Route by state or territory
Send NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, SA, TAS, ACT and NT callers to different destinations, ring groups or IVR menus.
NEW: MOLI (MOLi) STATE ROUTING
BETA
WORKS WITH ALL NUMBER TYPES
Crazytel Smart Routes Every call, to the right place - automatically
Smart Routes works across all your Crazytel numbers - local (02, 03, 07, 08), mobile (04), 13, 1300, 1800 and international - checking who is calling, which number they dialled and what time it is. Plus, New MOLI (MOLi) State-Based Routing for 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers detects caller state and local collection area from the carrier network even on mobiles and private numbers. Configure in MyAccount or via our REST API for a flat $2.00 per route per month.
- Works on all numbers: 02/03/07/08, 04, 13, 1300 & 1800
- MOLI (MOLi) state & region routing (13/1300/1800) + landline suburb
- Business hours, split shifts, after hours and holidays
- Free Test a Call simulator - test any rule or region live
National 1300 Inbound Router
STATE ROUTING
BETA
Australia/Sydney
1
NSW & Western Sydney Branch
✓ Matched
- IfSuburb: Parramatta, Blacktown (NSW)
- AndDialled: 1300 975 707
- AndMon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- ThenLabel “{suburb}:” → Sydney Ring Group
2
QLD State & Collection Area (13/1300/1800)
Not reached
- IfLocation: QLD · Maryborough, Gympie (+ adjoining)
- AndMon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (Mobile, Private & Landline)
- ThenLabel “MOLI-{state}:” → Brisbane Ring Group
3
After-Hours On-Call Mobile
Not reached
- IfNOT Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
- ThenOn-Call Mobile (20s, Press 1) → Voicemail
C
Catch-All - Destination If No Rules Match
Standby safety net
- ElseRuns after Holidays if no rule matches
- ThenNational Reception Queue
Simulator Result: Matched Rule #1 (Valid AU landline, Parramatta, NSW)
Desk Phone CID: Parramatta:0298901234
NEW: MOLI (MOLi) ROUTING
13, 1300 & 1800 NUMBERS
New: State-Based & MOLI (MOLi) Routing for 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers
Send every caller to their nearest office - automatically. Smart Routes now detects where your callers are ringing from using carrier MOLI (MOLi - Mobile Originating Location Information) data, even on mobiles and private numbers, and routes them by state or local region before anything rings.
Customers calling your 13, 1300 or 1800 number expect to reach the right local team. Until now, geographic routing only worked for landline callers - the network could tell which exchange a landline call came from, but mobile, private and VoIP callers arrived with no location at all.
Smart Routes now reads the caller's MOLI (MOLi) location from the carrier network on every inbound call to your shared-cost (13, 1300) and free-call (1800) numbers. Every caller - landline, mobile, withheld number, VoIP - can be routed by where they're calling from.
Beyond state-based routing
Most carriers offer state-level routing and stop there. Smart Routes goes deeper: MOLI collection areas let you target specific regions within a state, and adjoining-region matching handles border towns cleanly. And because it's a full rule builder, location combines with everything else - dialled number, caller ID, business hours, holidays - in any combination, per rule.
How MOLI (MOLi) routing works
Carrier MOLI Location-
1
A call hits your 13 / 1300 / 1800 number
The carrier attaches a MOLI (MOLi) location code identifying the caller's region on shared-cost and free-call numbers.
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2
Smart Routes reads it
The caller's state and local collection area are matched against your rules - in addition to the caller ID, the number dialled, and your business hours.
-
3
The call lands locally
NSW callers reach your Sydney team, Queensland callers reach Brisbane, and so on - automatically, in milliseconds.
Standard DIDs (exchange only)
Landlines (02/03/07/08) matched by exchange. Mobile (04), private and VoIP callers have no carrier MOLI code on regular local numbers.
13 / 1300 / 1800 (MOLI / MOLi)
Every caller - landline, mobile, withheld number and VoIP - carries MOLI state & local collection area data.
Smart Routes works on all number types - here is what works where
You can use Smart Routes on every Crazytel number type - local geographic numbers (02, 03, 07, 08), virtual mobile numbers (04), 1300, 1800, six-digit 13 numbers, and international numbers - and even combine them in a single route. Only carrier MOLI (MOLi) network location is specific to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers:
| Smart Routes Capability | 13, 1300 & 1800 Numbers | Local Numbers (02, 03, 07, 08) & Mobile DIDs (04) |
|---|---|---|
| Time, business hours, split shifts, dates & Holidays calendar | ✓ Full support | ✓ Full support |
| Caller line type (Mobile, Landline, VoIP, Toll-free), VIP numbers, prefixes, patterns & overseas rules | ✓ Full support | ✓ Full support |
| Dialled number rules, multi-destination ring styles, Greetings, Whispers, Press 1, Catch-All & If Unanswered | ✓ Full support | ✓ Full support |
| Landline caller suburb & state routing (from 02/03/07/08 exchange data) | ✓ Supported (plus MOLI state & collection area) | ✓ Supported for landline callers (via caller's exchange data) |
| Mobile (04), Private & VoIP caller State & Collection Area routing (MOLI / MOLi) | ✓ Supported via carrier MOLI (MOLi) network location (state, local collection area & adjoining regions) | Limitation: Carrier MOLI codes are not supplied by the network on regular local/mobile DIDs. Route mobile callers on local DIDs using a Line type = Mobile rule, schedule, or Catch-All. |
What you can do with State-Based (MOLI / MOLi) Routing
Fine-grained regional control across every state, territory and local collection area on your 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers.
