Call forwarding sends incoming calls from your business number to your Abby phone number so Abby can answer on your behalf.
Most businesses use call forwarding to go live quickly without changing their existing phone number.
If you are not sure whether forwarding, porting, or publishing your Abby number is the right option, see How Abby Receives Your Calls.
Before You Start
Before setting up call forwarding, make sure you have:
Your Abby phone number
Access to your phone carrier account, mobile app, or phone system dashboard
Permission to update call forwarding settings
A second phone you can use to place a test call
You can find your Abby phone number at the bottom left corner of your portal.
If You Have an International Number
Some international carriers may not allow calls to be forwarded to a toll-free Abby number.
If forwarding does not work with your assigned Abby number, Abby may be able to provide a local U.S. number instead. Some carriers allow international numbers to forward to a local U.S. number even when they do not allow forwarding to a toll-free number.
If you have an international number, contact Abby support before going live so we can help confirm the right number to use.
Step 1: Choose Your Forwarding Type
Your forwarding options depend on your carrier or phone provider.
Forward All Calls
Forwarding all calls, also called unconditional forwarding, sends every incoming call to Abby.
This is best if Abby should answer first.
Conditional Forwarding
Conditional forwarding sends calls to Abby only in certain situations, such as when:
You do not answer
Your line is busy
Your phone is off or unreachable
This is best if your team should answer first and Abby should catch missed or overflow calls.
Ask your carrier if conditional forwarding is supported on your plan.
Step 2: Turn On Call Forwarding
Turn on call forwarding using your Abby phone number.
You can usually enable forwarding through:
Your carrier’s mobile app
Your online carrier account
Your VoIP or phone system dashboard
A forwarding code, such as *72
For carrier-specific instructions, see Carrier & VoIP Forwarding Codes Directory.
If you use Google Voice, see Forwarding Google Voice Phone Numbers.
Step 3: Test Your Setup
After forwarding is turned on, place a test call from another phone.
Call your regular business number, not your Abby phone number.
Confirm that:
Abby answers the call
The greeting sounds correct
The call follows your expected call handling
Transfers, messages, scheduling, or voicemail work as expected, if applicable
If Abby answers, call forwarding is active.
If Abby does not answer:
Confirm forwarding is enabled
Confirm you entered the correct Abby phone number
Check whether your phone plan supports call forwarding
Confirm your carrier saved the forwarding change
If Abby answers but the call does not follow the expected handling, see Call Handling & Routing.
How to Turn Off Call Forwarding
You can turn off call forwarding anytime using the same method you used to activate it.
This may include:
Turning it off in your carrier’s mobile app
Disabling it in your online carrier account
Updating your VoIP or phone system dashboard
Dialing your carrier’s deactivation code
After turning off forwarding, call your business number from another phone to confirm calls no longer route to Abby.
For carrier-specific deactivation codes, see Carrier & VoIP Forwarding Codes Directory.
Common Issues
Calls are still going to voicemail:
Your carrier voicemail may be answering before forwarding sends the call to Abby.
Contact your phone provider and ask them to adjust your voicemail timing or forwarding settings.
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Forwarding will not activate:
Some wireless, VoIP, or landline plans restrict call forwarding or require it to be enabled by the provider.
Contact your carrier to confirm call forwarding is available on your plan.
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No confirmation tone or message appears:
When using forwarding codes, wait for the confirmation tone or message before hanging up.
If you do not receive confirmation, check your carrier’s instructions or try activating forwarding through your carrier account instead.
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Forwarding to a toll-free number is not working:
Some carriers require a leading 1 when forwarding to toll-free numbers.
If forwarding fails, try entering the number as:
1 + your Abby phone number
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You are not sure which number to use:
Use the Abby phone number shown in your portal.
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My international number will not forward to Abby:
Some international carriers restrict forwarding to toll-free numbers.
If your carrier does not allow forwarding to your Abby number, contact Abby support. We may be able to provide a local U.S. number for you to test instead.
Your carrier must still allow call forwarding, and you should always place a test call before going live.
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If you see more than one Abby phone number or are unsure which number to forward to, contact Abby support before changing your forwarding settings.
Common Questions
How do I know if forwarding is active?
Call your regular business number from another phone. If Abby answers, forwarding is working.
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Can I choose when calls forward to Abby?
Usually, yes. If your carrier supports conditional forwarding, you can choose when calls forward, such as only when your line is busy, unanswered, or unreachable.
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Does call forwarding cost extra?
Abby does not control carrier forwarding charges. Some providers may count forwarded calls toward your phone plan or charge for forwarding. Check with your carrier for details.
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Can I turn forwarding off anytime?
Yes. You can turn off forwarding through your carrier app, online account, phone system dashboard, or deactivation code.