If your business number is your cell, you turn on conditional call forwarding. Your phone still rings first. Only calls you do not answer, or that come in while you are busy or out of signal, go to your TextbackFast number, and the caller gets a text in seconds.
The numbers behind missed calls
Sources: 411 Locals study; CallRail 2025 survey.
Before you start
- Have your TextbackFast number handy.It is on your welcome page and your dashboard.
- Dial from the phone app.Dial the codes below on the cell you want to forward, like a normal call. Wait for the confirmation tone or message, then hang up.
- Use conditional forwarding.No answer, busy, unreachable. Do not use "forward all calls", or your phone will never ring.
- It replaces carrier voicemail for those calls.TextbackFast takes the call and texts the caller instead.
AT&T
AT&T lets you manage forwarding only from the phone itself, not online (AT&T support). Dial each code on its own, replacing 5551234567 with your 10-digit TextbackFast number:
| When | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| No answer | *61*5551234567# | ##61# |
| Busy | *67*5551234567# | ##67# |
| Unreachable | *62*5551234567# | ##62# |
These match the codes Google lists for AT&T conditional forwarding (Google Voice help).
Verizon
Verizon uses one code for calls you do not answer (Verizon support):
| When | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| No answer or busy | *715551234567 | *73 |
Do not use *72. That forwards every call, and your phone will not ring. Verizon says forwarding must be set up from the phone, the number must be a 10-digit US number, and forwarded minutes count like normal calls if your plan is not unlimited.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile lists these short codes (T-Mobile short codes). Use 1 plus your 10-digit number:
| When | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| No answer | **61*15551234567# | ##61# |
| Busy | **67*15551234567# | ##67# |
| Unreachable | **62*15551234567# | ##62# |
| Reset all | – | ##004# |
Optional: T-Mobile lets you set how long your phone rings before forwarding, 5 to 30 seconds. For 20 seconds: **61*15551234567**20#.
Hear it for yourself
Call our demo line, let it ring, and get a text back in seconds.
Other carriers
Prepaid brands and resellers that run on these networks often use the same codes, but some plans do not support conditional forwarding at all. Google notes the same thing in its help (Google Voice help). If a code fails, ask your carrier for its "conditional call forwarding" or "no answer/busy transfer" codes.
iPhone notes
- Enter the codes on the Phone app keypad and tap Call.
- The Call Forwarding switch in Settings > Apps > Phone forwards all calls. Leave it off for TextbackFast.
- iPhone has no menu for no-answer forwarding on most US carriers, so the codes above are the way to do it.
Android notes
- Dial the codes on the Phone app keypad and tap Call. This works on any Android phone.
- Many Android phones also offer this in the Phone app: Settings > Calling accounts > Call forwarding. Set When unanswered, When busy and When unreachable to your TextbackFast number, and leave Always forward off (AT&T device support). Menu names vary by phone maker.
Test it
- Call your cell from another phone.Let it ring out, or decline the call.
- Check for the text.The caller should get your TextbackFast text within seconds.
- No text?Dial the turn-off code, then set it up again carefully. One wrong digit is the most common problem.
Questions, answered.
Will my phone still ring?
Yes. Conditional forwarding only sends calls you do not answer, calls that come in while you are on another call, and calls when your phone is off or out of signal.
Does forwarding cost extra?
Usually not on unlimited plans. Verizon notes forwarded calls use plan minutes if your plan is not unlimited. Check your plan with your carrier.
How do I turn it off?
Use your carrier's turn-off code: ##61#, ##67# and ##62# on AT&T and T-Mobile (or ##004# on T-Mobile), or *73 on Verizon.