*) key until you’re able to select a comma. After the comma, enter the desired phone extension. One comma is equivalent to waiting two seconds, so you may want to add two of them together to avoid dialing too quickly.

This feature is perfect for dialing through auto attendants and conference call services. The next time you call from your contacts, the phone digits will be entered automatically.