Why Call Forwarding Matters
To comply with U.S. Mini-TCPA laws and TCPA regulations, businesses must provide a callable phone number for recipients of SMS marketing messages. Recart ensures compliance by automatically enabling call forwarding for businesses using Toll-Free Numbers (TFNs) and Shortcodes.
If you prefer to set up your own external call forwarding solution, you can explore the following options:
Set Up Call Forwarding with Your Phone Carrier
If your business phone number is provided by a telecom carrier (such as AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile), you can typically enable call forwarding through your account settings or by contacting customer support.
Steps to Enable Call Forwarding:
- Log in to your business account on your carrier’s website.
- Navigate to Call Forwarding settings.
- Enter the number where you want calls to be forwarded.
- Save and activate the settings.
📌 Tip: Some carriers allow advanced call forwarding, such as forwarding only during business hours or routing calls to multiple numbers.
Using a VoIP or Virtual Business Phone System
VoIP-based phone services offer built-in call forwarding, allowing businesses to manage calls efficiently. If you are using a virtual number from Google Voice or RingCentral, follow these steps:
Google Voice:
- Sign in to Google Voice.
- Go to Settings > Linked Numbers.
- Enable Call Forwarding to a business or support number.
RingCentral:
- Log in to RingCentral.
- Navigate to Call rules and Voicemail.
- Set up call forwarding to your preferred number.
Why Use VoIP for Call Forwarding?
✔ Keeps business and personal calls separate.
✔ Ensures calls are answered even if you’re unavailable.
✔ Provides voicemail and call routing options.
Important Compliance Notes
- Shortcodes do not support voice calls. If your SMS marketing is tied to a shortcode, you must provide a callable alternative, such as a TFN or business number.
- Toll-Free Numbers (TFNs) must be callable. If you use a TFN for SMS marketing, ensure that it is forwarded to an accessible business line.
- Failure to comply with Mini-TCPA laws may result in fines of up to $25,000 per violation.
For details on Recart’s built-in Call Forwarding solution, visit our Call Forwarding Setup Guide
If you have further questions, contact support@recart.com.