Two ways to forward
- Forward all calls (unconditional). Every call goes straight to the AI receptionist and your phone doesn’t ring. Useful after hours or when you never want to pick up yourself.
- Conditional forwarding (no answer / busy / unreachable). Your phone rings first. If nobody answers, the line is busy, or the phone is off, the call forwards. Useful when you still want to pick up when you can.
Good to know: AT&T notes that call forwarding overrides your wireless voicemail, and forwarded calls are billed for the length of the call; long-distance or roaming charges may apply.
Before you start
- Get the forwarding number from your AI receptionist’s dashboard.
- Know what kind of line you have: a mobile phone, a landline, or a business phone system (VoIP).
- Check with your carrier whether forwarded minutes cost extra on your plan.
- Have a second phone ready to test.
Mobile phones: codes by carrier
Replace number with the 10-digit forwarding number. Codes and options can change — always check your carrier’s current help page (linked below).
| Carrier | Forward all calls | Conditional forwarding | Turn off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | *72 + number | *71 + number (busy / no answer after 3–6 rings) | *73 |
| T-Mobile | **21*1+number# | No answer: **61*1+number# · Unreachable: **62*1+number# · Busy: **67*1+number# | ##21# (all) · ##004# (reset all forwarding) |
| AT&T (wireless) | Set in your phone’s call forwarding settings | Android: When busy / When unanswered / When unreachable | In the same settings |
- T-Mobile ring time: T-Mobile lets you change how long the phone rings before a no-answer forward (5 to 30 seconds) by adding **seconds before the final #.
- AT&T: AT&T says wireless call forwarding can only be changed from the phone itself, not online.
- iPhone: Settings → Apps → Phone → Call Forwarding forwards all calls. For conditional forwarding (busy or not in service), Apple says to contact your carrier.
Landlines and business phone systems
Many landlines use *72 to turn forwarding on and *73 to turn it off — Verizon’s home phone help lists these codes — but codes differ by provider and area. Business phone systems (VoIP) usually have forwarding rules in their admin portal. Ask your provider for “conditional call forwarding on busy / no answer” if you want your phone to ring first.
Test it before you rely on it
- Call your business number from another phone.
- For conditional forwarding, let it ring without answering.
- Check that the AI receptionist picks up and book a test appointment.
- Confirm the test booking appears in your calendar, then cancel it.
Common problems
- Nothing happens after dialing a code: on GSM codes, check the trailing # and press Call; wait for the confirmation.
- Callers hear a busy signal: double-check the forwarding number you entered. AT&T notes that callers get a busy signal if the number you forward to is busy.
- Voicemail answers first: with conditional forwarding, the ring time before voicemail matters. Shorten it (on T-Mobile, with the delay code above) or ask your carrier.
Forwarding to Greeta
On a paid plan, you forward your existing business line to Greeta, so clients keep calling the number they already know. The free demo uses test calls only — no live number until you upgrade.
Greeta can be set up so calls ring your business first; if nobody answers, after a short delay the call switches to Greeta. That’s the “conditional” setup above: your phone rings first, and Greeta picks up only when you can’t. If you’d rather have Greeta answer every call, forward all calls instead. Call transfers to a human are also supported.
Next: missed-call text-back covers what happens when a caller hangs up before Greeta answers, and integrations shows how bookings reach your calendar.