Turn call forwarding on and off
Your receptionist answers on its own number. Forwarding sends calls from the number your customers already have to it. Turning it on takes under two minutes, and you turn it off the same way.
Below, NUMBER means your receptionist's 10-digit number, which is in your setup email. Dial the codes from the phone whose calls you are forwarding.
Your phone rings first. If you don't pick up, or you're already on a call, the receptionist answers.
Your phone doesn't ring at all. The receptionist answers every call, and can put callers through to you by your rules.
Mobile phones
Dial the code, press call, and wait for the confirmation tone or message before hanging up.
| Carrier | Only calls you miss | Every call | Turn off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | *71 NUMBER | *72 NUMBER | *73 |
| AT&T | **004*1NUMBER# | **21*1NUMBER# | ##004# or ##21# |
| T-Mobile, Metro | **004*1NUMBER# | **21*1NUMBER# | ##004# or ##21# |
On AT&T and T-Mobile, turn off with the code that matches the one you turned on. Most other carriers use one of these two sets. If neither works, the same switch is in your phone's settings:
- iPhoneSettings → Phone → Call Forwarding. Forwards every call. Not offered on every carrier.
- AndroidPhone app → ⋮ → Settings → Calls or Supplementary services → Call forwarding. Choose “when unanswered” or “always”.
Landlines
Most US landlines, including AT&T, Frontier, Lumen (CenturyLink) and Windstream, take the same two codes.
- Lift the handset and dial
*72, then NUMBER. - When someone answers, or you hear two beeps, hang up. Forwarding is on for every call.
- To turn it off, dial
*73and hang up after the tone.
Forwarding only the calls you miss is a separate feature on most landlines, often called “call forward no answer” or “busy/no answer”. Your phone company can switch it on and give you its codes.
Cable phone service
Xfinity Voice, Spectrum Voice, Cox and Optimum usually accept *72 NUMBER to forward every call and *73 to stop. To forward only the calls you miss, use the call forwarding settings in your online account, where it's often called “forward when busy or no answer”.
Business phone apps (VoIP)
These are set in the app or the admin portal rather than with a code. Look for Call forwarding or Call handling, add an external number, enter NUMBER, and choose whether it rings when you don't answer or all the time.
- RingCentralSettings → Phone → Call Handling & Forwarding
- GrasshopperSettings → Call forwarding
- Ooma OfficeOffice Manager → Call forwarding / Call flow
- Vonage BusinessDashboard → Call forwarding
- NextivaApp → Settings → Call forwarding / Call routing
- Dialpad, Quo (OpenPhone)Number settings → Call forwarding / Unanswered calls
Menu names move around between app versions. If yours looks different, search its help pages for “forward to external number”.
Check that it works
From a different phone, call the number your customers use. With “only calls you miss”, let it ring out. The receptionist should answer the way your customers will hear it.
Stuck, or not sure which kind of phone service you have? Email alex@petroappliedintelligence.com with the name of your phone company and we'll walk you through it.