VoIP 
Missing crucial calls? Getting customer complaints about reaching voicemail too often? It might not be you — it could be your business phone number.
Outdated business phone systems cost you opportunities. Virtual phone numbers offer an alternative to these common customer frustrations.
We’ll explain the ins and outs of virtual phone numbers for your business and how they work. And, of course, we’ll also walk you through how to get a virtual number.
What Is a Virtual Phone Number?
A virtual phone number is a phone number that isn’t tied to a physical phone line or SIM card. It exists in the cloud, allowing you to make and receive calls using an internet connection. It’s a software-based phone number that offers greater flexibility and a range of features beyond what traditional phone lines can provide.
With a virtual number, you can separate your business calls from personal ones, establish a local presence in different areas, or create a toll-free number for customer service. It’s a versatile tool that adapts to the needs of businesses of all sizes, from solopreneurs to large enterprises.
Why Use a Virtual Phone Number
One of the biggest benefits of virtual numbers is their flexibility. Since they aren’t tied to a physical location, you can access them from any internet-connected device. This is ideal for remote teams, businesses with employees who travel frequently, or those who want to keep their work and personal lines separate.
Beyond that, virtual numbers offer a host of features that enhance professionalism, customer service, and privacy. You can get local area codes to build trust with customers in specific regions, or toll-free numbers to encourage nationwide calls.
Many VoIP phone service providers also include features like call forwarding, voicemail transcription, and custom greetings, which improve customer communication and create a better brand image.
You also enjoy:
- Enhanced privacy: Your personal or real business number remains hidden, protecting you from unwanted calls or spam.
- Flexibility: Route calls to any device, even when traveling, never missing an important call.
- Global reach with a local touch: Establish a local presence in another city or country without needing a physical office, connecting with customers more personally.
- Minimal setup: All you need is an internet connection. The phone company routes incoming calls to your chosen device over the internet, eliminating the need for complex hardware or installations.
- Complete control: You decide which devices receive calls from your virtual number and can change them whenever needed. This includes VoIP desk phones, cell phones, or softphones.
- HD calls: The call quality is often the same or even better than traditional phone calls. The internet connection provides ample bandwidth for smooth and clear communication.
Business phone providers like Nextiva provide users with a full-featured mobile app (Android & iOS) and desktop apps to answer and place calls from their virtual phone numbers.
Get your virtual phone number today. Fast setup. Any area code.
Secure a virtual number for business and keep your communications private. Top-rated communication features included.
How Do Virtual Phone Numbers Work?
Virtual phone numbers do not require a SIM card or physical address. Instead, phone calls are connected using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
VoIP telephony is the same technology used to make phone calls and text messages through iMessage, WhatsApp, or Google Voice. Virtual numbers work using any internet connection, including Wi-Fi or cellular (LTE or 5G).
When a call is placed to a virtual number, it’s routed through the VoIP service provider’s servers and directed to the predetermined destination set by the business owner. This destination can be a physical phone, a mobile device, a computer running softphone software, or multiple devices simultaneously.
The call routing process is highly customizable, allowing businesses to set up complex call flows based on various criteria such as time of day, caller ID, or current call volume.
For instance, during business hours, you can direct calls to an office phone system, while after hours, forward them to a mobile device or directly to voicemail. This level of control enables businesses to handle calls efficiently and professionally, regardless of the physical location of their employees or the time of day.
For most people, a virtual number serves three key functions:
- Operate as a dedicated phone line.
- Act as a proxy to forward calls to another private line.
- Provide a menu of options (auto attendant) that lets callers choose where to go.
Either way, a virtual phone number gives you plenty of choices for routing calls.
Types of Virtual Phone Numbers
Virtual phone numbers come in different types, each designed to meet specific business needs. Let’s explore some of the most common types:
- Local phone numbers: These telephone numbers are based in certain geographic areas, also known as rate centers or local area codes.
