There are many reasons why you would want to have your phone calls and SMS messages forwarded from one phone to another. However, dealing with your provider isn’t always the easiest means to get things done. Having a quick and easy way to forward your mobile number (and SMS) to other numbers can make your mobile life a lot more efficient.
Thankfully, the Android platform has free and inexpensive applications that can help — like SMS Forwarding (free) and Simple Call Forwarding ($0.99). Both of these apps make the task of forwarding calls and texts a snap.
Simple Call Forwarding supports the following providers:
- AT&T
- Boost
- Cricket
- Metro PCS
- Sprint
- T-Mobile
- Verizon
- Virgin Mobile
- Orange UK
- O2 - UK
- Vodafone
- E-Plus
- Rogers
- Bell
- Telus
NOTE:
- Your data plan has to include call forwarding
- Sprint charges per use, depending on your plan
- Metro PCS requires the activation of call forwarding
- Cricket only allows this on certain rate plans, so please check with the carrier
- Custom Conditional Call Forwarding codes are not officially supported
If, after reading the above bullet lists, you’re still good to go, let’s continue on and get these two apps up and running. Both apps will be installed on the mobile device that the calls and SMS are forwarded from (nothing has to be done to the target device).
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Simple Call Forwarding
This is the more challenging of the two apps (but fear not, it’s still simple). The first step is to install the software. Here’s how:
- Open up the Google Play Store on your mobile
- Search for “simple call forwarding” (no quotes)
- Tap on the correct entry for the app
- Tap the purchase price
- Tap Accept & buy
Once it’s installed, open the Simple Forwarding app to reveal the configuration screen (Figure A).
Figure A
Here you see Simple Call Forwarding on a Verizon-branded Droid X.
Here’s what you need to configure Simple Call Forwarding:
- Choose a carrier: This is the carrier on the source phone (not the phone the calls will be forwarded to)
- Forwarding phone number: The number the calls will be sent to
Once you’ve set those two options, click Save & Start to begin the process. Your calls will now be forwarded to the new number.
I highly recommend that you add the Simple Call Forwarding widget (Figure B) to your mobile. This will make it easy to turn the service on and off.
Figure B
Tap the widget to turn call forwarding on and off.
SMS Forwarding
To install this application, follow these steps:
- Open up the Google Play Store on your mobile
- Search for “sms forwarding” (no quotes)
- Tap on the correct entry for the app
- Tap Download
- Tap Accept & download
Once installed, open it from the app drawer for configuration. From the main screen (Figure C), here’s what you’ll need to configure SMS Forwarding:
- Enable Forwarding: Tap to enable
- Forward with SMS: Enable to forward via SMS (the other option is to forward via email)
- Destination Number: Tap to enter the forwarding number for the SMS messages (including area code)
Figure C
Screenshot of the free SMS Forwarding app.
You can also set it up to forward SMS to an email address. Take note that SMS Forwarding does not have a widget for quick on/off. To disable this feature, you’ll need to go back into the configuration screen.
That’s all you need to do to gain easy control over your mobile’s ability to forward calls and SMS messages. These two very simple and reliable apps for the Android mobile platform will bring even more flexibility to your mobile world.
