Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.) — Day Agent Setup

How to set up PupPilot as your full-time AI receptionist on Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.) with live transfer.

Provider Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.)

Admin Portal None (star codes on handset)

Setup Self-service setup · ~10 minutes

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

Inbound

Caller

Main Number

Forward

PupPilot answers

Transfer-back

PupPilot

Dials Internal Number

Staff phones ring

Staff answers

Two numbers: the public number (forwards to PupPilot via *72) and a separate line for staff transfers. Traditional landlines are single-line — you need a second phone line.

Part A — Forward Your Public Number to PupPilot

Enable Call Forwarding

Pick up any phone on your main line. Dial *72, then dial your PupPilot phone number. Wait for confirmation, then hang up.

Leave Forwarding Enabled

For Day Agent mode, leave forwarding permanently enabled — do NOT dial *73. All calls will route to PupPilot 24/7.

Test

Call your main number. PupPilot should answer. Your clinic phones should remain silent.

Part B — Set Up Your Internal Number

Since traditional landlines are single-line systems, you need a separate phone line for PupPilot to transfer calls back to your staff. Options: a second landline, a cell phone, or a VoIP line (e.g., Google Voice).

Prevent Call Loops

The internal/transfer-back number must NOT forward to PupPilot on no-answer. Set the fallback to voicemail to prevent call loops.

Choose Your Internal Number

Option A (Recommended): Order a second phone line from your carrier. Option B: Use an existing separate line (cell phone, VoIP, or another landline).

Ensure Voicemail Fallback

Make sure the second line goes to voicemail only when unanswered. Do NOT forward it to PupPilot or your main number.

Share the Number with PupPilot

Provide the second line's phone number to your PupPilot contact for call transfers.

Test Transfer-Back Calls

Have PupPilot call the internal number. Your staff phones should ring. If unanswered, should go to voicemail — not PupPilot.

Test the Full Flow

Call your public number

PupPilot should answer. Your clinic phones should remain silent.

Call your internal number

Your staff phones should ring. Pick up — the call connects.

Call your internal number and don't answer

Should go to voicemail, NOT back 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.

References

Also Available for Traditional Landlines (AT&T, Spectrum, etc.)

🌙 After-Hours Call Forwarding Guide →

Other Day Agent Guides

Self-service setup · ~15 minutes

Self-service setup · ~20 minutes

Support-assisted setup · ~20 minutes (support call)