- Toll-free numbers: These are special numbers that start with 800, 888, 866, and others that allow customers to call without any tolls or fees.
- International numbers: For global businesses, international business phone numbers help place and accept international calls with a local presence in the country.
- Vanity numbers: These numbers are catchy, memorable numbers like 1-800-FLOWERS. You would want to purchase these and port them in.
💡 Remember: You can keep your current phone number and take it with you to a virtual phone system. As your company expands, you can pick out new numbers or swap out others whenever you want.
Benefits of Using Virtual Phone Numbers
Now that you have a better idea about these types of phone numbers, it’s time to decide if your business needs one.
There are advantages to using virtual phone numbers, but here are the ones that matter most to business owners.
1) Take phone calls from anywhere
A traditional telephone number connects to one desk phone. What happens when the person at that desk is out of the office? You have no choice but to send them to voicemail. Some research suggests that customers won’t call you back if they reach your voicemail.
Virtual phone numbers solve that problem.
You can turn their desk phone connection off and have another employee answer calls on their mobile phones or forward calls to another department. When you’re traveling, your business phone number remains the same.
2) Separate business from their personal phone number
It’s not just incoming calls a virtual phone number comes in handy. Use the same number for outgoing calls for your customers or coworkers. Plus, it conceals your caller ID when you do so.
This advanced feature makes virtual phone numbers ideal for remote workers. More than 38% of companies have team members who work remotely.
3) Cut expensive add-ons with local phone numbers
You probably know that people can call you through your virtual phone system from anywhere in the world. But unless you have a local phone number in their area, prospective customers will be hesitant to call due to international calling charges.
Toll-free numbers encourage callers to dial you regardless of their calling plan. Establishing a virtual phone number in the countries where you operate helps make calling more accessible and encouraged.
Pro Tip: Nextiva includes unlimited calling between the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Be sure to check out these affordable international calling rates — they’re cheaper than you think!
4) Modernize your voicemail
When inbound callers reach your voicemail, you have several ways to respond. The last thing you want is to send callers to your personal phone line. Checking voicemails with a traditional landline is clunky, and no one remembers their PIN; virtual phone services are the antidote.
Virtual phone services email you a voicemail transcription to you within seconds. Is that a robocaller or your child’s school calling? With voicemail to email, you’ll know. You can also get updates via SMS text messages so you never miss a call.
5) Improve caller satisfaction with auto attendants
Traditional phone systems lack call routing functionality. Alternatively, asking an IT manager to configure your PBX to forward calls separately is a lot of unnecessary work.
VoIP phone service providers like Nextiva include auto attendants.
An auto attendant greets callers and provides a straightforward menu to reach the right person. When paired with a virtual number, auto attendants give callers a choice to reach you personally or speak with a customer support representative.
When in doubt, a cloud PBX is the way to go. Simply reserve a block of virtual phone numbers and assign them to your team.
6) Track your marketing and advertising campaigns
Where did that customer hear about you? Now you’ll know with a virtual phone number. Include your virtual number on billboard, magazine, or TV/radio ads. Virtual phone numbers let you track the impact of your campaigns down to the actual phone numbers that called it.
By tracking the calls received on these phone numbers, businesses can measure the performance of their campaigns and conduct market tests to evaluate their effectiveness. This allows for data-driven decision-making and optimization of marketing strategies.
How To Get a Virtual Phone Number
There’s no doubt that virtual phone numbers are more beneficial than traditional landline numbers. They work for small businesses with remote staff and larger companies that need to manage communication in their call centers.
Step 1: Pick the local area code for the phone number you want.