Route by local collection area
Go finer than state-level. Route callers from specific regions like Maryborough or Gympie to the right local branch.
Match adjoining regions
Optionally include the regions that border your selected areas, so border-town callers aren't left out.
Cover mobile and private callers too
The network provides location even when a caller withholds their number, so nobody falls through to a generic queue.
Use asserted identity on private calls
For withheld numbers, the carrier's verified identity can still drive your suburb and state rules, while the call log continues to show Private Number.
See it working
Every call log shows the caller's detected location, and the simulator lets you test a route for a caller from any region before going live.
State-based & regional use cases
- National businesses - one 1300 number, state-based teams. East-coast callers reach their local office without any IVR menus.
- Franchise and dealer networks - route each caller to their nearest location using collection areas instead of postcodes.
- After-hours by region - combine location rules with schedules so “Perth at 6pm” calls go to your WA answering service, not head office voicemail.
- Sales territories - tag leads with a caller-ID prefix like MOLI-{state} so staff know where the call is coming from before they pick up.
Good to know
-
Can Smart Routes be used on all number types?
Yes - Smart Routes works on all Crazytel numbers (local 02/03/07/08, mobile 04, 13, 1300, 1800 and international). Only carrier MOLI (MOLi) location is limited to 13, 1300 and 1800 calls; on regular local DIDs, geographic routing uses the caller's landline exchange data as before. -
Does MOLI State-Based Routing cost extra?
Included with Smart Routes - $2.00/month per route, up to 100 rules. -
What if the caller's MOLI location isn't available?
Rules can require location to be present, treat it as missing, or ignore it entirely - and you choose whether location fills in the gaps for mobile callers, always takes precedence, or only applies to dedicated location rules.
A rulebook for your incoming calls
Smart Routes is a call router that sits between your Crazytel phone numbers and the people, teams and features that answer them. Instead of every call to a number going to the same place, a Smart Route checks each call against a short list of rules you write, in plain choices, such as:
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Who is calling & where from? A caller ringing your 13, 1300 or 1800 number from any state or local collection area (even on a mobile or private number), a Sydney landline caller, an overseas caller, or a specific customer's number.
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Which number did they ring? Your 1300 sales line, your Melbourne office number or your support line can all point at one Smart Route and still be handled differently.
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When are they calling? Weekdays 8:30 am to 5 pm, lunch breaks, overnight, a single date, a date range, the same day every year, or a holiday you've added.
The first rule that fits the call wins, and the call goes to the destination that rule names - a Ring Group, a Queue, an IVR menu, voicemail, a mobile, a CrazyPBX extension and more. If no rule fits, the call goes to your Catch-All destination, so no caller is left hanging.
How calls reach a Smart Route (all number types supported)
You don't need to change your phone system. Smart Routes works with every Crazytel number type - local (02, 03, 07, 08), mobile (04), 1300, 1800, six-digit 13 numbers and international DIDs:
- From any of your Crazytel numbers. In Number Manager, choose Premium Features → Smart Route as the destination for a number, and pick your route by name. One Smart Route can look after many numbers of different types at once.
- From other Crazytel features. Ring Groups, Queues, IVRs, Time Conditions and other Premium Features can pass a call on to a Smart Route, and a Smart Route can pass calls on to another Smart Route.
Up and running in five steps
Configure your rules in MyAccount, verify them in the free simulator, and point your numbers at your route.
1
Create a Smart Route
In MyAccount, go to Products → Premium Features → Smart Routes and click Create Smart Route. Give it a name, pick your timezone (Sydney is the default) and choose a Catch-All destination for calls that don't match any rule. The $2.00 monthly fee starts when the route is created.
2
Add your routing rules
Each rule reads like a sentence: “If the caller is a landline in NSW, and they rang our 1300 number, and it's a weekday between 8:30 am and 5 pm, then send them to the Sydney Ring Group.” Put rules in order - the list is checked from top to bottom and the first match wins. Drag rules, or use Move Up and Move Down, to change the order.
3
Test a call
Open Test a Call, enter a sample caller number, the number they dialled, a date and a time, and run it. You'll see which rule matched, why every other rule was skipped, where the call would go, and the caller ID your team would see. You can even test changes you haven't saved yet.
4
Point a number at it
In Number Manager, set your number's destination to Premium Features → Smart Route and choose your route. You can also see and connect numbers from the route's Phone Numbers tab. Repeat for as many numbers as you like.
5
Watch it work
Real calls appear in Call Logs with the rule that matched and where the call ended up. Stats & Usage shows totals, how often each rule is used and whether your backup destinations are doing their job.
Call arrives
Rules checked top to bottom
First match wins
No match? Holiday plan, then Catch-All
Nobody answers? If Unanswered backup
Why Australian businesses use Smart Routes
Put callers straight through to the right branch, mobile or queue without manual transfers or complicated PBX dialplans.
