If you have ever considered getting a VoIP number, whether you’re looking for personal or business tools, you’ve come to the right place. This post is designed to provide a handy, step-by-step guide to doing exactly that. So why should you care?
VoIP offers some benefits that conventional phone services cannot offer. It provides high-order flexibility, international integration, and economies of scale. It’s also incredibly user-friendly. VoIP is strategic for the undeniably digital future. However, to make it easy for you before you are frightened away by the jargon, here is a brief look at it.
In the following sections, you will learn how simple it is to obtain a VoIP number regardless of skills. Let’s go through these step by step, and by the time you complete this guide, you will be ready to go.
What is a VoIP phone number?
It is an actual telephone number connected to a particular user, although it is not directly connected to a corresponding line.
However, other ways and approaches can also be used to manage phone calls. While the old-fashioned hardware phones are pervasive and easily recognizable by many, they present more drawbacks than features. Mobiles are usually more costly than VoIP numbers, are more complicated to maintain and render limited mobility.
Free numbers are also available within the VoIP facility, but as explained later, this is not feasible for organizations with more than five to ten employees.
So VoIP numbers sound like an excellent idea now, right? We can not decide for you, but the pros outweigh the cons, knowing you can set unlimited IP phone numbers now.
Types Of VoIP Numbers
VoIP numbers can be of different types, and one can choose according to the purpose or business needs. You can opt for a local VoIP or toll-free VoIP number or select from the other national and international VoIP numbers. To help you understand which VoIP number type would be suitable for you, here is a breakdown of each type:
Local VoIP Numbers
Local VoIP numbers require the dialing of an area code before the number. These area codes are exact to the location. They could be any state region, city, or town.
Those with clients within specific locations should opt for local VoIP numbers since they are ideal for such businesses. Thus, if you need to brand yourself in a specific territorial area, even if the specific territorial area does not host the business’s base location, these local VoIP numbers are the perfect option for you.
Toll-Free VoIP Numbers
Next, the toll-free VoIP number is available for the users. Toll-free VoIP numbers are meant to gain more business and keep the consumer calling the business line and customer service without trouble. On the other hand, Toll-free numbers are the numbers businesses use to provide free-to-call dedicated customer service numbers.
Furthermore, these toll-free numbers are suitable for people who do not want to spend a dime to call your business. Since the business has taken the burden of charges of the calls made on toll-free numbers, the customers do not have to bother about extra expenses since the toll-free numbers are free.
Non-geographic or National virtual phone numbers
These Non-geographical VoIP numbers are not associated with a particular territorial area in any way. They are highly reliable for business arenas where you have to corroborate your online presence at the national level.
In addition, Non-Geographical VoIP numbers enable organizations to operate in several areas. The VoIP numbers best suited for businessmen are the non-geographical or national numbers where a fixed number is required irrespective of the location.
International VoIP Numbers
As the name suggests, these VoIP numbers are provided by one country but utilized in another. Depending on the terms and conditions followed by different countries to assign the numbers, these international VoIP numbers could be local, toll-free, national, or non-geographical.
It is paramount to understand that the VoIP numbers you choose should be in tandem with the requirements and expectations of your customer base. Serving only a local community would necessitate using a local VoIP number. However, having a non-geographical VoIP number is better if you want to create a national presence for your business. For international presence, it should be an international number.
How Do I Obtain a VoIP Number? Your Go-To Guide
Follow these simple steps to get your virtual phone number without any hassle:
- Step 1: Determine Your Services Required
Be aware of your organization’s needs and choose features based on conditions such as costs, protection, stability, and quality of service. Thus, ensure you search for the proper customer support to assist you whenever you are in trouble.
- Step 2: Selection of the correct provider and plan
Choose the most suitable service for your business since CloudTalk has a four-tier pricing system that includes a Starter, an Essential, an Expert, and a Custom plan. The Custom Plan allows you to offer and use the services in a way you prefer, manage different options, and get exactly what you need.
- Step 3: Acquire your VoIP number
After selecting a provider, a CSM assists clients in getting their VoIP number of choice.
This is often done immediately after creating an account with your VoIP service provider.
During the VoIP registration, you can get a local, toll-free, or international number or transfer your original telephone number. Once you select the provider, a Customer Service Manager (CSM) will help you order your VoIP number.
- Step 4: Setting up Your VoIP System
Initial setup involves establishing your voice-over IP phone number and VoIP devices for efficient call-making/ receiving. This entails activities like user extension creation and voicemail, among others. Do not think it is as complicated as it sounds; you can often manage them from the dashboard.
