Getting ColdCertain running takes one setting on your phone.

what you're doing, in plain terms

Right now, when you miss a call, that customer just… waits. Maybe they call your competitor next. ColdCertain fixes this by texting them back automatically the moment you miss a call — but only if we can actually see when you miss one.

You're going to tell your phone: “If I don't pick up, send the call to ColdCertain instead of just ringing out.” Your phone still rings as normal. Nothing changes for you. But if you genuinely can't answer, we catch it and text the customer within seconds.

This is called conditional call forwarding, and every phone carrier already has it built in. You're not installing anything or changing phones — just flipping one setting.

before you start

You'll need:

• Your business phone number (the one customers call)
• 2 minutes
• Your ColdCertain forwarding number (we'll send you this after signup — looks like a normal phone number)

the steps

Step 1: Find your carrier

Look at who you pay your phone bill to — that's your carrier (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Rogers, Bell, EE, Vodafone, etc.). The setting lives in your carrier's system, not in your phone's general settings, so the exact steps depend on who you're with.

Call forwarding isn't a feature of your iPhone or Android phone — it's a feature of the phone network itself. Your carrier controls it, which is why the method is different for each one.

Step 2: Turn on conditional forwarding (not regular forwarding)

This is the most important step to get right. There are two kinds of call forwarding:

• Regular forwarding sends every call away immediately, so your phone never even rings. Don't use this.
• Conditional forwarding only forwards the call if you're busy, don't answer, or your phone is off. Your phone rings like normal first. This is the one you want.

You still want to answer your own calls when you can. Conditional forwarding only kicks in as a backup when you genuinely miss one — that's the whole point.

Step 3: Enter your ColdCertain number

Wherever your carrier asks for the forwarding destination, enter the ColdCertain number we gave you (not your personal cell, not a family member's number).

This is the number that actually catches the missed call and tells ColdCertain to send the text. If it's pointed anywhere else, the automatic text won't fire.

Step 4: Test it

Have a friend (or your own second phone) call your business number and let it ring without answering. Within a few seconds, you should get a test text confirming it worked.

Carriers don't always behave exactly the same way, so it's worth confirming this is actually live before a real customer is the one testing it for you.

how to turn it on, by phone type

iPhone

Your iPhone's Settings app doesn't have a menu for this one — you'll dial a short code instead.

1. Open the Phone app
2. Dial: *61* + your ColdCertain number + #, then press call
3. Wait for a confirmation message or tone

Android

1. Open the Phone app
2. Tap the three dots (or Settings icon) in the corner
3. Look for Calls or Supplementary Services
4. Tap Call Forwarding
5. Choose When unanswered (sometimes called “No answer”)
6. Enter your ColdCertain number and save

Menu names shift slightly by phone brand — if you don't see this exact wording, look for anything mentioning “forwarding” or “diverting” calls.

codes by carrier

If your carrier's app or menu doesn't have a clear forwarding option, you can always dial the code directly from your Phone app's keypad — just like making a call. Replace [NUMBER] with your ColdCertain number, then press the green call button.

United States

Canada

United Kingdom

Most carriers worldwide use the same GSM-standard code (*61* for “no answer,” *67* for “busy,” *62* for “unreachable”), so if yours isn't listed above, *61*[NUMBER]# is very likely to work. Dial it, wait for the confirmation tone or text, then test using the steps above.

A note on timing: most carriers wait 15–20 seconds (about 5 rings) before forwarding an unanswered call. If you want ColdCertain to catch missed calls faster, some carriers let you set the ring count — worth asking your carrier's support line if you'd rather it kick in after 2–3 rings instead.

Office phone system (RingCentral, Ooma, Grasshopper, etc.) — if customers call an office VoIP line rather than your personal cell, this is usually a setting inside your provider's dashboard, not your phone itself. Look for Call Forwarding or Call Routing in your account settings — this route tends to be easier and more reliable than a mobile carrier code.