How to Forward Your Motel Phone to an AI Agent, Step by Step
Carrier codes, the two forwarding styles, a test call and a script for your phone company, so you can forward your motel phone to an AI agent in minutes.
You want an AI agent to pick up when the desk can't, but your guests already know your number. You are not going to print new signs, change your Google listing and update every OTA page just to try something new. The good news is you don't have to. You can forward your motel phone to an AI agent and keep the number you have always had.
Forwarding is a setting on your phone line, and most owners finish it in under ten minutes. This post covers the two ways to set it up, the codes most carriers use, how to test it, how to turn it off, and what to say if the phone company needs to do it for you. If you are still deciding whether an AI agent suits your property, start with what AI phone answering can and can't do.
What does forwarding your motel phone to an AI agent mean?
Your guests dial the number they know. Your phone company sends the call to a second number, and the AI agent answers there. Guests never see the second number. The agent's number is just where calls land when your line hands them off.
You need one thing first: the 10-digit number your AI agent answers on.
Which style do you want: ring the desk first, or forward everything?
There are two kinds of forwarding, and picking the right one matters more than any code.
Ring the desk first, forward if no answer
Calls ring at your desk. If nobody picks up after a set number of rings, the call moves to the AI agent. This is the best fit if you have a clerk during the day and want backup for busy moments, bathroom breaks and the overnight shift. Phone companies call it "no answer" or "busy/no answer" forwarding. The star codes for it usually start with *92.
Forward every call
Every call goes straight to the AI agent and your desk phone never rings. This suits a night when nobody is on the desk, or a property where you want the agent to be the first voice every time. The star codes for it usually start with *72.
Some lines can only do the second style. Xfinity Voice is one of them, which comes up below. If your carrier can only forward every call, Riley answers every call and passes guests to the desk when they ask.
What are the star codes for each carrier?
Dial these from the motel line itself, using the handset, and wait for the confirmation tone or recorded message. Replace the digits with your agent's 10-digit number. The codes below were checked against carrier support pages in early October 2026, and carriers change things, so treat the carrier's own page as the final word.
Codes the carrier publishes
- AT&T: ring the desk first with
*92+ number +#, turn off with*93#. Forward every call with*72+ number +#, turn off with*73#. See AT&T's call forwarding page. Some AT&T Business lines need AT&T to switch on "no answer" forwarding first. If the code does nothing, call AT&T Business at 800-288-2020. - Verizon: ring the desk first with
*92+ number, off with*93. Forward every call with*72+ number, off with*73. Verizon says these codes are not available in every area. The details are on Verizon's star codes page. If nothing happens, call Verizon at 800-922-0204. - CenturyLink, Lumen and Brightspeed: forward every call with
*72+ number, off with*73, per CenturyLink's call forwarding help. The ring-the-desk-first code on these lines is usually*92with*93to turn it off, but that one is not on the carrier's own page, so test it.
Codes most lines use
Spectrum, Frontier and Cox usually follow the same pattern: *92 + number to ring the desk first, *93 to turn it off, *72 + number to forward every call, *73 to turn it off. These are the standard codes most US phone lines use, and they are not confirmed on each carrier's own support page. The test call below will tell you within a minute whether yours works. Spectrum also lets you set forwarding on its website under Voice, then Call Forwarding.
Not sure who your carrier is? Check the bill. The *92 and *72 codes are the best first guess, and you can undo them.
Xfinity Voice
Xfinity Voice can't ring your desk first and then forward. It forwards every call or none. You set it in the Xfinity app or on xfinity.com under Services, Home Phone, Settings, Call Forwarding, then enter your agent's number. The steps are on Xfinity's call forwarding page. With this setup the agent answers every call, so make sure it knows how to hand a guest to the desk when they ask for a person.
What if you use an internet phone like RingCentral, Vonage or Ooma?
Internet phone systems don't use star codes. You sign in to the admin website, open the desk line's call forwarding settings, and choose either "forward when unanswered" or "forward all calls" to your agent's number.
