Before Abby can answer calls for your business, callers need a way to reach Abby.
There are three main ways to receive calls through Abby:
Forward your existing business number to Abby
Port your existing number to Abby
Publish your Abby phone number directly
Most businesses use call forwarding because it lets them keep their current number and go live quickly. Porting and publishing are also available depending on how you want your business number managed.
Option 1: Forward Your Existing Number
Call forwarding sends incoming calls from your existing business number to your Abby phone number.
When someone dials your business number:
Your phone carrier forwards the call to Abby.
Abby answers on your behalf.
Abby follows your call handling setup.
This lets you keep your current number while Abby answers and handles incoming calls.
Call forwarding is best for businesses that:
Want to keep their existing number
Want minimal disruption
Want the fastest go-live option
You can usually turn on call forwarding through your phone carrier’s app, online account, phone system settings, or forwarding code.
For setup instructions, see Call Forwarding Setup Guide.
For carrier-specific forwarding codes, see Carrier & VoIP Forwarding Codes Directory.
For Google Voice, see Forwarding Google Voice Phone Numbers.
Option 2: Port Your Number to Abby
Porting moves your existing phone number to Abby’s carrier.
Instead of forwarding calls from your current carrier, your number is hosted directly through Abby.
Porting may be a good option if:
Call forwarding is unreliable
Calls are routing to carrier voicemail instead of Abby
You are moving away from another answering service
Your current provider is causing routing issues
Porting usually takes time and requires documentation.
For full instructions, see Phone Number Porting.
Option 3: Publish Your Abby Phone Number
You can also use your Abby phone number directly.
In this setup, callers dial your Abby number instead of your existing business number.
No forwarding or porting is required.
You may publish your Abby number on:
Your website
Business cards
Online listings
Marketing campaigns
Secondary lines or department pages
Publishing your Abby number is best for:
New businesses
Marketing campaigns
Secondary lines
Businesses that do not need to preserve an existing number
You can find your Abby phone number in the Abby portal.
For more detail, see Using Your Abby Assigned Phone Numbers.
How to Choose the Right Option
Use this guide to decide which path fits your business.
Option | Best when |
Call forwarding | You want to keep your current number and go live quickly |
Porting | Forwarding is unreliable or you want Abby to host the number directly |
Publishing your Abby number | You are using a new number, campaign number, secondary line, or do not need to keep an existing number |
If you are unsure which option is right for you, contact Abby support before making changes.
Before You Go Live
Before sending live calls to Abby, make sure your basic setup is complete.
You should confirm:
Your business information is accurate
Your call handling is set up
Your team or contacts are added, if needed
Your Abby phone number is correct
Forwarding, porting, or publishing is complete
A test call works as expected
After setup, place a test call from another phone. Confirm Abby answers and follows the expected call handling.
Once Abby answers your test call correctly, you’re live.
For call routing behavior, see Call Handling & Routing.