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Call Forwarding & After-Hours Coverage

Learn how to forward your existing business phone number to your Voka AI assistant and set up after-hours coverage.

What is Call Forwarding?​

Call forwarding lets you redirect incoming calls from one phone number to another. With Voka AI, you can forward calls from your existing business number to your Voka AI number, so your AI assistant can answer them.

Why Use Call Forwarding?​

Keep Your Existing Number

  • Your customers already know your current phone number
  • No need to update marketing materials, business cards, or website
  • Maintain your established business identity

Flexible Coverage

  • Forward all calls to your AI assistant
  • Forward only after-hours calls
  • Forward when you're busy or unavailable
  • Forward specific types of calls (appointment requests, inquiries)

Common Use Cases​

Scenario 1: Full-Time AI Coverage​

Forward all calls to your Voka AI assistant 24/7.

Best for:

  • Businesses that want complete call automation
  • High call volume businesses
  • Businesses operating across time zones

How it works:

  1. Customers call your existing business number
  2. Calls automatically forward to your Voka AI number
  3. Your AI assistant answers and helps the customer
  4. Important calls can be transferred to you if needed

Scenario 2: After-Hours Coverage Only​

Forward calls to your AI assistant only when you're closed.

Best for:

  • Businesses with regular office hours
  • Businesses that prefer human answers during the day
  • Mixed human + AI coverage model

How it works:

  1. During business hours: Calls go to you or your staff
  2. After hours/weekends: Calls forward to your Voka AI assistant
  3. Your assistant handles after-hours calls, books appointments, takes messages
  4. You review messages and appointments the next morning
Recommended Approach

Many businesses start with after-hours coverage to test their AI assistant, then expand to full-time coverage once comfortable.

Scenario 3: Overflow & Busy Coverage​

Forward calls to your AI assistant when you're on another call or busy.

Best for:

  • Solo practitioners (doctors, lawyers, consultants)
  • Small teams with limited staff
  • Businesses that don't want to miss calls

How it works:

  1. First call: Rings your phone as normal
  2. If busy or no answer: Call forwards to your Voka AI assistant
  3. AI assistant ensures no missed opportunities
  4. Important calls can be taken as soon as you're available

Setting Up Call Forwarding​

Video Tutorial Available

Video ID: VIDEO-PHONE-002 Title: Setting Up Call Forwarding Duration: 4-5 minutes Description: Complete guide to forwarding calls from your existing business number Status: 🔴 Not recorded yet

Step 1: Get Your Voka AI Number​

Before setting up call forwarding, you need your Voka AI phone number:

  1. Log in to your Voka AI dashboard at voice.vokaai.com
  2. Go to Phone Numbers
  3. Find the number you want to use
  4. Copy this number - you'll need it for call forwarding setup
Screenshot Needed

Screenshot ID: FORWARD-001 Filename: FORWARD-001_copy-voka-number.png Description: Phone Numbers page with highlight on copying a Voka AI number for forwarding Status: 🔴 Not started

info

If you don't have a Voka AI number yet, see our Purchasing Guide.

Step 2: Set Up Forwarding (Provider-Specific)​

Call forwarding setup depends on your current phone provider. Choose your provider below:

Option 1: Using Your Mobile Phone Provider​

If you use your cell phone as your business number:

AT&T

Forward All Calls:

  1. Dial *72 on your AT&T phone
  2. Listen for the dial tone
  3. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  4. Wait for confirmation (you may hear a tone or message)
  5. Hang up

Forward When Busy/No Answer:

  1. Dial *71 on your AT&T phone
  2. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  3. Wait for confirmation
  4. Hang up

Turn Off Forwarding:

  • Dial *73 to deactivate

📱 Alternative: Use the AT&T mobile app:

  • Open AT&T app → Settings → Call Forwarding
  • Enter your Voka AI number
  • Select forwarding type (Always, When Busy, etc.)
Verizon

Forward All Calls:

  1. Dial *72 on your Verizon phone
  2. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  3. Press Call
  4. Wait for confirmation tone
  5. Hang up

Forward When Busy/No Answer:

  1. Dial *71 on your Verizon phone
  2. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  3. Wait for confirmation

Turn Off Forwarding:

  • Dial *73

📱 Alternative: Use My Verizon app:

  • My Verizon app → Account → Call Forwarding
  • Toggle on and enter Voka AI number

📞 Or call: 1-800-922-0204 for assistance

T-Mobile

Forward All Calls:

  1. Dial **21* followed by your Voka AI phone number then #
    • Example: **21*5551234567#
  2. Press Call
  3. Wait for confirmation

Forward When Busy:

  1. Dial **67* followed by your Voka AI number then #
  2. Press Call

Forward When Unanswered:

  1. Dial **61* followed by your Voka AI number then #
  2. Press Call

Turn Off All Forwarding:

  • Dial ##21# and press Call

📱 Alternative: T-Mobile app:

  • T-Mobile app → Account → Line settings → Call forwarding
Other Mobile Carriers

Most carriers use similar codes:

Standard Codes:

  • *72 - Forward all calls
  • *71 - Forward when busy/no answer
  • *73 - Turn off forwarding

If those don't work:

  1. Check your carrier's website for call forwarding instructions
  2. Call your carrier's customer service
  3. Ask: "How do I forward calls to another number?"
  4. Provide your Voka AI phone number when ready to set up

Option 2: Using a Landline or VoIP Provider​

Traditional Landline (AT&T, CenturyLink, etc.)