Watch the ring count. Ooma Office, for example, forwards after only 2 rings by default. That is too fast if you want your clerk to have a fair chance to answer. Raise it to about 20 seconds so the desk gets the first try. Other systems have their own default, so look for a setting called "ring time," "no answer timeout" or similar and check it before you test.
How do you test that it worked?
Do this right after you set it up, and again after any change.
- Grab a cell phone, not the motel line.
- Call your motel number.
- If you chose to ring the desk first, let it ring and don't answer. Count the rings. The agent should pick up after the delay you set.
- If you chose to forward every call, the agent should answer right away and your desk phone should stay quiet.
- Ask the agent a simple question, such as your cheapest room rate, to make sure it is the right agent for the right property.
If you hear a busy signal, a fast-busy tone, or just your own desk phone ringing forever, forwarding did not take. Dial the off code, wait for the confirmation, and try again with the number retyped carefully. A wrong digit in the 10-digit number is the most common reason this fails.
Then ask a relative or friend on a different carrier to call, so you know it works for guests too.
How do you turn forwarding off?
Dial the off code from the motel line and wait for the confirmation: *93 or *93# for ring-the-desk-first, and *73 or *73# for forward-every-call, depending on your carrier. On internet phone systems and Xfinity, switch it off in the same settings screen where you turned it on.
Turning it off takes effect right away, so you can use forwarding only for nights, weekends or a stretch when someone is out sick. If you do that, write the on and off codes on a card by the phone so every clerk knows them.
What do you say if the code does nothing?
Some business lines have forwarding blocked until the carrier enables it, and some area codes don't support the star codes at all. Call your phone company and read this almost word for word. Replace the number with your agent's:
Please turn on "no answer" call forwarding to (XXX) XXX-XXXX, so calls ring here first and go to that number only if nobody answers.
If you want every call forwarded instead, use this version:
Please forward all calls on this line to (XXX) XXX-XXXX.
Ask them to confirm the setting when they are done, then run the test call yourself. Don't take "it's done" as proof.
Where does MotelOps fit in?
If you use Riley, MotelOps's AI phone agent, the setup screen walks you through forwarding with your carrier picked, so you see the codes for your line and a place to run the check. Everything above works the same whichever AI agent you choose, though. If you want to see how calls turn into bookings first, you can look at the missed calls post to put a number on what you lose today.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to change my motel's phone number?
No. Forwarding keeps your published number. Guests, Google and the booking sites keep calling the same line, and your carrier sends the call to the agent's number behind the scenes.
Will I still pay my current phone bill?
Yes. Forwarding is a feature on your existing line, so your phone bill stays. Some carriers charge for call forwarding or for business features, and some forwarded calls can be billed as long-distance or per-minute usage. Check your plan, or ask the carrier when you call.
How many rings should I wait before the call forwards?
Enough that your clerk can reasonably reach the phone, and not so many that guests hang up. About 20 seconds is a sensible place to start, then adjust after a few test calls. On star-code lines the delay is set by the carrier, so ask them how many rings come before the call moves on and whether they can change it.
What happens if the agent's line is busy or down?
It depends on the carrier: the call may fail or land in your voicemail. Keep your carrier's support number handy, and remember that dialing the off code puts every call back on the desk phone right away.
Can I forward only at night?
Yes. Turn forwarding on when the desk closes and off when staff returns, using the codes above. Some internet phone systems also let you schedule it by hours, which saves remembering.
The short version
To forward your motel phone to an AI agent, pick your style first: ring the desk first with *92-type codes, or forward every call with *72-type codes. Dial the code from the motel line with your agent's 10-digit number, then call your own number from a cell phone to confirm it works. Turn it off with *93 or *73 if you need to, and use the script above when your carrier has to do it for you. To see what a day of calls looks like in MotelOps, take a look at the front desk demo or sign up free.