Skip to main content

Activate AI Agent for Phone Calls

Vitaliy Levit avatar
Written by Vitaliy Levit
Updated over a week ago

The AI Agent won't start working until your calls are forwarded. Here's how to set that up.

📞 Forwarding Calls to AI Agent

The AI Agent is always ready to answer your calls—but when it's active is totally up to you. You control when the AI Agent is active by turning call forwarding on or off for your business phone number. Forwarding your calls to your custom AI Agent number lets it answer calls, respond to customers, and handle things on your behalf—without changing your existing number. The support team will never interrupt your current service, and we'll always notify you by email before you get close to any overage charges. Read through the guide below to understand how call forwarding works and how to set it up for your specific phone provider.

🔍 What Is Call Forwarding?

Call forwarding is when your phone sends incoming calls to another number automatically—like your AI Agent number. Once it's set up, your original business number stays the same, but the AI Agent handles the calls in the background.

🔁 Types of Call Forwarding

There are two main types of call forwarding:

Unconditional Forwarding

  • Forwards all calls to AI Agent—immediately and automatically.

Conditional Forwarding

  • Only forwards calls in specific situations:

    • If busy (when you're already on the phone)

    • If no answer (when you don't pick up)

    • If unreachable (when your phone is off or has no signal)

⚠️ Important: If you want the AI Agent to handle more than one condition (like both busy and no answer), you'll need to set each one up separately using its own code.

Note: Not all carriers support conditional forwarding.

⚙️ How to Set Up Call Forwarding

Most carriers use special dial codes to set up forwarding and it will look like something similar to the steps outlined below:

  1. Open your phone's dialer (like you're making a call).

  2. Enter the setup code plus your AI Agent number.

    • For example: **21*1234567890#

  3. Press Call.

  4. You'll usually hear a confirmation tone or message.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Setup codes vary by carrier. Be sure to scroll down and follow the specific instructions for your carrier below to ensure the AI Agent works correctly.

📵 iPhone Users: Turn Off Live Voicemail

If you're using an iPhone, be sure to turn off Live Voicemail. This feature can prevent the AI Agent from receiving forwarded calls when you don't answer—especially if you're using conditional forwarding.

To turn it off:

  1. Open the Settings app

  2. Tap Phone

  3. Tap Live Voicemail

  4. Toggle it off

The AI Agent works best when your iPhone isn't trying to screen or answer calls on its own.

🔁 How to Turn Off Call Forwarding

To turn off call forwarding, you'll either dial a special code from your phone or disable it in your provider's app or settings.

To disable all forwarding:

  • Dial your carrier's cancel code (like ##21# or *73) and press Call.

To disable specific conditions (for GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile):

  • ##67# disables forwarding when busy

  • ##61# disables forwarding when no answer

  • ##62# disables forwarding when unreachable

🧠 Heads Up: Not all carriers support these specific disable codes.

  • The codes above work for most GSM networks—like AT&T, T-Mobile, and providers like Cricket, Metro, and Mint.

  • Verizon and Boost Mobile don't support condition-specific disable codes. Use *73 to turn off all forwarding instead.

  • Google Voice, RingCentral, and other VoIP services require you to manage forwarding in their app or website.

When in doubt, check your carrier's section below for exact instructions.

➤➤ Carrier Instructions

Popular Cell Phone Networks

  • AT&T

  • Verizon

  • T-Mobile

  • Boost Mobile

  • Mint Mobile

  • Cricket Wireless

  • Consumer Cellular

  • Sprint

  • Vonage

  • Xfinity Mobile

  • US Cellular

Popular VOIP & Web Phone Systems

  • Open Phone

  • Ring Central

  • Google Voice

  • Grasshopper

  • DialPad

  • Vonage Business Communications

  • Zoom Phone

  • Freedom Voice

Landline

  • Landlines (General Instructions)

Popular Cell Phone Networks

➤ AT&T

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *21[AIAgentNumber]#

  • ➡️ Example: **21*1234567890#

  • Press Call. You'll hear a confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately if you want the AI Agent to handle multiple scenarios:

  • If busy: *67[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If no answer: *61[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If unreachable: *62[AIAgentNumber]#

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: ##21#

  • Disable busy forwarding: ##67#

  • Disable no answer forwarding: ##61#

  • Disable unreachable forwarding: ##62#

Notes:

  • iPhone users can also go to Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding to enable unconditional forwarding (not conditional).

  • Conditional forwarding requires dial codes.

  • Works on AT&T and most MVNOs like Cricket and Consumer Cellular.