Forward All Calls:

  1. Pick up your landline phone
  2. Listen for dial tone
  3. Dial *72
  4. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  5. Hang up when you hear confirmation

Forward When Busy/No Answer:

  1. Dial *71
  2. Dial your Voka AI phone number
  3. Wait for confirmation

Turn Off:

  • Dial *73
May Incur Charges

Some landline providers charge for call forwarding. Check with your provider.

RingCentral

Using RingCentral App:

  1. Log in to RingCentral admin portal
  2. Go to Phone System → Users
  3. Select your user/number
  4. Click Call Handling & Forwarding
  5. Under Forwarding, select:
    • "Forward all calls" for 24/7 coverage
    • "Forward when busy" for overflow
    • "Custom rules" for after-hours only
  6. Enter your Voka AI phone number
  7. Save

After-Hours Setup:

  1. Go to Business Hours in settings
  2. Define your business hours
  3. Under After Hours, select "Forward to external number"
  4. Enter your Voka AI number
  5. Save
Grasshopper

Using Grasshopper Dashboard:

  1. Log in to Grasshopper
  2. Click Settings → Call Forwarding
  3. Add your Voka AI phone number as a forwarding destination
  4. Set forwarding rules:
    • "Always forward" for 24/7
    • "Business hours only" → set to "After hours forward to [Voka AI]"
  5. Save

Alternative (via phone):

  • Call Grasshopper support: 1-800-820-8210
Google Voice

Using Google Voice Settings:

  1. Go to voice.google.com
  2. Click Settings (gear icon) → Calls
  3. Under Call forwarding, click Add another phone
  4. Enter your Voka AI phone number
  5. Google will call that number to verify - answer with your Voka AI to confirm
  6. Once verified, uncheck all other phones if you want all calls to go to Voka AI
  7. Save

For After-Hours Only:

  1. In Settings → Groups & Filters
  2. Create a custom hours filter
  3. Set "After hours forward to [Voka AI number]"
Vonage (Business)

Using Vonage Admin Portal:

  1. Log in to Vonage admin portal
  2. Go to Extensions or Users
  3. Select the extension/number you want to forward
  4. Click Call Forwarding
  5. Enable call forwarding and enter your Voka AI number
  6. Choose forwarding type:
    • "Always" for 24/7
    • "No Answer" for overflow
    • "Schedule-based" for after-hours
  7. Save
Other VoIP Providers (8x8, Nextiva, Ooma, etc.)

General Steps (works for most VoIP systems):

  1. Log in to your provider's admin portal/dashboard
  2. Look for:
    • "Call Forwarding"
    • "Call Settings"
    • "Forwarding Rules"
    • "Call Routing"
  3. Add your Voka AI phone number as a forwarding destination
  4. Select when to forward (Always, After Hours, When Busy, etc.)
  5. Save changes

If you can't find these settings:

  • Check your provider's help documentation
  • Contact their support team
  • Ask: "How do I forward calls to an external number?"

Setting Up After-Hours Coverage​

After-hours coverage ensures your AI assistant only answers when you're closed. Here's how to set it up:

Method 1: Provider-Based Scheduling​

Most VoIP providers (RingCentral, Grasshopper, Google Voice, etc.) have built-in scheduling:

Steps:

  1. In your provider's admin panel, find Business Hours or Schedule settings
  2. Define your business hours (e.g., Mon-Fri 9am-5pm)
  3. Set After Hours action to "Forward to external number"
  4. Enter your Voka AI phone number
  5. Save

Result:

  • 9am-5pm (Mon-Fri): Calls ring your phone/staff
  • After 5pm, weekends, holidays: Calls forward to Voka AI

Method 2: Manual Forwarding (Mobile/Landline)​

If your provider doesn't support scheduling, use manual forwarding:

Daily Routine:

When leaving for the day:

  1. Dial *72 (or your carrier's forward code)
  2. Dial your Voka AI number
  3. Hang up

When arriving in the morning:

  1. Dial *73 (or deactivation code)
  2. Hang up
Pro Tip

Set a daily reminder on your phone to turn forwarding on/off. Many business owners do this as part of their opening/closing routine.

Method 3: Time-Based Forwarding (Advanced)​

Some carriers offer time-based forwarding features:

AT&T Call Protect:

  • AT&T customers can use the Call Protect app
  • Set scheduled forwarding rules

Verizon Call Filter Plus:

  • Premium feature with call scheduling

T-Mobile Scam Shield:

  • Premium tier includes scheduled call controls

Check with your carrier to see if they offer similar features.