Callers reach the right team first time
Send Queensland callers to your Brisbane team and Victorian callers to Melbourne - including mobile and private callers on 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers - automatically, before anyone transfers the call.
One route for all your numbers
Point many numbers at a single Smart Route and still treat each one differently, so you manage one set of rules instead of dozens of separate settings.
Business hours, sorted
Set opening hours, split shifts, overnight cover, one-off closures and yearly dates. Times follow the timezone you choose for the route.
Holidays handled ahead of time
Add public holidays and shutdown days once. On those dates calls follow your holiday plan, with an optional recorded message.
Know which line is ringing
Add a short label like “Sales:”, “MOLI-{state}” or the caller's suburb to the caller ID shown on your desk phones and softphones, so staff can answer the right way.
Never miss a call
Ring a mobile for 20 seconds, then try a second number, then voicemail. A Catch-All and an “If Unanswered” backup cover every gap.
Test before you go live
The Test a Call simulator shows exactly which rule a call would match, and why, without ringing a single phone or costing a cent.
See what really happened
Call Logs and Stats & Usage show where every call went, which rule matched it and whether the backup was used.
Inside Smart Routes: conditions, destinations & tools
Explore how rules evaluate callers, dialled numbers and schedules, where calls can go, and how you test and monitor every route.
Rule conditions - “Who is calling?”
Each rule can check the caller's number in one of these ways. Inside one condition, a call matches if it fits any of the values you list (for example, any of three suburbs). Up to 100 suburbs, numbers or patterns can be listed per rule.
| Condition | What it does | Real-life example |
|---|---|---|
| Any caller | Matches everyone. Useful when the rule only cares about the number dialled or the time. | “All calls to our support line after 6 pm go to the on-call mobile.” |
| Private / withheld | Matches callers who hide their number. | Send withheld callers to an IVR that asks them to choose a department. |
| Caller ID is known | Matches callers who show their number. | Only offer the “call me back” voicemail to callers who show a number. |
| Suburb | Matches Australian landline callers from the suburbs you pick (with an autocomplete search), plus withheld callers when carrier asserted identity is enabled. | Parramatta and Blacktown landline callers go to the Western Sydney branch. |
| State or territory | Matches callers by NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS, QLD, WA, SA or NT - covering mobile, private and VoIP callers on 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers via carrier MOLI (MOLi) network location, as well as Australian landline callers on all number types. | WA callers (mobile or landline) go to the Perth team, who are in their timezone. |
| MOLI (MOLi) local collection area & adjoining regions (13/1300/1800) | Matches callers on 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers by local carrier MOLI collection area (finer than state-level), with optional adjoining-region matching so border-town callers aren't left out. | Route callers from Maryborough or Gympie (plus bordering regions) directly to the nearest local branch. |
| MOLI location availability & precedence | Require network location to be present, treat it as missing, or ignore it entirely - and choose whether MOLI location fills in the gaps for mobile callers, always takes precedence, or only applies to dedicated location rules. | Use MOLI network location to route mobile and withheld 1300 callers while keeping exchange-based suburb rules for landlines. |
| Country | Matches the country the call comes from. Pick Australia and tick NOT to catch every overseas caller. | International callers go to the export sales queue. |
| Line type | Matches mobile, landline, toll-free, shared-cost (local-rate) or internet (VoIP) callers. | Mobile callers go to a Queue; landline callers go to their local branch. |
| Exact number | Matches specific phone numbers. Works with 0412 345 678 or 61412345678 formats. | Your three biggest clients ring straight through to their account manager. |
| Starts with | Matches numbers beginning with the digits you enter. | Every caller from a number starting 08 9 goes to Perth. |
| Pattern | Matches numbers using simple wildcards for “any digits” or “one digit”. | Match a block of numbers from one large customer's phone system. |
| Advanced pattern (regular expression) | For technical users who need precise matching rules. | An IT team matching a complex range of partner numbers. |
All number types supported - how location & MOLI (MOLi) limitations work: Smart Routes works on all Crazytel number types (local 02/03/07/08, mobile 04, 13, 1300, 1800 and international). On 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers, the carrier network supplies MOLI (MOLi - Mobile Originating Location Information) on every inbound call, so mobile (04), private/withheld and VoIP callers can be routed by state and local collection area. On regular local (02, 03, 07, 08) and mobile (04) DIDs, carrier MOLI codes are not supplied by the network - landline callers still match suburb and state rules via their exchange data, while mobile callers do not carry a location code (so add a rule for mobile callers or let your Catch-All handle them).
“Which number did they ring?”
When several of your numbers point at the same Smart Route, a rule can check which one the caller dialled.
| Condition | What it does & example |
|---|---|
| Any dialled number | Ignores which number was rung. One set of rules for every number. |
| Exact numbers | Pick from your own Crazytel numbers. Calls to 1300 975 707 go to Sales; calls to 1800 160 401 go to Support. |
| Starts with | Matches dialled numbers beginning with certain digits. All of your 03 numbers get the Melbourne treatment. |
| Pattern / advanced pattern | Wildcard or regular-expression matching for large number ranges (e.g. a franchise group with a block per region). |
| Suburb / state / country of dialled number | Matches based on where your dialled number is located. Every local number you own in Queensland routes to the Brisbane office. |
| Dialled number is present / missing | Checks whether the call carried a dialled number at all (for technical edge cases when passed from another feature). |
“When are they calling?”
