Ultimate Guide to Diverting Calls to Another Number

Your Quick Guide to Call Diversion

Whether you're a small business owner trying to route after-hours calls to an assistant, or you're just traveling and want to make sure you don't miss an important call from back home, the basic idea is always the same.

Before diving in, it helps to have a solid grasp of what call forwarding is and how it works. While the exact steps can feel a bit different depending on your phone, the core principles are pretty much universal.

You can usually tackle this in one of three ways:

• Smartphone Settings: This is the most common method. You just navigate to the call forwarding options on your iPhone or Android and pop in the number where you want your calls to go.
• Carrier Codes: The old-school method for landlines. Dialing specific star codes (like *72) lets you turn the service on or off directly from the phone itself.
• VoIP Portals: If you use a VoIP system for business, you'll log into an online dashboard to set up more advanced rules, like forwarding calls only during certain hours or under specific conditions.

The goal is simple: ensure no important call goes unanswered, regardless of where you are or what device you're using. This guide will walk you through each method with clear, actionable steps.

Quick Reference for Call Diversion Methods

To help you figure out the best approach for your situation, I've put together a quick-reference table. It breaks down which method to use based on your device and what you're trying to accomplish.

Think of this table as your starting point. Whether you need a simple, temporary fix on your mobile or a complex routing system for your business, there's a straightforward path to get it done.

Why Diverting Calls to Another Number Matters

Learning how to properly divert calls to another number is more than just a neat phone trick—it's a core strategy for keeping your business professional and making sure you never miss an opportunity. In a world where one missed call can easily mean a lost client, call diversion is your safety net. It keeps you connected and responsive, no matter where you are or what you're doing.

Think about a freelance graphic designer deep in a project. When a potential client calls, that call can be automatically sent to a virtual assistant instead of breaking the designer's focus. This way, the lead gets handled professionally without a costly interruption. The same goes for a small e-commerce shop that reroutes weekend customer service calls to an on-call team member, saving sales that might have otherwise been lost.

Maximize Your Flexibility and Control

The real power of call diversion is its adaptability. It's not a rigid, one-size-fits-all solution; it's a flexible tool you can mold to your exact needs. This control lets you build a communication workflow that genuinely supports your business and lifestyle.

Here are a few ways I've seen it work wonders:

• For the Traveler: Divert your main number to a local SIM card while abroad. You stay reachable without getting hit with massive roaming fees.
• For the Remote Team: Set up a "follow-the-sun" support model by forwarding calls to team members in different time zones. Instant 24/7 customer service.
• For the Busy Professional: Use conditional forwarding to send calls to an assistant, but only when your line is busy or you don't answer. This carves out precious, uninterrupted time to focus.

Call forwarding transforms your phone from a static point of contact into a dynamic, intelligent system that works for you. It's all about ensuring continuity and reliability in your communications.

This capability is getting smarter all the time, especially with AI entering the picture. The global call center AI market—which is what powers a lot of this intelligent call routing—was valued at $1.6 billion in 2022 and is expected to climb to $4.1 billion by 2027. This explosion shows just how much demand there is for smarter, more efficient call management.

You can dive deeper into these trends with these contact center statistics on Plivo.com. For now, this guide will walk you through the practical steps to set this up across all your devices.

Divert Calls on Your Mobile Phone

Your smartphone is ground zero for communications, making it the most obvious place to manage call forwarding. The good news is that both Android and iOS have this capability baked right in. The tricky part? The exact steps can feel a bit different depending on who made your phone and what software version it's running.

Still, once you know where to look, it's a simple process.

Most phones offer a few flavors of call diversion, giving you real control over when and why a call gets rerouted. This isn't just an on-or-off switch; it's a set of rules you can fine-tune for your specific needs. Getting a handle on these options is the key to making call forwarding work for you, not against you.

As you can see, the core idea is the same everywhere: find the setting, plug in a number, and flip the switch. Only the menu names change.

