AI Receptionist - call forwarding

Call forwarding sends missed calls from your mobile to your SortScape AI receptionist, so every customer call gets answered — even when you’re busy, don’t pick up, or your phone is switched off.

Don’t want to set up call forwarding? You can use the dedicated number SortScape provides as your public business number instead — add it to your Google Business profile, website, or other marketing so customers call your AI Receptionist directly.

This guide covers conditional call forwarding from your existing mobile number. You need to set up three types of conditional forwarding on your mobile phone:

• Forward when no answer — you don’t pick up in time
• Forward when busy — you’re already on another call
• Forward when unreachable — your phone is off or has no signal

Before you begin

1. Find your AI receptionist number

Go to Settings → Quotes & Requests → AI receptionist in SortScape. Your AI answering number is displayed at the top of the page. You’ll need this number for the steps below.

2. Disable voicemail

If voicemail is active on your phone, it may answer the call before it gets forwarded to your AI receptionist. Disable voicemail first, or check your carrier’s voicemail and call forwarding settings:

• Telstra: Disable MessageBank in the My Telstra app, or call 132 200
• Optus: Dial #004# to deactivate voicemail diversions, or call 133 937
• Vodafone: Dial ##002# to cancel existing diversions, or call 1555
• Spark, One NZ, or 2degrees: Check your phone’s call settings or contact your carrier if voicemail answers before the AI receptionist

Set up on Android

Most Android phones let you configure conditional forwarding through the Phone app settings. If these steps don’t match your phone, skip ahead to the Dial codes by carrier section below.

1. Open the Phone app from your home screen
2. Tap the ⋮ menu icon in the top-right corner and select Settings
3. Scroll down to Supplementary services (Samsung) or Calling accounts → your SIM (Pixel / stock Android)
4. Tap Call forwarding
5. For each of the three options — Forward when busy, Forward when unanswered, and Forward when unreachable — enter your AI receptionist number and tap Enable Menu names vary by manufacturer. You can also use dial codes instead — see below.

Set up on iPhone

The iPhone’s built-in Call Forwarding setting (under Settings → Phone) only forwards all calls, which isn’t what you want — you only want to forward missed calls.

Instead, use dial codes. Open the Phone app and dial each code for your carrier from the section below, pressing Call after each one. You’ll see a confirmation message when each code is activated.

Dial codes by carrier

Dial codes work on both Android and iPhone. Open your Phone app, dial each code below, and press Call. Replace [number] with your AI receptionist number.

For Australian numbers, use the local mobile number format, for example 0412345678. For New Zealand numbers, use the full international format, for example +6498877665.

Australia

Telstra (including Boost and Belong)

Important: Disable MessageBank first. Open the My Telstra app (or Boost app) and turn off MessageBank, otherwise voicemail will answer calls before they can be forwarded.

1. Forward when no answer: **61*[number]*10#
2. Forward when busy: **67*[number]#
3. Forward when unreachable: **62*[number]# Cancel all forwarding: ##002#

Optus (including Coles Mobile)

You can set up, remove or check call diversions in the My Optus app and My Account, or directly via your phone:

1. Forward when no answer: *61*[number]#
2. Forward when busy: *67*[number]#
3. Forward when unreachable: *62*[number]# Cancel all forwarding: ##002#

Amaysim

Use the Amaysim app or log into My Amaysim. More information: Caller ID, call forwarding and call waiting.

Vodafone (including TPG and Felix)

The best way to manage call forwarding is through My Vodafone.

You can also manage call forwarding by dialing these numbers:

1. Forward when no answer: *61*[number]#
2. Forward when busy: *67*[number]#
3. Forward when unreachable: *62*[number]# Cancel all forwarding: ##002#

Other Australian carriers

Most Australian mobile carriers use standard GSM codes. Try the Optus/Vodafone codes above — they work on most networks. If they don’t work, contact your carrier and ask them to help set up conditional call forwarding.

New Zealand

Spark

Spark documents these call diversion codes for forwarding when there is no answer, when the phone is busy, or when the phone is off:

1. Forward when no answer: *61*[number]*11#
2. Forward when busy: *67*[number]*11#
3. Forward when unreachable: *62*[number]*11#

One NZ

One NZ documents these mobile call divert codes for forwarding unanswered, busy, and out-of-coverage calls:

1. Forward when no answer: **61*[number]#
2. Forward when busy: **67*[number]#
3. Forward when unreachable: **62*[number]# Cancel all forwarding: ##002#

2degrees

2degrees recommends checking your phone’s Call Settings for diverts. These standard GSM codes may work, but contact 2degrees if they don’t:

1. Forward when no answer: **61*[number]#
2. Forward when busy: **67*[number]#
3. Forward when unreachable: **62*[number]#

Other New Zealand carriers

Many New Zealand mobile networks use standard GSM codes. Try the One NZ / 2degrees codes above. If they don’t work, contact your carrier and ask them to help set up conditional call forwarding.

Test your setup

After setting up forwarding, test each scenario by calling your mobile from a different phone:

1. No answer: Call your mobile and let it ring without picking up. After a few rings, it should forward to your AI receptionist.
2. Busy: While on a call, have someone call your number from another phone. It should forward immediately.
3. Unreachable: Turn your phone to aeroplane mode and call your number. It should forward immediately.

Cancel call forwarding

To remove all call forwarding and return to normal, dial ##002# and press Call. This works on many carriers, including Australian carriers and One NZ. If it does not work, contact your carrier or use your phone’s call forwarding settings.

Troubleshooting

Calls go to voicemail instead of my AI receptionist

Your voicemail is still active and intercepting calls before they can be forwarded. Disable voicemail with your carrier — see the “Before you begin” section above.

Dial code gives an error

• Make sure you’re including your full AI receptionist number in the code
• Check you have mobile signal — dial codes need a network connection to activate
• Some prepaid plans don’t support call forwarding — check with your carrier
• If using Telstra codes, make sure to use ** (double asterisk) at the start
• If using Spark codes, make sure to include *11 before the final #

Only some forwarding types are working

Each forwarding type (no answer, busy, unreachable) needs to be activated separately. Make sure you’ve dialled all three codes.

Forwarding takes too long to kick in

On Telstra, you can adjust how long the phone rings before forwarding by changing the number at the end of the no-answer code. For example, **61*[number]*15# sets a 15-second delay, while **61*[number]*5# forwards after just 5 seconds.