Call Forwarding Troubleshooting

Last updated: March 23, 2026

Call forwarding is the most common method for routing your business phone calls to Maple's AI voice agent. While setup is usually straightforward, issues can arise depending on your phone carrier, phone system type, and configuration. This guide covers the most common call forwarding problems, explains why they happen, and walks you through how to fix them.

Issue: Call Forwarding Setup Fails Using Star Codes (*72)

Symptom: You dial *72 followed by your Maple AI phone number, but call forwarding does not activate. Calls to your business number still ring at your location instead of reaching the AI.

Cause: The *72 star code is carrier-specific and does not work with all phone providers. Different carriers (landline, VoIP, and business phone systems like Nextiva) use different methods to enable call forwarding. Additionally, if you have a VoIP or cloud-based phone system, forwarding is typically configured through an online portal rather than a star code.

Fix:

  1. Identify your phone carrier. Check your phone bill or contact your phone provider to confirm which company provides your service. If you're unsure, your Maple support team can help look up your carrier based on your phone number.

  2. Get carrier-specific instructions. Once you know your provider, look up or request the correct call forwarding procedure for that carrier. Common methods include:

    • Traditional landline: Star codes like *72 (varies by carrier)

    • VoIP systems (Nextiva, RingCentral, Vonage, etc.): Log into your provider's admin portal and configure forwarding rules there

    • Cell phones: Settings > Phone > Call Forwarding (iPhone) or Settings > Calls > Call Forwarding (Android)

  3. Contact your carrier's support if the standard instructions don't work — some business phone plans require carrier-side activation of call forwarding.

  4. Test after setup by calling your business number from a different phone. The call should be answered by the Maple AI agent, not your store phone.

Issue: Calls Still Ring at Your Location Instead of Going to Maple

Symptom: You believe call forwarding is set up, but when you (or the Maple team) call your business number, the phone rings at your store. The AI never picks up.

Cause: Call forwarding may not have been activated correctly, or the forwarding was set up to a wrong number. In some cases, changes to phone routing require a propagation period (up to 24 hours) before they take effect.

Fix:

  1. Verify the forwarded number is correct. Double-check that you forwarded to the exact Maple AI number provided to you — including area code. Even one wrong digit will route calls elsewhere.

  2. Wait up to 24 hours. Some phone systems and carriers require time for routing changes to propagate. If you just set up forwarding, test again the next day before assuming it failed.

  3. Test from an external phone. Call your business number from a personal cell phone or another line. Do not test from the same phone you used to set up forwarding.

  4. Check for conflicting settings. If your phone system has an auto-attendant, IVR menu, or voicemail that intercepts calls before forwarding can take effect, you may need to disable or reconfigure those features.

  5. Contact Maple support to have the team verify on their end whether calls are reaching the AI system.

Issue: Calls Route to the Wrong Person or Number Based on Time of Day

Symptom: Calls are being sent to the wrong destination depending on when they come in — for example, daytime calls go to the AI correctly, but evening calls ring at your personal phone, or vice versa.

Cause: Your phone system or carrier may have time-based routing rules, conditional forwarding settings, or separate day/night mode configurations that override your call forwarding setup.

Fix:

  1. Review your phone system's routing rules. Log into your carrier or VoIP admin portal and check for any time-of-day routing, schedules, or conditional forwarding rules.

  2. Remove or update conflicting rules. Ensure that the forwarding rule to your Maple AI number applies to all hours you want the AI to handle calls, not just specific time windows.

  3. Check for conditional forwarding. Some systems offer "forward on no answer" or "forward when busy" as separate settings from "forward all calls." Make sure the correct type of forwarding is enabled for your needs.

Issue: You Have a Single Phone Line and Cannot Set Up Call Forwarding

Symptom: Your business has only one phone line (often also used for a POS tablet or fax), and activating call forwarding would mean you lose the ability to use that line for anything else. Standard call forwarding instructions don't apply to your setup.

Cause: Traditional call forwarding redirects all incoming calls away from your phone line. If you only have one line and need it for other purposes (POS, outbound calls, fax), forwarding all calls makes that line unavailable for those uses.

Fix — choose one of the following alternatives:

  • Option A: Get a second phone line. Adding a dedicated line for your business calls allows you to forward that line to Maple while keeping your original line for POS and other uses. Ask your carrier about adding a second line.

