Call forwarding, or transferring your landline number to a cell phone, can be a convenient and cheaper way to receive calls to your home phone wherever you are.
As a customer of Windstream, there are three ways to set up call forwarding without losing your number:
- Keep your landline phone, and forward calls from your landline to a cell phone
- Get rid of your landline phone, and forward calls from your landline number to a cell phone
- Transfer your landline number to a cell phone
With the first option, you’ll keep your landline and hence, the relationship with Windstream.
However, the second two options allow you to cancel your landline contract, keep your number, and save money.
Additionally, forwarding calls with Windstream can be expensive, complicated, and time-consuming.
You can continue to make and receive calls from your landline number while significantly reducing your monthly bill with Community Phone's landline transferring service.
We've helped more than 10,000 users transfer their landline number to their cell phones, without the headache.
Not all landline numbers can be parked or forwarded. Luckily, we can check for you.
Click on the button below to check if your landline number is eligible to transfer. It only takes a few seconds to get your results.
Otherwise, keep reading to find out how you can set up Windstream call forwarding: we've made things a bit easier for you by collecting all of this information — some of which cannot be found on Windstream's website — in one place.
Keep Your Home Phone and Forward Calls to A Cell Phone
Regardless of the type of landline you have, you can easily set up call forwarding yourself.
If you have traditional home phone service, you can activate All Call Forwarding. If you have a digital home phone, you have three additional options to choose from: Busy Call Forwarding, No Answer Call Forwarding, and Safe Call Forwarding.
To set up call forwarding, you can either call an Windstream Customer Service Representative, or you can do it yourself by following the detailed instructions in this article.
Call Windstream Customer Service
In order to set up call forwarding through customer service, you will need your Account and PIN numbers.
You’ll find your account number in the upper right hand corner of your bill as is displayed in the picture below:
You won't be able to find your PIN on the paper bill. You can find it online on MyAccount by signing into Windstream login.
However, if you cannot access your online account with Windstream, and have forgotten or misplaced your PIN, you will need to call Windstream customer care at (800) 347-1991. They will help you reset your PIN.
How to set up Call Forwarding with Windstream
You can activate or deactivate Windstream call forwarding on you home phone by inputting the following codes:
All Call Forwarding
This feature allows you to have all incoming calls ring at an alternate number of your choosing.
To activate All Call Forwarding with Windstreaam:
- Lift the receive, and dial *72
- Enter the number you’d like to forward calls to
- If the call is answered, Call Forwarding is in effect. If the call goes unanswered or busy, repeat the first two steps.
To deactivate, simply dial *73#. Once you hear two short tones followed by a dial tone, that means call forwarding has been turned off,
Preferred Call Forwarding
Only select telephone numbers can be forwarded through this feature.
To activate preferred call forwarding for Windstream:
- Lift the receiver, and dial *63
- Listen for an announcement telling you whether the service is currently on or off. The recorded instructions will then tell you how many (there must be at least one) numbers are currently stored on your "Forward-To" list.
- Follow the recorded instructions and press 3 to turn the feature on (if it is currently off) or to turn the feature off (if it is currently on).
Windstream Call Blocking Services
Many people are reluctant to forward calls, worried that their cell phones will be bombarded with the telemarketers and robocalls they get on their landline.
It is for this reason that Windstream offers spam and robocall protection through calling features like Anonymous Call Rejection and Spam Call Alert. Keep in mind these two features cannot block all (or even most) unwanted calls from your landline.
Anonymous Call Rejection
This feature allows you to refuse calls from callers who have blocked their numbers, meaning their name and number will not show up on your Caller ID.
By enabling this feature, you ensure that your telephone will not ring if the number calling you is blocked by per-call or per-line blocking. Instead, when such callers try to call you, they will hear an announcement that you do not accept anonymous calls and that they should remove their blocking and call again.
Anonymous Call Rejection is automatically included in your plan. If you wish to cancel this service, press *87, listen for the confirmation tone and hang up.
After cancelling, if at any point you wish to reactivate this feature, simply dial *77, listen for the confirmation tone, and hang up.