During the signup process, you’ll be able to choose your virtual phone number (local, toll-free, vanity, international). Here are some of the most popular virtual phone numbers provided by Nextiva.
| Metro Area | Area Codes |
|---|---|
| New York, NY | 212, 315, 332, 347, 363, 516, 518, 585, 607, 631, 646, 680, 716, 718, 838, 845, 914, 917, 929, 934 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 213, 323, 738 |
| Chicago, IL | 312, 773, 872 |
| Dallas, TX | 214, 469, 945, 972 |
| Houston, TX | 281, 346, 713, 832 |
| Washington, DC | 202 |
| Philadelphia, PA | 215, 267, 445 |
| Atlanta, GA | 404, 470, 678, 770, 943 |
| Miami, FL | 305, 645, 786 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 480, 602, 623, 928 |
Step 2: Compare pricing and purchase the plan that fits your needs.
Research different virtual phone number providers, comparing their features, pricing, and customer support. Consider factors such as call quality, available features (e.g., call forwarding, voicemail transcription, auto-attendant), ease of use, and scalability to accommodate your business growth.
Nextiva offers flexible plans with varying features and pricing. Select the plan that best suits your business needs.
Step 3: Purchase your virtual phone number from a trusted VoIP provider.
Once you’ve identified the ideal provider and plan, sign up and purchase your virtual phone number. The setup process is typically quick and easy with Nextiva, allowing you to start using your new number within minutes.
If you have an existing phone number you’d like to keep, Nextiva can help you with number porting. You can transfer your current number to your new virtual phone provider without disrupting communications.
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Differences Between Virtual & Regular Phone Numbers
Let’s look at the key differences between virtual and regular phone numbers.
Traditional Phone Numbers
Traditional phone numbers usually are installed and provided by the local telephone company. Most people don’t know they own the number, not the telephone company. Telephone companies typically assign phone lines to the street address where it’s installed.
Traditional phone lines require phone lines to run throughout the building to each desk phone. Installing telecom lines isn’t always easy or feasible in every office.
Virtual Phone Numbers
Virtual phone numbers are location-independent and are not assigned to a specific location. It works for employees in and out of the office because they share the same cloud PBX.
That means your in-house or virtual team can pick up calls from the virtual number in the office, at home, or on their cell phone. And you can choose who receives incoming calls from the virtual phone number depending on your staff availability.
Remote employees don’t need to install a desk phone in their home office, nor use their cell phone to take business calls. The virtual phone number protects their caller ID, which gives them greater control and peace of mind when calling contacts.
They don’t need to be concerned that customers know your private number. With a professional VoIP provider, you can select business hours for the virtual phone number to accept inbound calls or divert them to a voicemail.
That means your in-house or virtual team can pick up calls from the virtual number in the office, at home, or on their cell phone. And you can choose who receives incoming calls from the virtual phone number depending on your staff availability.
Virtual Phone Number Limitations
Here are some disadvantages to know regarding free virtual phone number providers like TextNow and TextFree. In short, they have less functionality, but they can work fine for a startup.
Risks
- Number reassignments: Virtual phone numbers often get reassigned to paying subscribers. Likewise, you have limited telephone numbers available in specific local area codes.
- Lack of advanced features: Free phone apps only offer basic functions like voice phone calls and text messages. Even at that, they are limited by minutes or messages.
- Not desktop/laptop friendly: You’re fine if you enjoy taking calls on your mobile device. But if you want to move the call to your desktop or laptop, most virtual phone apps won’t work.
- Premium features cost extra: Features like business call recording, interactive voice response (IVRs), auto attendants, and call transfers aren’t included for free. You’ll also deal with intrusive, unskippable ads when you want to make a call.
- Less trusted: Some services that provide two-factor authentication (2FA) generally don’t trust most virtual numbers. Unfortunately, bad actors made it more challenging to use for texting. But with Nextiva, you get a secure, authenticated virtual number used for text messaging.
With a cloud-based VoIP provider like Nextiva, you get all the unlimited calling and advanced features you want for a predictable, flat rate. Plus, you can add additional virtual phone lines anytime you need.
Tracing virtual phone number ownership
Despite a virtual phone number’s benefits, it has also been used by fraudsters. Newer countermeasures like 10DLC registration aim to prevent abuse, but it’s not foolproof.
