Blog · 2026-10-27

How to forward missed calls to an answering service or AI receptionist (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, iPhone, Android)

The dial codes and phone settings that send only your unanswered calls to an answering service or AI receptionist, so your cell still rings first. Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile codes from carrier and Google help pages, plus iPhone and Android steps and a 5-minute test.

You signed up for an answering service or an AI receptionist. It gave you a phone number. Now you need your calls to get there, but only the ones you can’t pick up.

That setting is called conditional call forwarding. Your phone rings first. If you don’t answer, you’re on another call, or you have no signal, the call moves to the service. Google suggests “conditional call forwarding verizon”, “conditional call forwarding t mobile” and “how to forward calls when busy” because a lot of owners get stuck right here. This guide gives the codes, where each one comes from, and how to test it.

The short version

Verizon: dial *71 plus the 10-digit number. Turn it off with *73.
AT&T: dial three codes, one at a time: *61* number # (no answer), *62* number # (unreachable), *67* number # (busy). Turn each off with ##61#, ##62#, ##67#.
T-Mobile: dial **61*1 number #, **62*1 number #, **67*1 number #. Turn each off with ##61#, ##62#, ##67#.
iPhone settings only offer forward-all. Use the carrier codes above for missed calls only.
Test it from another phone before you trust it with a paying customer.

Forward all calls or only missed calls?

There are two kinds of forwarding. Pick the right one.

Type	What happens	Use it when
Unconditional (forward all)	Your phone never rings. Every call goes to the service.	You’re on vacation, or the service is your front desk all day.
Conditional (no answer, busy, unreachable)	Your phone rings first. Only missed calls go to the service.	You want to answer when you can and have backup when you can’t.

Most owner-operators want conditional. You still catch the calls you can take, and nothing goes to voicemail.

Conditional forwarding has three parts. Carriers treat them as separate settings:

No answer: you let it ring.
Busy: you’re already on a call, or you decline it.
Unreachable: your phone is off, in airplane mode or has no signal. This one matters in basements, crawl spaces and rural service areas.

Turn on all three. If you only set “no answer”, a call that comes in while you’re talking to another customer can still land in voicemail.

Verizon

Verizon calls it Conditional Call Forwarding, or No Answer / Busy Transfer. From the phone you want to forward:

Dial *71 and then the 10-digit number of your answering service. Example: *71 928 555 0100.
Listen for the beeps. Wait for the call to end on its own.
To turn it off, dial *73.

Source: Verizon’s Turn Call Forwarding on from device and Call Forwarding FAQs. Don’t use *72. That is forward-all, and your phone stops ringing.

Verizon’s rules worth knowing: the number must be a US 10-digit number with the area code, it can’t be an international number, and if your plan doesn’t have unlimited minutes, forwarded calls count against your minutes.

AT&T

AT&T’s own call forwarding pages we checked don’t list the conditional codes. The codes below come from Google’s Google Voice help page, which uses AT&T as its example. Dial each code separately. Tap Call, wait for the confirmation, hang up, then do the next one:

No answer: *61* + 10-digit number + #
Unreachable: *62* + 10-digit number + #
Busy: *67* + 10-digit number + #

To turn them off: ##61#, ##62#, ##67#.

AT&T says you can only change forwarding from your wireless phone, not online. It also notes forwarded calls are billed for the length of the call, and long-distance charges can apply if you forward outside your home calling area (AT&T call forwarding). Ask your service for a local number if that applies to you.

T-Mobile

T-Mobile lists these on its short codes page. Note the 1 before the number:

No answer: **61*1 + 10-digit number + #
Unreachable: **62*1 + 10-digit number + #
Busy: **67*1 + 10-digit number + #

To turn them off: ##61#, ##62#, ##67#. ##004# resets the conditional forwards to T-Mobile’s default (your voicemail).

T-Mobile also lets you set how long your phone rings before a no-answer forward. Dial **61*1 + number + ** + seconds + #. You can pick 5, 10, 15, up to 30 seconds. Example for 15 seconds: **61*19285550100**15#.

