How to forward your business calls in Australia
5 min readUpdated 23 September 2026
The short answer
You can forward calls from most Australian mobiles by dialling a short code: **21*number# forwards every call, and **61*number# forwards only calls you don't answer. Landlines and business phone systems are set up through your provider's app, online account or support team. Always make a test call afterwards, and dial ##002# on a mobile to turn all forwarding off.
Choose when calls should forward
| Type | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| All calls (unconditional) | Every call goes straight to the other number | When someone else answers all your calls |
| No answer | Forwards if you don't pick up after a few rings | Answering yourself when you can |
| Busy | Forwards when you're already on a call | Never sending a second caller to voicemail |
| Unreachable | Forwards when your phone is off or has no signal | Job sites and flights |
Forwarding from a mobile
Most Australian mobiles support these standard codes. Dial them like a phone number, replacing “number” with the number you're forwarding to (including the area code).
| To do this | Dial |
|---|---|
| Forward all calls | **21*number# |
| Forward when you don't answer | **61*number# |
| Forward when you're busy | **67*number# |
| Forward when unreachable | **62*number# |
| Check what's forwarding | *#21# |
| Turn off all forwarding | ##002# |
Some plans, prepaid services and phone models handle forwarding in the phone's settings or the carrier's app instead. If a code doesn't work, look for “Call forwarding” in your phone settings or ask your provider.
Forwarding from a landline or business phone system
Landlines, VoIP services and business phone systems vary. Most let you set forwarding in the provider's online account or app; some use their own codes. Search your provider's help pages for “call forwarding”, or ask their support team for forwarding “to a mobile or landline”, and say whether you want all calls or only unanswered ones.
Test it
- 1
Call your business number from a different phone
- 2
Check the call arrives where you expect
If you chose “no answer”, let it ring out.
- 3
Check the caller's number comes through
So whoever answers can see who's calling.
Forwarding to Nimble
If you use Nimble with your existing number, your Nimble number is shown in the app under Settings → Your number. Forward to it using any of the options above, and tell Nimble which number forwards to it — Nimble then never transfers a caller back to that number, so calls can't loop.
Common questions
Does call forwarding cost extra?
It depends on your plan. Some plans include forwarding; others charge the forwarded call like a normal outgoing call. Check your plan or ask your provider.
How do I turn call forwarding off?
On most mobiles, dial ##002#. For landlines and business systems, turn it off in the same app or account where you set it up.
Can I forward only after hours?
Mobile codes don't schedule by time, so you'd switch forwarding on and off yourself. Some business phone systems support schedules. With Nimble's own number you can instead choose for it to answer only after hours or only during business hours.
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