One main number and several incoming lines

“We would like to have a main phone number and several phone lines to call.” Can a request like this to your phone company be simpler than that?

You’d be surprised how many different ways a phone company can go through to set up its lines. And each solution has its own pros and cons.

Overlines, hunt-groups, roll-over lines, pilot number, real number are the common terms to keep in mind here.

Top lines: There is a main number or pilot number that is the first line, and then there are top lines or additional lines. Each line is physically connected to your phone system in order to provide you with multiple lines to dial.

For example, if you need three lines coming into your office then the request would be for a main number or pilot line and 2 top lines or you can call it one plus two line system.

If you need 4 lines, then the request would be for 1 main or pilot line and 3 top lines, that is, one plus three line systems.

Each of the top lines are separate phone lines, with the same phone number attached, that is, your main or pilot phone number for your company.

The over-line system ensures that when your first line is busy, the next incoming call will ring on the next over-line, until all your lines are busy.

And most importantly, it will ensure that each of them shows their MAIN phone number as a caller ID when you call.

This is not the case with the hunt group or multiline system.