On a New Zealand mobile you can divert calls two ways: dial a short code, or use the call forwarding screen in your phone's settings. There are four kinds of divert: all calls, when busy, when unanswered, and when your phone is off or out of coverage. This guide gives the codes Spark and One NZ publish, explains how 2degrees handles it, covers business landlines, and tells you which divert type to use so you stop missing calls.
Codes and settings below were checked against each carrier's own help pages on 8 September 2026. Carriers change these without notice, so if a code is rejected, check the linked page.
Which divert type should a business use?
| Divert type | What it does | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
| All calls | Every call goes straight to the other number. Your phone does not ring. | After hours, on leave, or when you want another number or an AI receptionist to take everything. |
| When unanswered | Your phone rings first. If you do not pick up in time, the call diverts. | You want first go at every call but never want one to ring out. |
| When busy | Diverts calls that arrive while you are already on a call. | You take a lot of calls and do not want the second caller to hear an engaged tone. |
| When unreachable | Diverts when your phone is off or has no signal. | You work in basements, rural areas, or anywhere coverage drops. |
Most owner-operators want all three conditional diverts (unanswered, busy, unreachable) pointed at the same place during the day, and an all-calls divert after hours. That way you still answer when you can, and nothing rings out when you cannot.
Spark mobile divert codes
Spark's call diversion page lists these codes. Type the code on your keypad, replacing the bracketed part with the number to divert to, then press call. Spark's format adds an 11 before the final hash.
| Divert | Turn on | Turn off | Check status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All calls | *21*[number]*11# | #21**11# | *#21*11# |
| When busy | *67*[number]*11# | #67*11# | *#67*11# |
| When unanswered | *61*[number]*11# | #61**11# | *#61*11# |
| When unreachable | *62*[number]*11# | #62*11# | *#62*11# |
To send a divert to Spark voicemail instead of another number, Spark's page gives 083200000 as the number to use. For the "when unanswered" divert, Spark says the ring time can be adjusted in 5-second steps up to 25 seconds, but not on iPhones. If you are on an iPhone, use the phone settings method below or accept the default.
One NZ mobile divert codes
One NZ's mobile call divert guide uses a double-star format and asks for the full number in international format, for example +6421xxxxxxx. One NZ notes there is no charge for the service on Pay Monthly plans and that mobile diverts cannot point at international numbers.
| Divert | Turn on | Turn off |
|---|---|---|
| All calls | **21*[+64 number]# | ##21# |
| When busy | **67*[+64 number]# | ##67# |
| When unanswered | **61*[+64 number]# | ##61# |
| When unreachable | **62*[+64 number]# | ##62# |
One NZ's page says the unanswered divert kicks in after roughly 20 to 30 seconds on a mobile. If callers are reaching your voicemail before the divert, that is usually the reason: voicemail is answering first. Turn voicemail's own timer up, or point the unanswered divert at your destination and let it handle messages.
2degrees: use the phone's own settings
2degrees' help pages do not publish keypad codes for diverting to another number. Their voicemail page points customers to the "Divert All" menu on the phone itself and gives +64 22 202 2000 as the number for diverting to 2degrees voicemail. For diverting to any other number on a 2degrees mobile, use the phone settings method below. If it does not take, ask 2degrees to confirm diversion is enabled on your plan.
Diverting through phone settings (any carrier)
Every modern phone has a call forwarding screen that sends the same instructions to the network without typing codes.
- iPhone: Settings, then Phone, then Call Forwarding. Turn it on and enter the number. iPhone only exposes the all-calls divert here.
- Android: open the Phone app, then the menu or three dots, then Settings, then Calls or Calling accounts, then Call forwarding. You will see all four divert types and can set each one separately.
Enter the destination in full, including the area or mobile prefix. If your carrier asks for international format, use +64 and drop the leading zero.
Business landlines
Landline diversion depends on the product, not just the carrier.
- Spark business: Spark publishes a separate call diversion guide for business customers. Follow that page for your specific landline product.
- One NZ copper business landline: One NZ's business landline page describes a slot-based setup (dial 181, then a slot number from 161 to 169, then the destination and hash), with dial 160 to cancel. It notes call diversion has a monthly cost and may take up to 24 hours to set up.
- 2degrees business landline: divert is managed online. 2degrees' business landline guide says to log in to Your2degrees, open Smart Phone Line, and use the cog icon to reach the Call Forwarding dashboard, which offers divert all, divert on no answer, and divert on busy. It warns that forwards to New Zealand mobile numbers incur standard mobile calling charges.
- VoIP and cloud phone systems: diversion lives in the provider's web portal or app, usually under call routing or forwarding rules. Time-of-day rules are often available there, which makes after-hours diverts easier.
What diverting costs
The carrier treats a diverted call as a call you made from your phone to the destination. Whether that costs anything depends on your plan. One NZ says the service is free for Pay Monthly mobile customers, 2degrees says business landline forwards to NZ mobiles are charged at standard rates, and One NZ charges a monthly fee for copper business landline diversion. Check your own plan before pointing a busy line somewhere.
Diverting to an AI receptionist
If you are diverting so that calls get answered rather than just moved, the destination matters as much as the divert. With KiwiAgent, every plan includes a New Zealand number. You keep your existing business number and point a divert at the KiwiAgent number, so customers keep dialling what is on your van and your website.
A common setup is:
- During the day, set the unanswered, busy and unreachable diverts to your KiwiAgent number. You still answer first when you can.
- At close of business, switch on an all-calls divert. The AI handles everything, books what it can, and transfers the calls you have defined as urgent to your on-call mobile.
- In the morning, turn the all-calls divert off. Your call summaries are waiting in the dashboard.
Our after-hours call answering comparison walks through when this beats a human service or a roster.
Test it before you rely on it
- Set the divert.
- Call your business number from a different phone.
- For a conditional divert, let it ring until it diverts. Time how long that takes.
- Confirm the destination answered and, if it is an AI or a person, that they saw your business number as the called number.
- Dial the status code (Spark) or open the settings screen to confirm the divert is still active.
Troubleshooting
- The code is rejected: check the format for your carrier. Spark wants the 11 before the final hash; One NZ wants the number in +64 format.
- Voicemail answers before the divert: the unanswered divert timer is longer than voicemail's. Shorten the divert timer (Spark, Android) or lengthen voicemail's.
- Calls loop or drop: the destination is diverting back to you. Never divert two numbers at each other.
- The divert stopped working after a SIM change or new phone: diverts are stored on the network for your number, but some phones reset them. Re-check after any change.
- It works on Wi-Fi calling but not on the network, or the reverse: contact your carrier. Some plans handle diverts differently across the two.
Next step
If you want your diverted calls answered, not just moved, tell us about your business and we will set up a free pilot, including the divert instructions for your carrier.