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Fix call forwarding issues

Fix call forwarding issues when calls to your primary number aren’t reaching the Beside app. Learn how to troubleshoot carrier and device settings (iPhone and Android).

Written by Livie
Updated today

Call forwarding is a carrier feature that redirects calls made to your primary phone number to your Beside app, so calls are handled inside the Beside mobile app with all the benefits of the AI Receptionist, call recording, transcripts, and summaries.

❗ Important note

  • Call forwarding is managed by your mobile carrier, not by Beside.

  • We can't activate, deactivate, reset, or override it for you.

  • If calls to your primary number ring on your device's native phone app and aren't being routed to your Beside app, the issue almost always comes from the carrier-side forwarding setup.

This guide walks you through the checks that fix most issues ⬇️

📌 iPhone users: The Beside app now includes a built-in diagnostic when call forwarding verification fails. The app will ask whether your phone rang during the test call, guide you through checking your carrier's forwarding status (using the *#21# dial code), and help you troubleshoot directly from the setup flow. Try the in-app diagnostic first before following the manual steps below.

I. Confirm whether Call Forwarding really is active

Step 1 - Test it with another phone

Call your primary number from a different device:

  • If the call rings on your native phone app - call forwarding is NOT active ❌

  • If the call rings inside the Beside app - forwarding is active and working ✅

Step 2 - Check forwarding settings inside Beside

Follow the steps that match your device and plan.

iPhone

👤 Starter plan

  1. Open Beside - go to Settings

  2. Under Phone - tap Call Forwarding

  3. Toggle Call Forwarding ON / OFF

👥 Business plan

If you have multiple lines, make sure you select the Beside line you're forwarding calls to.

  1. Open Beside - go to Settings

  2. Under Phone Numbers - tap the line you're forwarding your primary number to.

  3. Under Phone - tap Call Forwarding

  4. Toggle Call Forwarding ON / OFF

Android

👤 Starter plan

  1. Open Beside - go to Settings

  2. Under Phone - tap Call Forwarding

  3. Toggle Call Forwarding ON / OFF

👥 Business plan

  1. Open Beside - go to Settings

  2. Under Phone Numbers - tap the line you're forwarding your primary number to.

  3. Under Phone - tap Call Forwarding

  4. Toggle Call Forwarding ON / OFF

Step 3 - Check your phone's Call Forwarding settings

Follow the steps that match your device.

iPhone

Native iPhone settings (available for some carriers only)

  1. Open iPhone Settings

  2. Scroll down to Apps

  3. Search Phone

  4. Scroll to the Calls - tap Call Forwarding (if available)

  5. Toggle ON / OFF

  6. If enabling, tap Forward to - enter your Beside number

ℹ️ If you don't see Call Forwarding here, your carrier requires another method. Keep reading or contact your carrier.

📖 Apple's guide: Set up call forwarding on iPhone

Android

  1. Launch the native Phone app

  2. Tap the ⋮ menu - tap Settings

  3. Scroll down to Supplementary Services - Call Forwarding

  4. If enabling, select Always forward. Beside supports unconditional forwarding only.

  5. Enter your Beside number - tap Enable

📖 Samsung guide: How do I enable Forward Calling on my Samsung Phone?

📌 Call Forwarding settings unavailable?

  • On many iOS and Android devices, Call Forwarding settings depend on your carrier.

  • If you don't see a Call Forwarding option in your device's settings, your carrier requires a different method to enable or disable forwarding.

  • In that case, follow Step 4 (carrier dial codes) below or contact your carrier directly.

Step 3b - Check forwarding status with your carrier (iPhone)

On iPhone with Beside iOS 2.8.0+, if the in-app verification fails, the app may guide you to check your carrier's forwarding status directly. You can also do this manually:

  1. Open your phone's native dialer (not Beside)

  2. Dial *#21# and press Call

  3. Your carrier will display the current call forwarding status on screen

This confirms whether forwarding is active from your carrier's side, regardless of what the Beside app shows.

