Hi.  Please can someone answer this.  Is it possible for some 0845 numbers to simply ring out if attached to one geographic number but engaged, but automatically be answered when the line it is attached to is free?  I ask this as I have a possible number for a radio station which is sometimes engaged on the geographic number but never seems to be on the 0845 number, although I was told today that there is only one number to call in on but the same number is used to ring out on.  When I was called by the station last week a number was left.

I shall reveal more wehn I get a reply, but wondered if it was possible for the geographic equivalent to be engaged while the 0845 rings out for long periods, when it is attached to a computer.

I know this sounds vague, but all will become aparent after a reply.Thanks for your help.

Yes, entirely possible.  The geo number is more than likely attached to one line which may well be busy if being used for outbound calls in a regular basis.  The 0845 number may well have 'hunt group' functionality sat behind it whereby it could be answered by any number of different operators, as long as at least one of them are free.  In other words, the 0845 number might automatically divert to one of 20 operatives or more so will nearly always be answered.

So do you mean there may still only be ONE geographic number which may or may not be engaged, and ONE 0845 number used for the same purpose, with the 0845 ringing and geo engaged at the same time?

Nope.  I mean there may be one geo. line reserved for outbound calls, but which does accept inbound calls, to which you have the number.  You've tried calling it, but if it's busy with outbound calls, it's always engaged.  Then, there's an 0845 number which may point to one operative responsible for handling inbound calls, or it might even be set up to distribute calls on any basis to a number of different operatives who are all sat there, just waiting to receieve your in-bound call.  That's just one scenario though - the number of lines in and out is largely irrelevant - the fact is what you've described isn't anything sinister....

No...  BBC Radio WM has 0845 300 9956.  This rings out when a geo number used to ring out is engaged.  However I was told today that the number used to ring out on is the same number used to receive calls as well.

Are you saying the 0845 in this case will ve mapped to a different number to the number I have?

It's hard to say with any certainty because we have no idea about the mapping.  Seems unlikely though to me that anybody would programme an 0845 number to ring out if it's terminating DDI is engaged.  What would be the point?  If they were mapped to the same number, I'm sure you would just hear the engaged tone when dialing in on the 0845 number.  So no, I don't think they're mapped to the same number.