Today is the day and age of digital communication and cloud computing. With cloud computing and communication, users no longer need to save data on their devices or download huge programs and files to communicate and share information. One way to do this is by using a hosted phone system rather than a conventional one.
In addition to compromising your security, fielding business calls on a personal phone line may be a major hassle. In addition, it only works well when additional people are added to the team.
As a result, many modern entrepreneurs, brands, and startups employ specific software to get a distinctive business phone number.
Today, marketers can find many comparable phone numbers online. But it can be challenging to choose the best option. The best VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) solutions, however, will be competitively priced, easy to use, and supported by helpful staff.
Need a cutting-edge phone system? Book a demo to learn how to use our Cloud PBX and dedicated virtual phone numbers to grow your business.
A virtual phone number is a telephone number that is not associated with any physical telephone line. Instead, it is linked to a VoIP service, allowing users to make and receive calls online.
Virtual phone numbers are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a range of advantages over traditional landline numbers. They are cheaper, more flexible, and can make and receive calls from anywhere worldwide. They are also more secure, as calls are routed online rather than a physical phone line.
Virtual phone numbers are typically used by businesses and organizations that need to communicate with customers and clients from different locations. They are also used by individuals who want to keep their personal phone numbers private. With a virtual phone number, users can make and receive calls without revealing their real phone number.
They work by routing calls through the Internet. When a call is made to a virtual number, the VoIP service provider will route the call to the user’s device. The user can then answer the call as if it were a regular phone call.
Source: The Definitive Guide To Call Tracking: How It Works & What Is Its Impact
A virtual phone number isn’t directly linked to a specific network; incoming calls to this direct inward dialing (DID) number are routed to another specified phone number. Businesses often utilize virtual phone numbers to provide their consumers with a local or toll-free number to reach them.
A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider is the business responsible for hosting virtual phone numbers. The VoIP service provider will provide the client with a new phone number and route all calls to that number. Calls to the customer’s virtual phone number may be forwarded to any number they want, including landline, mobile phone, or another virtual number.
Likewise, virtual phone numbers may be utilized for texting purposes. Messages sent to the virtual phone number may be routed to the customer’s preferred email or mobile device.
With virtual phone numbers, companies may provide their clients a local or toll-free number without breaking the bank. Customers like them since they may use the same phone number to reach the business anywhere. Calls made to virtual phone numbers may be forwarded to a selection of existing phone lines.
It’s often misunderstood that only huge corporations may benefit from virtual numbers. However, that needs to be corrected. Virtual numbers are useful for organizations of all sizes and in a variety of contexts, including multinational corporations with international operations, government agencies with toll-free service lines, bootstrapped startups on the lookout for novel approaches, and established firms with outdated infrastructure.
The cheap initial and ongoing expenses, the simplicity of usage, and the scalability on demand make virtual numbers attractive for startups, small firms, and solopreneurs.
Book a demo to learn how Phonexa’s vanity virtual phone numbers can generate more calls for your business.
There are a few options for acquiring virtual phone numbers. Your service provider may add virtual phone numbers to an existing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) bundle. The average monthly fee for this service is between $10 and $15.
When investing in a virtual PBX, one virtual phone number and a certain number of extensions and talk time may be yours. How long a call takes on the “business line” will determine how many minutes are used. One or two virtual numbers with 200 to 500 minutes cost $12 to $15 a month, while two with 1,500 to 4,000 minutes cost $20 to $50 per month.
Phone Number Management Fee with Phonexa
| Lite Suite | Premium Suite | Enterprise Suite | |
| 800 toll-free, imported | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 |
| Non-800 toll-free, imported | $1.25 | $1.25 | $1.25 |
| 800 toll-free, leased | $2.50 | $2.50 | $2.50 |
| 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833 toll-free, leased | $1.25 | $1.25 | $1.25 |
| Local, leased | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
Cloud-based PBX systems like Phonexa’s offer the best of both worlds — combining the essential features of traditional on-site PBX systems with a wide range of additional features.
| “What we do best is actually giving you the robust capabilities not only to do call tracking in a silo or lead tracking and distribution in a silo but everything from every customer interaction while also doing the payouts for those publishers. You can handle payments on our platform and manage all of your affiliate marketing programs inside of one tool.” — Talar Malakian |
With a virtual PBX phone system hosted in the cloud, businesses can forget about hardware damage, maintenance, and security breaches as the provider entirely manages all system aspects.
