Verizon Business Phone Call Forwarding: How to Set It Up

Call forwarding sends incoming calls from your Verizon business number to another number you choose, such as a cell phone, a coworker's line, or an answering service. Your customers keep dialing the same public number, so you don't have to reprint cards or update listings.

Forwarding applies to calls only. Text messages sent to your Verizon mobile number stay on the phone and are not forwarded. On mobile lines, forwarding setup must be done from the phone itself while it is in Verizon coverage.

• Your public business number stays the same for callers.
• Calls are redirected; texts are not.
• Setup happens from your phone, not a remote location.
• Charges depend on your plan, so check before activating.

Verizon's business landline guide uses a simple two-code system. To turn on all-call forwarding, pick up the business line and dial *72, then follow the activation instructions you hear. To turn forwarding off, dial *73 from that same line.

This guide covers all-call forwarding, meaning every incoming call is redirected as soon as it arrives. It does not describe separate busy or no-answer forwarding for landlines, so if you need those variants, confirm what your specific Verizon business product supports before relying on any code.

• Activate: dial *72 from the business line and follow the instructions.
• Deactivate: dial *73 from the same line.
• These codes apply to the landline product, not Verizon wireless service.

If your business line is a Verizon mobile line, the codes work a little differently. Dial *72 followed immediately by the 10-digit destination number to forward all calls. Dial *71 followed by the destination to forward only calls that go unanswered. Dial *73 to turn forwarding off.

Do the setup from the mobile phone itself while it has Verizon coverage. Remember that only calls move to the destination; text messages to that number stay with the phone.

• All calls: dial *72 plus the 10-digit destination.
• Unanswered calls only: dial *71 plus the 10-digit destination.
• Turn off: dial *73.
• Activate from the phone while in Verizon coverage.

Verizon sells several business phone products, and the right steps depend on which one you have. The landline *72/*73 guide and the mobile *72/*71/*73 codes are the two documented options here. If your line came through a bundled or hosted business package, the activation method may differ, so identify the exact service on your bill or account before dialing.

Also decide what kind of forwarding you want. Forwarding every call means your original line stops ringing entirely. Forwarding only unanswered calls lets you answer when you're available and sends the rest elsewhere. Both are common choices for owners who handle their own phones.

• Identify your exact Verizon service from your bill or account.
• Choose all-call or unanswered-only forwarding based on how you work.
• Confirm any forwarding charges with your plan.
• Test by placing a call from a different phone after activating.

Many owners forward their Verizon business number to an answering service so calls are handled when they can't pick up. AllDayDesk answers calls around the clock using the business information you save, and you keep your public Verizon number by forwarding calls to it. Setup starts by choosing your business or entering its website, checking the details, hearing a personalized sample, and then choosing phone setup with the forwarding instructions for your service.

Once forwarded, calls, transcripts, summaries, and bookings show up in your dashboard. New appointments go on the built-in AllDayDesk calendar by default once you've configured services and availability, and an optional Google Calendar connection is available in Settings after you connect and authorize your account. If a caller asks something AllDayDesk doesn't know, like a price or an open slot, it takes a message instead of guessing. Changes to existing appointments are passed to you as requests, not confirmed changes.

• You keep your Verizon number; callers notice no change.
• Forwarding instructions depend on whether your line is landline or mobile.
• The sample call is a demo and creates no real booking.
• Transfers to you require you to configure a destination and rules.