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Verizon

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call. You may hear a confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately:

  • If busy: *90[AIAgentNumber]

  • If no answer: *92[AIAgentNumber]

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *73

  • ➤ Verizon does not support disabling individual conditional rules.

Notes:

  • Verizon does not support the iPhone Call Forwarding toggle—use the dialer.

  • Always test your setup by calling from another phone.

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ T-Mobile

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *21[AIAgentNumber]#

  • ➡️ Example: **21*1234567890#

  • Press Call.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately:

  • If busy: *67[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If no answer: *61[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If unreachable: *62[AIAgentNumber]#

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: ##21#

  • Disable busy forwarding: ##67#

  • Disable no answer forwarding: ##61#

  • Disable unreachable forwarding: ##62#

Notes:

  • iPhone users can use Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding to turn on unconditional forwarding.

  • Conditional setup requires dial codes.

  • Applies to T-Mobile and MVNOs like Metro, Mint, and Ultra.

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Boost Mobile

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call.

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Not reliably supported. Most Boost users only have access to unconditional forwarding.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *73 or *720

  • No carrier-supported method to disable conditions separately

Notes:

  • Boost Mobile does not support iPhone's call forwarding settings—use dial codes only

  • Behavior may vary by device model or region

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Mint Mobile

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *21[AIAgentNumber]#

  • ➡️ Example: **21*1234567890#

  • Press Call.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately if you want the AI Agent to handle multiple scenarios:

  • If busy: *67[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If no answer: *61[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If unreachable: *62[AIAgentNumber]#

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: ##21#

  • Disable busy forwarding: ##67#

  • Disable no answer forwarding: ##61#

  • Disable unreachable forwarding: ##62#

Notes:

  • Mint uses T-Mobile's GSM network, so all standard forwarding codes work

  • iPhone users can also use Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding for unconditional forwarding

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Cricket Wireless

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *21[AIAgentNumber]#

  • ➡️ Example: **21*1234567890#

  • Press Call.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately:

  • If busy: *67[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If no answer: *61[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If unreachable: *62[AIAgentNumber]#

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: ##21#

  • Disable busy forwarding: ##67#

  • Disable no answer forwarding: ##61#

  • Disable unreachable forwarding: ##62#

Notes:

  • Cricket runs on AT&T's GSM network and supports standard GSM forwarding codes

  • iPhone users can use Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding for unconditional forwarding

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Consumer Cellular

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *21[AIAgentNumber]#

  • ➡️ Example: **21*1234567890#

  • Press Call.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately:

  • If busy: *67[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If no answer: *61[AIAgentNumber]#

  • If unreachable: *62[AIAgentNumber]#

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: ##21#

  • Disable busy forwarding: ##67#

  • Disable no answer forwarding: ##61#

  • Disable unreachable forwarding: ##62#

Notes:

  • Consumer Cellular typically uses AT&T or T-Mobile's network depending on your SIM

  • GSM codes usually work, but test to confirm

  • iPhone users can use Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding for unconditional setup

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Sprint

⚠️ Sprint has merged with T-Mobile, but if you're still on an older Sprint plan or device, use the instructions below.

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call. You should hear a confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding: Set each one up separately:

  • If busy: *73[AIAgentNumber]

  • If no answer: *74[AIAgentNumber]

  • If unreachable: *75[AIAgentNumber]

⚠️ These may not be available on all Sprint plans or devices—test to confirm.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *720

  • Conditional disable codes are not consistently supported on Sprint legacy plans

Notes:

  • Sprint forwarding setup is done via dialer only—no app or settings-based option

  • Most users on Sprint have been migrated to T-Mobile and should follow T-Mobile's setup instructions

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Vonage (Residential)

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press 1 to confirm. You should hear a confirmation tone.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *73

Notes:

  • You can also enable or manage call forwarding from your Vonage Online Account under Features & Settings > Calling Features > Call Forwarding

  • You can specify how many seconds your phone rings before forwarding

  • Forwarding to international numbers may incur additional charges

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ Xfinity Mobile

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call. You should hear a confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding (No Answer Only):

  • Dial: *71[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *711234567890

  • Press Call. You should hear a confirmation tone.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *73

  • No known support for disabling conditional forwarding separately

Notes:

  • Xfinity Mobile only supports no answer conditional forwarding via *71

  • You cannot adjust how long the phone rings before forwarding kicks in

  • If dial codes don't work, contact Xfinity Mobile support to enable forwarding on your account

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

➤ U.S. Cellular

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call. You should hear a confirmation tone.

