Call Forwarding

Call forwarding (or call diverting), in telephony, is a feature on some telephone networks that allows an incoming call to a called party, which would be otherwise unavailable, to be redirected to a mobile telephone or other telephone number where the desired called party is situated.

Usually, the forwarded line rings once, to remind the customer using Call forwarding that the call is being redirected.

Each instance you call a phone number at an office and are put on hold while the operator or the receptionist tries to locate the person you want to speak to, you are experiencing what we know as call forwarding. Most of us have grown so used to call forwarding that we really don’t consider it a special service.

But, have you ever stopped to imagine what life would have been like before call forwarding? Imagine dialing a number only to get no answer and no clue as to where the other person is.

On the other hand, imagine reaching the telephone just a second late and missing a call without knowing who was trying to get in touch with you.

For all practical purposes, call forwarding is a service that we have all grown used to.

However there are several types of call forwarding. The most common type of call forwarding is where the switchboard or EPABX operator puts your call through, or transfers your call either manually or automatically to another telephone, elsewhere in the office.

Sometimes, this type of call forwarding is fully automated and makes use of what have come to be known as extension numbers.

This is the call forwarding service that most of us inadvertently use when we call someone at their workplace. But even that may not be sufficient. What if the person you are calling, for instance, is in the pantry, the washroom or elsewhere in the office away from her/his desk? In that case, the second type of call forwarding service kicks in.

This is a call forwarding alternative that can put your call through to a specific mobile number. This way, you stand a better chance of getting to the person at any time, irrespective of where they might be. Again, based on the kind of system or technology being used, this type of call forwarding could be manual or automatic.

Most courier companies, security firms, system administrators and allied users use this kind of call forwarding service to stay in touch with their employees, who are more often than not, on the field ding their jobs.

Whereas the above are the basic kinds of call forwarding facilities available in most workplaces, there are also unique customizations possible. Your callers for instance, could hear a musical tone while their call is being forwarded to you. They can also hear a customized message in your voice, apologizing for the inconvenience caused and assuring them that you will return their call at the earliest. This is especially useful when you make use of your call forwarding service to access your voicemail box.

A additional development, is the ability to use multiple numbers, especially numbers of all the people in a particular group, and to collate them for a tele conference. Most multinational corporations, who have their staff spread over different geographic locations, tend to make use of these premium call forwarding services to keep in collaborative touch with their employees.

Remember however that call forwarding is not a free service. Your phone plan may charge you quite a bit for this service. But the benefits of being able to get call irrespective of where you are may far outweigh the cost incurred.

The fee charging structure for a calling party to place a call to the called party which has their number forwarded can be subtle: if the called party has forwarded their number to a mobile telephone, the caller could incur higher rates due to the subsequent use of the mobile telephone network. However, the line which is being forwarded usually incurs all related charges, including long distance.

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