Step 4 - Use carrier dial codes to enable Call Forwarding

If Call Forwarding settings don't appear in your phone settings:

  • Open your native dialer (not the Beside app)

  • Dial your specific carrier's code (see table below)

  • Followed by your 10-digit Beside number

  • End with # - press Call

    e.g., *21*BESIDENUMBER# = *21*123456789#

📍 If your number is provided by a VoIP service (Google Voice, Zoom, OpenPhone, etc.), carrier dial codes will not work. You must configure call forwarding directly inside your provider's app or admin dashboard.

United States: Carrier dial codes

Carrier / Network

Enable call forwarding

Disable call forwarding

Verizon Wireless
Visible
Xfinity Mobile
Spectrum Mobile US Mobile Optimum Mobile US Cellular
Boost Mobile

*72 + BESIDE_NUMBER

*73

AT&T
Cricket

*21*BESIDE_NUMBER#

#21#

T-Mobile US
Metro by T-Mobile
Mint Mobile

**21*BESIDE_NUMBER#

##21#

Canada: Carrier dial codes

Canadian mobile carriers use the same call forwarding codes.

  • Enable call forwarding: *21*BESIDE_NUMBER#

  • Disable call forwarding: ##21#

Using an online phone service (VoIP number)

If your primary number is provided by an online phone service instead of a mobile carrier:

  • Carrier dial codes will not work

  • Mobile device settings usually do not control forwarding

  • Call forwarding must be managed inside your VoIP provider's app or admin dashboard

Common VoIP providers include: Google Voice, Zoom, OpenPhone, RingCentral, Vonage, Dialpad, Ooma, Grasshopper, Nextiva, Twilio.

⚠️ Google Voice: Call forwarding from Google Voice has limited support and may be unreliable. For a more reliable experience, consider porting your Google Voice number to Beside instead.

📖 Port your Google Voice number to Beside

If you're unsure whether your number is VoIP, contact your provider directly.

II. Additional checks

1. Restart your phone

A restart can help refresh your network connection and forwarding state.

2. Toggle call forwarding off, then back on

If call forwarding looks active but doesn't behave correctly, turning it off and back on in the Beside app can help re-sync carrier-side settings.

3. Reinstall Beside

Only useful if calls reach Beside but the app doesn't ring correctly. Reinstalling does not fix carrier-side call forwarding issues.

  • Delete the app, reinstall from the Store

  • Log back in using the same method as when you signed up

    ⚠️ Don't use a different login method, or you may create a second account.

4. Check VPN and spam / call filtering settings

Some VPNs, call-filtering apps, or carrier spam protection features can interfere with call routing or the verification test call. If call forwarding appears active but verification fails, check the following:

  • Disable any VPN temporarily

  • Disable call-blocking or spam-filtering apps

  • Check if your carrier has spam protection enabled (e.g. Scam Shield, Call Protect, etc.)

  • Make sure no calls from unknown numbers are automatically blocked

After disabling these, try enabling call forwarding again and test by calling your primary number from another device.

III. Test again

Call your primary number from another phone:

  • Rings in Beside - ✅ forwarding is working

  • Rings on your native phone app - ❌ forwarding is still not active

If forwarding still doesn't work after all steps above, you must contact your carrier.

IV. Contact your carrier (most reliable solution)

Ask your carrier's support team to:

  • Confirm call forwarding is active on your line

  • Verify forwarding is set to your Beside number

  • Reset all conditional forwarding rules

  • Re-enable unconditional forwarding

  • Remove any blocks preventing forwarding

⚠️ Beside cannot reset or override carrier settings.

V. Carrier-specific troubleshooting

Verizon Business / Commercial Accounts

If you have a Verizon Business or commercial account, call forwarding may not activate through normal methods (dial codes or device settings). This is a known provisioning issue specific to Verizon commercial lines.

Symptoms

  • Call forwarding stays pending indefinitely in the Beside app (sometimes for days)

  • Dial codes (*72) and iPhone settings don't show a Call Forwarding option

  • Manual forwarding via the native dialer works, but the Beside app can't activate or verify it

Why this happens

Verizon commercial accounts have additional provisioning restrictions. Call forwarding requests initiated through apps must be authenticated and processed by Verizon's business support team. On personal accounts this happens automatically, but on commercial lines it can get stuck and require manual intervention from Verizon.

