How to Divert Calls: A UK Guide for Mobile & Business

To divert calls, you usually dial a network-specific forwarding code plus the destination number, or switch it on in your phone's built-in settings. For a small business, that matters more than it sounds, because firms miss an estimated 25% to 60% of inbound calls when calls aren't properly covered during busy periods or staffing gaps, as shown in PCN's missed call revenue study.

If you're on a ladder, with a client, driving between jobs, or just don't want your main mobile ringing all afternoon, call diversion is the quickest fix. The important part isn't just how to divert calls. It's where you send them, and whether that second number will pick up.

How to Divert Calls on Your iPhone or Android

The fastest way to learn how to divert calls is through the handset settings. It's simpler than remembering codes, and if your network supports it properly, you can switch forwarding on in under a minute.

Where the setting lives

On EE Business and consumer devices, the menu path is straightforward. According to EE's guide to managing call diverts, on Apple go to Settings > Call Forwarding, switch it on, enter the number, and save. On Android, open the Phone app > Menu (three dots) > Settings > Call Forwarding, choose the condition, enter the number, and press OK.

A simple way to do it:

1. Open your phone's call settings. 2. Look for Call Forwarding or Call Divert. 3. Enter the number you want calls sent to. 4. Save it, then make a test call from another phone.

If you want more background on related call handling settings, this guide on how to turn off voicemail on iPhone is useful when you don't want callers dropping straight into a mailbox.

Practical rule: Always test call diversion from another number straight after setup. Don't assume it worked just because the toggle turned green.

What to do before you save the number

Most business owners make the wrong call. They set diversion to their personal mobile and assume the problem's solved. It isn't, not if you're already busy fitting a boiler, in clinic, with a customer at the till, or on another call.

Before you switch it on, decide what you want the diverted line to do:

• Another mobile: Good for short cover when one person is unavailable.
• A colleague's number: Better if someone is free to answer.
• Voicemail: Fine as a last resort, but weak for lead capture.
• A live answering layer: Best when you need every diverted call picked up.

If you want the theory behind the feature itself, it helps to read a broader call divert explainer separately. For now, the practical point is simple. Use handset settings first if they're available, because they're the quickest route to getting calls off your main number.

How to Use Network Codes to Forward Calls

If your settings menu is missing the option, or you'd rather do it manually, network codes are the dependable fallback. They're the star-and-hash commands you dial like a phone number.

The universal code for divert all calls

To divert all calls on a UK mobile network using the universal GSM format, dial \*\*21\* followed by the destination number, replace the leading 0 with +44, then press # and call. To cancel that unconditional forwarding, dial ##21# and call, based on this UK mobile network divert code guide.

Example format:

• Activate all-call divert: **21*+44XXXXXXXXXX#
• Cancel all-call divert: ##21#

If voicemail is getting in the way of your forwarding setup, this separate guide on how to turn off voicemail can help tidy up the call path.

When codes are better than settings

Codes are useful when:

• Your menu is hidden: Some handsets bury forwarding options.
• You need a quick change: Dialling a code can be faster than tapping through settings.
• You're troubleshooting: A code can confirm whether the network supports the feature at all.

Some networks also use their own codes for specific forwarding actions on EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three. Those can vary, so check the network directly for anything beyond the universal divert-all command. Mark those carrier-specific versions as [VERIFY] before relying on them.

For straightforward “send everything somewhere else” use, the universal code is usually the cleanest way to get it done.

How to Set Up Conditional Call Forwarding

Conditional forwarding is what most busy owners need. Not all calls, only the ones you can't answer.

What conditional forwarding actually does

Instead of sending every call away, it only diverts calls in a specific situation:

On Android, these options are commonly built into the Phone app. The wording usually looks like forward when busy, forward when unanswered, or forward when unreachable.

This is the setup I usually recommend first for a working business mobile:

• Keep your main number active so you can still answer normally.
• Divert unanswered calls after a short ring period.
• Add busy forwarding if you spend a lot of time already on calls.
• Use unreachable forwarding if you work in low-signal areas.

Conditional forwarding is often the better business setup because customers still reach you directly first, but there's a safety net when you can't answer.

Why iPhone users often get stuck

This catches a lot of people out. According to an Apple Community discussion on conditional forwarding, iPhones don't usually expose busy, unanswered, or unreachable forwarding in the standard settings menu, even where the carrier supports it. Android devices commonly show those options natively, while iPhone users often need manual carrier codes such as \*61\* for unanswered calls.

