Have you ever missed an important call because you left your iPhone behind? Or do you ever wish you could keep work calls from interrupting dinners with family?
If so, we‘re going to become fast friends in this post. Because today, I‘m going to show you how iPhone call forwarding can solve these problems and ensure you never miss key calls again.
I have over 10 years experience in the telecom industry helping large enterprises manage iPhone fleets. So by the end, you’ll have insider tips that even long-time iPhone users don’t know.
First, let’s quickly cover what call forwarding actually is and how the magic happens behind the scenes when enabling it on your iPhone…
What is Call Forwarding and How Does it Work?
At a basic level, call forwarding simply reroutes calls from your regular iPhone number to an alternate number you choose.
But how do the signals get redirected before the call reaches your phone?
To understand this, we need to look at the role of the Mobile Switch Center (MSC). This is the telecom core network that controls routing calls between devices and other networks.
When you enable call forwarding, the MSC identifies your iPhone‘s unique ID and designated forward-to number. It stores this in a database lookup table.
Now when new calls hit your MSC seeking your iPhone, it checks the table and bounces them instantly to the forwarded number instead of your regular SIM.
From there, calls follow typical routing to reach the new destination. This all happens in milliseconds without you having to do a thing besides setup the forwarding initially.
It may help to visualize the high-level network architecture:
With this foundation of what powers call forwarding on iPhones, let’s walk through the steps to control it…
Activating Call Forwarding on Your iPhone
The iPhone makes light work of setting up call forwarding. We simply use preset dial pad codes to enable and disable it.
Let‘s begin by forwarding all calls automatically:
- Open the Phone app and select the keypad
- Dial *72 (this code means redirect all calls)
- Enter the 10-digit phone number to forward calls to
- Tap the green Call button
- Listen for a series of confirmation tones
And we‘re done! Now all your iPhone calls forward to your designated number until you disable it.
Pro Tip: You can input a voicemail access number instead of a phone number to forward to voicemail.
If you only want to forward calls when you are on another call or don‘t answer, use this dial code instead:
- Dial *71 on your iPhone keypad
- Enter the 10-digit forwarding number
- Tap Call
- Listen for the confirmation tone
Now calls only forward when your phone is busy, protecting you from missing important calls when you’re available.
Controlling Dual SIM Call Forwarding
For dual SIM models, you can configure separate call forwarding for each line (and even set different forwarding numbers if desired).
To do this:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Cellular
- Select a SIM
- Scroll down and tap Call Forwarding
- Choose a Forwarding type (Always Forward, Forward When Busy, etc)
- Enter the forwarding number
- Enable slider
Repeat for your second SIM if desired.
Pro Tip: Give each SIM a unique label like “Work” and “Personal” to easily tell them apart in Cellular settings.
When to Stop iPhone Call Forwarding
Once call forwarding has served its purpose and you want calls to resume ringing on your regular iPhone, turning it off is easy:
- Open Phone app
- Dial *73 to disable call forwarding
- Tap the green Call button
- Listen for confirmation tones
And with that, all calls immediately resume coming to you instead of forwarding.
Troubleshooting Call Forwarding
Occasionally issues can arise like delays in enabling/disabling call forwarding or conflicts between settings for dual SIMs.
Here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Wait approximately 5 minutes after entering codes to allow the MSC update
- Disable call forwarding for both SIMs before making changes
- Toggle Airplane mode briefly to force a fresh network registration
- Contact carrier support to confirm your account‘s forwarding status
Following these guides work reliably in most scenarios. But some advanced use cases may benefit from third party solutions…
When iPhone Limitations Demand 3rd Party Apps
The iPhone‘s native call forwarding features meet most basic needs. But power users sometimes require more customization.
Third party apps offer perks like:
- Forwarding calls simultaneously to multiple numbers
- Unique ring tones for different forwarded contacts
- Conditional forwarding based on time-of-day, call type, etc
- Dashboard for easy forwarding status checks and changes
Popular options recommended by telecom administrators include:
| Native iPhone Forwarding | Ultra Call Forwarding | RingCentral |
|---|---|---|
| Basic forwarding features | Forward to multiple numbers | Range of pricing plans |
| Limited configuration | Unique contact ring tones | Call analytics reporting |
| No conditional logic | Time-based forwarding | Team messaging & file sharing |
| $0 monthly cost | 30-day free trial | Integrates with business apps |
So while the iPhone provides convenient built-in tools, expanded capabilities are around the corner if ever needed.
Now let‘s recap the key takeaways…
Let‘s Recap Key Learning
In this guide you learned:
- What call forwarding is and how networks route forwarded iPhone calls
- When to use it to never miss calls, organize work/life, limit distractions
- How to start forwarding calls with simple USSD dial pad codes
- Steps to stop forwarding and troubleshoot issues
- 3rd party apps for advanced custom call routing
Hopefully now you feel 100% confident controlling call forwarding on your iPhone!
Let me know if any other questions come up. I‘m happy to help friends master their iPhones to improve their lives.
Speak soon,
[Your Name]
