Chosen Solution

how do i change the number of rings before it goes to voice mail

nancyleereeve it is not the rings but the time it takes before you answer your phone, that determines that. There is a bit of a work around you can use to increase the length of a phone call from the standard 20 seconds to the maximum 30 seconds. Just checked it out on my phone and it does work for me. Here are the instructions for that process:

  1. Open the phone app and dial *#61# on the Keypad. Press the Call button.
  2. Locate this text on the screen: “Setting Interrogation Succeeded, Voice Call Forwarding, When Unanswered, Forwards to +” and record the 11-digit number after the + symbol.
  3. Touch the Dismiss button. Now enter this code on the Keypad: 61+ followed by the 11-digit Forwards to number recorded in step 2, followed by 11 and ringtime#. Ringtime is the number of seconds you want your iPhone to ring before voicemail picks up. Your finished code should look something like this: 61+185555134661130# In the example above the ring time is set to 30 seconds. Press the Call button.
  4. You should receive the message: Setting Activation Succeeded. Press Dismiss and next time you receive a call it will ring for the new amount of time before going to voicemail. from here

The phone its self does not control this its something your carrier deals with, speak with them.