That means the process on iPhone often looks like this:

1. Check whether Settings > Call Forwarding only offers full forwarding. 2. If you need conditional forwarding, look up the carrier code for your network. [VERIFY] 3. Test each condition separately from another number. 4. Keep a note of the cancel code in case you need to reverse it later. [VERIFY]

What doesn't work well is assuming every online guide applies to every network. Conditional forwarding is one of those phone features where the handset, carrier, and tariff all affect what you can do.

How to Cancel All Call Diverts

You should always know the off switch before you switch diversion on. It saves time later, especially if you've forgotten whether you set forwarding in the handset, by code, or both.

The quickest way to switch diversion off

If you used the universal all-calls forwarding code, the direct cancellation command is:

• Dial `##21#` and press call

That turns off the unconditional “divert all calls” rule covered earlier.

If you set forwarding through your handset, go back into Call Forwarding or Call Divert and switch the active option off. On Android, check each condition separately. On iPhone, if only full forwarding is shown, turning that toggle off should remove the all-calls divert.

Use this quick check after cancelling:

• Call your own number from another phone
• Confirm your main mobile rings
• Check voicemail behaviour so there isn't another rule still active
• Repeat for dual-SIM or work mobiles if you use more than one line

If something still looks wrong, it's usually because a carrier-level rule is still active. In that case, confirm the correct cancellation code with your network. [VERIFY]

Why Diverting Calls Is Only Half the Solution

Diverting a call fixes one problem. It doesn't guarantee the call gets answered.

The destination is the real decision

In business use, the most common call forwarding destinations are personal phones (86%), voicemail (75%), and another business number (72%), according to NobelBiz's analysis of call forwarding patterns. That tells you something important. Such forwarding practices direct calls to destinations that can still fail.

A personal mobile can be busy. Another business line can ring out. Voicemail can take the message, but it doesn't rescue the conversation in the moment.

If you're deciding where to divert calls, think in this order:

• Will someone answer live
• Will they know what to do
• Will the caller get help in their language
• Will the outcome be captured for follow-up

For firms with repeat enquiries, bookings, and urgent jobs, that's where automation starts to help. A live AI layer can handle routine customer service, answer in multiple languages, take details, qualify the caller, and pass the important conversations to a human when needed.

A better fallback than voicemail

Voicemail is easy, but it's passive. It asks the caller to do more work.

A proper live answering setup does the opposite. It handles the first response for you, keeps the caller engaged, and gives your team the summary afterwards. If you want to think beyond basic forwarding, this guide to call routing for small business is the more useful next step.

The best diversion setup isn't the one with the neatest code. It's the one that still answers when you can't.

Call Diversion FAQ for UK Businesses

Does diverting calls cost money

It can, and the cost depends on your network, your tariff, and where the call ends up. One UK call forwarding cost guide notes that some pay-monthly plans include certain diversions, while other networks may charge per minute, especially if you forward to another mobile rather than voicemail.

That matters more than many small firms expect. A divert that saves one missed enquiry is usually worth it. A divert that sends every after-hours call to a chargeable mobile, only to ring out, can add cost without fixing the actual problem.

Can callers tell their call has been diverted

Usually not. They may notice a short delay or a slightly different ring pattern, but in most cases the experience still feels like they reached your business number directly.

For customer confidence, that is helpful. For conversions, what matters more is who or what answers after the divert.

Does call diversion forward text messages too

No. Standard call diversion handles voice calls, not SMS.

If customers text your business mobile, plan for that separately. Otherwise you fix missed calls but still leave message enquiries sitting on one handset.

Can I divert calls if my phone is dead

Sometimes, but small businesses often encounter difficulty. If the handset is already dead and you cannot get into the settings, your options depend on how the divert was set up in advance and what your network lets you change through support.

The practical fix is simple. Set your forwarding rules before you need them, and test them while the phone is on your desk, charged, and in your hand.

If outages, flat batteries, or missed after-hours calls are already costing you work, this guide to the cost of missed calls in the UK for small businesses shows why getting the destination right matters as much as switching diversion on.

Diverting calls is only half the job. If you send them to a mobile that is busy, off, or with someone who cannot help, the caller still does not get served.

An AI receptionist like fonea gives diverted calls a live answer 24/7 instead of pushing them to voicemail, and it can handle routine customer service in multiple languages while passing the right calls to your team. If you want to see the setup in practical terms, check the pricing.