A Live Answer’s Call Forwarding Instructions
Basic Call Forwarding Instructions (Applicable to Most areas)
To activate:
Dial *72
1. Listen for dial tone.
2. Call your toll free forwarding number here at the answering service.
3. You will hear two short tones followed by a normal ring.
When the called number answers Call Forwarding is established.
To deactivate:
1. Press *73
2. Listen for two beeps and a dial tone.
Call forwarding is a service that allows you to “forward” your incoming calls to any other telephone number. Primarily you would be forwarding your calls to the Answering Service.
The most common “call forwarding” option is known as variable call forwarding.
There are more “call forwarding” options available in most areas to make using call forwarding more accessible and flexible. The most useful addition is
“Remote Call Forwarding. This service will allow you to set up your call forwarding service from any location using a Touch-Tone telephone. This means you will not have to physically be in your office to be able to forward, or un-forward your calls.
Remote access to call forwarding may carry an additional monthly charge from the phone company. Please contact your local service phone company to sign up. After signing up you will be given the remote access number to call and (usually) a PIN number or security code. You will need both of these to access the call forwarding feature.
Other common features that work independently of call forwarding are known as Call Forwarding Busy Line and Call Forwarding No Answer. Call Forwarding Busy Line lets you forward your calls to a pre-programmed number whenever your phone line is busy. You can use this service with regular call forwarding, but when regular call forwarding is activated, call forwarding busy line will be deactivated. The pre-programmed number you designate is pre-set and cannot be changed at will. You may only change the number by calling the phone company and requesting that the number be changed. This sometimes can take up to 24 hours. Call Forwarding No Answer forwards your calls to a pre-programmed number whenever you do not answer your phone after a set number of rings, which is pre-programmed between two and seven rings. You can have this service in conjunction with regular call forwarding, but when call forwarding is in effect, call forwarding no answer is not in effect. You can NOT combine this service with voicemail service. You can NOT change the forwarding number or the number of rings to wait at will. You may only change the number by calling the phone company and requesting that the number be changed. This sometimes can take up to 24 hours. Call forwarding, call forwarding busy line, and call forwarding no answer are available in most areas. Each carries an additional monthly charge, though call forwarding busy line and no answer are free in a few areas. Remote access to call forwarding is only available in some areas, and carries a monthly charge in addition to call forwarding, so contact your phone company for availability, to find the access number, or to receive your PIN (security code).
Call Forwarding Troubleshooting
Problem: You try multiple times to call forward your lines, but calls are still ringing through to you.
Solution: Occasionally the forwarding will not take due problems with a the phone company or misdialing the command. Simply remove any programming by dialing *73. Then try forwarding your phones again.
Problem: When you try to forward a line or when deactivating call forwarding, you hear a fast busy tone.
Solution: This tone usually indicates that the feature you are trying to use is already enabled. Hang up the phone and use the opposite command. For example, you try to forward your phones and hear a fast busy. This indicates the line may already be forwarded. Use the 73# command to deactivate the forwarding, hang up the phone and start the call forwarding process again.
Problem: You want to verify that the forwarding is activated and ringing at the correct number.
Solution: After forwarding your telephone line to A Live Answer, pick up another line and dial your business number. You should hear one ring on your office phone and then the line will be successfully call forwarded.
AT&T – call forwarding instructions
Qwest - call forwarding instructions
Verizon – call forwarding instructions
