Call forwarding: keep your number when you connect an AI receptionist
To connect an AI receptionist you don’t have to change your number: your customers dial the same one, and your carrier forwards the call to the agent’s number. This guide records what Bell, Vidéotron and Rogers publish about call forwarding as of October 14, 2026: forwarding types, codes and fees. Telus could not be checked.
Published
In brief
- Customers still dial your published number; only the forwarding changes
- Conditional forwarding rings your phone first, while unconditional forwarding does not
- Codes and fees come from the carrier and vary from one line to another
- A test call and a voicemail check finish the setup
Why forward calls instead of getting a new number?
Your number is everywhere: on the truck door, on your Google listing, on invoices, in your customers’ phone contacts. Changing it to connect a voice agent loses calls. Call forwarding avoids that choice: the caller dials your number, your carrier redirects the call to the agent’s number, and the caller sees nothing of the maneuver. It is the method described in the conditional call forwarding term, and the one used by ATOM Assistant’s AI receptionist.
The agent has its own number. A number bought for it adds $5 a month, whatever the plan; a number you port or already own is not billed. See the pricing.
Unconditional or conditional forwarding: which to choose?
| Forwarding type | What happens | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Unconditional | Every call goes to the agent; your phone does not ring | Closing time, vacations, a line reserved for the agent |
| No answer | Your phone rings first; the agent takes the call if nobody picks up | Business hours, when the team is sometimes busy |
| Line busy | The agent takes the call when you are already on another one | One-desk business, workshop, job site |
| Unreachable | The agent takes the call when the device is off or out of coverage | Work cell phone, travel |
A simple setup: no-answer and busy-line forwarding during business hours, then unconditional forwarding outside those hours. Each carrier names these types its own way. Bell speaks of automatic forwarding and no-answer transfer; Rogers, of unconditional, busy-line, no-answer and unreachable forwarding.
What do Bell, Vidéotron, Rogers and Telus publish about call forwarding?
Checked on October 14, 2026 on each carrier’s support pages (links in the sources). “Not published on the page” means the page consulted does not give the information.
| Carrier | Mobile line | Home or business phone | Published fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bell | Forwarding setting in the phone’s call settings, for all calls or only unanswered ones; no dialing code published on the page | *72 to turn on (1172 on a rotary phone), *73 to turn off (1173); with a Home Hub 3000 modem, *72 then the number followed by # | Mobile: option added to the plan for a monthly fee (amount not published on the page) or $0.25 a minute pay-per-use. Home phone: feature added to the monthly options (amount not published on the page) |
| Vidéotron | “Always forward” setting in the call settings; VoLTE-compatible device and SIM card; Canadian or U.S. number only | Home: *72 to turn on, *73 to turn off, subscription required. Business: *72, included with the Optimal Business Line or as a paid option | Mobile: $0.75 a minute for each forwarded call that is answered or reaches voicemail, unless the option is on the plan; the “Call Forwarding” option is listed at $5 a month. Home: optional services fees (amount not published on the page) |
| Rogers | *21*number# (all calls), *67*number# (line busy), *61*number# (no answer), *62*number# (unreachable); conditional forwarding does not work when voicemail is activated | *72 to turn on and *73 to turn off (all calls), *90 and *91 (line busy), *92 and *93 (no answer, after four rings); Canadian or U.S. number only | Most mobile plans include Canada-wide calling, which also applies to forwarding; otherwise, long distance depends on the local calling area, with airtime or roaming charges on top. Home: usual long distance outside the local calling area. Amounts not published on these pages |
| Telus | Not checked: Telus’s site refused automated access (HTTP 403) | Not checked: Telus’s site refused automated access (HTTP 403) | Not checked: Telus’s site refused automated access (HTTP 403) |
How do you turn on forwarding on a cell phone?
Setup in five steps
- 1Note the agent’s numberIt is the forwarding destination: ten digits, with the area code.
- 2Choose the forwarding typeNo answer and line busy for business hours, unconditional for closing time, as in the first table.
- 3Turn it on with your carrierIn the phone’s call settings, or with the carrier’s code when it publishes one, for example *61*number# at Rogers for no-answer forwarding.