How to Forward Calls on Android

One of Android's biggest strengths is its flexibility, but that also means settings menus aren't always identical. A Google Pixel's layout will look a little different from a Samsung Galaxy's, but the path to call forwarding is usually quite similar.

You'll want to start in your main Phone app.

Tap the three-dot menu icon and look for Settings. From there, you might see Call forwarding right away. If not, it's probably tucked away in a sub-menu like Calling accounts or Supplementary services. Once you're in, you'll find a few conditional choices.

The real power of mobile call forwarding is its conditionality. You can send all calls to another number, or only when you're busy, unreachable, or just don't answer. That's the kind of granular control that makes a real difference.

Here are the forwarding options you'll typically run into:

• Always forward: This is the all-or-nothing setting. Every single call gets sent straight to your designated number. Your phone won't even ring. It's perfect for when you're on vacation or know you'll be completely out of pocket.
• Forward when busy: If you're already on a call, any new call that comes in gets diverted. This is a game-changer for avoiding that dreaded busy signal and making sure someone else can grab the call.
• Forward when unanswered: You miss a call, it rings a few times, and then it gets sent to the other number. Think of it as your safety net for calls you can't get to in time.
• Forward when unreachable: This one's for when your phone is off, stuck in airplane mode, or has no signal. Calls will still find their way to the right person, even when your device is a paperweight.

Before diving into the iPhone setup, it helps to see how these mobile options stack up.

Mobile Call Divert Options at a Glance

This quick table breaks down the different types of call forwarding on a smartphone and when you'd want to use each one.

Understanding these distinctions lets you tailor your call handling for any situation, making your phone a much more powerful business tool.

Setting Up Call Diversion on an iPhone

Apple, in its classic style, keeps things incredibly simple. Diverting calls on an iPhone is a single, all-encompassing toggle, not the list of conditional options you find on Android. It's a faster setup, though it offers less fine-tuned control.

First, open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Scroll down and tap on Phone, then look for Call Forwarding. You'll see a single toggle switch on the next screen.

Flip it on, and a new field will appear prompting you to enter the number you want to forward your calls to. Type in the number, tap back, and you're all set. You'll know it's active because a small phone icon with an arrow will pop up in your status bar—a constant, handy reminder that your calls are being rerouted.

Setting Up Call Diversion for Landlines and VoIP

While smartphones seem to rule the world, millions of businesses still count on the rock-solid reliability of a good old landline or the powerful flexibility of a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. Diverting calls on these platforms is a little different than on your mobile, but it's just as simple once you know the moves.

For traditional landlines, the magic is in the star codes. These are simple commands you punch right into the phone's keypad, telling the carrier network what to do with your calls. It's a surprisingly tough little system that has stood the test of time.

This trick is perfect for a small office that needs a quick fix after hours. Imagine a local accounting firm dialing *72 and the lead accountant's mobile number just before locking up for the day. Any urgent client calls that come in over the weekend are instantly sent to their cell instead of hitting a cold voicemail.

Common Landline Carrier Star Codes

Most of the big carriers use a standard set of codes for what's called "unconditional call forwarding"—meaning every single call gets sent to the number you pick. After you enter the command, you'll usually hear a confirmation tone.

Just remember to dial the deactivation code when you get back to the office. It's an easy thing to forget, and you'll be left wondering why the phone isn't ringing the next morning. If you're curious about the mechanics behind this, our guide on what is call forwarding breaks down the tech involved.

Navigating VoIP Call Routing Portals

VoIP systems, on the other hand, take call diversion to a whole new level. Forget simple star codes; you'll manage everything through a web-based dashboard from services like RingCentral or Vonage. This portal gives you incredibly detailed control over how, when, and where your calls end up.

VoIP transforms basic call forwarding into a strategic call routing system. You're no longer just redirecting calls; you're designing a custom workflow to handle every incoming communication with precision.

Inside your VoIP portal, look for a section labeled something like "Call Routing," "Answering Rules," or "Call Flow." This is where you can build rules that go way beyond simple forwarding.