Source: Phone System for Small Business: What Is It and Why You Need It
Here’s what Phonexa’s Cloud PBX can offer marketers and brands:
Phonexa’s Cloud PBX provides a comprehensive solution that seamlessly integrates with all its platforms, including lead distribution through LMS Sync, call tracking via Call Logic, and click tracking with Lynx.
By utilizing this suite of solutions from Phonexa, businesses can enjoy the benefits of efficient synergies and optimize the effectiveness of all essential products. Combining the power of these merged solutions will help enterprises achieve their goals more efficiently.
A virtual number service provider is an option if you don’t have a virtual phone system. Your service plan will provide you with a phone number. Have you ever noticed that most home phones, mobile phones, and VoIP services come with one? Of course, online phone call programs provide a phone number at no cost.
You may get a virtual phone number from various places, including Google Voice. You may make free local phone calls and send unlimited messages using the number provided to you by these applications.
Take a product tour to see how Phonexa synergizes call and web lead acquisition campaigns.
In contrast, a robust virtual business phone number from a trustworthy operator that can manage that bandwidth is your best choice if you require international calling (without the higher call rates), more complex call routing, and other sophisticated features and services.
The fact that a virtual phone number is not associated with a physical place is an important distinction between it and a regular phone number. Let’s examine other differences in more detail.
| Traditional Phone Number | Virtual Phone Number | |
| Placement | Placed on premises | Placed on cloud or virtual servers |
| Call Handling | Handles 1 call at a time | Handles concurrent calls |
| Maintenance | High maintenance | Low maintenance |
| Installation/Updates | Requires manual installation or update | No physical phone lines, easy management |
| Additional Features | No additional features | Multiple features like routing, tracking, etc. |
| Flexibility | No flexibility | Customizable, flexible, and scalable |
| Integration Options | No integration options | Multiple integration options |
Virtual phone numbers allow callers and receivers to simultaneously be anywhere in the world. That’s very helpful for companies with international clientele or target audiences.
Google Voice is only one of several personal virtual number services accessible online for free. You may start using your virtual phone number immediately after opening an account with the service provider of your choice and selecting the area code of your choice. Virtual phone service companies often supply free virtual phone numbers to individuals but charge for their commercial services.
Your current physical phone number may be changed to a virtual one. Most virtual phone number providers provide this transfer between users, also known as porting.
Provider by provider, however, a virtual number is available anywhere. Some service providers even claim that their services are accessible in over a hundred different nations.
When dialing a phone number, how long do you need to press the number?
A virtual number has the same 10-digit format as a regular U.S. landline number, beginning with the same 3-digit area code. You don’t need a physical location in the same region as the area code to buy a virtual phone number. That paves the way for companies all over the globe to give off the impression that they are locally based in a certain area.
One major advantage of virtual US phone numbers is that they allow you to be reachable at all times, regardless of your physical location. Google Voice and other similar virtual service providers converse effortlessly with friends, family, colleagues, and customers. Smartphones, tablets, computers, and other Internet-enabled devices provide unrestricted access to instant messaging on the same floor or different continents.
More individuals than ever are working remotely, but that doesn’t mean companies should worry about a decline in reliable communication. With virtual phone numbers, you’ll never miss a call again due to network-wide notifications. You’ll still be reachable even if you’ve misplaced your phone but not your laptop.
Take a product tour to see how Phonexa processes call and web lead campaigns to maximize your performance with all types of leads across channels and partners.
With the proper provider, a small company that needs just a few lines per month may only pay a few hundred dollars monthly. Yet, communication expenses tend to soar when businesses expand to employ hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people. Then consider a spread of sites across international borders, and there might be a sudden skyrocketing of monthly phone bills into the thousands.
Regardless of the size of a company, switching to a virtual phone number can significantly reduce monthly phone bills. Getting an Internet number eliminates the need to purchase costly, multiline corded infrastructure. You may be eligible for one or more free virtual phone numbers depending on your subscription package. In addition, receiving calls inside the United States is often free, while international calls are cheap.
A virtual phone number offers a low-cost alternative for businesses of all sizes.
Some people feel uncomfortable giving their personal contact information to potential clients or business associates. It’s convenient because virtual phone numbers may be associated with a unique telephone number without losing anonymity. This solution is ideal for solo owners who value privacy but need a company phone line.
Regardless of location or need for a SIM card, virtual phone numbers may be used by anybody. Calls to virtual numbers are routed through VoIP instead. Simply put, it’s the same tried-and-true technology behind services like WhatsApp, iMessage, and Google Voice.
