How to forward your restaurant phone to an AI host

The single biggest worry owners have about letting an AI answer the phone is also the easiest to put to rest: you don’t change your number, and you don’t rip out your phone system. You forward calls to the AI host’s line — and you decide exactly when.

This guide walks through the three common setups in Australia. It takes about five minutes.

First, decide which calls to forward

You have three sensible options. Most venues start with the second.

• Forward everything. Every call goes straight to the AI host. Best for venues where the phone reliably goes unanswered during service.
• Forward when busy or unanswered (recommended to start). Your staff still pick up when they can; anything that rings out after a few rings rolls over to the host. You catch the misses without changing how the floor works.
• Forward after hours only. Your team handles daytime calls; the host covers nights, early mornings, and closed days.

You can change your mind any time — forwarding is a setting, not a commitment.

Telstra mobile or landline

For most Telstra services, the call-forwarding codes are:

• Forward when unanswered: dial *61* followed by the host number, then #, and press call.
• Forward when busy: *67* + host number + #.
• Forward all calls: *21* + host number + #.
• Turn a rule off: #61#, #67#, or #21# respectively.

On a Telstra business landline or a hosted PBX, the same options usually live in your online account or admin portal under “call forwarding” or “diversions” — often easier than dial codes.

Optus (and most other carriers)

The GSM forwarding codes are an industry standard, so Optus, Vodafone, and most MVNOs use the same syntax as above:

• No answer: *61* + host number + #
• Busy: *67* + host number + #
• All calls: *21* + host number + #

If the codes don’t take, your carrier’s app or web account will have a call-forwarding toggle. Search their help centre for “call diversion.”

VoIP / hosted phone systems

If your venue runs on a VoIP or hosted system — common ones include Aircall, 3CX, RingCentral, MyNetFone/Vonex, or a system your POS or telco provider set up — forwarding is done in the admin dashboard, not with dial codes. Look for:

• “Call routing,” “call flows,” or “forwarding rules.”
• An option to forward on no-answer with a ring timeout (e.g. forward after 4 rings / ~20 seconds).
• The ability to set business-hours vs after-hours routing if you want time-based rules.

Point the rule at the AI host number and save. If you use a ring group, add the host as the final destination so it catches anything the group doesn’t.

A quick test before you rely on it

Once forwarding is set, test it the way a guest would:

1. From a different phone, call your venue number and let it ring out (or call after hours).
2. Confirm the host picks up and sounds right.
3. Make a test booking and check it lands in your dashboard.
4. Make sure a normal answered call still works as usual.

Five minutes of testing saves any “is it actually working?” doubt later.

What happens on the host’s side

Once calls arrive, a good AI host does the rest — greeting the caller, checking availability, and confirming the table. With VoxTable, Bella answers in a natural Australian voice and writes confirmed bookings straight to your diary, so there’s nothing to transcribe and nothing to miss. Setup on our side is typically done within 48 hours.

Not sure which forwarding option fits your venue? Tell us how your phone is set up and we’ll point you to the right one — or just call and we’ll walk you through it on the spot.

Related: AI phone answering for Sydney restaurants and what missed calls really cost your restaurant.