Schedules, holiday dates and the simulator all follow the timezone you pick for the route.
| Schedule | What it does & example |
|---|---|
| Always | No time limit. A VIP rule that applies around the clock. |
| Days of the week | Pick days, then all day, one time window, or several windows (split shifts). If end time is earlier than start time, it runs overnight. E.g. Mon-Fri 8:30 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm; overnight 5:00 pm - 8:00 am. |
| A specific date | One date, with optional times. Stocktake day: Saturday 14 March, 9 am - 1 pm, calls go to voicemail. |
| Date range | A first and last date (both included), with optional days and times. Christmas shutdown, 24 December to 5 January. |
| Every year on... | The same month and day every year, with optional times. Your business's own annual closure day. |
| On this route's holidays | Matches the dates in the route's Holidays calendar. Sends calls to a recorded “we're closed” message. |
NOT Invert any condition & ALL-3-pass logic
Any condition can be flipped so it matches when something is not true - for example “callers who are not in NSW” or “any time that is not business hours”. A rule matches only when all three checks pass (caller and dialled number and schedule). Checks left on “Any” or “Always” always pass.
Holidays calendar & safety net
Add each holiday date with a name (e.g. “Christmas Day”), optional destination and optional recorded greeting (one holiday per date). Use holidays either as a rule schedule (“On this route's holidays” for top priority) or as a safety net when no rule matches (using the holiday's destination or your Holiday default).
Time zones & business hours
Every Smart Route has its own timezone (Sydney is default; choose Brisbane, Adelaide, Darwin, Perth, Melbourne, Hobart and more). A Perth-based team sets its route to Perth time, so “8:30 am to 5:00 pm” means Perth hours even if head office is in Sydney.
Where calls can go (destinations)
| Destination group | Options |
|---|---|
| Premium Features | Ring Group, Queue, IVR, Time Condition, Voicemail, Announcement, Recording Box, AI Bridge, or another Smart Route |
| Phone numbers | Any Australian mobile or landline (for example 0491 570 156), or an international number |
| Your phone system | A CrazyPBX extension, a Crazytel SIP Trunk, or a SIP Trunk device |
| Advanced | A SIP address on another phone system |
| End the call | Hang up, Busy or Congestion |
Rule order & matching (up to 100 rules)
- Rules are checked from top to bottom. The first rule that matches wins, and no further rules are checked.
- Put specific rules at the top (VIP customer, holiday rule) and broad rules lower down (all mobiles, all NSW callers).
- Reorder by dragging or with Move Up / Move Down buttons. Switch a rule off to skip it without deleting it.
- Each route holds up to 100 rules (shown as e.g. “12 / 100 rules”) and generates a plain-English summary as you build it.
Ways to ring more than one destination from a rule
| Routing style | What happens | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Single destination | Every matching call goes to one place. | All Melbourne callers go to the Melbourne Ring Group. |
| Try in order | Ring the first destination, then the next, then the next. Each can have its own ring time. | Ring the owner's mobile for 15 seconds, then the office manager for 20 seconds. |
| Weighted split | Share calls by percentage. | Send 70% of new-enquiry calls to the in-house team and 30% to an overflow answering service. |
| Take turns | Share calls evenly in rotation. | Rotate leads between four sales reps' mobiles. |
Chaining Smart Routes safely
A Smart Route can hand calls to another Smart Route - for example, a national router that hands Victorian callers to a Victoria-only router. A route cannot send calls to itself, and the portal warns you if two routes could send calls back and forth to each other.
Greetings, whispers & “press 1”
Upload WAV or MP3 recordings (up to 10 MB each) and use them as:
- Caller greeting: played to the caller before the call is routed (on each rule, Catch-All and each holiday).
- Whisper: a short message played only to the person answering before connecting (e.g. “Call from the Sydney sales line”).
- Press 1 to accept: the person answering must press 1 before connecting - stops a mobile's voicemail from accidentally “answering” a business call.
Whisper, press 1 and ring times apply when ringing a phone number, SIP Trunk, device or CrazyPBX extension. Ring Groups, Queues, IVRs and Voicemail manage their own ringing.
Caller ID text labels (prefixes)
Add short text (up to 64 characters) in front of the caller's number on SIP desk phones, softphones, CrazyPBX extensions, Ring Groups and Queues:
{suburb} {state} {country} {did} {did_last4} {rule}
- Set a label for the whole route, then let each rule keep it, replace it, add to it, or remove it.
- Tag sales territories with prefixes like MOLI-{state} or carry labels through to the next feature (e.g. BrandA:Sales:).
- Note: mobile and landline networks only show digits, so text labels appear on SIP phones and Crazytel features, not on a forwarded mobile.
Outbound caller ID on forwarded calls
When forwarding a call out to a mobile or external number, control what number the person answering sees:
- Pass the caller's number through (on by default), so on-call staff see who is really calling.
- Or show a fixed number of your own (must be a Crazytel number on your account or a verified caller ID). 1300, 1800, six-digit 13 numbers and 000 can't be used - choose a geographic (02, 03, 07, 08) or mobile (04) number.