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Busy: *90[AIAgentNumber]

  • No Answer: *92[AIAgentNumber]

  • Press Call after each code.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *720

  • Disable busy forwarding: *900

  • Disable no answer forwarding: *920

Notes:

  • These codes are entered via your phone's dialer and may not provide a confirmation message.

  • Ensure you're within U.S. Cellular's coverage area when setting up or disabling call forwarding.

ℹ️ iPhone users: Make sure Live Voicemail is turned off

Popular VOIP & Web Phone Systems

➤ OpenPhone

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  1. Click Settings from the left-hand menu

  2. Under Workspace, click Phone Numbers

  3. Select the phone number you want to forward

  4. In the Call flow section, select Forward all calls

  5. Add your AI Agent number and click Forward

Conditional Forwarding: To forward calls only at specific times or if unanswered:

For forwarding outside business hours:

  1. Go to Call flow settings

  2. Click Business hours

  3. Under Outside business hours, add the AI Agent number you want to forward to

For forwarding during business hours (unanswered calls):

  1. In Call flow, scroll to the Unanswered calls section

  2. Under When no one answers, select Forward to another number

  3. Enter your AI Agent number

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Return to your call flow settings and remove or turn off the forwarding rule

Notes:

  • OpenPhone supports granular routing based on time of day and availability

  • Forwarding settings apply per phone number

➤ RingCentral

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  1. Click your profile picture at the top left

  2. Click Call rules

  3. Toggle on Forward all calls

  4. Click Save

Conditional Forwarding: To forward calls based on a schedule:

  1. Click your profile picture at the top left

  2. Click Call rules

  3. Click Add schedule

  4. Use the date and time selectors to set when you want calls forwarded

  5. Click Save

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Go to Call rules and toggle off Forward all calls or remove any active schedule

Notes:

  • RingCentral supports detailed routing and scheduling logic via the app or admin portal

  • Settings apply per user or extension

➤ Google Voice

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls): To forward calls from Google Voice to AI Agent, you'll need to link your AI Agent number and verify it.

  1. Log into your Admin Portal and go to Account > Account Settings

  2. Enable the "Call Forwarding Verification - SMS authentication code" toggle

You can setup and configure call forwarding from Google Voice desktop browser or from within Google Voice's device app.

For Desktop:

  1. In a new tab, go to Google Voice

  2. In the top right, click the Settings gear icon

  3. Under Account > Linked numbers, click New linked number

  4. Enter your AI Agent number and click Send code

  5. Return to the Admin Portal > Account Settings tab and click View text messages

  6. This will open a window displaying any verification codes sent to your AI Agent number

  7. Back in Google Voice, enter the code received and click Verify

  8. Once verified, go to Settings > Calls

  9. Under Incoming calls, ensure Call Forwarding is enabled for your linked AI Agent phone number

  10. Return to the Admin Portal and disable verification code toggle

For Device App:

  1. Open Google Voice app on your device and go to settings (three bars hamburger menu in top left corner)

  2. Tap into 'Devices and numbers'

  3. Tap 'New linked number'

  4. Input your AI Agent phone number and uncheck the 'number belongs to this device' option

  5. Click Send code

  6. Return to the Admin Portal > Account Settings tab and click View text messages

  7. This will open a window displaying any verification codes sent to your AI Agent number

  8. Remember to disable verification code toggle

  9. Back in Google Voice App, enter the code received and tap Verify

  10. Google voice automatically enables call forwarding when you link a number, however it's best to double check

  11. In the Google Voice app, tap back out of Devices and numbers

  12. Still within settings, tap into 'Incoming Calls'

  13. Ensure call forwarding toggle is enabled for your AI Agent phone number

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Not supported. Google Voice only allows full (unconditional) call forwarding.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Toggle it off under Settings > Calls > Incoming calls

  • Or go to Settings > Linked numbers and remove the AI Agent number

Notes:

  • You must verify your AI Agent number before Google Voice will forward to it

  • Setup must be completed via web browser, not the mobile app

  • Call forwarding options vary depending on if you have the paid or free version

  • If your Google Voice number is displaying on all of your AI Agent calls, ensure you have the appropriate caller ID settings disabled in Google Voice

➤ Grasshopper

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  1. Log into your Grasshopper account

  2. Go to Settings > Call Forwarding Settings > Extensions

  3. Find the number or extension you want to forward and click Edit

  4. Enter your AI Agent number as the forwarding destination (can be mobile, landline, or voicemail)

  5. Choose how Grasshopper should handle the call (e.g., announce it before pickup)

  6. Select a forwarding schedule (e.g., 24/7, weekends, or custom hours)

  7. Save your settings

  8. Make a test call to confirm forwarding is working

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Grasshopper allows conditional routing based on time and call rules. Use the schedule settings during setup to apply forwarding only at specific times.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Go to the same Call Forwarding Settings > Extensions section

  • Click Edit and remove the AI Agent number or adjust the time schedule to disable routing

Notes:

  • Grasshopper forwarding works across mobile, desktop, and landline

  • You can forward to multiple numbers or configure advanced handling if needed

➤ DialPad

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls): To forward calls from Dialpad to AI Agent, you'll need to link and verify your AI Agent number.