Here are a few ways to find the owner of a virtual phone number:
- Reverse Phone Number Lookup: Utilize online tools that offer reverse phone number lookup services. These sites allow you to enter the phone number to view the directory or user-provided information.
- Caller ID Name (CNAM) Lookup: In addition to the actual phone number, many providers also include the subscriber name in the CNAM database. This is important as caller ID alone can be easily manipulated or falsified. Check CallerIDTest for free (up to five searches) to view the caller ID name associated with the calling number. (You can also check your business phone number, too!)
- IP Address Lookup: You can attempt an IP address lookup as a last resort. If you have a fraudulent phone number submitted along with a web form, you probably have access to the IP address. This method provides general location information down to the city and state and the internet service provider.
By using these methods, you can find out who a phone number belongs to. However, please note that not all phone numbers may yield accurate or available information, as some users may take steps to keep their identity private. In the event of a crime, contact law enforcement for assistance.
Wrapping Up
Virtual phone numbers offer many benefits over traditional phone numbers — increased flexibility, improved privacy, and cost savings. If you’re considering getting a virtual phone number, make sure to choose a reliable business phone system like Nextiva.
Our customer support guides you every step of the way. You can easily add numbers as your business grows, and scale services as needed. Nextiva is your partner on your way to making smooth business communications.
Get your virtual phone number today. Fast setup. Any area code.
Secure a virtual number for business and keep your communications private. Top-rated communication features included.
Virtual Phone Number FAQs
Virtual phone numbers, provided through a virtual phone service, enable remote work functionality by allowing employees access to the office phone system and call management tools from anywhere.
This means that employees can answer business calls and use the company phone system even if they are outside the office. Since many people who work remotely often reside outside the local calling area, a virtual phone number helps them establish a local presence while still connected to your team.
A virtual phone service can unite a distributed workforce by using virtual phone numbers. These numbers allow businesses with multiple locations to operate under one phone system. Regardless of their location, employees can receive calls through the virtual phone number, ensuring that calls reach the right destination.
You can also get a virtual phone number for areas where you want to make it easy for callers to reach you without paying international long-distance charges, such as in the UK.
Lastly, virtual phone numbers are less likely to be screened or filtered to voicemail since you can make calls from any local area code. This can help sales teams connect with prospects.
Phone numbers typically consist of a specific number of digits used for communication purposes. In the United States, a standard telephone landline number is composed of 10 digits. These numbers are divided into various sections in order to convey specific information.
The first three digits of a phone number in the US are known as the area code. The area code indicates the geographical region associated with the phone number and helps route calls to the appropriate location within the country. It is allocated to a particular locality, allowing callers to identify the general area where the called party is located.
Traditionally, landline numbers strictly adhere to this format, with the first three digits representing the area code. However, virtual phone numbers offer more flexibility in their usage. Virtual phone services enable individuals or businesses to establish a presence in a specific area without having a physical address there. By acquiring a virtual phone number with a local area code, one can create the illusion of being located in that particular region.
Apart from being assigned to a specific area, the first three digits of a phone number can also indicate a toll-free number. Toll-free numbers are commonly used for businesses or organizations that want to offer free-of-charge communication to their customers. The most well-known toll-free prefix is 800, but there are other options available, such as 888, 877, 866, 855, and 844. Acquiring a toll-free number can be advantageous for businesses seeking to establish a national presence.
Yes, virtual phone numbers are safe and secure if you choose a reputable phone service provider, set strong passwords, and follow best practices for online security. With Nextiva, users get a free smartphone and desktop app to place and receive calls. They can also use their web browser.
For free personal use, consider using Google Voice or TextNow. These providers may require a more detailed account verification and display ads on your device when you place or accept phone calls. Note that advanced call forwarding or other call management features are restricted or cost extra.
For business purposes, you can choose any virtual phone number for free when you start your Nextiva virtual phone service. Plans start at $20 monthly for service, but there’s no additional charge for a virtual phone number AND a toll-free number.
