Can an AI Voice Agent Use My Existing Business Phone Number?

Short answer: yes, if your number is on Twilio, Telnyx or Plivo. You connect your own account, pick the number, and the AI voice agent answers calls to it and can call out from it. The number stays in your provider account and you keep paying your provider for it; nothing is ported. For businesses in the US, UK, UAE and elsewhere, importing is the way to get a number today, because renting a number from us is available in India only.

Why keep the number you have

Your number is on your website, your van, your Google listing and your customers' phones. Changing it to add an AI agent would throw that away. Importing means callers ring the same number they always have, and outbound calls show a number they already recognise.

How importing works, step by step

1. Open phone numbers in your workspace and choose your provider.
2. Connect your account. For Twilio, your Account SID and Auth Token; for Telnyx, one API key; for Plivo, your auth ID and token. Credentials are stored encrypted.
3. Pick the number. The setup on your provider's side is done for you: on Twilio the number is configured in your account, and on Telnyx an application is created and the number assigned to it. There is nothing to paste into your provider's console.
4. Attach an agent. Choose which agent answers that number. One agent can also call out from numbers on several providers and use a different one per call.
5. Ring it. Call the number from your own phone and talk to the agent before you tell customers.

What each provider supports

• Telnyx: answering, outbound calls, recording, voicemail detection and transfer to a person all work. Telnyx only calls the countries switched on in your outbound voice profile, which is the US and Canada by default, so turn on the UK or the UAE there if you need them.
• Plivo: answering, outbound calls, recording, voicemail detection and transfer to a person all work. The number answers once its credentials are saved.
• Twilio: answering, outbound calls and recording work. An imported Twilio number does not get voicemail detection or transfer to a person; the agent takes the details instead.

If your number is with another phone company

Numbers held by a provider not listed above cannot be imported directly. Many businesses move or add a number with one of these providers first. Ask your current phone company what your options are; that part happens between you and them.

In India

India workspaces can also buy an Indian number from us in the console, or import a Plivo, Vobiz, Twilio or Telnyx number. See the India page for what is specific to India.

What you need to start

Your provider account login, the number, and an agent to put on it. The voice AI agent page covers what the agent does on a call, voice campaigns covers outbound calling, and pricing lists the plans. There is no charge from us for importing a number; you keep paying your provider for the line.