How to forward business calls to another number
Call forwarding sends a call that reaches your number on to another one. It is the simplest way to stop losing calls when you are on a job, in a meeting or closed for the day, and it is already built into your mobile subscription. This guide shows the four kinds of forwarding, the codes that switch them on and off, and what is worth forwarding your calls to.
The four kinds of forwarding
- All calls: your phone never rings; every call goes straight to the other number.
- When you do not answer: your phone rings first, and the call moves on after a number of seconds.
- When you are busy: the call moves on only while you are already on another call.
- When you cannot be reached: the call moves on when your phone is off or has no coverage.
For most small businesses the middle two are the useful ones. You still take the calls you can, and only the ones you would have missed go elsewhere.
The codes most mobile operators use
You type the code on the phone's keypad, as if it were a phone number, and press call. Replace number with the number you forward to. These are the forms printed by Tele2 in Sweden, Telenor in Norway and OiSTER in Denmark, read on 12 October 2026.
| Forward | Switch on | Switch off |
|---|---|---|
| All calls | **21*number# | ##21# |
| No answer | **61*number# | ##61# |
| Busy | **67*number# | ##67# |
| Cannot be reached | **62*number# | ##62# |
| No answer, busy and unreachable together | **004*number# | ##002# |
Some operators print a shorter form with one star and one hash, such as *21*number# and #21#; Telia in Sweden and Telenor in Denmark do. Others do not use codes at all: YouSee in Denmark has you switch forwarding on in its self-service. So check your own operator's help page before you rely on a code. We have written out the operators one by one for Denmark (in Danish), Sweden (in Swedish) and Norway (in Norwegian).
Things that trip people up
- It may cost money. A forwarded call is often billed like a call from your phone to the other number, and some operators charge a monthly fee for forwarding all calls. Your operator's page says which.
- Voicemail gets in the way. With some operators, voicemail has to be switched off before you can forward to a phone number.
- Forwarding stays on. It does not end when you get back to the office. Switch it off with the code in the right-hand column, or with ##002# for everything at once.
- Callers do not know. Whoever answers should say your company's name, or the caller will think they dialled wrong.
What to forward your calls to
Forwarding only moves the call. Somebody still has to answer it. There are three usual choices.
- A colleague. Free and personal, as long as the colleague is not busy too.
- An answering service. People take a message in your company's name, usually in office hours and priced per call.
- An AI phone agent. It answers every forwarded call at once, day and night, answers questions from your own information, books appointments, takes messages and puts the caller through to you when a person is needed.
The third one is what NordTell does. Your agent has its own phone number in NordTell. You forward your calls to it with one of the codes above, and keep the number your customers already know. See how an AI answering service compares with a human one, with prices.
Questions
How do I switch call forwarding off?
Type the switch-off code for the kind you turned on, for example ##21# for all calls, and press call. ##002# switches off every kind at once with the operators that use these codes.
Can I forward calls only when I do not answer?
Yes. That is the "no answer" kind: your phone rings first and the call moves on after a number of seconds. Several operators let you choose the number of seconds, up to 30.
Does call forwarding cost anything?
It depends on your operator and subscription. A forwarded call is often billed like a normal call from your phone to the number you forward to, and some operators add a monthly fee. Check your operator's help page.
Can I forward my calls to an AI that answers them?
Yes. An AI phone agent has its own phone number, so you forward to it like to any other number. NordTell's agent answers in your company's name, says that it is an AI, and passes the call to you when a person is needed.