- Privacy options for SIP Trunks, devices and CrazyPBX: always show, keep caller's privacy if withheld, or always hide. Every rule can override.
Test a Call simulator (100% free)
Verify your rules in MyAccount before a single live customer rings:
- Enter any test scenario: caller number (or tick “private caller”), any simulated state or collection-area region, the number they dialled, a date and a time.
- Instant outcome: see whether it matched a Rule, a Holiday or the Catch-All, where the call goes, where it goes if unanswered, the caller ID label your team will see, and the number a forwarded mobile will see.
- Rule-by-rule checklist: shows a tick or cross for the caller, location, dialled-number and schedule checks on every rule, with the exact reason why each rule did or didn't match.
- Live number & location lookup: number and region details appear as you test, e.g. “Valid AU landline, Parramatta, NSW” or “Carrier location: Maryborough, QLD”.
- Test unsaved changes: try edits before you commit them. Available from every route's Test a Call tab, from the rule editor (“Test this rule”), and as a standalone page.
- Completely free: no call is placed, nothing is saved, no alerts are sent, and there is no charge.
Visual Call Flow step ladder
The Call Flow tab draws your Smart Route as a step-by-step ladder and highlights the path your last simulator run took:
1. Call Arrives · Route enabled & under call limit
✓ Pass
2. Rule #1: NSW Landlines · Suburb = Parramatta
✓ Matched → Sydney Ring Group
3. Rule #2: Mobile Callers (Skipped after match)
Skipped
4. Holidays Calendar Check (Christmas, Boxing Day)
Standby
5. Catch-All Destination → National Queue
Standby
6. If Unanswered Backup (30s) → Voicemail
Safety net
Call Logs & step-by-step timeline
- Every call handled by your Smart Routes, newest first: time, caller, detected network location (state & collection area), suburb/state and line type, number dialled, what it matched (rule, holiday or Catch-All), destination, whether backup was used, outcome and duration.
- Open any call for the full story: why it matched, caller ID label shown, greeting/whisper details, and a step-by-step activity timeline (greeting, rule match, ringing, backup, connected, hang-up).
- Filter by date, outcome, match type, rule, caller state, caller number, number dialled and backup usage. Available per route and across all routes.
- Withheld callers always show as “Private Number” in the call log and are never unmasked - even when carrier asserted identity is used to drive your suburb and state rules.
Rejected calls visibility
Calls turned away before any rule is checked - for example when a Smart Route is switched off or deleted, or has reached the simultaneous-call limit you set - are listed under Rejections in Stats & Usage with the time, reason and number dialled, so you can quickly spot a number still pointing at a switched-off route.
Stats & Usage (with live auto-refresh)
See totals, outcomes, backup usage, and a breakdown of calls matched by rules, holidays and the Catch-All, plus alert usage shown separately from the $2.00 monthly fee:
Alerts, webhooks, call limits & REST API
- Set up, configure & optimise via API: create Smart Routes, manage and reorder routing rules, update holiday calendars, run simulator checks, and pull analytics programmatically via our REST API at https://crazytel.io/docs#/.
- Alerts: send an email and/or SMS when the Smart Route routes a call. SMS alerts are charged per message segment, separately from the route fee.
- Webhooks: send call events to your own HTTPS web address, signed with a secret so your system can verify they came from Crazytel (the secret can be replaced or removed any time).
- Simultaneous call limit: optionally cap how many calls the route handles at once.
Meet Ringo
Your CrazyAI assistant - in the website chat, 24/7
Smart Routes can be overwhelming. Ringo sets it up for you.
That's why we trained Ringo in Smart Routes - and he'll set it up just the way you like it! Tell him where your calls should go and when, and he builds the rules for you.
- Describe your hours, teams and backups in plain English
- Ringo builds the rules, Catch-All and holiday plan for you
- Free in the website chat - no ticket, no waiting, no extra cost
Ringo
Online now - powered by CrazyAI
Route my 1300 number to the office 9-5, then my mobile after hours.
RingoDone - I've set up 3 rules plus a Catch-All to voicemail. Want me to run a free test call?
Two built-in safety nets: Catch-All vs If Unanswered
These two backups answer two different questions and work together so callers never hit a dead end.
| Safety net aspect | Destination If No Rules Match (Catch-All) | If Unanswered |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | “Where do calls go that none of my rules cover?” | “What happens if the phone I'm ringing doesn't pick up?” |
| When it runs | Before anything rings, when no rule (and no holiday) matched | After ringing, when a phone number, SIP Trunk, device or CrazyPBX extension didn't answer, was busy or failed |
| Settings | Destination, optional label, optional greeting | Ring time of 5 to 120 seconds (30 by default) and a backup destination; each rule can override |
| Applies to Ring Groups, Queues, IVRs, Voicemail? | Yes - it's just a destination | No - those features handle their own no-answer |
Example in action: A plumber's rules cover business hours and after hours. The Catch-All sends anything unexpected to the office Ring Group. The after-hours rule rings the on-call mobile for 25 seconds; If Unanswered sends the caller to voicemail.
Real-world setups by business type
See how Australian tradies, clinics, IT desks, national sales teams and multi-brand offices configure their rules.
1. The tradie who can't always pick up
On-Call & Press 1Jess runs a three-van electrical business on the Central Coast. During the day she's on the tools; after hours she wants only genuine emergencies. Her 1300 number points at one Smart Route.
