For anyone reliant on their phone for business communications, call forwarding isn’t an optional, nice-to-have feature. It’s a must-have to keep you connected, protect your privacy and help you take back control of your time and sanity.
If you run a business, do freelance work while sipping coffee at your neighborhood café, or just want to keep your private number private, this is the feature that makes it all possible. It’s time to streamline and centralize your voice communications, save money and stay accessible with call forwarding.
What Is Call Forwarding?
Think of call forwarding as a way to tell your phone number where to go. It’s a simple feature that routes incoming calls from the number your customer dials to the actual device you want to answer on.
| Good to Know: Call forwarding is recognised as a standard phone service feature on many consumer and business plans. |
Let’s break down the top five reasons to “up your game” with call forwarding in 2025.
1) Stay Reachable (Wherever You Are)
This is the most tried and true reason to forward a number.
If you’re on a train, a vacation or a holiday, or just picking up the kids, you can forward your main business line straight to your mobile or any device you choose. No more missed opportunities or frantic calls back to the office.
And remember that forwarding gives you the freedom to run a remote or hybrid team while making sure you can answer every call, no matter the location or time zone.
2) Protect Your Private Line
Your personal mobile number is yours, not your customer’s. Yet every time you give it out, you give away a piece of your privacy.
The Solution: Use call forwarding to publish a separate business or public number (the one you don’t mind sharing). The calls are forwarded to your private mobile and your personal number stays completely hidden. Callers only see the number they dialed.
3) Forward to Multiple People (Saves Money)
Missed calls are missed opportunities. And nothing undermines customer confidence more than an endless ring or a full voicemail box.
Two different types of forwarding can help your business stay connected, depending on which works best for your needs. Both ensure that someone is always ready to pick up, but basically go about it in different ways.
Simultaneous ring, aka “sim ring” and “ring all” does just that…it forwards calls to a group of users, ringing them all at the same time until a user answers the call. This forwarding feature is great for urgent calls and reducing wait times by soliciting a more immediate response for your callers.
Sequential call forwarding, aka “hunt groups,” route calls sequentially across team members, or even sending them to a backup device when your primary line is busy. This type of forwarding is great for prioritizing specific people to ring first in a group, or for managing a more controlled escalation environment, such as on-call rotations, etc.
NumberBarn Tip: Missed calls? Make sure your voicemail is working for you: explore these voicemail setup tips.
4) Forwarding Can Move You Off Limiting Hardware
Are you using a complicated traditional PBX phone system or landline system?
Traditional phone systems are a headache of bulky hardware, costly lines, and endless maintenance fees. Why pay for a system that limits where and how you can answer?
Call forwarding, especially when built into a modern, cloud-based platform, cuts the cords. You maintain control over your system, but get reliable coverage and capacity without the heavy overhead.
5) Stay Professional with Call Routing Systems
Professionalism isn’t really about office size; it’s about seamless delivery.
With forwarding rules in place, you can make sure calls route to the right department, the right person, or the right device, instantly. This level of routing makes even a single-person operation sound and feel like a well-structured, established business.
Presenting a professional image is non-negotiable. And the good news is you don’t even need all the bells and whistles, it just needs to feel that way to the person calling. Forwarding is the easiest way to build credibility, even if your “corporate headquarters” is currently your kitchen table.
NumberBarn Tip: If you’re building your business, here’s how to choose the best phone number for your needs.
Call Forwarding vs. Voicemail vs. Virtual Receptionist
| Feature | Call Forwarding | Voicemail | Virtual Receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Routes calls where you are | Records messages for later | Auto-answers and directs callers (auto-attendant) |
| Response time | Immediate connection | Delayed callback | Immediate connection/guidance |
| Best for | Staying available (control) | Handling overflow (backup) | High volume and complex routing |
Protip: The smartest businesses use all three! Forwarding gets the live answer, voicemail catches the overflow, and a virtual receptionist (also called “advanced auto-attendant menus”) guides callers when you’re tied up.
FAQs
How do I set up call forwarding?
Most providers let you activate it from your online account, or make it happen via star codes on your phone.
Can I forward calls internationally?
Yes. Many modern systems support forwarding to numbers abroad, though you could still get charged for long distance calling if your plan doesn’t support it. (Learn more about international calling and forwarding here.)
Will callers know their call is being forwarded?
No, not typically. For instance, callers who dial your NumberBarn number are transparently forwarded to your number of choice.
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Explore our call forwarding plans or browse NumberBarn plans today to find the perfect fit.
