Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.) — After-Hours Setup
How to forward after-hours calls to PupPilot on Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.).
Setup Note
Traditional landlines require manual daily activation. You dial a star code to enable forwarding when closing, and another to disable when opening. Consider posting a reminder at the front desk.
How Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.) Works
Traditional landlines (POTS — Plain Old Telephone Service) and cable-bundled phone lines from carriers like AT&T, Spectrum, Comcast/Xfinity, Verizon, and CenturyLink use star codes dialed from your handset to enable/disable call forwarding. There is no web portal — all changes are made by dialing codes on the phone itself. Key limitation: no automatic time-based routing — forwarding must be toggled manually each day.
Call Flow
Open Hours
Caller
Main Number
Desk phones ring
Staff answers
After Hours
Caller
Main Number
Forward
PupPilot answers
Setup Steps
1
Enable Call Forwarding (When Closing)
Pick up any phone on your main line. Dial *72, then dial your PupPilot phone number. Wait for a confirmation tone or for PupPilot to answer, then hang up.
Some carriers use different codes: Spectrum may use *72, AT&T uses *72, Comcast/Xfinity uses *72. If *72 doesn't work, contact your carrier for the correct star code.
2
Disable Call Forwarding (When Opening)
Pick up any phone on your main line. Dial *73. Wait for a confirmation tone, then hang up. Calls will now ring your clinic phones again.
You must remember to disable forwarding each morning. Consider posting a reminder at the front desk.
3
Test
After enabling forwarding with *72, call your clinic number from a cell phone to verify PupPilot answers.
Important Notes
- Traditional landlines have no automatic time-based routing. You must manually toggle forwarding on/off each day.
- *72 = enable forwarding. *73 = disable forwarding. These are the most common codes, but check with your carrier.
- Consider posting a reminder near the front desk phone: "Close: Dial *72 + PupPilot Number. Open: Dial *73."
- If you forget to disable forwarding in the morning, all calls will continue going to PupPilot.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Fix |
|---|---|
| Calls don't reach PupPilot | Make sure you completed the *72 activation correctly. Pick up the phone, dial *72, then dial the full PupPilot number including area code. Wait for a confirmation tone before hanging up. |
| *72 not working | Some carriers use different star codes. Contact your carrier (AT&T, Spectrum, Comcast, Verizon, CenturyLink) for the correct call forwarding activation code. |
| Forgot to disable forwarding in the morning | Dial *73 immediately to disable. All calls are currently going to PupPilot. Consider posting a checklist at the front desk. |
| No second line available for transfers | Order a second line from your carrier, use a cell phone number, or set up a VoIP line (Google Voice, etc.) as the transfer-back number. |
| Calls loop between PupPilot and your system | Your internal number is forwarding to PupPilot on no-answer. Ensure the second line's fallback is voicemail only. |