- Step 5: Use Software & Hardware for VoIP
The next step is to install the right software on your devices or, if you are going to use VoIP phones, connect them according to the configuration you have made. Unfortunately, not all providers offer this. However, there can be additional perks, such as valuable applications installed on your mobile phone and integrating your VoIP service.
- Step 6: Validate Your VoIP Number
After providing a VoIP number, you should test it to ensure it works as expected. Make a few sample calls to check the sound quality and ensure all the settings are correct. This step is crucial to ensuring your business communication is smooth and high-quality.
Things to consider when selecting a VoIP provider
Getting a VoIP number is one thing, but deciding on the network over which VoIP will run is another. That is why looking for a perfect VoIP service provider to connect to is crucial. It is about identifying and selecting a business partner that will address your business requirements for partnership, facilitate and boost your firm’s communication and ultimately catalyse its growth. This section informs you of the crucial things to consider, which would help you decide.
- Reliability and quality
It implies that the incoming provider affects the reliability and quality of your calls in case you select the wrong one. Voice call quality that is unclear or requires forwarding calls to another network may cause missed or poor-quality connections that affect your organization’s performance and customer relations. An efficient source will have solid structures and backup mechanisms to optimize availability.
Network performance is a paramount element for VoIP calling because VoIP numbers are connected through a network, the Internet. Call quality can be poor because speaking and understanding each other becomes almost impossible due to a poor connection. There is no connectivity of the call if the carrier network where you are supported is out of order.
Hence, it is advisable to use services from a VoIP carrier with its own private VoIP network to increase reliability.
- Cost
The problem with the plans is that different service providers opt for different pricing models. Any VoIP service provider your company chooses must suit your financial abilities while providing all the necessary services and quality.
Having assessed the features of a VoIP carrier, you should also compare it in terms of price per the number of phone numbers you will be required. Small charges, for example, per billable call, may not seem much when using a few numbers, but when you use so many as hundreds or thousands of numbers, these charges sure add up. Hence, ensure that you observe a lot of accuracy when evaluating the charges of your VoIP provider.
- Support
If problems arise, you must be sure you can rely on client service to respond and help quickly. Some providers may offer very high support, while others offer minimal support. It is also essential to make some reviews and select the VoIP carrier based on trusted reviews.
- Features
Every VoIP provider offers menus of various facilities. Some may include features like
- video conferencing
- CRM integration
- Advanced call routing
Some may add more categories, such as social, cultural, physical, and other complex aspects, while others may absorb only the fundamental elements. Ultimately, the right provider will provide the features paramount to your business processes.
- Security
Any internet-based service is always at risk of specific security threats, and VoIP calls are no exception. Suitable carriers will have comprehensive policies concerning your calls and any other information you may share. Another is security where a privately owned VoIP network can once in a while prove useful. Your VoIP carrier can then contain the calls only to be away from the public internet domain, thus protecting them from threats.
Conclusion
VoIP has become mandatory in the present generation. You are adequately prepared for high-definition, cheap international calling since you have discovered everything about residential and business VoIPs and how to obtain a VoIP number.
VoIP is now integrated into many organizations’ operations, and many have had these systems for years. VoIP software allows you or your enterprise complete control, high-quality calls, and significantly lower phone call costs.
FAQS
VoIP is a telephone system that uses the Internet connection to transference on the phone rather than the set line method.
VoIP makes it possible to make cheaper calls than standard phone services, and call quality is excellent. Moreover, you can have the phone number in any area code.
Yes, you can get a free VoIP number, but I want to inform you that free VoIP numbers are usually not very good and are easily hackable. Remember that free VoIP codes are basic and do not have intelligence or the latest VoIP modes integrated into them.
The process of obtaining a VoIP phone number is rather simple—first, you select a VoIP provider, and then you select the number you wish for. Then, you have to input the number’s settings and call it for some trial before actually using it.
It typically costs between $25 and $40 per month to acquire a VoIP phone system. These are the basic charges, and extras, such as equipment rental and call recordings, may cost additional dollars. Just remember that the charges are also subject to the service provider company.
VoIP connections work very well, but this implies that you require an internet connection every time you make a connection. Problems can also result from a bad internet connection or congestion in the network.
VoIP numbers are as safe as any other numbers if you observe some basic measures, such as using passwords, enabling password use, and updating the software. However, they are not protected from other dangers, such as phishing and eavesdropping.