- Business hours: Mon-Fri 7:00 am - 4:30 pm → Try in order: Jess's mobile (20s), then office manager's mobile (20s). If Unanswered: Voicemail.
- Saturday mornings: Sat 8:00 am - 12:00 pm → On-call apprentice's mobile, with Press 1 to accept switched on.
- Catch-All: Greeting: “You've reached Jess Electrical after hours. For emergencies, stay on the line.” → IVR with emergency option.
2. The multi-location clinic & dealer network
Suburb & Collection AreasA healthcare & franchise group has clinics in Parramatta, Chatswood, Penrith, Maryborough and Gympie, with one 1300 number on its website. Callers now reach the nearest front desk automatically.
- Western Sydney landlines: Suburb = Parramatta, Westmead, Merrylands → Parramatta Ring Group. Label: {suburb}:.
- North Shore & Penrith landlines: Suburb = Chatswood, Lane Cove / Penrith, St Marys → Local Clinic Ring Group.
- Regional collection areas (1300): Collection area = Maryborough, Gympie (+ adjoining regions) → Regional Branch Ring Group (covers mobiles, landlines & private numbers).
- Catch-All: Central bookings Queue.
3. After-hours support desk
Brisbane TimezoneA Brisbane IT managed-service provider offers 24/7 support to contract clients, but business-hours-only support to everyone else (Route timezone: Australia/Brisbane).
- Contract clients after hours: Caller = Exact client numbers, Schedule = NOT 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Mon-Fri → Take turns between 3 on-call engineers' mobiles. Whisper: “After-hours contract client”. If Unanswered: Voicemail.
- Business hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 am - 6:00 pm → Support Queue.
- Catch-All: Greeting: “Our support desk is open 8 am to 6 pm weekdays.” → Voicemail.
4. National sales team, routed by state
1800 State Routing + MOLI-{state}A solar retailer advertises one 1800 number nationally with sales teams in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. State-Based Routing detects caller state across landlines, mobiles and private numbers.
- State rules (#1-#4): NSW/ACT → Sydney Sales Queue; VIC/TAS → Melbourne Sales Queue; QLD → Brisbane Sales Queue; WA/SA/NT → Perth Sales Queue. Label: MOLI-{state}.
- After-hours by region (#5): WA callers after 5:00 pm AWST (“Perth at 6pm”) → WA Answering Service, not head office voicemail.
- Catch-All: National Sales Ring Group.
5. Holiday and shutdown closures
Holidays CalendarA Hobart wholesaler closes between Christmas and New Year and on Tasmanian public holidays, and used to forget to change its call forwarding.
- Holidays calendar: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and Tasmanian public holidays added once with greeting “We're closed today for the public holiday”.
- Shutdown rule (top of list): Date range 24 December - 5 January → Greeting “We're on our annual break and back on 6 January” → Voicemail.
- Holiday default: Voicemail, with normal business-hours rules below.
6. One Smart Route, many brands
Dialled Number LabelsA Gold Coast property-management company runs three brands, each with its own phone number, but one reception team answers them all.
- Brand A line: Dialled number = Brand A → Label: Coastal: → Reception Ring Group.
- Brand B line: Dialled number = Brand B → Label: Hinterland: → Reception Ring Group.
- Brand C line: Dialled number = Brand C → Label: Holiday Lets: → Reception Ring Group.
7. Overseas and withheld callers
Privacy & Country NOTA Melbourne online retailer gets calls from overseas customers and nuisance withheld calls.
- Withheld numbers: Caller = Private / withheld → IVR asking the caller to choose a department.
- Overseas callers: Caller = Country AU with NOT ticked → Label: Intl: → International Orders Queue.
- Catch-All: Customer Service Queue.
8. Key accounts get the VIP line
VIP PriorityA Perth logistics company wants its top 20 customers to skip the main queue and reach their account manager directly.
- VIP customers (top of list): Caller = Exact number (20 customer numbers), Label: VIP: → Try in order: account manager's CrazyPBX extension (15s), then their mobile (20s). If Unanswered: Operations Ring Group.
- Everyone else (Catch-All): Main Queue.
Simple, flat pricing
One flat monthly fee per Smart Route. Point as many of your Crazytel numbers at a route as you like.
PREPAID MONTHLY
See full pricing & billing
Premium Smart Route
$2.00
per Smart Route, per month (AUD)
Charged from your prepaid Crazytel balance. Part-month (pro-rata) charge when you create the route, then renews monthly. Turn it off any time.
What's included in the $2.00
- Up to 100 routing rules per route
- State-Based Routing & local collection areas (with adjoining-region matching & asserted identity on 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers)
- Every rule condition: suburb, state, country, line type, number patterns, dialled number and schedules
- Holidays calendar and holiday default
- Catch-All and If Unanswered backup destinations
- Caller greetings, whispers and press 1 to accept (WAV/MP3 uploads up to 10 MB)
- Caller ID labels and outbound caller ID controls
- Test a Call simulator (unlimited free test runs, no calls placed)
- Visual Call Flow, Call Logs, Rejections and Stats & Usage
- Webhooks & full REST API setup, configuration and optimisation (crazytel.io/docs)
- As many of your numbers pointed at the route as you like
What's charged separately
- SMS alerts - per message segment (shown under Stats & Usage, separate from the $2.00).
