Use the AI receptionist with your cell phone

The AI receptionist doesn't run on your phone. It answers on its own phone number in our Canadian data centre. You put it in front of your cell with call forwarding or by porting your number. Pick the option that matches how you want calls handled.

You'll need your AI receptionist's phone number, shown in your dashboard under Phone numbers. If you don't have one yet, ask us for one.

Three ways to do it

Backup: when you miss the call

Your cell rings as usual. If you're busy, don't answer, or your phone is off, the call goes to the AI. Set it up in a minute with one code, and keep your number. Most people start here.

Every call goes to the AI

Your cell forwards every call to the AI, so it never rings. Good for screening and taking messages. The AI can't transfer callers back to that same cell, because the call would loop back to the AI. It can transfer to any other number.

Port your cell number to us

Your current cell number moves to us and becomes the AI receptionist's line. You get a new cell number, and the AI answers every call and transfers the ones you want to it. This is the way to have the AI answer everything and still pass calls to you.

Forwarding codes (options 1 and 2)

Open your phone app, dial the code, then press Call. Replace 1AINUMBER with 1 plus your AI receptionist's 10-digit number, for example **004*15065551234#. Your phone shows a confirmation message. These codes work on Bell, Virgin Plus, Lucky, Rogers, Fido, chatr, Telus, Koodo, Public Mobile, Vidéotron, Fizz and Freedom.

Send calls to the AI...	Turn on	Turn off	Check
Busy, no answer and off, all at once (recommended)	*0041AINUMBER#	##004#	*#004#
When you're busy on another call	*671AINUMBER#	##67#	*#67#
When you don't answer (rings about 20 seconds first)	*611AINUMBER**20#	##61#	*#61#
When your phone is off or has no signal	*621AINUMBER#	##62#	*#62#
Every call, always (read option 2 first)	*211AINUMBER#	##21#	*#21#
Turn off all forwarding	-	##002#	-

Using your phone's settings instead

iPhone: Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding. This only offers "every call" (option 2), so use the codes above for backup forwarding. Android: Phone app > Settings > Calls (or Supplementary services) > Call forwarding, which offers all four.

If a code doesn't work

Turn off Wi-Fi Calling and dial the code again on the cellular network. Some plans need call forwarding added, or count forwarded calls as airtime, so check with your carrier. If you see "setting failed", call your carrier and ask them to forward busy, no-answer and unreachable calls to your AI number.

Questions

Can I put the AI receptionist on my cell phone?

Not directly. The AI receptionist answers on its own phone number in our Canadian data centre, not as an app on your phone. You put it in front of your cell in one of three ways: forward the calls you miss (busy, no answer or phone off) to your AI number, forward every call to your AI number, or port your cell number to us so the AI answers it and transfers the calls you want to a new cell number.

How do I send my cell calls to the AI only when I'm busy, don't answer, or my phone is off?

Use your carrier's conditional call forwarding. On your cell, dial **004* followed by your AI number and #, then press Call, for example **004*15065551234#. This covers busy, no answer and phone off in one step. To cancel, dial ##004#. Individual codes are **67* (busy), **61* (no answer) and **62* (off or no signal).

Can the AI answer every call to my cell and transfer me the ones that matter?

Yes, by porting your cell number to us. Your existing number becomes the AI receptionist's line, so every caller reaches the AI, and you get a new cell number that the AI transfers calls to. If you instead forward every call from your cell (**21*), the AI can't transfer back to that same cell, because the call would loop straight back to the AI. Transfers then have to go to a different number.