How do I set up call forwarding on Nova?

The forwarding codes, exactly as Nova gives them

Of all the carriers, Nova has published the most detailed guide. It gives codes to activate, to cancel and also to check every kind of forwarding. It writes them with two asterisks, but in practice they work exactly the same as the classic single-asterisk form (the GSM standard).

Once you have typed the code, simply press the call button. Don’t get stuck on whether to put one or two asterisks at the start — the result is the same and both forms work fine.

Forwarding “when you don’t answer”: after 20 seconds, unless you choose otherwise

Here Nova gives a useful detail that the other carriers leave out: the time. If you don’t set anything yourself, the call goes to the forwarding number after 20 seconds. Want a different delay? Simply type **61*number*11*seconds# — choosing 5, 10, 15, 25 or 30 in place of the seconds.

For a business, that delay deserves a little thought. The shorter it is, the less the customer waits on the line before the call goes through to the other number — but you also have less time to get to the phone yourself. In a hair salon, for example, once that time runs out the call goes to an AI receptionist for hair salons and the booking goes into your calendar.

Nova landline: no monthly fee, but watch the forwarded leg

For landlines, Nova makes two things clear: the call forwarding service has no monthly fee, but there may be a charge for the call from your landline to the forwarding number, based on your price list. In plain terms, activating it costs nothing — you only pay for the forwarded leg of each call that is actually forwarded. In detail: what call forwarding costs.

Nova landline: the codes, the check codes and 13000

For landlines Nova has a separate article, “How do I activate and manage call forwarding on my landline?” («Πώς ενεργοποιώ και διαχειρίζομαι τις εκτροπές κλήσεων στο σταθερό;»), with three kinds of forwarding on the same basic codes: *21*forwarding number# for immediate forwarding, *61*forwarding number# when you can’t answer and *67*forwarding number# when the line is busy. You cancel them with #21#, #61# and #67#, and you check what is active with *#21#, *#61# and *#67#. The service “is provided free of charge”; if you forward to a chargeable number, the forwarded leg is billed according to your plan.

The same page has one quirk: how forwarding interacts with call waiting depends on which network “table” your line belongs to. Nova suggests calling 13000, free from your landline, to find out which table you are on. On second-table lines, for instance, activating one type of forwarding cancels any other forward. To change the forwarding number, switch the forward off and set it again with the new number.

ISDN lines use different codes: *22*forwarding number# for permanent forwarding, *63*forwarding number# when you don’t answer and *68*forwarding number# when you’re busy, cancelled with #22#, #63#, #68# and checked with *#22#, *#63#, *#68#.

How to make sure the forwarding is working

Nova gives a check code for every type of call diversion: *#21#, *#61#, *#67#, *#62#. Your mobile’s screen will show straight away whether forwarding is active and which number it is sending the calls to. The test that really counts, though, is just one: call your number from another phone and let it ring right through. If you see the call didn’t go where you expected, cancel everything with ##002# and set up only what you want, from scratch.

Where does an AI receptionist fit into all this?

What we often forget is that forwarding simply moves the call; it doesn’t answer it. If there is nobody at the other end to pick up, all you have done is move the problem to a second voicemail.

For a business, the combination that really makes sense is to forward “when you don’t answer” and “when you are busy” to a line that always answers. That way, if you get there in time, you serve the customer yourself. If not, the call is answered as normal and you receive the request in writing. That is exactly what we are building at Parousa — an AI receptionist that answers in Greek and books appointments. Your number stays the same; the only thing that changes is where the call goes when you can’t get to it. If you need an AI receptionist for hotels, for example, Parousa looks after guests while the front desk is empty and sends you their messages by email.