Free Fix Guide 10 of 27

Make Sure Your Phone Gets Answered

An unanswered call is a customer who already called someone else.

Signal this fixes
test_call_answered
Time
20 minutes
Cost
Free
Difficulty
Easy

What we measured

We called your published business number as an ordinary customer and recorded whether the call was answered.

Why it matters

This is the most basic thing we test and the one businesses fail most often. A call that rings out costs you the job, and the customer almost never calls back - they call the next result.

Everything below is free and uses capability your phone line already has.

Fix it yourself

Forward all calls (unconditional)

Dial these from the phone you want to forward from:

CARRIER TURN ON TURN OFF

Verizon *72 then the number *73

US Cellular *72 then the number *73

AT&T **21*number # #21#

T-Mobile **21*number # ##21#

Most landlines *72 then the number *73

Step 1

Forward only when you don't answer (conditional)

This is usually what you actually want - your phone rings first, and rolls over if you miss it.

AT&T, T-Mobile, and most GSM carriers:

CONDITION TURN ON TURN OFF CHECK

No answer **61*number # ##61# *#61#

Busy **67*number # ##67# *#67#

Phone off / no signal **62*number # ##62# *#62#

Cancel everything - ##002# -

To set how long it rings first, add seconds: **61*5551234567**20# forwards after 20 seconds. Use multiples of 5, from 5 to 30.

Step 2

Common mistakes

Assuming it worked because the setting saved. Test by calling.

Forwarding to a phone that's also off. Chain it: office → mobile → backup.

Forwarding into a voicemail box that's full. Empty it.

Auto-attendants and Google Business Profile phone verification. If you're verifying a listing by phone, an IVR will fail it - you must answer directly.

Verizon uses different codes - this is the biggest carrier difference and it trips people up:

Busy: 90 on, 91 off

No answer: 92 on, 93 off

iPhone Settings → Phone → Call Forwarding → toggle on → enter the number.

Two things to know: This menu only appears on GSM carriers. Verizon and US Cellular iPhone users often won't see "Call Forwarding" at all - use 72 / 73 instead.

The iOS toggle only does unconditional forwarding. For conditional forwarding on any iPhone, use the star codes above.

On dual-SIM, select the line first - the setting is per-line.

Step 3

Android Phone app → three-dot menu → Settings → Calls → Calling accounts → (your carrier) → Call forwarding.

Android exposes all four conditions natively - always, when busy, when unanswered, when unreachable - which makes it much easier than iPhone for conditional setups. The exact menu path varies by manufacturer.

Step 4

Google Voice

At voice.google.com: 1. Settings → Linked numbers → add and verify your mobile.

2. Settings → Calls → "Forward calls to linked numbers."

For after hours, use Do Not Disturb, which sends everything to voicemail. Google Voice can toggle DND automatically from your Google Calendar working hours - that's the free scheduling mechanism.

Step 5

Test it. Always test it.

Call your business number from a different phone and let it ring through.

Conditional forwarding is provisioned on the carrier's network and silently fails on some plans, particularly prepaid and smaller carriers. The setting appears to save and simply doesn't work. The only way to know is to call.

Step 6

You called your own number from another phone and it was answered or forwarded correctly.☐

You tested during business hours AND after hours.☐

Every number on your listings and website is included.☐

You know which codes turn forwarding off again.☐

This fix is free. You can earn and keep any Agenarys Seal tier - including Platinum - without paying Agenarys anything beyond the audit itself. If you would rather have help doing it, we sell that. We never sell passage.

Sources and further reading

Carrier GSM supplementary service codes (GSM 02.30 standard)

Google Voice Help: support.google.com/voice

Agenarys · Operational Intelligence Audit · Standard v2026.1 Issued July 2026 · agenarys.com/guides/call-forwarding