Phone Setup & Call Forwarding
Configure conditional call forwarding so missed calls reach Ringback automatically.
Which setup matches your phone system?
Personal Cell Phone
Calls and texts go straight to your own mobile number
Office Phone System (PBX)
Calls route through a front-desk or office phone system
Digital / SIP-Based System
Your phone system runs on a SIP trunk or VoIP provider (Twilio, Telnyx, Bandwidth, etc.)
Personal Cell Phone
Calls and texts go straight to your own mobile number
📝 Step-by-Step
Open Phone app → Settings → Call Forwarding (or dial carrier code directly)
Choose 'Conditional' forwarding: No Answer, Busy, Unreachable
Enter your Ringback number (provided during onboarding)
Save and test: call your number from another phone, let it ring out
Check Ringback dashboard — a demo lead should appear within 2 minutes
📱 Carrier Codes (Dial from Phone App)
Dial these codes directly from your phone keypad. Replace RINGBACK_NUMBER with your Ringback number.
| Carrier | Code | Action | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T | **21*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when busy | *72+12145550199# |
| AT&T | **61*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when no answer | *72+12145550199# |
| AT&T | **62*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when unreachable | *72+12145550199# |
| Verizon | *71RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when busy | *72+12145550199# |
| Verizon | *72RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward all calls | *72+12145550199# |
| Verizon | *73RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Cancel forwarding | *72+12145550199# |
| T-Mobile | **21*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward all calls | *72+12145550199# |
| T-Mobile | **61*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when no answer | *72+12145550199# |
| T-Mobile | **62*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when unreachable | *72+12145550199# |
| T-Mobile | **67*RINGBACK_NUMBER# | Forward when busy | *72+12145550199# |
* To cancel: AT&T/T-Mobile dial ##002# or ##61#/##62#/##67# | Verizon dial *73
💡 Important Notes
- Carrier codes vary — check your carrier's website for exact codes
- Some carriers require calling *72/*73 to activate/deactivate
- Conditional forwarding (no answer/busy/unreachable) is preferred over unconditional
- Your phone still rings normally — only missed calls forward
🔧 Common Issues
Code says 'Invalid MMI code'
Try the code from the Phone app keypad, not contacts. Some carriers need *72 + number + #
Calls still go to voicemail
Disable voicemail or set ring time longer than forward delay (usually 20-30 sec)
Forwarding works but no lead appears
Verify the forward-to number matches your Ringback number exactly (E.164 format)
Office Phone System (PBX)
Calls route through a front-desk or office phone system
📝 Step-by-Step
Identify your PBX hardware/model and trunk provider (SIP, PRI, analog)
For SIP trunks: Configure forwarding in your PBX web admin or via provider portal
For PRI/analog: May need a gateway device (e.g., Grandstream, AudioCodes) to convert to SIP
Set forward condition: 'On No Answer' + 'On Busy' + 'On Failure'
Forward destination: Your Ringback SIP URI or phone number
Test with internal extension and external call
💡 Important Notes
- PBX config varies wildly — Ringback support can join a setup call
- Trunk-level forwarding is more reliable than extension-level
- If using a gateway, configure the gateway's FXO port to forward on no-answer
- Some PBXes (FreePBX, 3CX, Asterisk) have 'Follow Me' or 'Find Me' features — use those
🔧 Common Issues
Calls forward but ring once then disconnect
Increase 'Ring Timeout' in PBX to 30+ seconds before forward triggers
Caller hears dead air
Check codec negotiation (G.711 ulaw/alaw). Ensure gateway answers with 200 OK
Only some calls forward
Verify all trunk groups have forwarding enabled, not just primary
Digital / SIP-Based System
Your phone system runs on a SIP trunk or VoIP provider (Twilio, Telnyx, Bandwidth, etc.)
📝 Step-by-Step
In your VoIP provider portal, locate the SIP trunk or phone number settings
Configure 'Call Forwarding on No Answer' (and Busy/Unavailable)
Set forward-to: Your Ringback SIP URI (e.g., sip:ringback@yourdomain.sip.twilio.com) or PSTN number
If provider requires IP allowlist, add Ringback's IPs (provided on setup call)
Test: Call the number from external phone, let ring out
Verify lead appears in Ringback dashboard
💡 Important Notes
- Most reliable long-term setup — pure digital, no analog conversion
- SIP URI forwarding preferred over PSTN forward (lower latency, better metadata)
- Your VoIP provider may call this 'Sequential Ringing', 'Simultaneous Ring', or 'Call Forwarding'
- Some providers (Twilio, Telnyx) let you set this via API — Ringback can automate if you grant access
🔧 Common Issues
487 Request Terminated on forward
Increase invite timeout on provider side. Ringback answers within 2s.
No caller ID on forwarded call
Enable 'Pass Original Caller ID' or 'Diversion Header' in provider settings
Calls loop back to Ringback
Ensure forward destination is NOT the same number you're forwarding from
✅ Universal Test Checklist
Run this after ANY setup to verify end-to-end flow:
🔧 General Troubleshooting
Forwarding activates but caller hears silence
Ringback answers with 200 OK immediately. Check your firewall/SIP ALG isn't blocking RTP.
Lead created but no SMS sent
Phone number not verified (check Settings → Sequences for green badge). Twilio credentials invalid? Check Settings → Billing.
Multiple leads for same call
Enable webhook idempotency (auto-enabled). Check ring_webhook_event table for duplicates.
Voicemail picks up before forward
Increase ring duration on your carrier/PBX to 30+ seconds. Disable voicemail if possible.
Forward works on cell but not office phone
Different forwarding rules for different endpoints. Check each line/extension config.