GSM codes to the rescue!

I activated forwarding between my two phones (and two lines) in order to create some level of backup since either network had been very unreliable.

However, once a call was diverted to the second line, I was billed on my first. In addition to this pay-per-call-received rubbish, I also got complaints that my airtel line give a ringtone on the far end, with my phone never ringing – so I chose the cancel the whole thing as it caused more harm than good.

It was easy doing this on my Nokia C2-00. Simply go to Menu->Settings->Call->Call Divert->Sim(x)->”Cancel All Diverts”. It was however a different story on my Galaxy Ace Duos. I couldn’t find this same functionality in the call menu.

With no extra time to tinker with the phone, I resorted to good ‘ol GSM codes – remember them? Those familiar MMI codes popular in the days of Samsung SGH-?? and Nokia 3310s. Not like these phones didn’t have the functiality in their menus, but knowing them by heart and reciting them while you typed them in gave you off as “skillful”.

But here I was, couldn’t remember the required codes…but could remember the almighty Google – and this is what I found (Courtesy ucilia.com)

To divert calls Action Code Deactivate call diverts ##002# Deactivate all conditional diverts ##004# Activate all conditional diverts **004*DestinationNumber# Divert all calls Action Hash Codes Deactivate automatically divert all calls to Destination Number ##21# Deactivate automatically divert all calls to Destination Number #21# Set and Activate divert all calls to **21*DestinationNumber# Activate divert all calls *21# Status of automatically divert all calls to Destination Number *#21# Call not answered Action Code Activate and Set call divert when not answered **61*DestinationNumber# Deactivate and turn off call divert when not answered ##61# Deactivate call divert #61# Activate call divert *61# Diverts for all calls Action Code Set and Activate divert all calls to **21*DestinationNumber# Activate divert all calls *21# Deactivate divert all calls #21# Status of automatically divert all calls to Destination Number *#21# Divert when phone is unreachable Action Code Activate call divert when not reachable **62*DestinationNumber# Activate call divert *62# Deactivate and turn off call divert if unreachable ##62# Deactivate call divert #62# Status of call divert if not reachable *#62# Divert when phone is busy Action Code Activate call divert when busy (engaged on another call) **67*DestinationNumber# Activate call divert when busy *67# Deactivate call divert when busy ##67# Deactivate call divert when busy #67# Status of call divert when busy *#67# Barring all outgoing calls Action Code Change password for call barring **03*330*oldPW*newPW*newPW# Activate barring for all outgoing calls **33*PW# Deactivate barring for all outgoing calls #33*PW# Status barring for all outgoing calls *#33# Barring all calls Action Code Activate barring for all calls **330*PW# Deactivate barring for all calls #330*PW# Status baring for all calls *#330*PW# Barring all outgoing international calls Action Code Activate barring for all outgoing international calls **331*PW# Deactivate barring for all outgoing international calls #331*PW# Status barring all outgoing international calls *#331# Barring all outgoing calls Action Code Activate barring all outgoing calls **333*PW# Deactivate barring all outgoing calls #333*PW# Status barring all outgoing calls *#333# Barring all incoming calls Action Code Activate barring all incoming calls **35*PW# or **353*PW# Deactivate barring all incoming calls #35*PW# or **353*PW# Status barring all incoming calls *#35# or *#353# Barring all incomung calls if roaming Action Code Activate barring all incoming calls if abroad **351*PW# Deactivate barring all incoming calls if abroad #351*PW# Status barring all incoming calls if abroad *#351# Call waiting Action Code Activate call waiting *43# Deactivate call waiting #43## Status call waiting *#43# Rings until answered by your voicemail If your mobile’s voicemail number is, for example: +1-23-456-789-1234 ….and you want your phone to divert to your voicemail after say 20 seconds, then type: **61*+1234567891234**20# The time can be up to 30sec (network default) Action Code Set number of rings **61*YourVoiceMailNumber**N# Cancel previous Setting entered ##61# N =Ring Time (up to 30sec) Send/prevent your phone number being sent to a particular phone number Action Code Disable your phone number being sent #30#DestinationNumber Enable your phone number being sent *30#DestinationNumner Status of your phone number being sent *#30# Send/prevent incoming phone numbers being sent on your phone Action Code Disable incoming number being shown on your phone *77# Enable incoming number being shown on your phone #77# Status of whether calling parties number is shown on your phone *#77# Changing PIN Codes Action Code Change PIN 1 **04*PINOLD*PINNEW*NEWPIN1# Unblocking phone using a PUK number Action Code Unblock PIN 1 **05*PUK*newPIN1*newPIN1# Display IMEI number Action Code Display IMEI Number *#06#

…what I needed, and some more (N.B I didn’t test them all, so unless you know what you’re doing…)
So, in the end, I was able to deactivate the diverts.
The end.