Call forwarding is a carrier feature that redirects calls/texts made to your main phone number to your Beside number, so that calls are handled inside the Beside environment, with all the benefits of the AI Receptionist, call summaries, transcripts, etc.
📌 📚 Need to enable or disable call forwarding first?
If you haven’t set up call forwarding yet - or if you’re not sure whether it’s enabled - start by checking this guide first: → How do I enable or disable call forwarding on iPhone?
❗ Call forwarding is a setting managed by your mobile carrier, not Beside. We can't activate or deactivate it for you.
If you're experiencing issues with calls not ringing or not being routed to Beside, the most common cause is a problem with your call forwarding setup.
This guide walks you through the checks that fix most issues.
🛠️ 1. Confirm whether call forwarding is REALLY active
✔️ Test it with another phone
Call your primary number from a different device:
If your iPhone rings normally → call forwarding is NOT active
If the call rings inside Beside → forwarding is active and working
✔️ Check your phone’s call forwarding settings
Some carriers display forwarding here:
Open the Settings app on your phone
Scroll down and tap Phone
Tap Call Forwarding
Manual Activation through Native Phone App:
Open your phone’s native dialing application (not the Beside app).
Dial
*21*followed by your 10-digit Beside number, then#, and pressCall(e.g.,*21*8654564457#).
If the toggle is missing/off, or the number is incorrect → forwarding is NOT working.
⚠️ If the toggle won’t appear or activate, only your carrier can fix this.
You must contact your carrier’s support team so they can enable or reset call forwarding on your line.
Beside cannot enable or force forwarding.
🔧 2. Check forwarding settings inside Beside
Open the Beside app
Go to Settings → Your inbox → Configure Number: Set up Call Forwarding
There, you'll find the steps to enable or disable forwarding. If needed, toggle it off and back on to refresh the setup.
🔄 3. Restart your iPhone
A simple restart can help reset your network connection and ensure forwarding settings are active.
Reinstall Beside (optional)
This only helps if calls reach Beside but the app doesn’t ring correctly.
Reinstalling does NOT fix forwarding issues, because forwarding belongs to the carrier.
Long press the app icon and delete it
Reinstall it from the App Store
Log back in using the same method as when you signed up (primary number or Apple ID). ⚠️ Be careful not to create a second account by logging in with a different method than the one you used initially.
📞 4. Test again
Using another phone, call your primary number:
If it reaches Beside → all good
If it still rings your phone → forwarding is still not active
→ ❗ You must contact your carrier’s support team to fix it.
🚁 5. Contact your carrier (final and often required step)
If none of the previous steps fix forwarding, your carrier must correct your line configuration.
When contacting your carrier’s support team, ask them to:
Confirm call forwarding is active on your line
Verify forwarding is set to your Beside number
Reset all conditional forwarding settings (busy, no answer, unreachable)
Remove any blocks preventing forwarding
Reapply unconditional and conditional forwarding rules
⚠️ Beside cannot modify, fix, reset, or override your carrier’s call forwarding settings. If forwarding is not working, you must contact your carrier’s support team to resolve it.
📡 Carrier-specific troubleshooting
MetroPCS (Metro by T-Mobile)
Call forwarding with MetroPCS may require manual setup or intervention from their support. Here's what to try:
Steps if forwarding isn't working:
Verify forwarding codes: Dial
**61*from your phone dial pad (not on Beside❗)Request a full reset: Contact MetroPCS and ask them to reset all conditional call forwarding settings, pointing them to your Beside number.
❗ Limitations: Some issues may stem from MetroPCS network restrictions. If steps above don't help, escalate to MetroPCS support.
Google Voice
Call forwarding from Google Voice to Beside may face technical limitations. Here's how to improve your setup:
Update Beside settings:
Disable Silence Unknown Callers, Business Hours, and Recording Consent
Reset forwarding: Turn it off and back on in Beside
Verify by phone: Use voice call (not SMS❗) when verifying your Beside number in Google Voice
Manage connected devices:
Disable forwarding to all devices except Beside
Turn off Web forwarding
Disable call screening: This can block forwarded calls
Recheck everything: Carefully confirm all settings are saved and synced
⚠️ Forwarding from Google Voice to Beside may not work reliably due to technical limitations on Google Voice's side.
➡️ If you'd like to use your Google Voice number with Beside, we recommend porting it to Beside for the best experience. Learn how here: How can I use my Google Voice number with Beside