Will I lose my business number?

No. Forwarding leaves your number exactly where it is, with your current carrier, and simply redirects the calls. Your signage, vehicles, and listings stay correct because the number your customers dial has not changed.

Can I still answer calls myself?

Yes, with conditional forwarding. Your phone rings first and only calls you do not pick up in a few rings reach the AI. Most owners run this way at first.

How do I turn forwarding off?

Dial your carrier's cancel code on the same phone you used to set it up. Because forwarding lives with your carrier rather than with OrderToAI, this works immediately and does not depend on your account.

Does forwarding cost extra?

Call forwarding itself is a carrier feature and is usually included in a business plan, though you should check your own carrier's terms. On the OrderToAI side, a forwarded call is billed as normal talk time at $0.49 per minute.

Forwarding your existing number

All plans

Forwarding is how you keep the number your customers already know while letting the AI answer it. You dial a short code on your business phone and your carrier begins sending calls to your OrderToAI number. There are two ways to do it, and the choice matters. Forwarding everything means the AI answers every call, which is right once you trust it. Conditional forwarding means your own phone rings first and only unanswered or busy calls reach the AI, which is where most owners start because nothing changes for calls you would have taken anyway. Either way you keep your number, your signage stays correct, and nothing is permanent: a second code cancels it. Because forwarding is controlled by your carrier rather than by us, turning it off never depends on OrderToAI or your subscription.

Two ways to forward

Two ways to forward
Type	What happens
Forward all calls	Every call goes straight to the AI. Your own phone does not ring. Best once you trust it, and for lines that are purely a customer number.
Forward when busy or unanswered	Your phone rings first. Only the calls you do not pick up reach the AI. This is the usual starting point, because you lose nothing.

Setting it up

1
Get your OrderToAI number
You need the number the AI answers before you can point anything at it. It is on the Phone Numbers page.
2
Dial the code for your carrier
Each carrier uses its own short code, and they differ between forwarding everything and forwarding only missed calls. Our call forwarding guide lists the codes for the major United States carriers, iPhone, and Android.
3
Test from another phone
Ring your business number from a different phone and confirm the AI picks up. Then check the call appeared in your dashboard with a transcript.
4
Undo it whenever you like
A cancel code on the same phone turns forwarding off. Because this is your carrier rather than us, it works regardless of your subscription status.

Questions

Will I lose my business number?: No. Forwarding leaves your number exactly where it is, with your current carrier, and simply redirects the calls. Your signage, vehicles, and listings stay correct because the number your customers dial has not changed.
Can I still answer calls myself?: Yes, with conditional forwarding. Your phone rings first and only calls you do not pick up in a few rings reach the AI. Most owners run this way at first.
How do I turn forwarding off?: Dial your carrier's cancel code on the same phone you used to set it up. Because forwarding lives with your carrier rather than with OrderToAI, this works immediately and does not depend on your account.
Does forwarding cost extra?: Call forwarding itself is a carrier feature and is usually included in a business plan, though you should check your own carrier's terms. On the OrderToAI side, a forwarded call is billed as normal talk time at $0.49 per minute.

Next steps

Phone numbers

Choosing a local number, transferring the number you already advertise, attaching numbers to locations, and how forwarding fits with the number you keep.

Going live: the activation checklist

The steps between creating an account and your AI answering real calls: get a number, set your transfer contact, review knowledge, and forward your line.

Hear it on your own business

Reading about it only goes so far. The demo calls you and answers as your business, using your real Google profile, before you create an account.

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