All your phone calls are converted to digital signals and routed through the Internet and conventional phone companies. Number porting is the method to ensure your business phone number is portable across different VoIP service providers.
So, making calls requires a stable data connection, such as 4G LTE or WiFi. Using a virtual phone number enables you to answer calls on your cell phone.
Armed with an online connection rather than just a working phone jack, brands should consider these five arguments in favor of investing in virtual number solutions.
| Benefit | Description |
| No Wires Needed | VoIP systems are entirely digital and do not require any physical infrastructure, making them user-friendly and easy to manage. Virtual numbers with multiple lines require no changes to the physical infrastructure and allow for easy online management of number allocation and reassignment. |
| Easily Transferred | Virtual numbers are portable, making them convenient for customers. Company representatives can maintain contact with customers, even when they are not in the office. |
| Available at All Times | Virtual numbers provide an efficient call routing system that ensures businesses do not miss any potential customers’ calls. This feature also gives operational freedom to agents as they can work remotely from anywhere. |
| Strong Local Presence | Virtual phone numbers allow multinational corporations to pose as locals, which helps them build relationships with the community. Assigning different numbers to distinct locations helps businesses analyze regional call data, allowing them to train their agents better to respond to local needs and provide more relevant service. This approach helps people remember your brand and gives your business more credibility. Consumers are more likely to pick up the phone and engage with a caller who dials their area code instead of one from a different country. |
| Cuts Down Costs | Virtual numbers eliminate the need for costly infrastructure like phone lines, regular maintenance, extra employees, and emergency repairs. Instead, businesses pay a membership fee to a service provider to access these features. The “pay as you use” approach helps companies to control costs as they grow. |
This particular virtual phone system is the finest of its kind currently available. Using this format has several benefits. Before anything else, it’s important to note that this is not a VoIP service; however, some companies combine cloud-based PBX with the more traditional VoIP technology. We’ll talk about them in a moment.
Hence, cloud-hosted PBX solutions do not need a constant Internet connection like VoIP. After you have everything set up the way you want, you won’t require Internet (cellular or WiFi) much except when you enter into your online control panel to make configuration adjustments.
Remember that “cloud-hosted” is currently a rather generic word.
Depending on the kind of phone used, calls will be routed via either the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or the cellular network.
No special phones are required for use with this service. Any phone with a valid service plan and a unique phone number will operate. The beautiful thing about this kind is that you don’t need special tools.
It is inexpensive and easy to set up and provides all the features and advantages of a conventional business phone system.
This category includes some of the most widely used virtual phone systems and some of the most often lamented. VoIP has been around and utilized by many organizations since it has been the greatest solution for many companies.
The only problem is that many companies still rely on them, mistakenly believing that virtual systems are not a viable option to the cloud-hosted PBX we discussed before.
VoIP systems are popular among organizations because they are reliable. However, this benefit comes with a caveat. Their operation occurs online, and dependability relies on your office’s Internet connection quality.
Services are now available that aim to develop next-generation systems by virtualizing them while still using VoIP. Although the virtual PBX discussed before did not need an Internet connection, VoIP-based virtual systems must. There are a few ways this may need to be corrected.
First and foremost, connection and call quality might suffer from insufficient bandwidth or a poor Internet connection provided by your Internet service provider. As a result, you’ll want a separate Internet connection for your telephones and any extra gear.
The service provider may also mandate the use of certain handsets. A virtual VoIP service is viable if you meet all these requirements, but the associated costs may increase rapidly. An entirely cloud-based virtual PBX system is your best choice for a highly functional virtual phone system.
These providers are widely available, represent the simplest virtual infrastructure, and are inexpensive. People are drawn to app-based services in large numbers owing to their low prices, resulting in intense rivalry.
That might work for a while if your new company requires a simple phone line to field incoming calls. Nevertheless, it will not scale as you expand. These applications are designed specifically for smartphones and will not function properly on any other phone.
Most of these services also need more essential options like call forwarding, call waiting, and voicemail. It’s also important to note that there are often issues with assistance and support for customers. Numerous consumers have complained about the poor quality of customer service and difficulty reaching a live person using these mobile applications.
There may be better courses of action than this, as you’ll eventually need to invest in a proper phone system when your company expands.
Take a product tour to learn how Phonexa revolutionizes call campaigns with vanity phone numbers.
