Call forwarding: the short answer
Call forwarding (also called call diversion) sends calls made to your number on to another number. In Australia you can usually forward every call, or only the calls you can't take: when you're busy, when you don't answer within a set time, or when your phone is off or out of range. On a mobile you set it in the phone's settings or with a short code. On a landline, NBN phone service, 1300 number or cloud phone system you usually set it in your provider's app or online portal.
For a small business, the bigger question is where calls should go when you can't answer. This guide covers both: the forwarding types, step-by-step set-up on iPhone, Android and other lines, the costs and pitfalls that catch people out, and how to forward calls to an AI receptionist so they get answered rather than sent to voicemail.
How call forwarding works
When someone rings your number, the network checks your forwarding settings before (or while) your phone rings. If a rule applies, the call is passed to the number you chose. The caller doesn't dial anything extra.
Two things are worth knowing up front:
- You pay for the forwarded leg. The caller pays for the call to your number. The second part of the trip, from your number to the forwarding destination, is generally charged to your service as if you'd made the call yourself. On many unlimited plans that's included for standard Australian numbers, but check your plan, especially before forwarding to an overseas number.
- Your voicemail already uses call forwarding. On most Australian mobile networks, voicemail is itself a "divert when busy, unanswered or unreachable" rule pointing at the carrier's voicemail service. When you set up your own conditional forwarding, you replace those voicemail diverts. That's normally what you want, but it surprises people when voicemail "stops working".
Unconditional vs conditional call forwarding
There are four standard types. Carriers and phone makers use slightly different names, but they map to the same settings.
| Forwarding type | Also called | When it applies | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unconditional | Forward all calls, divert always | Every call, your phone doesn't ring | After hours, holidays, days on the tools |
| Busy | Divert when busy | You're already on a call | Second callers who would otherwise hit voicemail |
| No answer | Divert when unanswered, delayed | Your phone rings for a set time first | You answer when you can, the rest is caught |
| Unreachable | Divert when not reachable | Phone off, flat or out of coverage | Job sites, flights, regional travel |
Businesses that answer their own phone often combine the three conditional types (busy, no answer and unreachable) so that only missed calls move on. Unconditional forwarding suits times when you know you won't answer at all, such as nights or a week off. For more on the "answer first, catch the overflow" pattern, see our guide to an overflow call answering service.
How to set up call forwarding on a mobile
iPhone
On an iPhone, open Settings, go to Phone (under Apps on recent iOS versions), tap Call Forwarding, switch it on and enter the number. Apple's own steps are in the Apple iPhone User Guide.
The catch: the iPhone setting is unconditional. It forwards every call, and your phone won't ring. If you want "only when I don't answer" forwarding, use the carrier codes below from the iPhone keypad instead.
Android
On most Android phones, open the Phone app, tap the three-dot menu, then Settings, and look for Call forwarding. It's sometimes under Calling accounts, Supplementary services or More settings, depending on the manufacturer. Android usually offers all four types (always, when busy, when unanswered, when unreachable), each with its own destination number.
The standard codes (any mobile)
Most Australian mobile networks support the standard GSM forwarding codes. Dial them from the phone keypad like a normal call, replacing *number* with the destination, for example 0412345678:
**21*number#: forward all calls**61*number#: forward when unanswered**67*number#: forward when busy**62*number#: forward when unreachable*#21#: check whether all-call forwarding is on##21#: turn off all-call forwarding##002#: cancel every forwarding rule at once
Your carrier's support pages or app are the final word on what's supported on your plan, so check there if a code returns an error.
Choosing the ring time
With "forward when unanswered", your phone rings for a set time before the call moves on. Many networks let you set it with **61*number**seconds#, typically in five-second steps from 5 to 30 seconds. The standard Australian ring cadence repeats about every three seconds, so 15 seconds is roughly five rings and 20 seconds roughly six or seven. If callers tend to hang up before the forwarded number answers, shorten the timer. If you keep missing calls you could have reached, lengthen it.
Call forwarding on landlines, NBN, 1300 numbers and VoIP
Fixed lines vary more by provider, so treat this as a map rather than exact steps.
- NBN home and business phone services. Most run as VoIP through your modem. Forwarding is usually set in your provider's app or online account, and some services also accept star codes from the handset. Look for "call forwarding" or "call diversion" in your provider's support pages.
