What is an International Call Forwarding Number?

Call forwarding is a telephony feature that redirects an inbound telephone call to any chosen phone number. It may be another desktop handset, a mobile phone, or even a computer. International call forwarding allows users to divert inbound calls from anywhere in the world to any telephone or device they choose. Even though the call is routed across international lines, the caller is not charged international rates.

For example, a customer in Tokyo may dial what appears to be a local, toll-free number. But the business she is calling is actually located in Los Angeles. The customer’s call travels over the internet to the company’s headquarters in California where an agent answers the call. The call is still a local, toll-free call to the Tokyo customer, but it is handled by staff in the United States.

International Call Forwarding Features and Benefits

International call forwarding can be as simple as routing all calls to one number, or it can be customized in a variety of ways.

Some advanced features of international call forwarding include:

Time of day call routing. If an organization operates offices or call centers in several countries, inbound calls can be transferred back and forth to ensure customers always reach an agent. For example, at the close of the business day in Chicago, inbound calls can be routed to the company’s satellite office in the Philippines. At close of business in the Philippines, calls can be sent back to the United States. This is often referred to as, “Follow the Sun” call routing. Inbound calls can also be instantly re-routed during periods of extremely high call volume.

Day of the week call routing. Calls can also be routed based upon the days of the week. If a local, US office is closed on the weekends, calls can be sent to international offices, or vice versa.

Call routing to any phone. International call forwarding numbers can be sent to any phone number a user chooses. This includes mobile phones, and even computers or tablets that have the proper software.

Virtually no limits. Companies can point a virtually unlimited amount of international telephone numbers to their business.

The call routing features available with international call forwarding numbers can be combined to allow businesses to customize their inbound calls and workflow based upon their specific needs.