A virtual phone number is a great way to stay connected with your customers and colleagues. It allows you to make and receive calls from anywhere and reliably communicate with your business partners and prospects.
| “An important aspect to closing more B2B sales is having a shared definition of all the players that influence the purchase decision. Chances are there are conversations where the decision-maker is bringing in three other people into the next demo, and they’re all talking about what they need. If you’ve got those recordings, you can watch those sales calls to review what are those other people asking and how marketing influences people who are coming into the room at a later stage or an earlier stage. Use those sales calls to define who the influencers are in the decision, document it, and review it with sales. Make sure that that shared pool of meaning is there. Then sales are going to have the bank of stuff to use. It might as well be that the sales only feel confident talking to that guy because they don’t have enough guidance on how to talk to all the other people because it’s just not documented right or maybe not actioned in a way that they feel can help them close the deal. At the end of the day, the sales need to see value in going after the other ICPs, and marketing can help them do that.” – Talar Malakian |
With a virtual phone number and the right martech stack, you can complete your sales objectives while getting all the necessary information to convert more callers.
Here are the eight proprietary solutions you get at a single price (online price calculator):
| LMS Sync | Lead tracking & distribution software |
| Call Logic | Call tracking & distribution software |
| E-Delivery | Email & SMS marketing software |
| Cloud PBX | Cloud phone system |
| Lynx | Click tracking software |
| Opt-Intel | Suppression list management software |
| HitMetrix | User behavior recording & analytics software |
| Books360 | Automated accounting software |
Build your plan now, or book a demo to learn more about Phonexa.
The short answer is – yes. Safer than traditional, analog phone lines are virtual ones. You won’t find it annoying if you only use it for making and receiving conventional phone calls and text messages. A virtual phone number may be useful for business, but you should know the security dangers of using any digital product.
Virtual phone numbers are usually safer than regular ones, and this is because they are independent of a traditional telephone connection, which might be hacked or compromised. Calls and texts to and from virtual phone numbers are often encrypted over the Internet, ensuring their safety from eavesdroppers.
The virtual phone number functions in the same way as the toll-free one.
Toll-free numbers are those for which the recipient, rather than the caller, is responsible for paying any associated fees. There is an area code indicating that it is a local number.
Instead, a virtual number is a kind of DID (Direct Inward Calling) number that does not need changes to your current phone service. It does this without adding any fee for call forwarding or international IP telephony, and it may redirect calls to any of the numbers you choose. It aids in establishing an international online presence for the company. These figures are country-specific.
Vanity phone numbers are the way to go. Toll-free vanity numbers are the norm. Businesses often use phone numbers that begin with the toll-free prefixes 800, 833, 844, 855, 866, 877, or 888. Calls made to these numbers are free of charge to the caller, thus the “toll-free” moniker. The caller will not be charged since the firm owns the phone number. That’s a great perk to provide to clients, customers, and anybody else who may want to do business with your firm over the phone.
There is often no restriction to the number of virtual phone numbers one customer may purchase from a single virtual number provider.
You can decide where calls are redirected based on the time of day and other parameters from a single, convenient place. Calls to virtual numbers may be routed to landlines, VoIP, mobile phones, and other cloud-based phone services. You’ll have the flexibility to handle your communications any way you choose, with the capacity to transmit your calls anywhere at any time. You can access many options that simplify call forwarding with a virtual phone number.
Location-based routing is an advanced IVR function. An interactive voice response (IVR) system answers incoming calls, assesses the nature of the call, and directs the caller to the appropriate destination.
Source: The Definitive Guide To Call Tracking: How It Works & What Is Its Impact
Depending on location, an IVR system with extensive call forwarding and routing capabilities may route calls. This allows you to direct incoming calls from specified locations to specific numbers. In this manner, you can guarantee that callers get customer assistance that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
Choosing a virtual phone number provider requires certain considerations. Understanding their relevance will make picking one easy. If any of the following apply, keep them in mind before buying:
Avoid virtual phone number companies with lengthy onboarding. Solopreneurs starting a business line have minimal setup time. They may take mobile calls during setup.
Hardware or hybrid services are preferred by large companies having a physical presence. Having workers use just mobile phones for conference calls could be more efficient. Offices with virtual phone number hardware appear more professional.
If you are willing to pay for them, you can purchase multiple phone numbers and configure them without too much hassle. Benefits include:
Increased call volume: When calling a company, customers can easily get frustrated if they keep getting a busy signal. With several numbers, you can effortlessly divert incoming calls if the lines are tied and use your cloud phone system to manage a huge volume of calls without compromising your client’s trust.
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