Here's the good news up front: you don't need a new phone number. Learning how to set up call forwarding on the line you already advertise means every call to your existing number can land with Ava — 24/7 — while your trucks, ads, signage, and Google listing stay exactly as they are. No NAP changes, no reprinting anything.
This guide covers the three big carriers and common VoIP systems. Carrier menus and codes change, so treat the codes below as the usual starting point and always check your carrier's current instructions (their website or a quick call to support) before you count on them. When in doubt, test with a call from another phone.
There are three ways to forward, and the right one depends on how you want your line to behave. Know these before you touch a keypad.
Most shops start with conditional forwarding so nothing leaks while a human is still free to pick up. You can switch to all-calls later if you decide you'd rather let Ava run the whole line.
Verizon supports both basic and conditional forwarding on most business and wireless plans, though exact support depends on your plan.
Typical steps (verify with Verizon):
Because the exact codes and whether your plan includes conditional forwarding vary, check Verizon's current call-forwarding instructions in the My Verizon app or their support site before relying on it.
AT&T offers immediate, busy, and no-answer forwarding on many plans, but availability depends on your service type (wireless vs. business landline vs. AT&T Office@Hand).
Typical steps (verify with AT&T):
Confirm the exact codes and ring-count settings in AT&T's current documentation for your specific plan, since business and consumer lines differ.
T-Mobile supports conditional and unconditional forwarding on most postpaid lines, though some prepaid plans limit it.
Typical steps (verify with T-Mobile):
T-Mobile's codes are fairly standard GSM, but plan support varies — check T-Mobile's current call-forwarding help page or ask support before you depend on it for your business line.
If you run a VoIP or hosted phone system, forwarding is easier and more flexible than carrier star codes — it's all in software. The labels differ by vendor but the ideas are the same.
Where to look in your VoIP admin panel:
VoIP systems change their menus often. Find your vendor's current "call forwarding" or "call handling" help article, and set a schedule that matches your open hours. When it's live, place a test call from an outside phone to confirm it lands with Ava.
Never assume forwarding worked. Prove it.
A five-minute test now beats finding out during a storm week that a code didn't stick. If forwarding fails silently, it's usually a full voicemail box or a wrong ring count — both fixable in a minute once you know.
Call forwarding is the quiet mechanic behind the whole product: keep your number, keep your marketing, and let Ava answer everything you can't. Set it to conditional, test every path, and you've closed the gaps where leads used to leak. For the bigger picture on wiring your phones into an automated front office, read the pillar on garage door business automation, and see exactly how the handoff works in AI receptionist call forwarding.
Once forwarding is live, run the AI receptionist configuration checklist end to end so the rest of Ava's setup matches your new never-miss-a-call line.
Call the live demo and have Ava call you now — hear exactly what your customers will hear when they call your shop.