# Call Divert Made Simple: Forwarding Calls on Telstra, Optus and Vodafone > Call forwarding is a carrier feature, so the dial codes and the cost differ by network. The four kinds of diversion, the exact sequences each carrier publishes, how to check one took effect, and which forwards cost you money. - Canonical URL: https://techxtelco.com/knowledge/call-divert-made-simple/ - Published: 2024-08-10 - Updated: 2026-09-13 - Topics: Mobile, Guides - Author: David Everson - Image: https://anrkjmgqmwfosbvyzrzc.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/article-images/call-divert-made-simple/hero-v3.webp - Publisher: Tech X Telco (https://techxtelco.com) Call forwarding, or call diverting, sends an incoming call somewhere else. It sounds like a phone setting, and on an iPhone there is a menu for it, but the work is done by your carrier. That is why the dial codes differ between Telstra, Optus and Vodafone, why the cost differs, and why an instruction you found for one network can silently do nothing on another. **Quick answer** On an iPhone running iOS 26, go to Settings, Apps, Phone, Call Forwarding and turn it on, then set the number under Forward To. That covers unconditional forwarding only. For the conditional kinds, on busy or unanswered or unreachable, you dial a code from your own carrier. Turn any diversion off with the hash sequence for that condition, then check it before you rely on it. Vodafone says there is no additional cost to forward calls inside Australia; Optus charges you for the second leg on postpaid. ## Four Different Things Called Forwarding Telstra names them clearly. Unconditional forwarding sends calls on immediately. No answer forwards if you do not pick up within 15 seconds. Unreachable forwards if the phone is off or out of coverage. Busy forwards when you are already on a call. Vodafone groups the last three together as conditional forwarding and keeps unconditional separate. Get this distinction right before you dial anything. Unconditional forwarding means your handset never rings, which may suit a planned diversion but not someone who still wants the chance to answer. Check overseas charges before choosing a destination. ## The Codes, by Carrier These are not interchangeable. The pages share several condition numbers, but publish different sequences. The discrepancies below are unresolved documentation issues, not tested proof that the networks behave differently. ### As Each Carrier Publishes Them Replace the number with your destination, including the area code for landlines. Dial the sequence as a call. - Telstra Condition codes are 21 unconditional, 61 no answer, 62 unreachable, 67 busy. Turn off with ##code#, for example ##67#. Check with \*#code#, for example \*#61#. Telstra’s own page gives the turn-on sequence two different ways: its worked example ends \*10# while its settings table ends \*11#. Ask Telstra to confirm the correct activation sequence for your service before using either version. - Optus Condition codes are 004 all calls, 21 all calls without the phone ringing at all, 67 busy, 61 no answer, 62 no coverage. Add with \*\*code\*number\*\*ringtime# where ring time is 05 to 30. Remove with ##code#. Optus labels #code# as a check sequence, but Vodafone labels that syntax as deactivation. We have not verified the Optus behaviour. Use My Optus to inspect diversions rather than dialling an uncertain status command. - Vodafone Activate with \*\*code\*number#, deactivate with #code#, confirm with \*#code#, using 21, 61, 62 and 67. Vodafone also publishes ##002# to clear all diversion types and ##004# to clear all conditional ones, and says you can cancel unconditional forwarding by dialling 1213. ## On an iPhone Apple’s current guide puts call forwarding under Settings, Apps, Phone, Call Forwarding, which is a change from the older Settings, Phone path. Once it is on, a call forwarding icon appears in the status bar, and on dual SIM models you choose a line first. Two caveats from Apple are worth repeating. You must be in range of the cellular network when you set the phone to forward calls, or calls will not be forwarded. And the menu handles unconditional forwarding only: Apple says that if your carrier supports conditional call forwarding when the line is busy or not in service, you should contact the carrier for setup information. Apple also notes the feature needs a GSM network. Android menus vary by manufacturer. Use the instructions for your phone model or manage forwarding through your carrier account. An unavailable Google help page is not evidence that Android lacks call forwarding. ## Samsung Galaxy: Use the Phone Menu Samsung Australia documents a menu route for Australian Galaxy models: open Phone, tap the three-dot menu, Settings, Supplementary Services, then Call Forwarding. Choose the condition, enter the destination number and select Enable. To remove it, select that forwarding condition and Disable. Menus can vary by model and software version, and we have not