- 4Make a test callFrom another phone, call your published number. Let it ring, or keep the line busy, depending on the type chosen, and check that the agent answers in your business’s name.
- 5Check voicemailMake sure the carrier’s voicemail does not pick up before the agent. If needed, turn it off, as the next section explains.
What happens to the carrier’s voicemail?
This is the most common trap. At Rogers, conditional forwarding on a mobile phone does not work when voicemail is activated. On the home line, the *90 and *92 codes only turn on message-taking as long as you subscribe to voicemail: to forward, you must unsubscribe from it. Vidéotron states that if the voicemail number appears in the forwarding setup window, you must put it back at the end of the forwarding period so calls reach your voicemail. Bell says that the “Deactivate All” option restores voicemail after forwarding.
How much does call forwarding cost?
Two costs, not to be confused. The carrier’s, listed above: $0.25 a minute pay-per-use at Bell for a cell phone, $0.75 a minute at Vidéotron without the option, or nothing beyond the plan at Rogers when Canada-wide calling is included. The agent’s: a forwarded call uses its minutes, that is 600 to 2,000 included minutes a month depending on the plan ($179 to $499 a month), then $0.25 a minute beyond. See the pricing and the guide How much does an AI voice agent cost in Quebec?.
Which traps should you avoid?
- Forwarding to a long distance number: Bell, Vidéotron and Rogers bill long distance when the forwarding number is outside the local calling area
- A transfer loop: if the agent transfers a call to your published number, forwarding sends it back to the agent. Give it another transfer number, such as your direct cell phone
- A forgotten forwarding: unconditional forwarding silences your phone. Note how to turn it off, for example *73 on a Bell, Vidéotron or Rogers home line
- An incompatible device: Vidéotron requires a VoLTE-compatible device and SIM card to turn on or change forwarding
- A destination outside Canada and the United States: Vidéotron (mobile) and Rogers (home) limit forwarding to Canadian or U.S. numbers
When should you port your number instead of forwarding it?
Forwarding leaves the number with your carrier, which keeps billing the line. Porting moves the number itself to another provider. ATOM Assistant does not bill a number you port or already own. Porting conditions depend on the current carrier, and we do not publish the details here. For the missed calls that forwarding lets you recover, see the guide Missed calls: what do they really cost a small business?.
Check before you turn it on
This information comes from the carriers’ public pages as of October 14, 2026 and may change. Confirm the codes and fees with your carrier before turning on forwarding.
Sources
- Bell, How to use Call Forwarding on my mobile phone, accessed October 14, 2026
- Bell, How to use Call Forwarding on my Bell Home phone, accessed October 14, 2026
- Vidéotron, Call Forwarding on mobile, accessed October 14, 2026
- Vidéotron, Call Forwarding mobile option, accessed October 14, 2026
- Vidéotron, Home Phone call management add-ons and star codes, accessed October 14, 2026
- Vidéotron Business, Star codes, accessed October 14, 2026
- Rogers, Use Call Forwarding (mobile), accessed October 14, 2026
- Rogers, Long Distance, Local Calling Areas & Call Forwarding, accessed October 14, 2026
- Rogers, Call Forwarding on Home Phone, accessed October 14, 2026
- Rogers, Forward calls when there’s no answer (Home Phone), accessed October 14, 2026
- Telus, support centre (automated access refused, HTTP 403), attempted October 14, 2026
Frequently asked questions
Will my customers see a different number?
No. They dial your published number, and the carrier redirects the call to the agent without the caller having to do anything.
Is call forwarding free?
It depends on the carrier and the line. As of October 14, 2026, Bell publishes $0.25 a minute pay-per-use on a cell phone, Vidéotron $0.75 a minute without the option and $5 a month with it, and Rogers includes forwarding in the Canada-wide calling of most of its mobile plans. Confirm with your carrier.
Which forwarding type should I choose for an AI receptionist?
No-answer forwarding, with busy-line forwarding, during business hours lets your team answer first. Unconditional forwarding suits the hours outside that, or a case where the agent must take every call.
What if my carrier is Telus?
We could not record Telus’s procedure: its site refused automated access on October 14, 2026. Check its support pages or customer service for its forwarding types, codes and fees.
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