Other carriers and prepaid brands

Many prepaid brands run on one of the three networks above, and the codes often match. Google warns that some resellers don’t support conditional forwarding at all. If a code fails, call your carrier and ask for their “conditional call forwarding” or “no answer busy transfer” codes by name.

iPhone

On iPhone, go to Settings, then Apps, then Phone, then Call Forwarding. Apple’s guide says this setting forwards calls on GSM networks, and if your carrier supports conditional forwarding for busy or out of service, you have to get that setup from the carrier (Apple Support).

In plain terms: the iPhone switch is forward-all. For missed calls only, dial your carrier’s codes from the Phone app keypad.

Live Voicemail can get in the way. iOS 17 and later has Live Voicemail, on by default. It can answer an unanswered call on the phone itself, and Canadian carrier SaskTel notes it doesn’t work with call forward busy (SaskTel support). If missed calls still land in voicemail after you dial the codes, turn off Live Voicemail under Settings, Apps, Phone and test again.

Android

On phones with Google’s Phone app: open the Phone app, tap the menu, then Settings, then Calling accounts. Pick your SIM, tap Call forwarding, and set When busy, When unanswered and When unreachable to your service’s number. Samsung and other brands put the same options under their own call settings menu. The carrier codes above also work from the dialer.

Office lines and VoIP numbers

If your business number lives on a VoIP system or a business phone app, forwarding is a setting in that app or its web portal, not a dial code. Look for “forward after X rings”, “no answer rule” or “overflow”. Set the ring time first, then the destination number.

If your number is a landline, call the phone company and ask for “call forward no answer” and “call forward busy”. These are often separate features.

How long should your phone ring first?

Long enough to grab it. Short enough that the caller doesn’t hang up.

Two things to weigh:

If your carrier voicemail answers before the forward kicks in, the forward never happens. If you hear your own voicemail greeting during the test, shorten the ring time or turn off the phone’s own voicemail feature.
If you run Google Local Services Ads, Google can now charge for a missed business-hours call when the caller stays on the line more than 20 seconds, and it treats voicemail as a connected call. A fast handoff to a live answer protects those leads. Details in Google LSA now charges for missed calls.

The 5-minute test

Do this from a phone that isn’t yours. A spouse’s cell works.

No answer: call your business number and let it ring. The service should pick up.
Busy: start a call on your phone, then have someone call you. Decline it. The service should pick up.
Unreachable: turn on airplane mode and call again. The service should pick up.
Check the lead: make sure the message, text or CRM entry from the service actually reached you.
Turn it off and on: dial the off code, test once, then turn it back on. Now you know how to undo it.

Write the on and off codes on a card in the truck. You’ll need them when you change services or go on vacation.

Where to forward the calls

Forwarding only moves the call. What answers it is the real choice.

A human answering service: see how much an answering service costs for plumbing and HVAC.
An AI receptionist that answers live, books and texts you the details: compare them in AI receptionists and answering.
A text back only: cheaper, but no live answer. See missed call text back for contractors.

Some field service apps answer on your existing number with their own setup, so read their forwarding instructions before you dial anything. If you want someone to set up the AI answering, booking and follow-up for you, AI Peak Biz is our company. We list it with the others so you can compare.

FAQ

What is conditional call forwarding? A carrier feature that forwards a call only when you don’t answer, are busy, or can’t be reached. Your phone still rings first.

Will the caller know the call was forwarded? They hear ringing, then the service answers. Many services answer in your business name. Jobholler, for one, says it does. Ask yours how it greets callers.

Does call forwarding cost extra? Verizon says there’s no monthly fee on most plans, but forwarded calls use plan minutes if you don’t have unlimited. AT&T says forwarded calls are billed for the length of the call and long distance can apply. Check your plan.

Can I forward calls without my phone? AT&T says forwarding can only be changed from your wireless phone. Verizon’s FAQ says you need the phone too, though its how-to page says Customer Service can turn forwarding on or off if you don’t have your device. Set it up before you leave for a trip.

Why do my calls still go to voicemail? Usually one of four things: you set forward-all off but not the conditional codes, you only set “no answer” and not busy or unreachable, the phone’s own voicemail picks up first (Live Voicemail on iPhone), or the code had a typo. Turn it off, dial it again slowly, and run the 5-minute test.

Does forwarding send my text messages too? No. Verizon says call forwarding forwards calls only. Texts stay on your phone.

Browse all AI receptionists and answering services on HomeTrade AI.