Testing Your Call Forwarding​

After setting up, always test to make sure it works:

Test Checklist​

1. Test Basic Forwarding

  • Call your business number from another phone
  • Verify the call rings your Voka AI number
  • Confirm your AI assistant answers
  • Check that the assistant responds correctly

2. Test After-Hours (if applicable)

  • During business hours: Verify calls ring your phone (not forwarded)
  • After hours: Verify calls forward to Voka AI
  • Check weekend forwarding works

3. Test Special Scenarios

  • Test when your line is busy (if using busy forwarding)
  • Test no-answer forwarding (let it ring without answering)
  • Test from different phone numbers

4. Verify in Dashboard

  • Log in to voice.vokaai.com
  • Go to Call Logs or Analytics
  • Confirm test calls appear
  • Review call recordings if needed
info

Test calls may take a few minutes to appear in your dashboard.

Troubleshooting Call Forwarding​

"Forwarding isn't working - calls still ring my phone"​

Possible causes:

  1. Forwarding not activated - Redial the forwarding code
  2. Wrong number entered - Double-check your Voka AI number
  3. Provider delay - Wait 5-10 minutes and test again
  4. Carrier restrictions - Contact your carrier to enable call forwarding feature

Fix:

  • Turn off forwarding (*73)
  • Wait 2 minutes
  • Re-enable forwarding with correct Voka AI number
  • Test again

"Forwarding works, but AI assistant doesn't answer"​

Possible causes:

  1. AI assistant not activated - Check status in Voka AI dashboard
  2. Phone number not assigned - Verify number is assigned to your assistant
  3. Assistant misconfigured - Review assistant settings

Fix:

  1. Log in to voice.vokaai.com
  2. Go to Phone Numbers
  3. Verify your number is Active and assigned to an assistant
  4. Go to AI Assistants and check status is Active
  5. Make a test call

"After-hours forwarding isn't working correctly"​

Possible causes:

  1. Incorrect time zone - Check your provider's time zone settings
  2. Schedule not saved - Re-save your business hours
  3. Holidays not configured - Some systems need explicit holiday rules

Fix:

  • Log in to your provider's admin panel
  • Verify business hours are correct
  • Check time zone matches your location
  • Save and test during after-hours time

"Callers hear weird message or loop"​

Possible causes:

  1. Circular forwarding - Voka AI number forwarding back to business number
  2. Voicemail conflict - Your voicemail picking up before forward completes

Fix:

  • Make sure Voka AI number is NOT forwarding anywhere else
  • Disable voicemail on your business line (or increase ring time)
  • Contact your carrier to adjust no-answer delay

"Forwarding incurs unexpected charges"​

Possible causes:

  1. Per-minute forwarding fees - Some carriers charge for forwarded calls
  2. Long-distance charges - If Voka AI number is different area code

Fix:

  • Check your carrier's call forwarding pricing
  • Consider porting your number to Voka AI to avoid forwarding fees
  • See Number Porting Guide
Save Money

If call forwarding fees are high, consider porting your existing number to Voka AI. This eliminates forwarding costs entirely!

Advanced Coverage Scenarios​

Scenario: Different Coverage by Call Type​

Some businesses want:

  • Sales calls: Go to AI assistant
  • Support calls: Go to human team
  • After-hours: Go to AI assistant

Solution:

  1. Use separate phone numbers for different purposes
  2. Advertise different numbers for sales vs support
  3. Or use IVR (Interactive Voice Response) menu before forwarding

Scenario: Regional Coverage​

Example: Business with multiple locations

  • NY calls: Forward to NY team during NY business hours
  • LA calls: Forward to LA team during LA business hours
  • After hours (all): Forward to Voka AI assistant

Solution:

  • Use VoIP provider with location-based routing (RingCentral, 8x8, etc.)
  • Set up regional numbers and schedules
  • Configure after-hours to forward all regions to Voka AI

Scenario: Seasonal Coverage​

Example: Tax accountant

  • January-April: Full-time AI coverage (busy season)
  • May-December: After-hours AI coverage only

Solution:

  • Manually adjust forwarding rules seasonally
  • Or use provider's scheduling to define busy season rules

When to Use Voka AI Number Directly vs Forwarding​

Use Forwarding When:​

✅ You want to keep your existing business number ✅ Your number is well-established with customers ✅ You're testing Voka AI before fully committing ✅ You need mixed human + AI coverage

Use Voka AI Number Directly When:​

✅ You're starting a new business ✅ You want to avoid forwarding fees ✅ You're ready for full AI coverage ✅ You can update marketing materials easily

Best Option: Port Your Number​

If you want to use your existing number WITHOUT forwarding fees:

  • Port your number to Voka AI
  • Your existing number becomes your Voka AI number
  • No forwarding needed, no extra costs
  • Customers call the same number they always have

Next Steps​

Now that you've set up call forwarding:

  1. Test your AI assistant - Make sure it handles calls correctly
  2. Review call analytics - Monitor how calls are being handled
  3. Customize your assistant - Fine-tune responses
  4. Set up integrations - Connect booking systems for automated scheduling

Need Help?​

Questions about call forwarding?

Common Help Articles: