What is *71 call forwarding?

It's the North-American star code for conditional call forwarding. Dial `*71 ` from the line you want to forward, and your carrier only routes calls that go busy or unanswered. Your phone still rings normally — you keep the option of picking up directly.

Does *71 work on cell phones?

On Verizon Wireless, yes. On AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile, and other GSM carriers, no — they use `**61* #` instead. If *71 doesn't take on your wireless phone, you're on a GSM carrier.

How long does the phone ring before *71 forwards the call?

About 25 seconds on most carriers — roughly four rings. Some carriers let you change this in the web portal, but star-code-set forwarding uses the carrier default.

How do I cancel *71 forwarding?

Dial `*73` from the same line. Wait for the confirmation tone, then hang up. If forwarding still seems active, check your carrier's web portal — some VoIP and Fios plans need cancellation there.

Can I set both *71 and *72 at once?

On most carriers, yes — they're separate settings. But *72 (unconditional) takes priority: if both are active, every call gets routed immediately and *71's conditional rule never gets a chance. Pick one and stick with it.

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*71 call forwarding — what it does and how to use it

The classic conditional-forward star code. Routes only the calls you'd otherwise miss — keep answering the rest yourself.

*71 is the North-American star code for conditional call forwarding — it only routes an incoming call to a destination number when your line is busy, doesn't answer in about four rings, or is unreachable. Your phone still rings normally; you keep the option of answering directly. It's the right pick for almost every small business pairing carrier forwarding with an answering service or AI receptionist.

What *71 actually does

When you dial *71 followed by a destination number, your carrier's switch records: "forward this line ONLY when busy or unanswered." Your phone rings normally for every incoming call. If you pick up — caller goes straight to you. If you don't (line busy, four rings unanswered, phone off) — the carrier hands the call off to the destination number.

It's conditional because the carrier checks before routing. That's the opposite of *72, which forwards every call immediately whether you can answer or not.

Full sequence on most carriers: 1. Pick up the phone whose number you want to forward. 2. Dial *71 followed by the destination, no spaces or dashes (e.g. *7118005551234). 3. Press send. 4. Wait for the confirmation tone — a stutter dial tone or three short beeps. 5. Hang up.

Forwarding stays active until you cancel with *73.

Which carriers use *71

**Carriers that use *71:** Verizon (landline, Fios, wireless), Spectrum, Cox, Frontier, CenturyLink, AT&T landline, Bell (CA), Telus (CA), Comcast Xfinity Voice, most other North-American copper / cable VoIP providers.

**Carriers that DON'T use *71: GSM wireless carriers — AT&T wireless, T-Mobile, Rogers, Freedom Mobile, and most international wireless networks. These use the USSD code `61*<number>#` instead — same conditional behavior, different syntax.

Google Voice doesn't use star codes — manage conditional forwarding from voice.google.com → Settings → Calls → Call forwarding.

71 vs 72 — which one?

Use *71 when you want your phone to still ring, and only have busy / unanswered calls roll over. Day-to-day operation for most small businesses lands here.

Use *72 when you want every call routed away from your phone — vacation, off-hours handoff, deep-work block. Phone stays silent.

Quick rule: if you want a safety net, use *71. If you want a full handoff, use *72.

Cancelling *71

Dial ***73** from the same line that has forwarding active. Same confirmation tone, then forwarding stops. If you'd set both *71 and *72 at different times, *73 clears whichever is active. If forwarding persists after *73, check your carrier's web portal — some Fios and VoIP plans pin the setting there.

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FAQ

What is *71 call forwarding?: It's the North-American star code for conditional call forwarding. Dial *71<destination-number> from the line you want to forward, and your carrier only routes calls that go busy or unanswered. Your phone still rings normally — you keep the option of picking up directly.
Does *71 work on cell phones?: On Verizon Wireless, yes. On AT&T Wireless, T-Mobile, and other GSM carriers, no — they use **61*<destination-number># instead. If *71 doesn't take on your wireless phone, you're on a GSM carrier.
How long does the phone ring before *71 forwards the call?: About 25 seconds on most carriers — roughly four rings. Some carriers let you change this in the web portal, but star-code-set forwarding uses the carrier default.
How do I cancel *71 forwarding?: Dial *73 from the same line. Wait for the confirmation tone, then hang up. If forwarding still seems active, check your carrier's web portal — some VoIP and Fios plans need cancellation there.
Can I set both *71 and *72 at once?: On most carriers, yes — they're separate settings. But *72 (unconditional) takes priority: if both are active, every call gets routed immediately and *71's conditional rule never gets a chance. Pick one and stick with it.

Forward your line to an AI that books

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