How to forward your business calls to an AI receptionist (carrier-by-carrier)

The biggest hesitation we hear about AI receptionists is some version of "I do not want to give up my business number." You do not have to. Conditional call forwarding is built into every major US carrier, has been for decades, and takes under five minutes to set up. Your existing number stays the same. Your existing customers still dial the same number they always have.

How it actually works

When you sign up, we provision a separate phone number for your AI agent (the "agent number"). You set up call forwarding on your existing business line so that calls you cannot answer — busy, after hours, no answer — get forwarded to the agent number. The AI picks up there. Your customers never see the agent number; they dial yours like always.

Three forwarding modes you can pick from

• "Forward when busy or no-answer" — most common. Your phone rings 3-5 times. If you do not answer, AI picks up. Best for solo owners who answer when they can.
• "Forward after hours only" — your phone rings 24/7 during business hours. AI takes over evenings and weekends. Best for businesses with a real office that has staffed daytime.
• "Always forward" — every call goes to AI first. AI hot-transfers urgent ones to you. Best when you absolutely cannot pick up (job sites, surgery, on the road).

Exact codes by carrier

Verizon (postpaid)

• Always forward: dial *72 + agent number, then hang up.
• No answer / busy: dial *71 + agent number, then hang up.
• Cancel forwarding: dial *73.

AT&T

• Conditional (no-answer / busy / unreachable): dial *004* + 10-digit agent number + #
• Always forward: dial **21* + 10-digit agent number + #
• Cancel all: dial ##002#

T-Mobile

• Conditional (no-answer / busy / unreachable): dial **004* + 10-digit agent number + #
• Always forward: dial **21* + 10-digit agent number + #
• Cancel all: dial ##002#

Google Voice / Spectrum / VOIP providers

• Google Voice: Settings → Calls → "Forwards calls to" → add agent number.
• Spectrum business / RingCentral / 8x8: log in to the admin portal → call rules → add the agent number as a forward target.

How to test that it worked

Easiest test: call your own business number from a friend's phone (or your personal cell). Do not answer. After 4-5 rings, the agent should pick up. If it rings out to your existing voicemail instead of the agent, the forwarding code did not take — re-dial it slowly, making sure you used the right asterisk-and-pound sequence.

How to disable it later

On every major carrier, dialing the cancel code (##002# for AT&T and T-Mobile; *73 for Verizon) immediately removes all forwarding. Your phone goes back to normal. There is no contract, no porting, no waiting period — you reverse the setup in one second.