How to turn on conditional call forwarding with Bell: a step-by-step guide

Conditional call forwarding: a quick refresher

Regular call forwarding sends all your calls somewhere else from the very first ring. Your phone doesn't ring at all. That's handy when you're on vacation, but it's not what most small business owners want day to day: you want your phone to ring, and forwarding to kick in only when you can't answer.

That's exactly what conditional forwarding does. It activates under a specific condition: you don't answer after a few rings, your line is busy, or your phone is off or out of coverage. The forwarding happens in Bell's network, not on your device, which means it works even if your battery is dead.

For your customers, nothing changes. They dial your usual number, the one on your truck, your business cards and your Google listing. You don't have to announce a new number or redo your signage.

• Forward on no answer: your phone rings, then the call is forwarded if nobody picks up.
• Forward on busy: the call is forwarded if you're already on a call or you decline it.
• Forward when unreachable: the call is forwarded if your phone is off, in airplane mode or has no signal.
• Forward all calls: your phone never rings (best avoided for daily use).

Before you start: check your Bell plan

Before dialing any code, take two minutes to look at your plan. According to Bell's support page on mobile call forwarding, if the feature isn't included in your plan, it can be billed pay-per-use at the rate Bell lists (at the time of writing, the page mentions $0.25 per minute). Bell also offers a subscription option. Rates change, so always check the terms on your own account in MyBell or with customer service.

Also think about where the calls are forwarded. If the destination is a long-distance number, long-distance charges may apply. If you have a business plan with unlimited Canada-wide calling, the impact is often minimal, but it's the kind of detail you'd rather confirm upfront than discover on your bill.

Finally, note that Bell sometimes separates two features on mobile: call forwarding (which forwards from the first ring) and a no-answer transfer option. If your menu only offers forwarding of all calls, that's often a sign the no-answer option needs to be added to your plan.

• Is call forwarding included in my plan, or billed per use?
• Is the destination number local or long distance for me?
• Do I have active voicemail that could conflict?
• Is this a Bell mobile phone, a wired business line or a hosted phone system?

On a Bell mobile phone: through the phone menu

The method Bell describes in its support goes through your phone's settings. In the call settings menu, choose Call Forwarding, then the type of calls to forward, and enter the destination number. Bell says a free text message confirms activation. To change the destination number, simply repeat the process: the new number replaces the old one.

On Android, the path usually looks like this: Phone app, three-dot menu, Settings, then Supplementary services or Calling accounts, and finally Call forwarding. You'll often see four separate options: always forward, when busy, when unanswered and when unreachable. Set up the three conditional options and leave always forward turned off.

On iPhone, Settings, Phone, Call Forwarding usually only offers forwarding of all calls. For conditional forwarding, you use keypad codes instead, described in the next section. It isn't harder, just less visible.

On a Bell mobile phone: with keypad codes

Forwarding codes are sequences you type into the Phone app as if you were dialing a number, then press the call button. The codes below are the standard codes for mobile networks (GSM, LTE and 5G). Bell doesn't publish them on its consumer support page, but they generally work on Canadian networks. If a code is rejected, don't keep at it: use the phone menu or call Bell to have the feature turned on.

Replace "number" with the 10-digit destination number, preceded by 1 if needed (for example 15145551234). After each code, you should see a confirmation message on screen.

• Forward on no answer: *61*number#
• Forward when unreachable: *62*number#
• Forward on busy: *67*number#
• Check forwarding status: *#61#, *#62# or *#67#
• Set the delay before forwarding (5 to 30 seconds): **61*number*11*20#
• Erase everything and start over: ##004#

On a Bell wired business line

If your business uses a Bell wired line (the office, clinic or front counter phone), the codes aren't the same as on a mobile. Bell's support page for business phone service describes star codes you dial after picking up the handset, then you wait for two confirmation beeps before hanging up.

According to Bell, forward on busy is only available on certain setups, notably without voicemail or with programmable voicemail. If a code doesn't work on your line, it's probably an account configuration issue: a call to Bell Business support usually sorts it out.

For a residential line or a hosted phone system (such as a cloud business solution), the codes may differ. In that case, rely on your service's guide or ask Bell to confirm the exact codes for your line.

• Forward all calls: *72 then the destination number (cancel with *73)
• Forward on busy: *90 then the destination number (cancel with *91)
• Forward on no answer, after 4 rings according to Bell: *92 then the destination number (cancel with *93)

The number one trap: voicemail

Your Bell voicemail is, technically, a conditional forward too. When you don't answer, the network has to decide where to send the call: to your voicemail box or to the forwarding number you just set. If voicemail "wins", your forwarding never kicks in.

In most cases, setting forward on no answer replaces the voicemail destination. But if, after testing, calls still end up in your voicemail, there are two things to try. First, erase all forwarding with ##004# and re-enter your three codes. Then, if that's not enough, call Bell and ask for voicemail to be removed from the line or for no-answer forwarding to be enabled instead.

Worried about losing important messages? That's a fair concern. In practice, many customers no longer leave voicemail and prefer getting a text they can answer when it suits them. What matters is that every missed call leads somewhere, whatever the format.

Test your forwarding in five minutes

A confirmation message on screen doesn't guarantee everything works. The only real test is a real call. Grab a colleague's phone, a family member's or another line, and run the checks below. It takes less time than a coffee break and saves you from discovering a problem the day a big customer tries to reach you.

If one test fails, redo the setup for that condition only. And if you change plans or phones later, run these tests again: a new SIM card or plan can sometimes reset forwarding.

• Call your business number and let it ring without answering: the call should be forwarded after the delay you chose.
• Call again and decline the call: forward on busy should kick in.
• Put your phone in airplane mode and call: forward when unreachable should kick in.
• Make sure you don't hear your old voicemail greeting.
• Dial *#61# to confirm the stored destination number.

How Alloia uses forwarding to keep the conversation going

Once conditional forwarding is set up, you still need to decide what happens to the forwarded call. That's where Alloia comes in. You forward to the number shown in your Alloia dashboard, and when you can't answer, a text is automatically sent to the person who just called, with a message you wrote in your own words.

For example: "Hi, this is [Your business name]. Sorry I missed your call, I'm with a customer. Could you text me a few words about what you need? I'll get back to you shortly." The customer can reply by text right away, and you pick up the conversation when you have a minute.

Alloia doesn't replace your judgment or the way you talk to your customers. It simply helps you make sure nobody is left without a reply while you do your job. You keep your current number, Bell keeps handling your calls, and you continue the conversation by text when it works for you.

FAQ: conditional call forwarding with Bell

Does forwarding also work with Virgin Plus and Lucky Mobile? These brands use Bell's network and the standard mobile codes generally work, but included features vary by plan. Check with your provider whether call forwarding is included.

Will my customer see that the call is forwarded? Generally, no. The person hears normal rings, then the call is routed. It's seamless for them.

Can I choose how long my phone rings before forwarding? On mobile, the code **61*number*11*seconds# often lets you choose between 5 and 30 seconds, in 5-second steps. On a Bell wired business line, the support page says calls forward after 4 rings.

How do I turn forwarding off? On mobile, ##004# erases all conditional forwarding. On a Bell wired business line, use the matching cancel code (*73, *91 or *93).

Does forwarding cost anything? It depends on your plan. According to Bell, if the feature isn't included, it can be billed per use. Check your account or customer service for the exact terms.