• Simultaneous Ring (Ring Groups): Make an incoming call ring multiple phones at the same time. This is perfect for a sales team where the first person available can grab the lead.
• Sequential Ring (Hunt Groups): You can set a specific order for phones to ring. If person A doesn't answer after three rings, the call automatically jumps to person B, and then to person C.
• Time-Based Routing: This is an absolute game-changer for many businesses. You can automatically divert calls to your mobile after 5 PM, send weekend calls straight to an answering service, or route holiday calls to a special pre-recorded message.

For these modern VoIP setups, looking into dedicated Wifi Telecommunications services can make all the difference. By building on a strong network foundation, you ensure that every forwarded call has crystal-clear quality, which is crucial for keeping up a professional image.

How Call Diversion Actually Fuels Business Growth

Thinking of call diversion as just a convenience is a huge missed opportunity. When you use it strategically, it stops being a simple feature and starts acting like a powerful lever for scaling your entire operation and keeping customers happy.

Smart call forwarding can make a small business feel much larger, more responsive, and incredibly professional—no matter how many people are actually on your team. This is where the tool evolves into a core business asset.

Take a company with clients all over the world. They can set up a "follow-the-sun" support model to be available 24/7. When the US office signs off, calls automatically get routed to the team in London. When London's day is done, the calls seamlessly bounce to Sydney. This creates a continuous loop, guaranteeing customers always talk to a real person, not a voicemail.

Track Your Marketing ROI with Pinpoint Accuracy

Call diversion also happens to be a surprisingly sharp tool for figuring out what's working in your marketing.

Imagine you're running three different ad campaigns: one on Google, one in a local newspaper, and one on a billboard. If you assign a unique phone number to each ad and have them all forward to your main business line, you can see exactly which campaigns are making the phone ring.

This simple setup delivers incredibly valuable data. You can instantly tell which channels are your top performers, letting you double down on what works and cut the dead weight. This data-driven approach is how you stop guessing and start optimizing your marketing spend for a real return.

Call diversion isn't just about managing calls—it's about gathering intelligence. Every forwarded call is a data point you can use to make smarter decisions about your budget, sales focus, and customer service.

Automate Workflows and Elevate the Customer Experience

Things get really interesting when you connect your call diversion system with other software you already use, like your CRM or help desk. This integration turns a simple phone call into a fully automated workflow.

For example, when a call from a new number is diverted and answered, a new contact record can pop up automatically in your CRM. No manual entry, no forgotten leads.

This level of automation ensures potential customers don't fall through the cracks and cuts down on the busywork for your team. To see how this fits into the bigger picture of operational efficiency, check out these 7 Workflow Automation Examples to Boost Efficiency.

By automating these routine tasks, your team can focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing deals. Ultimately, mastering these techniques is a critical piece of effective call handling for business, turning your phone system from a cost center into a true growth engine.

Common Call Diversion Problems and Solutions

You've set up call forwarding, but for some reason, technology isn't playing along. You followed all the steps to divert calls to another number, yet your original phone is still buzzing. It's one of those snags that can leave you scratching your head.

The good news is that the fixes are usually pretty simple once you know what to look for. Most of the time, the culprit is a conflicting setting, a carrier limitation, or just a simple typo in the forwarding number. Before you spend an hour on the phone with customer support, a few quick checks can often solve the whole thing.

Calls Still Ringing on the Original Phone

This is the most common complaint by far: you activate call forwarding, but incoming calls still ring on your main device. Nine times out of ten, this happens when another setting is overriding your forwarding rule.

Here's what to look for:

• "Do Not Disturb" is the boss: Most phones treat Do Not Disturb (DND) or Focus modes as the top priority. If your DND is set up to allow calls from your favorites, those calls will ring through, no matter what your diversion settings say.
• Competing rules: With Android or VoIP systems, it's easy to accidentally set up conflicting rules. For example, a conditional "Forward when busy" rule might clash with an "Always forward" command. Make sure only one primary rule is active.
• VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling: Believe it or not, these network features can sometimes interfere with carrier-level forwarding codes. Try toggling VoLTE or Wi-Fi Calling off, setting up your call divert again, and then re-enabling them.

