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Updated : November 6, 2025

In the era of smartphones, landlines still hold a prominent place in the US work culture.

A Pew Research Center report suggests 35% of American workers find landlines to be a “very important” tool for work.

However, being tied to a landline means missing calls when you are away. And each missed call is a missed opportunity.

This is where call transfer from landline to cell phone plays a crucial role.

In this guide, we will understand how to forward calls from landline to cell phone in simple steps. We will also cover the cost breakdown and must-use explore features.

Why Forwarding Your Landline to Your Cell Phone Makes Sense

Flexibility and convenience is what you get when you forward your landline to your cell phone, as you can:

• Answer calls from anywhere and anytime.
• Remain professional even when operating remotely.
• Manage different communication channels with ease.

Also, when we talk about responsiveness, diverting landline to cell phone has a positive impact there as well.

And if you opt for a modern VoIP phone system, along with forwarding calls, you can even track call data, record conversations, and integrate with your CRM.

DID YOU KNOW?

• If you respond to a call within 5 minutes, the conversion rates becomes 8x higher, while a response delayed over 30 minutes can reduce the effectiveness by 21x. This clears the air on why it is crucial to redirect landline to mobile phone.

What You Need to Know Before Setting Up Call Forwarding

Setting up without a proper understanding might become a little daunting. Here is what you must know before setting up call forwarding.

1. Check Your Landline Provider’s Forwarding Options & Charges

Different US carriers, different rules. While some may be offering call forwarding for free, most providers charge per minute/per call.

That is why, to avoid future complications or extra charges, you must stay crystal clear by confirming your plan details before activating forwarding.

2. Understand How the Forwarding Works

Traditional landline forwarding routes calls through the carrier network. VoIP-based systems, on the other hand, use the Internet to redirect calls.

This offers better flexibility and lower costs.

3. Test & Monitor

Before getting totally dependent on call forwarding, start by testing your setup and checking how effectively it works. Run a few trials to determine its effectiveness.

Here is a best practice you can follow to make sure your setup works with 100% accuracy.

Best Practice to Ensure Accurate Call Forwarding:

• Try calling your landline from another phone. This way, you can make sure the calls are forwarded properly to your cell phone number.
• Why is it necessary? It helps prevent missed calls and allows you to make the most out of it.

Step-by-Step: How to Divert Calls from Landline to Mobile?

Call forwarding gets easy when you know the exact steps that you need to follow to set it up. Here are the two simple methods.

Method A: Traditional Landline Forwarding (Star Code)

Most US landline providers offer call forwarding using a star code sequence. Here’s a step-by-step sequence that you must follow for a quick and easy setup:

Step 1: Start by picking up your landline phone receiver.

Step 2: Next, dial “*72” (call forwarding call).

Step 3: Then, dial your “mobile or cell number”.

Step 4: Listen for a confirmation tone/voice prompt.

Step 5: After you hear the confirmation tone, hang up. Call forwarding is now active.

Just five simple steps, and your call forwarding is all set.

Pro Tip:

• To turn off call forwarding you usually dial *73 (unconditional call forwarding). This method is easy but has limitations, as you can only forward calls to one number and cannot set advanced rules.

Method B: Forwarding via Virtual Phone System

With Virtual business phone systems like CallHippo, setting up call forwarding gets even more simpler and smarter. Steps include:

Step 1: Sign up for a CallHippo account.

Step 2: Select a virtual US number or use your existing landline.

Step 3: Set your mobile number as the forwarding destination.

Step 4: Customize routing rules, schedules, and voicemail options.

Step 5: Monitor calls through the dashboard.

Here is a quick comparison between traditional landline forwarding and VoIP (CallHippo).

Cost Breakdown as per Your Business

For a growing business, choosing the right landline service provider and setting a forwarding number can be done in just a few minutes.

With a stable internet connection, you can manage long distance call forwarding in just a few clicks. Understanding costs is also very critical before choosing a method.

Here’s a comparison based on typical US usage:

For small businesses or medium-sized businesses, VoIP solutions can be the most cost-effective solution available in the market.

The reason being, VoIP solutions such as CallHippo offer flat rates, advanced features, and better call quality.

CallHippo Pricing

• Basic: $0 per user/Month
• Starter: $25 per user/Month
• Professional: $39 per user/Month
• Ultimate: $55 per user/Month

Pricings are as on 5/11/2025.

What are the Call Forwarding Features and Advanced Options You Should Use?

Along with call forwarding, you also get an advanced suite of features. Let’s explore the other features and how they can help you.

