Forwarding vs. buying a new number

The two paths

┌─────────────────────────────────┐         ┌──────────────────────────────────┐
│   Path A — FORWARD              │         │   Path B — PORT (later)          │
│                                 │         │                                  │
│   Your existing # rings →       │         │   Your existing # IS the         │
│   forwards to a new FrontDesk # │   →     │   FrontDesk # (we own it on      │
│   → AI answers                  │         │   Twilio, AI answers directly)   │
│                                 │         │                                  │
│   Setup: minutes (carrier UI)   │         │   Setup: 7-10 business days      │
│   Reversible: yes, instantly    │         │   Reversible: yes, you can port  │
│                                 │         │     it back out                  │
└─────────────────────────────────┘         └──────────────────────────────────┘

Most practices do A first, B later — forward for the first few weeks to road-test the AI, then port once they're confident it should be the permanent answer.

When forwarding is the right choice

Pick forwarding (Path A) if:

• You're in the first month and still tuning the AI.
• You want to be able to flip the AI off in 60 seconds if something goes wrong (unforward the line and you're back to your old setup).
• You want to forward only some calls — busy, no-answer, or after-hours only — and keep direct human pickup the rest of the time.
• You don't want to fill out porting paperwork yet.

How to set it up:

1. In FrontDesk, buy a number in your area code: see Purchase a number.
2. In your current carrier's portal (or by dialing your carrier's forwarding code), forward your existing business line to the new FrontDesk number.
3. Choose unconditional, busy, no-answer, or after-hours forwarding depending on how much you want the AI to handle.
4. Make a test call to your existing number. The AI should pick up.

Your carrier's forwarding codes vary (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, RingCentral, Vonage, etc. all use different dial codes or portal flows). Check your carrier's help docs for the exact steps — we don't manage the forwarding because it happens on their network, not ours.

When buying a new number outright is the right choice

Pick a brand-new FrontDesk number if:

• You're a new practice without an established main line yet.
• You want a dedicated AI line that's separate from your main number (e.g., new-patient inquiries only, or after-hours line).
• You want to run a marketing campaign with a trackable number.

You can have multiple numbers on one practice — see Manage multiple phone numbers.

When porting your existing number is the right choice

Pick porting (Path B) if:

• The AI has been answering forwarded calls for a few weeks and you're confident it's the permanent answer.
• You want patients to keep dialing your existing number and have it ring straight to the AI without the extra hop through your old carrier (which can add 1–2 seconds of ring time and occasionally drops the forward).
• You want to cancel your old phone service entirely and consolidate billing on FrontDesk.

See Port your existing number for the LOA process and timeline.

The decision in one sentence

Forward first, port once you're sure.

The only practices that should skip forwarding and go straight to a new dedicated number are new ones with no established main line, or established ones that specifically want the AI on a separate line.