Call forwarding to multiple numbers: Why it doesn’t work, and what to use instead

Forwarding calls to one number at a time doesn’t always meet your business needs. Wondering if you can forward calls to multiple numbers?

You can, but not with your phone’s native call forwarding, which only sends calls to one number at a time. To ring multiple phones from a single number, you need a shared number on a business phone system. It uses simultaneous ring (every phone rings at once and the first to answer takes the call) or sequential ring (phones ring in order) so whoever is available answers first. Shared numbers work on any device with an internet connection and fall back to voicemail or an AI voice agent when no one picks up.

Below, we’ll show you how shared numbers work, where native call forwarding falls short, and how to set things up so there’s a reliable way to answer every call.

Can you set up call forwarding to multiple numbers?

You can set up call forwarding to multiple numbers, but not through native call forwarding, including on major carriers like AT&T and Verizon. Star codes only route calls to a single destination at a time.

Similarly, you can configure call forwarding on an Android, iPhone, or a traditional landline, but it’s also only to one phone number at a time — not multiple. That means if the person can’t pick up, the call gets missed — and the customer is left waiting, or they phone a competitor instead.

To truly send customer calls to multiple numbers, you need more than basic call forwarding. That’s where shared numbers come in. With a shared number, multiple people can use a single number to receive and make calls or texts at the same time. It doesn’t matter where they are or what devices they use — all they need is an internet connection.

Let’s take a closer look at how shared numbers help you avoid missed calls.

Using a shared phone number in Quo

When your one receptionist is away from their desk, a single-destination forward just rings out. A shared number fixes that: instead of one backup device, Quo rings multiple devices at once when a customer calls, and the whole team sees the same call and text history from Quo’s web, desktop, or mobile apps. Those destinations can be one person’s devices — cell, tablet, and computer — or several teammates at once, so a single number can ring one person everywhere or your whole team.

To reduce the chances of missing a call, Quo provides three different ring groups. A ring group is simply the set of people assigned to answer a shared number, and the ring order (simultaneous, random, or sequential) decides how that group’s phones ring:

• Simultaneous ring: Every assigned device rings at the same time, so the first available person answers and the others stop ringing. Best for all-hands support or sales teams where speed to answer matters most.
• Random: Ring batches of team members in random order to distribute call volume evenly.
• Sequential ring: Rings people or batches in a set order until someone picks up. Best when a primary owner should get the first ring before it rolls to backup.

How to ring multiple phones with one number in 3 steps

1. Create or port a shared number and assign your team to it.
2. In the call flow builder, add your destinations (teammates’ numbers) and choose a ring order — simultaneous (all at once), random, or sequential (in order).
3. Set a no-answer fallback: voicemail, another number, or Sona.

Quo’s AI agent, Sona, can take the call for you if no one’s available. Sona can answer common questions based on your company’s documentation, send SMS with booking links, and take a message so you can follow up instead of missing a potential new customer. Calls sent to Sona are logged and transcribed automatically with a summary that appears in call views so team members have all the information they need to follow up.

Team members can also filter conversations using call views to see when phone calls came in and which customers are still waiting for replies. 

If you plan on using your shared number for texting but worry about multiple people responding at once and confusing your customer, Quo has you covered. It shows if another rep is typing, which helps prevent them from accidentally sending replies to customers at the same time. Plus, all conversations — both calls and texts — are stored in one shared inbox, so your team always has the full context before jumping in.

Learn more about how shared calling works with Quo.

5 benefits of using shared phone numbers for call forwarding

Here are five reasons to use shared phone numbers with a system like Quo for call forwarding to multiple numbers.

1. Team members can work from anywhere. Shared numbers work on any mobile device connected to data or WiFi, which lets team members answer calls when they’re offsite or working remotely.
2. You can set business hours to protect personal time. No more getting interrupted by business calls during dinner. Everyone on a shared number can set custom business hours so only available team members receive notifications when a call comes through. You can also set up conditional call forwarding so that calls go to a different phone menu or external number (such as an answering service) after your business hours. 
3. You can record incoming calls automatically. Whether a team member picks up, a customer leaves a voicemail, or Sona handles a call, you can get a recording of the conversation along with an AI-generated transcript and summary. This means your team can listen to the conversation later or quickly scan what was said to get context and follow up faster.
4. You can create new numbers for different departments in your company. Quo lets you set up unlimited US and Canadian phone numbers you can assign to different departments, like sales, customer support, billing, and so on.
5. Customer conversations are kept in the same inbox. All calls, voicemails, and text messages for a shared number are available in a single place. When team members click on a shared number, they can quickly tag each other and spot unread messages and prioritize follow-ups.

Shared numbers vs traditional call forwarding

Here’s how the two approaches stack up when your goal is to make sure someone always answers:

Other ways businesses route calls to multiple people

Native forwarding isn’t the only option before you get to a shared number. A few other approaches show up in the wild:

• Find me / follow me: Rings a list of your numbers in sequence — desk, then cell, then home — until you answer. It follows one person across devices, not a team.
• PBX hunt groups: Legacy office-phone systems ring a group of extensions in a set pattern. Effective, but tied to on-premise hardware and IT setup.
• Answering services: A human or AI service picks up overflow or after-hours calls, then relays messages or transfers to your team.

A modern shared number does the useful part of all three. It reaches multiple people, follows them across devices, and covers after-hours — without the hardware or a separate service. And if whoever’s responsible rotates, it handles that too. If a different person is on call each week, you shouldn’t have to re-point one forward by hand. Scheduled call flows send after-hours calls to whoever is on that week.

Quo: The best small business communication tool

Traditional call forwarding leaves you scrambling to avoid missing calls — and losing customers. Quo’s shared numbers free you from the limitation of not being able to set up call forwarding to multiple numbers. 

With features like ring groups, business hours, and call recording, shared numbers ensure that someone always answers or has the information they need to follow up. You’ll also get access to third-party integrations like HubSpot, Zapier, and Make, letting you connect your business phone system to your tech stack. You’ll also be able to use texting automations that save your team time, like snippets, auto-replies, and scheduled texts.

Want to see how switching to shared numbers can make call handling easier for your business? Start a free trial of Quo today.

Want to compare your options? Explore the best call forwarding apps. 

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