Call divert not working? What to check

First, check the code itself

Divert codes are fiddly and one wrong character makes them fail. The code to send every unanswered call to another number is two stars, 004, a star, the number, then a hash:

**004*07700900123#

Then press the call button, as if you were ringing it. Common slips are leaving off the hash at the end, using one star at the start, putting spaces in the number, or typing it into a text message. It has to go into the dial pad you use for phone calls.

If the phone accepts it you will see a short message saying forwarding has been registered or activated. If it says the request failed, or there was a connection problem, the code reached your network and the network refused it. That points to one of the causes below. The full list of codes is in our guide to divert codes.

Check what is switched on now

You can ask your phone what is currently set. Dial *#61# and press call to see where unanswered calls go. *#67# shows the setting for when you are on another call, and *#62# for when the phone is off or out of signal.

If these show your voicemail number, the divert did not take. If they show the number you wanted, divert is set and the problem is somewhere else, most likely how long the phone rings before it passes the call on.

Your network may not allow it on your tariff

This is the most common reason for a refused code. Call divert is a network feature, and not every network offers it on every plan. Most pay-monthly contracts include it. Some pay-as-you-go and budget SIM-only deals do not, or only allow certain kinds of divert.

Networks change their rules and we cannot keep a reliable list, so the only sure way to find out is to ask. Ring your network or use their online chat and ask two things: whether conditional call forwarding is available on your plan, and what they charge for forwarded calls. Use the words 'conditional call forwarding'; it is the term their staff will recognise.

Sometimes the feature exists but is switched off on your account, and they can turn it on while you wait.

Your voicemail may be answering first

Divert on no answer and voicemail are the same mechanism. Your phone rings for a set time, then the call goes wherever the network has been told to send it. Normally that is voicemail. When you set a divert, it should replace voicemail as the destination.

If callers still reach voicemail, the divert has not replaced it, or your phone has a separate voicemail app that picks up first. Dial ##004# to clear everything, then set the divert again. Some phones with visual voicemail need it switched off in the phone's settings as well.

You can also choose how long the phone rings before the call is passed on. The code is **61*number**20#, where 20 is the number of seconds. It can be 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30. A shorter time means callers wait less; a longer time gives you more chance to pick up.

Phone settings that get in the way

A few things on the handset can cause confusion.

• The call forwarding switch in settings. On many phones the switch in the settings menu forwards every call straight away, without ringing you first. That is a different thing from diverting only the calls you miss. Use the codes for the kind you want.
• Two SIMs. On a dual-SIM phone the code applies to whichever SIM made the request. Make sure you dial it from the line your customers ring.
• Call barring or a blocked number. If your account bars certain calls, a divert to that kind of number can be refused.
• Wi-Fi calling. Occasionally a divert will not register while the phone is on Wi-Fi calling. Turning Wi-Fi off for a minute and trying again on the mobile network sometimes sorts it.

Landlines and internet phone systems

Divert codes on a landline are different from mobile ones and depend on the provider, and some charge for the feature. If your business number is an internet phone system, there is nearly always a forwarding or 'ring then forward' setting in its app or website, which does the same job and is easier to manage than a code.

In both cases your provider's help pages will have the exact steps. Search for their name and 'call forwarding on no answer'.

What forwarded calls cost

When your phone diverts a call, your network treats it as you making a call to the number it was sent to. On many plans that comes out of your inclusive minutes. On others it is charged at a per-minute rate, and numbers beginning 03 or 07 may be treated differently. It is worth asking, because a busy week of diverted calls can add up on the wrong tariff.

If your phone simply can't divert

Sometimes the answer from the network is no, and changing tariff is not worth it. You still have options.

• Give out a different number. Put a second number on your website, your Google Business Profile and your van, and let that number do the forwarding. Calls can ring your mobile first and go elsewhere if you don't answer.
• Move your business number to a provider that forwards. You can usually keep the number.
• Switch tariff or network. If your contract is ending anyway, ask about call forwarding before you choose the next one.

Kallorix works both ways. If divert works on your phone, you keep your own number and dial one code. If it does not, you give out your Kallorix number: it rings your mobile first, you press a key to take the call, and she answers the ones you don't pick up. You find out which suits you during the free week, and nothing is charged until it is working.