- 1300 and 13 numbers. These don't ring a phone directly. They point to an "answer point", which you change in the number provider's portal. Many also support time-of-day routing, for example your mobile during business hours and an answering service after hours. If you're still choosing a number type, our virtual phone number guide compares local, 1300, 1800 and mobile numbers.
- Cloud phone systems (hosted PBX). Forwarding rules sit in the admin panel, per user or per ring group, often with schedules, so you can send calls to one place at lunchtime and another at night. Our cloud phone answering service guide covers how these systems connect to an answering service.
Where should forwarded calls go?
This is where call forwarding becomes a business decision. Common destinations are:
- Another team member's mobile, which works if someone is genuinely free to answer.
- Voicemail, the default for most mobiles. It's fine for existing customers, but many new callers won't leave a message. If you do rely on it, our voicemail greeting examples give you scripts that make callers more likely to leave one.
- A telephone answering service, either human receptionists in a call centre or an AI receptionist. We compare both, including cost and hours, in our telephone answering service guide.
Forwarding calls to an AI receptionist
An AI receptionist is a phone number that answers in your business name, any hour. You forward calls to it the same way you'd forward to a person, using any of the four types above.
A typical Australian small business set-up looks like this:
- Business hours: conditional forwarding (busy, no answer after about 15 seconds, unreachable). You answer when you can, and the AI receptionist catches the rest.
- After hours and weekends: switch to unconditional forwarding, or use your cloud phone or 1300 schedule, so every call is answered.
- Every call: the AI greets the caller, answers common questions from your business information, takes their name, number and reason for calling, books an appointment if you allow it, and sends you a summary straight away.
Miyai works this way. You keep your existing number and forward calls to Miyai when you choose. The Growth voice plan is $199 AUD/month, and website chat is $19 AUD/month, both paid through Stripe before access. Details are on pricing. If evenings are your main gap, our after hours phone answering service guide goes deeper on that use case.
Common call forwarding pitfalls
- Voicemail disappears. Setting your own conditional forwarding replaces the carrier's voicemail diverts. If you later cancel with ##002#, voicemail may not come back by itself. Re-enable it through your carrier's voicemail settings or app.
- Forwarding loops. Forwarding A to B while B forwards back to A creates a loop. Most networks will stop the call, but callers just hear a failure. Check where your destination forwards too.
- The forwarded number never answers either. Forwarding to a colleague who is also on the tools just moves the missed call. Pick a destination that's reliably available at that time of day.
- Caller ID confusion. Forwarded calls usually show the original caller's number at the destination, but some phone systems show your business number instead. Test it so whoever answers knows what they're looking at.
- Unexpected charges. Forwarding to overseas or premium numbers, or forwarding high call volumes on a capped plan, can add up. Confirm with your carrier first.
- Forgetting to switch it back. Unconditional forwarding left on from a holiday means your phone never rings. Check with
*#21#if things seem quiet. - Never testing. After any change, ring your number from another phone and test each scenario: answer it, decline it, let it ring out, and switch your phone to flight mode. It takes five minutes.
FAQ
What is call forwarding?
It's a phone feature that sends calls made to your number on to another number, either all the time or only when you're busy, don't answer or can't be reached.
How do I turn off call forwarding?
On iPhone, switch Call Forwarding off in the Phone settings. On Android, turn off each forwarding type in the Phone app settings. On most mobiles you can also dial ##002# to cancel all forwarding rules, then re-enable voicemail if you use it.
Does call forwarding cost extra in Australia?
Usually the feature itself is included, but the forwarded part of the call is billed to your service like an outgoing call. Many unlimited plans cover standard Australian numbers. Check before forwarding overseas.
What's the difference between call forwarding and call diversion?
Nothing. "Call diversion" or "divert" is the more common term on Australian networks and phones. "Call forwarding" is the same feature.
Can I forward calls only when I don't answer?
Yes. Use "forward when unanswered" on Android, or the **61* code on any mobile, including iPhone. Combine it with busy and unreachable forwarding to catch every missed call.
Can I forward my business calls to an AI receptionist?
Yes. An AI receptionist has its own number, so you forward calls to it like any other number, all the time or only when you can't answer.
Next step
Decide where missed calls should go, set conditional forwarding, and test it from another phone today. If the honest answer is "nowhere useful", forward them to an AI receptionist that answers every call in your business name. Get started when you're ready.