  • Option B: Use the Maple AI number directly. Instead of forwarding, update your Google Business Profile, website, and any online listings to display your Maple AI phone number as your business number. Customers will call the AI number directly, bypassing the need for forwarding entirely.

Issue: Calls Reach the AI but Transfers Back to You Don't Ring Long Enough

Symptom: When the AI transfers a call to you (for example, when it can't handle a request), your phone barely rings before the call drops or goes to voicemail. Customers perceive this as a dropped call.

Cause: The transfer ring timeout may be set too short, not giving you enough time to reach the phone and answer.

Fix:

  1. Contact Maple support to request an adjustment to your transfer ring duration. The default is typically set between 22–45 seconds.

  2. Maple can extend the ring time up to 60 seconds to give you adequate time to answer transferred calls.

  3. Keep in mind: If you just deployed or made configuration changes, the system may need a few minutes to fully load the new settings. Test again after a short wait if transfers seem to time out too quickly immediately after a change.

Issue: AI Transfers Create a Call Loop

Symptom: When the AI attempts to transfer a call, it loops back to the AI instead of reaching you, creating an endless cycle where no one actually answers.

Cause: This happens when the AI's transfer number is the same as (or forwards back to) the number that routes to the AI. For example, if your business number forwards to Maple, and Maple's transfer destination is set to that same business number, the call loops back to the AI.

Fix:

  1. Provide a separate transfer number. Give Maple a direct phone number (such as a cell phone, back-office line, or secondary store line) that does not have call forwarding to the AI enabled.

  2. Verify your transfer number with Maple support to ensure it is distinct from any number in the forwarding chain.

  3. Test the full flow: Call your business number → confirm the AI answers → request a transfer → confirm the call reaches you on the separate line.

Issue: Calls Go Directly to You Instead of the AI Handling Them First

Symptom: Your phone rings for every incoming call, even though you expected the AI to answer first and only transfer calls it cannot handle.

Cause: The forwarding direction is likely reversed or misconfigured. Instead of your business number forwarding to the Maple AI number, your phone system may be set up so the AI number forwards to you — or forwarding was never activated on your business number at all.

Fix:

  1. Confirm the correct call flow. The intended routing is:

    • Customer calls your business number

    • Your business number forwards to the Maple AI number

    • The AI handles the call

    • Only if the AI cannot handle the request, it transfers to your personal/store transfer number

  2. Check your phone system configuration. Log into your carrier's portal (e.g., Nextiva, RingCentral) and verify that your main business number has an active forwarding rule pointing to the Maple AI number.

  3. Check with your carrier if you had a third party set up your phone system — they may need to update the forwarding destination.

Issue: Inconsistent AI Pickup — Sometimes Answers Quickly, Sometimes Doesn't

Symptom: When you call the AI number, it sometimes picks up in 2 rings but other times takes 10+ rings or doesn't answer at all. The behavior is unpredictable.

Cause: This can be related to phone carrier routing variability, network latency, or system initialization timing — particularly if the AI system was recently deployed or updated.

Fix:

  1. Test multiple times at different times of day to identify any patterns.

  2. Note the number you're calling from — some carriers route calls differently, which can affect connection timing.

  3. Report the issue to Maple support with specific details: the time of your test calls, the number you called from, and how many rings occurred before pickup (or if the call was never answered). This helps the technical team diagnose carrier-specific or system-level issues.

General Best Practices for Call Forwarding

  • Always test before going live. Call your business number from an external phone after setup to confirm the AI answers. Only begin directing customer calls to the system after successful testing.

  • Know your phone provider. Having your carrier name and account details ready speeds up troubleshooting significantly. Consider noting this information during initial setup.

  • Don't modify your phone configuration without notifying Maple. Changes to forwarding rules, phone numbers, or carrier settings can break the call routing. Always coordinate with your Maple support team before making changes.

  • Keep a backup plan. If call forwarding fails unexpectedly, you can temporarily update your Google Business Profile or website to display your Maple AI number directly until forwarding is restored.

When to Contact Maple Support

Reach out to the Maple support team if:

  • You've followed carrier-specific instructions and forwarding still doesn't activate

  • You're unsure which phone carrier you use and need help identifying it

  • You need your transfer ring duration adjusted

  • You suspect a call loop or incorrect routing configuration

  • You want to explore alternatives to call forwarding (Google Business Profile updates, number porting, or direct AI number listing)