  1. Log into your Admin Portal and go to the Account tab

  2. Enable the setting: "Call Forwarding Verification – DialPad"

  3. Log into your Dialpad account

  4. Go to Your Settings > Your Devices

  5. Click Add new, then select Add a forwarding number

  6. Enter your AI Agent number and click Verify

  7. Dialpad will call your AI Agent number and the system will press 1 to verify the setup

  8. Choose how you want forwarding to work under Advanced Settings (e.g., always forward, forward when unavailable, etc.)

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Dialpad allows advanced call routing (e.g., based on availability, business hours, or custom logic)

  • Configure these options under Call Handling & Forwarding in your user or company settings.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Return to Your Settings > Your Devices and remove or disable the AI Agent forwarding number

Notes:

  • Verification via Admin Portal is required to activate forwarding

  • Dialpad also supports call routing logic through departments, call queues, and ring rules

➤ Vonage Business Communications

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

For Admins:

  1. Sign in to the Admin Portal

  2. Navigate to Phone System > Extensions

  3. Hover over the desired extension and click the Pencil icon

  4. Click Call Forwarding, then toggle Forward Calls to enabled

  5. Select Send To Ext. or Number, enter the forwarding number (e.g., your AI Agent number), and choose your Caller ID preference

  6. Click Save

For End Users:

  1. Sign in to your Online Account

  2. Click your Avatar, then select Settings

  3. Click Call Forwarding and enable Forward All Calls

  4. Enter the forwarding number and select your Caller ID preference

  5. Click Save

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Utilize features like Follow Me and Simultaneous Ring to forward calls based on specific conditions

  • These settings can be configured in the Call Forwarding section of your account

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Admins: Toggle off Forward Calls in the Admin Portal

  • End Users: In your account settings, select an alternative option such as Voicemail, Follow Me, or Simultaneous Ring

Notes:

  • Avoid forwarding calls to a mobile number that also uses the Vonage Mobile App to prevent duplicate call notifications

➤ Zoom Phone

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal

  2. Click Phone in the navigation menu

  3. Go to the Settings tab

  4. Under Business Hours or Closed Hours, click Edit next to Call Handling

  5. Click Add Phone Number to forward to an external number (e.g., your AI Agent number)

  6. Enter the country/region, phone number, and a description

  7. Click Save

Conditional Forwarding: Zoom Phone supports forwarding based on:

  • Business Hours

  • Closed Hours

  • Break Hours

  • Holiday Hours

You can set different call handling rules for each time period by editing them individually in your settings.

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Return to the Call Handling settings for the relevant time period

  • Remove the external number or toggle off the forwarding option

Notes:

  • If you're unable to add an external number, your Zoom admin may need to allow it

➤ FreedomVoice

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  1. Log in to your WebLink Control Panel

  2. Navigate to Settings > Call Delivery > Call Forwarding

  3. Select your default mailbox (e.g., 801)

  4. Click Add to create a new forwarding entry

  5. Enter your AI Agent number as the forwarding destination

  6. Optionally, click Add Call Time to set specific days/times for forwarding

  7. Click Save

Conditional Forwarding:

  • Various settings may be available in configuration settings

To Disable Forwarding:

  • In the Call Forwarding section, uncheck the Active box next to the forwarding entry

  • Alternatively, remove the forwarding entry by clicking Remove

Landlines (General Instructions)

Unconditional Forwarding (All Calls):

  • Dial: *72[AIAgentNumber]

  • ➡️ Example: *721234567890

  • Press Call or wait for confirmation (you may hear a tone or voice prompt)

To Disable Forwarding:

  • Disable all forwarding configuration: *73

Notes:

  • These dial codes work for most traditional landline providers in the U.S. (e.g., AT&T Landline, CenturyLink, Frontier)

  • If *72 or *73 doesn't work, contact your landline provider's support or check your phone bill for the carrier name

  • These codes are entered just like making a phone call—no need for any special settings

Did this answer your question?