- Calls forwarded to external phone numbers - at your normal outbound call rates.
- The features you send calls to (for example a Ring Group or Queue) are billed under their own pricing.
Example monthly costs (route fees only)
| Setup | Smart Routes | Monthly route fee |
|---|---|---|
| Sole trader, one router for all numbers | 1 | $2.00 |
| Business with a sales router and a support router | 2 | $4.00 |
| Three-clinic group, one router per clinic plus a national router | 4 | $8.00 |
| Franchise with ten regional routers | 10 | $20.00 |
How billing works
- Creating a route starts the subscription and takes a part-month (pro-rata) charge from your balance straight away. The amount depends on where you are in the billing cycle and will be between $0.00 and $2.00. After that, it renews monthly on the day you created it (Sydney time).
- Editing rules, holidays, recordings or settings never changes your bill.
- Testing with the simulator, and viewing call logs and stats, are free.
- Switching a route off stops calls to it and stops billing straight away. There's no refund for the rest of the month.
- Switching it back on starts a new subscription and takes a new part-month charge. Each off/on cycle is charged.
- Deleting a route ends its subscription with no refund for the rest of the month. Move any numbers pointing at it first, because calls to a deleted route will fail.
- Low balance: Crazytel is prepaid. If the charge can't be taken when you create a route, the route is saved switched off so you don't lose your setup - top up and switch it on. If your balance goes below zero, services stop until you top up.
Which feature do I need?
These features work together. Many customers use a Smart Route to decide where a call goes, then send it to a Ring Group, Queue or IVR to ring the people.
| Capability | Smart Routes | Time Conditions | IVR | Ring Groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Automatically decides where each call goes using rules | Sends a number one way in business hours and another way after hours | Plays a menu so callers choose (“Press 1 for Sales”) | Rings several phones or people for one call |
| Who decides | Your rules, automatically | The clock | The caller | - (rings the group you set up) |
| Can decide by caller location or line type | Yes - state, local collection area (with adjoining regions on 13/1300/1800), suburb, country, mobile/landline and more | No | No | No |
| Can treat each dialled number differently | Yes, within one route | - | - | - |
| Can decide by time and date | Yes - weekdays, split shifts, overnight, dates, ranges, yearly dates, holidays | Yes - business hours vs after hours | - | - |
| Rings phones itself | Yes - phone numbers, trunks, devices, CrazyPBX, with try-in-order, weighted split or take-turns | No - hands the call on | No - hands the call on | Yes |
| Built-in free simulator | Yes | - | - | - |
| Monthly price | $2.00 per route | See Time Conditions pricing | See IVR pricing | See Ring Groups pricing |
| Best for | Multi-location, multi-number and “different callers, different handling” setups | Simple open / closed switching | Letting callers pick a department | Making sure a team answers |
Quick plain-English guide
- Only need open vs closed? A Time Condition may be all you need.
- Want callers to choose? Use an IVR.
- Need a team to answer? Use a Ring Group or Queue.
- Need the call to go somewhere different depending on who's calling, which number they rang or when? Use a Smart Route - and point its rules at your Ring Groups, Queues and IVRs.
Why the Beta badge?
Smart Routes is live in MyAccount with a New and Beta badge. It is fully working and billed as normal ($2.00/month per route), and we are continuing to refine the experience based on customer feedback.
Works with your entire Crazytel setup
Connect Smart Routes with your numbers, voice features, AI agents and phone system:
Number Manager
Point local, mobile, 1300, 1800 & 13xxxx numbers at a Smart Route.
Premium Ring Groups
Ring the right team after Smart Routes picks the branch.
Premium Queues
Send matched callers straight into the right waiting queue.
Premium IVR
Offer a menu to callers that rules can't place (e.g. mobiles).
Premium Time Conditions
Use alongside, or hand calls seamlessly between the two.
Premium Voicemail
A reliable Catch-All, holiday and If Unanswered destination.
Premium Announcements
Play a recorded message, such as a closure or holiday notice.
Premium Recording Box
Send callers to leave a compliant recorded message.
AI Bridge
Hand calls to an AI voice assistant when rules match.
CrazyPBX
Ring a CrazyPBX extension directly with caller ID labels.
SIP Trunks
Ring a Crazytel SIP Trunk or a specific trunk device.
Other Smart Routes
Chain a national router to state or regional routers.
Crazytel REST API
Set up, configure & optimise Smart Routes via crazytel.io/docs#/.
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Smart Routes pricing, Beta status, rules, mobile callers and fallbacks.
1. How much does Smart Routes cost?
$2.00 per Smart Route per month, charged from your prepaid Crazytel balance. You pay a part-month amount when you create a route, then it renews monthly. Rules, holidays and settings are included. SMS alerts and calls forwarded to outside phone numbers are charged separately.
2. What does “Beta” mean?
Smart Routes is new. It's fully working and billed as normal, and we're still adding improvements based on customer feedback. The “Beta” badge in MyAccount lets you know the product is still being refined.