A simple reboot can work wonders. Turning your phone off and on again forces it to reconnect with the carrier network. This can clear out any weird glitches and properly register your new forwarding settings.

Diverted Calls Go Straight to Voicemail

Almost as frustrating is when forwarded calls skip the ringing part entirely and land directly in the destination phone's voicemail. This usually points to an issue with how the carrier is handing off the call.

The phone you're forwarding to might be flagging the diverted call as spam or an unknown number, especially if the original caller ID isn't passed through correctly. An easy fix is to add your primary phone number as a contact on the destination phone. This helps the second device recognize the call as legitimate.

If that doesn't do the trick, the problem could be a network delay. Some carriers have a very short ring time for forwarded calls before they time out and kick over to voicemail. In that situation, your best bet is to contact your provider. And when you do, it helps to know how to answer the phone professionally—even with support—to clearly explain what's going on.

Still Have Questions?

Even with a solid plan for forwarding your calls, a few specific questions always seem to come up. I get it. Nobody wants to deal with surprise costs, international calling headaches, or tricky forwarding rules that don't quite work as expected.

Let's clear up those last few details so you can manage your calls with total confidence.

Am I Going to Get Charged for Diverting Calls?

This is a big one, and the short answer is: it really depends on your phone plan. The easiest way to think about a forwarded call is to treat it like an outbound call you're making from your own phone.

• On mobile? If you divert an incoming call, your carrier usually just deducts the minutes from your monthly allowance, exactly like you dialed the number yourself. Forwarding to a long-distance or international number? That will almost certainly cost you extra.
• Using VoIP? Forwarding calls to another number on the same VoIP network is typically free. But, if you send that call out to an external landline or mobile number, you're likely looking at a per-minute rate.

Before you set up a permanent call divert, do yourself a favor and check the fine print of your plan. It's the best way to avoid a nasty surprise on your next bill.

The safest bet? Run a quick, one-minute test call. Forward your number, have a friend call it, and then immediately check your account's usage online. This simple check can save you from a massive bill down the road.

Can I Divert My Calls to an International Number?

Yes, you absolutely can. Most modern phone providers—from mobile carriers to VoIP services—are set up to handle international call forwarding. The process is identical to forwarding a domestic call, but you have to use the full international dialing format.

For example, if you're sending a call to someone in the United Kingdom, you'd enter their number starting with the country code, like +44.

Just stay mindful of the cost. International forwarding rates can be shockingly high, especially from standard mobile carriers. VoIP providers almost always have much more competitive rates for international calls, which makes them the smarter choice for this kind of setup.

How Do I Know if My Calls Are Being Diverted?

It's surprisingly easy to set up call forwarding and then completely forget about it. Thankfully, most systems give you a clear visual cue so you're not left guessing.

On an iPhone or Android device, you'll usually see a small phone icon with an arrow right in your status bar at the top of the screen. Think of it as a constant reminder that your calls are being rerouted.

For landlines, you can often dial a special status code (like *#21# on many networks) to hear an automated message confirming the active forwarding status. When in doubt, the simplest method is to just ask a friend to call your number and see where it rings.

Can I Divert Calls from Only Specific Contacts?

This is a more advanced move. Selective call forwarding—where you only divert calls from certain numbers—isn't a standard feature on most smartphones.

It is, however, a common and incredibly powerful tool within most VoIP systems. Through a VoIP dashboard, you can build specific rules to divert calls only from certain numbers or area codes while letting all other calls ring through to you normally.

If you're stuck on mobile, some third-party apps claim to offer this functionality, but they often require complex permissions and can be unreliable. My advice? Always test any selective forwarding rule thoroughly to make sure it's actually working the way you expect.