How to fix it

  1. Call Verizon Business technical support (not regular consumer support)

  2. Explain that you need unconditional call forwarding provisioned on your commercial line

  3. Ask them to manually enable and authorize call forwarding to your Beside number

  4. Once Verizon confirms the provisioning is complete, go back to the Beside app and toggle call forwarding on

⚠️ This may require speaking with multiple Verizon support agents. Be persistent and specifically ask for business technical support to handle the provisioning.

MetroPCS (Metro by T-Mobile)

Some Metro by T-Mobile lines require manual setup for call forwarding.

Enable forwarding

From your phone's native dialer (not the Beside app):

  • Dial *72 followed by your Beside number - press Call

  • Example: *72 8654564457

Disable forwarding

From your phone's native dialer: Dial ##21# - press Call

ℹ️ You can also manage forwarding via the MyMetro app.

If issues persist, contact Metro support and ask for a full reset of call forwarding.

Understanding call forwarding error messages in the app

When the Beside app tries to activate or verify call forwarding and something goes wrong, it will show an error message. Here's what each message means and what to do about it.

Message shown

When it appears

What to do

Incorrect forwarding

Verification failed - Beside detected that forwarding is pointing to a different number than your Beside number.

Tap Restart setup and carefully re-enter your Beside number as the destination.

Forwarding not verified

Verification failed - Beside couldn't confirm where forwarding is pointing.

Tap Check again and wait up to 1 minute. If it keeps failing, disable any VPN or call-blocking app and retry.

It can take up to 1 minute to verify your number. Please wait while we check with your carrier.

Verification is in progress - the check is still running.

Wait before retrying. This is a hint, not a final error.

Did your phone ring just now?

Verification failed on iPhone (iOS 2.8.0+) - the app is asking you to help diagnose the issue.

Yes → forwarding is not active, the call reached your native phone instead of Beside. Return to the activation steps. No → forwarding may be active but verification was blocked. The app will guide you through additional checks.

Invalid Phone Number / Please enter a valid phone number

The number entered is empty or not a valid phone number format.

Enter the phone number of your primary SIM / carrier line in full international format.

Cannot Forward From Beside Number / You entered your Beside number. Please enter your own number.

You entered your Beside number as the source instead of the number you want to forward from.

Enter your primary carrier number - not your Beside number. Your Beside number is the destination, not the source.

Your Beside number is missing - Please try again later from your Beside line settings, or contact support if you need assistance.

No Beside number is available for the selected line, so the app can't generate the forwarding destination.

Close and reopen the app, then try again from Settings → Configure Number → Set up call forwarding. If it persists, contact support.

Call forwarding is not confirmed

Beside hasn't been able to confirm that call forwarding is active yet - can happen right after setup or if verification failed.

Wait up to 30 minutes. If still not confirmed, toggle call forwarding off and back on in the app, then try again via carrier dial codes (see 📖 Set up call forwarding to Beside).

We're confirming with your carrier. This can take up to 30 minutes.

Verification is in progress - status is pending.

Wait up to 30 minutes before retrying.

Call forwarding is deactivated

Call forwarding has been turned off.

Go to Settings → Configure Number → Incoming Calls and toggle call forwarding back on.

We couldn't verify call forwarding - Either the number below is incorrect or the configuration with your carrier failed. Double-check the number or go back to restart the instructions.

Generic verification failure - no specific wrong number detected. The number may be correct but the carrier hasn't processed the forwarding yet.

Tap Test Again. If it fails repeatedly, disable any VPN or call-blocking app and retry, or activate via carrier dial codes (see 📖 Set up call forwarding to Beside).

It appears that you are forwarding to the wrong number. Restart the configuration to try again.

The backend detected that forwarding is pointing to a different number than your Beside number.

Go back and restart the setup using the correct Beside number.

Call forwarding is not currently supported for your carrier. You will be able to Port Your Number later in Settings.

Your carrier is not supported for automatic in-app setup during onboarding.

Set up call forwarding manually using carrier dial codes from your native dialer (see 📖 Set up call forwarding to Beside). Alternatively, port your number once onboarding is complete.

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