Spam Call Alert
If an incoming call has been identified as potential spam, you will be alerted in the same manner as Caller ID. This alert will allow you to be cautious before answering. This feature is included with Caller ID, and you will not need to activate it.
Drawbacks to Windstream Call Forwarding
Now that we have detailed the how tos of Windstream’s call forwarding system, let’s discuss the common issues that arise when setting up call forwarding with Windstream.
Steep prices
Although you get some really good calling features with Windstream Communications, a lot of these calling features depend on the type of home phone plan you have and which state you live in.
The pricing may vary too, depending on where you live and what services you’ve purchased from Windstream.
The standard price for just the landline service with unlimited minutes is $44.99/month (before taxes and fee). This includes various calling features like Caller ID, Call Forwarding, Call Blocking, Call Waiting and more.
Of course, the moment you add on another service the price spikes up even more.
Coverage
Although Windstream Communications is the ninth largest residential telephone provider in the U.S.A, its residential services are available in a limited number of areas. Currently, Windstream provides residential coverage in 18 of the 50 states only: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.
Retaining Call Forwarding
If, at any point you wish to cancel your landline service with Windstream, you will no longer retain your call forwarding feature. It is a feature offered in association with your basic home phone plan and cannot be used separately. Simply put, no landline - no call forwarding.
Community Phone - The Best Windstream Alternative
Community Phone is the best wireless home phone service provider in the US that connects your home phone to local cell towers for a dial tone. Their wireless landline base provides reliable call quality across 99% of the US, including rural and low-reception areas, without tying your phone to the internet or copper connections.
Enjoy unlimited nationwide calling and outstanding features like call forwarding, voicemail, spam call blocking, call waiting, and 3-way calling at affordable prices. With world-class support, the reliability of a landline, freedom of wireless access, and no hidden charges, Community Phone is the best Windstream alternative.
How It Works
Community Phone Features for Outstanding Telephonic Experience
Spam Call Blocking
Cell phone spam calls are rising as spammers relentlessly pursue attacks to target gullible victims. With the losses due to phone scams nearing $40 billion, these calls are no longer just a waste of time but potentially dangerous.
Get Community Phone’s spam blocker services to protect yourself, your family, or your business from persistent scammers by blocking their calls before the phone rings. You can choose from available services or get your name added to the waitlist for the upcoming additions to get first access to robust spam-blocking services.
Available Services
Robocallers duped 61% of people who lost money to phone scams in 2022. Get the Community Phone built-in robocall blocker that challenges callers with an action they must perform. Since robocallers cannot complete these actions, the system will flag and block such calls.
The Safelist option allows you to share the list of numbers from which you want to accept calls. Community Phone will allow these calls to ring your phone and block all other calls.
Upcoming Additions
Statistics reveal that many people ignore legitimate calls for fear of engaging a scammer, causing loved ones to worry. An iteration of the Safelist is launching soon, allowing calls from your accepted list to ring your phone and route all other calls to your voicemail. You can respond to these voice messages only if you deem it necessary.
Soon-to-be-launched, the blocklist is a more aggressive spam blocker that blocks spam calls based on an ever-growing database of spam numbers and a spam score. You can contribute actively to the blocklist to protect yourself and other Community Phone members from scammers and frauds.
Caller ID
Opt for the caller ID feature to show your name or number when you make an outbound call. By default, the recipient of your call will see your number, but you can have Community Phone enable your caller ID to show your name when you call.
This feature helps loved ones recognize and engage with you without blocking or ignoring your calls as spam.
If you are a business owner, this feature is of paramount importance to your business, with neighbor spoofing being one of the scam trends. Get Community Phone to enable the caller ID to show your business name and number to build trust in your customers and encourage them to engage with your business.
Landline Texting
Engage with your loved ones or colleagues and employees with the landline texting feature from Community Phone. You can send unlimited texts from your Community Phone landline to any number of your choice. 2-way messaging lets you see the recipient’s message and continue the conversation with them.
If you are a business, you can use this feature to send personalized greetings and wishes to customers on special occasions, collect feedback, remind them of appointments or meetings, and share information on offers and discounts. Opt for landline texting over bulk messaging to build rapport with your customers, create a connection, and build customer loyalty.
