To dial an extension, the general process depends on the type of phone you are using (smartphone or landline) and the system setup, but here are the common methods:
On Smartphones (iPhone and Android)
- Dial the main phone number first.
- Add a pause after the main number:
- On iPhone, press and hold the asterisk (*) key until a comma (,) appears.
- On Android (Google Phone app), after entering the main number, tap the menu (three dots) and select "Add 2-sec pause" which inserts a comma (,). Alternatively, on many Android phones, you can also press and hold the asterisk (*) key to add the pause.
- Enter the extension number after the pause.
- Press the call button.
This method allows the phone to dial the main number, wait a moment, then automatically dial the extension
. Alternatively, on both iPhone and Android, you can insert a "wait" instead of a pause by holding the pound (#) key until it turns into a semicolon (;). This causes the phone to wait indefinitely until you manually prompt it to dial the extension, useful if you need to wait for an automated prompt before entering the extension
On Landlines
- Dial the main number and wait for the call to connect.
- When prompted, enter the extension number on the keypad.
- If no prompt is given, listen for menu instructions or ask the receptionist to connect you to the desired extension
During an Ongoing Call
If you are already connected to the main number and need to dial an extension:
- Use the dial pad on your phone to enter the extension number during the call
Summary
Device/Method| Steps to Dial Extension| Notes
---|---|---
iPhone| Dial main number → hold * for comma → enter extension → call| Comma
adds a 2-second pause automatically
Android (Google Phone app)| Dial main number → menu → Add 2-sec pause → enter
extension → call| Similar to iPhone method
Landline| Dial main number → wait for prompt → enter extension| May require
manual input after connection
During a call| Press dial pad → enter extension| For adding extension mid-call
This approach ensures you reach the intended extension directly without manually navigating phone menus
