Currently, it is easy to be constantly connected with people from all around the world, regardless of your location or the method used for communicating with others.
Even though the internet has become something indispensable, it has not fully replaced phone calls, neither from landlines nor from mobile phones. This traditional method offers a lot of advantages and convenient features that you can’t have through the internet.
Call forwarding, for instance, allows you to transfer a call to another number to keep you connected even when you don’t have access to the phone where you are being called. It also allows you to keep your number protected.
What is call forwarding?
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Call forwarding is a functionality offered by some service providers and carriers that allow you to forward a phone call to another landline or mobile phone, to a message service and inbox, or to any other destination where calling is possible.
Call forwarding guarantees you that you will receive important calls in any place, and that you will always be available and connected with others.
You can choose among different ways of forwarding your calls, and decide in which cases you want the calls received to be transferred to other numbers.
How does call forwarding work?
Call forwarding allows you to redirect an incoming call from a number to a different number. It is possible to redirect a call among landlines, from a landline to mobile phone numbers, and vice versa, and even redirect calls from internet phone call software such as Skype to landlines and mobile phones.
In some countries, this option is free as part of the landline or mobile phone service, while in others, you will have to pay to be able to activate this option.
Some of these services inform the user through a recording that the phone call is being redirected to another number. However, in some countries, the phone will emit a sound specifically used when the person waits in line while the call is being redirected to another number.
Even if the service is in some cases free, the usual fares to make calls apply. For instance, it could be more expensive to forward a call from a landline to a cell phone than if you had answered the call from a landline phone.
You can activate call forwarding by contacting your service provider, through the internet, or by changing your mobile device’s settings.
Usually, you can choose one of these options: forwarding all of your calls to another number, forwarding you calls only when you don’t answer the call (after the phone has rung after a certain amount of time or a certain number of times,) or forwarding calls while your line is busy.
Why do people use call forwarding?
There are a lot of reasons for using call forwarding. The main reason is to want to be sure that you can answer important calls regardless of where you are.
For instance, if you have call forwarding activated on your mobile phone, you can receive calls on your mobile phone while you are not at home. If you left your cell phone in the office or at home while you work, you can activate call forwarding to avoid losing important calls or work calls. You can also forward your calls from work that you receive during vacation to your office.
You can use call forwarding to transfer calls from a house’s landline that is either vacant, rented, or owned by a relative that is on vacation, to your number so that the phone can keep receiving calls.
Some people also use call forwarding to avoid giving out there personal phone number. For instance, some business people or employers that are currently hiring new people have a phone number that they make public to be able to be contacted, and a personal phone number.
Activating call forwarding allows you to receive phone calls in a single number without having to worry about giving out their private number, and always having the option of being able to deactivate call forwarding at any moment. This way, people can control when to receive work calls, and when to receive personal calls.
Some businesses also use call forwarding to redirect calls made to many phone numbers to a single customer service line.
How do you enable call forwarding?
Call your service provider
The easiest and quickest way to activate call forwarding, both from your landline and your mobile phone, is to contact your service provider and ask them about call forwarding.
This will allow you to get to know the best fit for your needs, and know the fares, limits, and conditions that apply to your case.
Calling your service provider will also allow you if there are additional promotions or services that you could get.
Change your mobile phone configuration
You can change your mobile device configuration to activate call forwarding. If these options are grayed out and you cannot dial a number, you will have to contact your service provider to be able to redirect calls.
If you want to use call forwarding from an Android device, follow these steps:
- 1. Open the “Phone” app (the one you use to make calls and that normally has a phone icon.)
- 2. Search for the Additional Settings option. It is usually marked with three dots or three lines.
- 3. Select “Settings.”
- 4. On the menu that appears, select “call forwarding” or “call redirection settings.”
- 5. Select “Voice call.”
- 6. On the menu that appears, you can choose in which situation to use call forwarding: always forward calls, forward while busy, forward when the call is not answered, or forward when you are not available.
- 7. Each option allows you to dial the number where you want your phone calls to be redirected at.
If you want to make call forwarding from an iPhone, follow these steps:
- 1. Touch the option “Settings,” then “Phone,” and then “Call forwarding.”
- 2. Slide the button next to “Call forwarding” to activate this option.
- 3. Dial the number where you want your calls to be redirected at.
Redirect calls from Skype
Skype also allows you to forward calls. If you frequently use this software, this option is perfect for you. If someone calls you on Skype but you can’t answer or you are not connected to the internet, you can activate call forwarding so that the calls that you don’t answer are automatically transferred to a landline or mobile phone.
There are no costs involved for the person that makes the call. Call forwarding is done by using very low fares, and you can use Skype credit or any of the offered subscriptions.
Purchase a number to forward calls
Firms such as Sonetel offer you the option to buy a number online to forward calls. This method allows you to forward your calls to any part of the world at the price of a local call.
For instance, if you are a business, you can show to your customers a local number in your country or city. Your customers can use their regular phone lines to call you, and those calls will be transferred to any part of the world at the cost of a local call.
Even if you are not a business, you can use this way of forwarding calls to be contacted in any place in the world. Thanks to this service, anyone can contact you by using regular phone lines regardless of your location in the world, and without needing to connect to the internet.
Forward all of your calls to your message inbox or voice inbox
If you are looking for a way to forward all of your calls directly to your message inbox while you are busy and you can’t answer, you can change your mobile device’s settings.
The easiest and quickest way is to activate “airplane mode” on your device. If you do not want to receive any call, and want them to go directly to your voice inbox, activate this option in your Android or iOS device. Keep in mind that this option completely disconnects you from the internet and your cell phone network. You will receive notifications when you deactivate it.
If you have an iPhone and want to forward all your calls to the message inbox without activating airplane mode, follow these steps:
- 1. Go to the start screen, and touch the option “Settings.”
- 2. On the menu that appears, search for the option “Phone.”
- 3. Select the option “Call forwarding.”
- 4. Dial the message inbox’s number. This is the same number that you call when you receive a voice message.
If you have an iPhone, you can also use the option “Do not disturb” to avoid receiving calls while you are busy. When this option is activated, you will not receive any notification, and the calls that you receive will enter without even noticing it and, eventually, they will go to your inbox.
If you have a mobile device with Android and want to forward all of your calls to your inbox, follow these steps:
- 1. Go to the Start screen, and touch the option “Phone.”
- 2. Search the Additional Settings option. Usually, it is represented with three dots or three lines.
- 3. Select “Settings.”
- 4. On the menu that appears, select “Call forwarding” or “Call redirecting settings.”
- 5. Select “Voice call.”
- 6. Choose one of the options and, whenever you have to dial the number where you want your calls to be redirected at, dial your inbox or voice inbox’s number. It is the same number that you call when you receive a voice message.
Conclusion
Call forwarding allows you to transfer calls that you receive to another landline or mobile phone, which allows you to be available and receive calls even if you left your phone at home or in your office.
You can forward calls between landlines, from a landline to a mobile phone number and vice versa, and from internet call software such as Skype to landlines and mobile phones. Call forwarding also allows you to avoid giving out your private number while being able to receive all of your calls in a single number.
You can forward calls by contacting your service provider to activate this option, changing your device’s settings, buying a number where you can forward all of your calls at an international level, and even forward your incoming Skype calls to a landline or a mobile phone.
Which method do you use to forward your calls, and in which situations do you use it? Do you know other ways of forwarding calls and would like to add them to this article? Share your experience and your knowledge with others on the comment section below.