3-way Calling
Engage with more than one caller simultaneously with the Community Phone 3-way calling feature. Use this feature to have a conference call with your colleagues, team, or employees to collaborate effectively when working from home instead of relying on calling apps.
Do not lose out on precious moments with your loved ones by using unreliable calling apps, or relying on internet bandwidth. Use the Community Phone 3-way calling for seamless interaction with loved ones on the same call.
Cut the Cord With Windstream &Forward All Calls to an Existing Cell Phone
This option is not available through Windstream. Community Phone can help you forward all incoming calls from your landline to your existing cell phone. You can keep your contacts, the number you have had for years, and reduce your monthly phone bills by canceling your Windstream services. Here's how it works:
1. Call Community Phone customer care at 866-937-2711 and speak to a landline specialist.
2. Check your area for coverage.
3. Sign up with Community Phone and choose a plan once the rep confirms coverage.
4. Request to have the call forwarding feature without a phone
5. Community Phone will port your landline number from Windstream.
6. You can now receive calls from your landline on your cell phone.
Once call forwarding has been successfully set up, you can cancel your connection with Windstream and ditch your landline.
Transfer Your Landline Number to a Cell Phone
Transferring your landline to a cell phone allows you to move your current landline number to a cell phone. If you want to transfer your landline number to a new cell phone or ditch your landline and switch from Windstream, here’s how you can do it with Community Phone.
1. Talk to Community Phone landline specialists at 866-271-4268.
2. Check your area for coverage.
3. Sign up with Community Phone and choose a cell plan once the rep confirms coverage
4. Request to transfer your landline number to a cell phone
5. Community Phone will port your number from Windstream and put it on a new SIM for you
6. You will receive the new SIM from Community Phone, allowing you to use your landline number on your cell.
7. Cancel the service with Windstream once you test your new number and ditch the landline.
Difference Between Call Forwarding and Transfer to a Cell Phone
Forwarding calls from your landline to a cell and transferring the number to your cell may look similar, as they allow you to cancel services with Windstream and ditch your landline. However, they are different.
When you sign up for call forwarding without a phone, you allow calls from your landline number to be forwarded to your existing cell phone. These calls will be in addition to the calls your cell number would receive without disrupting them.
When you ask for your landline number to be transferred to your cell phone number, the landline number becomes an additional number on your existing (dual-SIM phone) or new cell phone.
Benefits of Switching to Community Phone
Apart from being a wireless service provider benefitting thousands of Americans who want phones without internet, here are other benefits Community Phone members enjoy:
Unlimited nationwide calling and text: Stay in touch with loved ones, business associates, employees, and customers across the US with Community Phone's unlimited talk and text.
Utilize the unlimited time to resolve complex issues, launch marketing campaigns, engage with your customers, and decrease churn without a massive long-distance bill.
No internet needed: The Community Phone landline base works off cell towers without tying your phone to the internet. Since your phones are not dependent on the internet, they will continue working during an internet outage or maintenance.
Number choice: You can get a new local number FREE when you sign up with Community Phone. You can also transfer your existing number through their unique hand-held porting process. Get your business a toll-free or vanity number to launch marketing campaigns, get leads, measure effectiveness, and generate revenue.
Talk to a Community Phone specialist to learn more about the different numbers and to get one!
Zero-cost Installation: The landline base does not require a technician to install it. You or anyone in your business or household can install your Community Phone landline in under 30 seconds and be ready to make calls in 5 mins.
24/7 reliable customer support: Contact Community Phone customer support via phone, email, and live chat 24/7 to experience world-class support from live agents. Glowing customer reviews on BBB and Trustpilot are testimonials of their commitment to their customers.
Works during power outages: Save money you would invest on installing costly inverters or backup power, as the 12-hour backup battery in the landline base ensures your phones continue working during power outages and blackouts.
Conclusion
You can forward calls from your Windstream landline to another number of your choice. However, Windstream does not provide call forwarding without a phone. In today’s fast-paced life, you do not want to be tethered to your landline or manually turning call forwarding on/off.
Switch to Community Phone, the best landline service provider in the US that offers the reliability of a landline, freedom of wireless access, and outstanding calling features at affordable prices.