3. Can I send calls to a Smart Route from my own PBX or SIP phone system?
No. Calls reach a Smart Route through your Crazytel phone numbers or from other Crazytel features. If your own phone system currently answers a number, change that number's destination in Number Manager to your Smart Route, then add a rule (or Catch-All) that sends calls on to your SIP Trunk, device or phone system. You get Smart Routes' decisions and your phone system still rings.
4. How do I connect a phone number?
In MyAccount, open Number Manager, choose the number, set its destination to Premium Features → Smart Route, and pick your route by name. You can also see and connect numbers from the route's Phone Numbers tab. Make sure the route is switched on.
5. Can one Smart Route look after more than one number?
Yes. Point as many of your numbers at one route as you like for the same $2.00 a month, and use the “number dialled” condition to treat each one differently.
6. What happens if no rule matches a call?
If it's a holiday on that route, the call follows the holiday's destination (or your Holiday default). Otherwise it goes to your Catch-All destination. Every route has a Catch-All, so callers are never left without somewhere to go. Until you choose one, the Catch-All is set to hang up, so pick a destination when you create the route.
7. What happens if nobody answers?
When a rule rings a phone number, SIP Trunk, device or CrazyPBX extension, it rings for the time you set (5 to 120 seconds, 30 by default), then sends the caller to your If Unanswered backup. Ring Groups, Queues, IVRs and Voicemail handle their own no-answer.
8. How do holidays work?
Add each date to the route's Holidays calendar, with an optional destination and greeting. If no rule matches on that date, calls follow the holiday plan. You can also write rules that only apply on your holidays. One holiday can be set for each date.
9. Which number types can use Smart Routes, and what are the limitations?
Smart Routes works with all Crazytel phone number types - local geographic numbers (02, 03, 07, 08), virtual mobile numbers (04), 1300, 1800, six-digit 13 numbers, and international numbers. All number types support schedules, holidays, caller line-type rules, caller number patterns, landline exchange suburb/state matching, dialled-number rules, Catch-All and If Unanswered backups. The only number-type limitation is MOLI (MOLi - Mobile Originating Location Information) carrier network location: MOLI codes are only supplied by the carrier network on calls to 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers. On regular local (02/03/07/08) or mobile (04) DIDs, landline callers still match suburb and state rules via their exchange, while mobile callers do not carry a MOLI location code and are routed by mobile line-type rules, schedules, or your Catch-All.
10. Can I test my rules without making real calls?
Yes. Test a Call lets you enter any caller number, simulated MOLI region/collection area, dialled number, date and time and shows which rule would match and why. It places no calls, sends no alerts and costs nothing. You can even test changes before you save them.
11. Can my staff see why a call was sent somewhere?
Yes. Call Logs shows every call, the caller's detected location, the rule (or holiday, or Catch-All) it matched, where it went and whether the backup was used. Open a call to see a step-by-step timeline.
12. What's the difference between switching a route off and deleting it?
Both stop billing straight away with no refund for the rest of the month. Switching off keeps your rules and settings, and calls to the route are rejected until you switch it back on (which takes a new part-month charge). Deleting removes the route; any numbers or features still pointing at it will stop working, so move them first.
13. Are there limits?
Up to 100 rules per route. Each rule can list up to 100 suburbs, numbers or patterns. Recordings must be WAV or MP3, up to 10 MB. Caller ID labels can be up to 64 characters. Ring times are 5 to 120 seconds. 1300, 1800, six-digit 13 numbers and 000 can't be used as the outbound caller ID on forwarded calls.
14. Will the caller ID label show on my mobile?
No. Labels such as “Sales:” or “MOLI-{state}” show on SIP desk phones, softphones, CrazyPBX, Ring Groups and Queues. Mobile and landline networks only carry phone digits. When forwarding to a mobile, you can still choose to show the caller's number or one of your own numbers.
15. Where can I get help?
Open How Smart Routes work at the top of the Smart Routes page in MyAccount for a step-by-step guide, or contact Crazytel support on 1800 272 998.
16. Can I set up, configure and optimise Smart Routes using the Crazytel API?
Yes. Every Smart Route can be set up, configured, tested and optimised programmatically through our REST API - making it easy to automate rule updates, holiday schedules, number routing and call analytics from your own software or AI workflows. View the full API reference at https://crazytel.io/docs#/.
17. What is MOLI (MOLi) State-Based Routing for 13, 1300 & 1800 numbers?
MOLI (MOLi - Mobile Originating Location Information) is the carrier network location code attached to inbound calls on Australian 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers. Smart Routes reads MOLI data on every call to your 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers so you can route landline, mobile (04), private/withheld and VoIP callers by state/territory or local collection area (plus adjoining regions).
18. Does State-Based (MOLI / MOLi) Routing cost extra?
No. MOLI (MOLi) State-Based and Collection Area Routing is included with Smart Routes - $2.00/month per route, up to 100 rules.
19. What if the caller's MOLI location isn't available?
Rules can require location to be present, treat it as missing, or ignore it entirely - and you choose whether MOLI location fills in the gaps for mobile callers, always takes precedence, or only applies to dedicated location rules.
NEW
BETA
$2.00 / ROUTE / MONTH
Create your first Smart Route
Build your rules in plain English in MyAccount or configure and optimise them via our REST API, test any caller scenario for free in the simulator, and send every call to the right place automatically.