Call Forwarding Codes for Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile (US)

Call forwarding is a phone service feature that redirects incoming calls from your business number to a different number. This can be crucial for small service businesses that want to ensure no call goes unanswered, especially when integrating with an AI receptionist.

Instead of letting a call go to voicemail or ring indefinitely, you can send it to an AI front desk like Estric AI. This ensures every customer inquiry is handled promptly, whether for appointment booking, answering FAQs, or warm transferring to a live agent when available.

Many small service businesses, from plumbers to salons, use an AI front desk to manage their calls. Setting up call forwarding ensures that your AI receptionist handles calls when you're busy, after hours, or if you simply prefer to outsource the initial interaction.

An AI front desk can answer calls 24/7, book appointments directly into your calendar, provide SMS confirmations, and leverage a knowledge base to answer common questions. This improves customer experience and frees up your team to focus on service delivery.

Call forwarding codes vary significantly between carriers in the United States due to different network technologies (GSM vs. CDMA) and proprietary systems. A code that works on T-Mobile might do nothing on Verizon. Always check your specific carrier's support resources or settings.

Generally, you'll dial a specific sequence of numbers and asterisks (*), followed by the destination number, and then press call. To deactivate, a different sequence is typically used. For example, some GSM codes start with *21* for unconditional forwarding, but this won't work universally.

Verizon primarily uses CDMA technology for voice, though their newer networks are LTE/5G. For basic unconditional call forwarding, you typically dial *72, then the 10-digit forwarding number, and press call. To disable it, dial *73 and press call.

For conditional call forwarding (forwarding only when busy or no answer), dial *71, then the 10-digit forwarding number, and press call. This is ideal for letting your AI receptionist pick up only when you or your team can't. To deactivate conditional forwarding, dial *730.

AT&T operates on GSM technology. To activate unconditional call forwarding, dial *21* followed by the 10-digit number you want calls forwarded to, then #, and press send. To deactivate, dial #21# and send.

For conditional call forwarding when busy or unanswered, you use different codes. For 'no answer,' dial *61* followed by the 10-digit number, then #, and send. For 'busy,' dial *67* followed by the 10-digit number, then #, and send. To disable these, use #61# and #67# respectively.

T-Mobile also uses GSM technology. Unconditional call forwarding is set up by dialing *21* followed by the 10-digit forwarding number, then #, and pressing call. To turn it off, dial #21# and press call.

Similar to AT&T, conditional forwarding for T-Mobile has specific codes. For 'no answer,' dial *61* then the 10-digit forwarding number, #, and call. For 'unreachable,' dial *62* then the number, #, and call. For 'busy,' dial *67* then the number, #, and call. Deactivate these with #61#, #62#, and #67# respectively.

When forwarding business calls to an AI front desk that also sends text messages, remember the A2P 10DLC registration requirements in the US. This federal regulation helps prevent spam and ensures your business texts are delivered reliably by carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile.

Most reputable AI answering services, including Estric AI, will assist with or handle this registration process for you to ensure compliance and uninterrupted communication with your customers via SMS.