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Home / Glossary / Call Forwarding

Call Forwarding

Call forwarding is a phone feature that redirects incoming calls from one number to another. When enabled, calls to your business line ring at a different phone, such as a mobile, another office, or an answering service, so you can receive calls away from the original line.

Call forwarding is set up on a phone line or through a carrier or phone system. Once active, any call to the forwarded number automatically routes to the destination you chose.

Businesses use forwarding to reach staff who are out of the office, to send calls to an answering service or AI receptionist, and to keep a single public number while calls land wherever needed.

Forwarding can be unconditional, meaning every call is redirected, or conditional, meaning calls are only redirected under certain circumstances such as no answer or a busy line.

Common questions

How do I forward my business calls to an answering service?

Set call forwarding on your business line, either through your phone system or carrier, and point it at the phone number the answering service provides.

Related: Conditional Call Forwarding, Call Routing, Call Overflow, Warm Transfer