Glossary

What Is a Call Forwarding?

A phone feature that redirects incoming calls from one number to another, allowing calls to be answered on a different device or service.

Call forwarding is a telecommunications feature that automatically redirects incoming calls from one phone number to another. When activated, callers dial your business number as usual, but the call is transparently routed to a different destination — another phone, a call center, or an AI receptionist service like CallClerk. The caller never knows the difference.

Types of Call Forwarding

Unconditional (all calls forward always), Busy forwarding (forwards when your line is occupied), No-answer forwarding (forwards after a set number of rings), and Unreachable forwarding (forwards when your phone is off or out of range). Most businesses use a combination — answering calls during the day and forwarding to an AI receptionist after hours or when busy.

How to Set It Up

Call forwarding can be activated through your phone's settings app (iPhone: Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding; Android: Phone app > Settings > Call forwarding) or via carrier dial codes (Verizon: *72, AT&T: *21*, T-Mobile: **21*). Setup takes under 60 seconds regardless of method.

Common Use Cases

After-hours coverage (forward to AI receptionist at 5 PM), overflow handling (forward when busy), vacation coverage (forward all calls while away), remote work (forward office line to cell), and business line separation (forward business number to personal phone without giving out personal number).

How CallClerk Fits In

CallClerk works with standard call forwarding — just forward your business number and your AI receptionist starts answering immediately. See our setup guides for iPhone, Android, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

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Related Terms

AI Receptionist

An AI-powered virtual assistant that answers phone calls, schedules appointments, and handles customer inquiries automatically.

Virtual Receptionist

A remote receptionist service — either human or AI — that answers calls for a business without being physically present in the office.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

An automated phone system that interacts with callers through voice or keypad inputs, typically using "press 1 for sales" style menus.

Auto Attendant

An automated phone system that greets callers and routes them to the right department or person based on their selection.

All Glossary Terms

Answering Service

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