tested these steps on a handset. ## Sending Calls to Voicemail Instead Forwarding to voicemail is a different destination, not a different feature, and the carriers treat it differently for cost. Telstra publishes a pair of codes for it: dial \*\*004\*101# to restore all three conditional settings to MessageBank, and ##004# to remove them. Telstra notes both actions set the default ring time back to 15 seconds. To change how long the phone rings first, it publishes \*\*61\*101\*\*seconds#, accepting 15, 20, 25 or 30. Vodafone limits where you can send calls. On a plan you can forward to standard Australian mobile and landline numbers, to voicemail or to Call Catcher, but not to 13, 1300 or 1800 numbers. On prepaid you can forward to voicemail or Call Catcher only. ## What It Costs Vodafone is the most explicit: there are no additional costs to use call forwarding when you are in Australia, and unconditional forwarding for all calls costs nothing. Optus takes a different approach on postpaid, saying you are not charged for the incoming call before it diverts but you are charged for the second leg at your plan rates, and that you cannot divert to an international number. On Optus prepaid, local, national and mobile diversions are 10c per minute. Telstra publishes only that call forwarding is included in all plans with an unlimited call allowance, and no per-minute rate for the forwarded leg. Overseas is where the two networks that do publish detail flatly disagree. Vodafone says conditional forwarding to voicemail while roaming costs nothing and will not trigger its $5 daily fee, while forwarding to any other number does trigger it. Optus says voicemail retrievals and diversions set to busy, no reply or unreachable may trigger its daily roaming service. If you are travelling, check your own carrier rather than assuming the friendlier answer applies. ## Before You Rely On It ### Four Checks - Confirm the setting took effect using the carrier account controls. For Optus, use Services, your mobile service, Settings, Voicemail and call diversions. Its published check code needs confirmation. - Ring the number from another phone. A code that returns a confirmation message has been accepted, which is not the same as behaving how you expected. - Write down the off sequence before you travel. Clearing everything is ##002# on Vodafone; Telstra and Optus also publish ##code# removal commands. Clearing conditional diversions can disable voicemail; record the existing setup first. - Decide deliberately between voicemail and another number. It changes the cost on Optus postpaid and while roaming on Vodafone. ## Sources and How This Was Checked Every code, condition and charge here is quoted from Telstra, Optus, Vodafone or Apple pages read on 12 September 2026. No diversion was set up on a live service for this article, so none of these sequences has been dialled and confirmed by us. Dial codes and charges change, and none of the carrier pages carried a visible published date. Two limits worth stating. Telstra’s page contradicts itself on the trailing digits of the turn-on sequence, publishing both \*10# and \*11#, and we have quoted both rather than guessing which is right. And the only working Telstra article we could find is on its small business support path; the consumer equivalent returns a not-found error. ### Official Pages Used - [Telstra: How do I forward calls on my mobile?](https://www.telstra.com.au/small-business/online-support/mobiles-devices/forward-calls-on-mobile): the four condition definitions, all dial codes, the MessageBank codes and ring time. - [Optus: Manage call diversions on your Mobile Phone](https://www.optus.com.au/support/answer/manage_call_diversions_on_your_mobile_phone_1764): Optus condition codes, the add, remove and check sequences and the overseas note. - [Optus: Call diversions costs](https://www.optus.com.au/support/answer/call_diversions_costs_1676): what Optus charges on postpaid and prepaid, and the international restriction. - [Vodafone Australia: Call forwarding](https://www.vodafone.com.au/support/device/call-forwarding): Vodafone codes, destination limits, 1213, and the cost statements including roaming. - [Apple (AU): Set up call forwarding on iPhone](https://support.apple.com/en-au/guide/iphone/iph7405291c4/ios): the iPhone settings path, the in-range requirement and the conditional forwarding caveat. - [Samsung Australia: Forward calling on a Samsung phone](https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/forward-calling-on-samsung-phone/): the Galaxy Phone app menu route for Australian models, published 10 August 2026. - [Optus: Optus Daily Roaming explained](https://www.optus.com.au/support/answer/optus_daily_roaming_explained_20237): which voicemail diversions may trigger the daily roaming charge. Related on Tech X Telco: [Data roaming on or off](https://techxtelco.com/mobile-plans/mobile-insights/what-is-data-roaming/), which covers the diversion charges that catch people overseas.