1) Caller ID & Presentation Control

VoIP systems allow you to be in the driving seat by giving you control over what your caller sees.

Display your business number or a custom ID when forwarding calls. This reflects professionalism and brand consistency.

2) Multi-number Forwarding & Sequential Rings

This feature enables call forwarding to multiple numbers simultaneously or in sequence.

This is an ideal option for businesses or teams where there is a requirement for multiple members sharing call-handling responsibilities.

3) Conditional Forwarding

With the help of this feature, setting rules to forward calls becomes easy. You can set rules under specific conditions. This makes sure you remain available without overwhelming your mobile device.

For Example:

• when lines are busy or the call comes after business hours, you can set conditional call forwarding so that the call does not go unanswered.

Valuable Insight

When setting rules, ensure that you set them according to the time zones. If your business serves customers across the US, ensure calls are forwarded only during appropriate hours.

4) Voicemail & Message Forwarding

Forward unanswered calls to voicemail or have messages transcribed and sent to your email. This ensures that you stay informed, even when away from your phone.

5) Security & Monitoring

With quality VoIP systems such as CallHippo, you can eliminate issues related to call security.

CallHippo encrypts all calls and even allows you to monitor the usage in real-time (Particularly important for businesses handling sensitive information).

The Benefits of Landline Call Forwarding with CallHippo

We saw a brief list of features that CallHippo offers to let you stay on top of your calling requirements. Now, here is a brief list of benefits that you can get with CallHippo.

1) AI-powered Platform

CallHippo uses AI to manage call routing and prioritize important calls. This reduces missed calls and ensures better workflow efficiency.

2) Call Recording and Analytics

Record calls for quality control, employee training, or compliance. Analytics help track call volume, response times, and customer interactions.

3) 99.99% Uptime

CallHippo’s cloud-based VoIP ensures reliability. Even if your landline goes down, calls reach their destination on time, so that no opportunity is missed.

4) Integration with 100+ Platforms

Connect CallHippo to your CRM, helpdesk, or team communication tools. Integrations streamline workflows and improve customer support.

Cheapest Way to Divert Landline to Mobile

While traditional carriers charge per-minute fees, VoIP platforms offer flat monthly plans.

VoIP service providers like CallHippo provide unlimited forwarding options, advanced features, and transparent pricing.

This makes it the cheapest way to divert landline to mobile without compromising quality. You can start using CallHippo for free. Also, if you require an advanced suite of features, CallHippo provides multiple pricing plans.

Transfer Landline to Cell Phone: Choosing the Right Method

If you only need simple forwarding, the star code method works. But for businesses looking to scale, VoIP solutions like CallHippo are better.

They offer multiple routing options, call analytics, and integrations that traditional methods cannot match.

Wrapping Up

Forwarding landline calls to cell phone is no longer a complicated task. You can choose between traditional star code forwarding or modern VoIP solutions based on your needs.

For US users, VoIP platforms like CallHippo offer flexibility, cost savings, advanced features, and reliable performance.

By following this guide, you can ensure that you are always reachable, provide better customer service, and stay productive even when you are not around your landline.

FAQs

1. Can I forward my landline to multiple mobile numbers at once?

Yes. CallHippo’s VoIP services allow simultaneous call forwarding to multiple numbers. While, with traditional landline forwarding, you might get to transfer your call to only one number.

2. Does call forwarding affect outgoing calls?

Not at all. Call forwarding is only required to cater to the incoming calls when you are not around your landline to pick them up. Hence, it does not have any impact on outgoing calls.

3. Will the caller know their call has been forwarded?

Typically, no. Callers usually won’t know unless your system plays a message or modifies the caller ID.

4. Can I set time-based call forwarding for business hours only?

Absolutely, you can. CallHippo’s VoIP systems allow conditional forwarding. It allows you to forward calls to your cell phone for business hours only. You can even forward calls for any specific time frames.

5. How to divert calls from landline to mobile cheaply?

VoIP solutions are the most cost-effective option out in the market. CallHippo offers affordable plans and unlimited call forwarding options. You can try CallHippo’s basic package for free.

6. How to transfer landline to cell phone easily?

Use either the star code method or a VoIP platform. For businesses, VoIP provides advanced features and scalability.

Published : November 5, 2025

Jainy Patel is a content strategist having 8+ years of industry experience. Her expertise lies in developing marketing and content strategies for different VoIP solutions. Jainy is committed to helping companies streamline their communication and improve customer engagement with personalized & targeted content.

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