What kind of business number do I have?
Before you can forward calls, you need to know what kind of phone service you're on. The method is different for each. Here's how to tell in under a minute.
The three types in plain English
Wireless (cell)
Runs over a mobile network. You carry the phone. The bill comes from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or a carrier that resells their network (Spectrum Mobile, Cricket, Metro, Mint, Google Fi, Visible, etc.).
Forwarding method: star codes dialed from the phone, or sometimes the carrier's app.
Landline
The old-school kind — copper wire running into your building, analog dial tone. Increasingly rare; most "landlines" today are actually VoIP dressed up in traditional wiring.
Forwarding method: star codes dialed from the handset (*72 / *73). May require a small monthly add-on depending on your carrier.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
Runs over the internet. Can look like a desk phone, an app, or even a traditional-looking landline — but the audio travels over your internet connection, not a phone line. Everything from RingCentral to Google Voice to Comcast Business Voice is VoIP.
Forwarding method: web portal or app. Some VoIP services also support star codes from the handset.
How to tell which one you have
The fastest test: who sends your bill?
Look at the provider on your monthly bill (or auto-charged credit card statement). Match it below:
| If the bill is from… | You have… | Use guide |
|---|---|---|
| Verizon Wireless | Wireless | Verizon |
| AT&T (mobile) | Wireless | AT&T |
| T-Mobile / Metro / Mint | Wireless | T-Mobile |
| Spectrum Mobile | Wireless (Verizon network) | Spectrum |
| Spectrum Business Voice | VoIP | Spectrum |
| Comcast Business | VoIP | Comcast |
| RingCentral | VoIP | RingCentral |
| 8x8, Dialpad, Vonage Business | VoIP | 8x8 / Dialpad / Vonage |
| Google Voice, OpenPhone, Grasshopper | VoIP | Google Voice / OpenPhone / Grasshopper |
| AT&T (home/business landline) | Landline or VoIP | AT&T |
| Verizon Fios Digital Voice | VoIP | Verizon |
The phone itself gives hints
- Smartphone / flip phone you carry: wireless.
- Corded desk phone plugged into a wall jack, no internet router involved: landline (traditional analog).
- Desk phone with an Ethernet cable running to a router/switch: VoIP.
- App on your computer or phone (no physical handset): VoIP softphone.
- Cordless base station with an adapter labeled "ATA" or "Voice Adapter": VoIP over traditional-looking handsets.
If you still can't tell
Call the number from a cell phone and listen for clues on the greeting / hold music / voicemail. If you hear "you have reached [carrier] voicemail," that's a strong signal. If you have to ask IT or a previous business owner — do that, it's the fastest path.
Or: call us at (617) 812-5251 and tell us what you have. We'll point you to the right guide.
"Business number" can mean two things
One common source of confusion: people sometimes mean "the number customers call" (could be any type), and sometimes mean "the landline that the phone company installed when we opened in 1982." These are often different numbers! Older businesses often have a landline that forwards to a newer VoIP line, which a manager then forwards to their cell.
If your business number is the result of multiple layers of forwarding already, pick the outermost one — the number customers actually dial — and change the forward there. Replacing a deep-layer forward won't help if the layer above it is still pointing at the wrong place.
The whole reason you're reading this is probably to stop missing calls. If you're setting up call forwarding to send calls to a voice assistant, an answering service, or an AI, the steps above are the same — you just enter their number as the forward-to destination. Human Add AI gives you a dedicated AI receptionist that answers 24/7, captures every caller's intent, and texts you the details. Try it free for 7 days →