How to Get a Virtual Phone Number for Business

Last updated on July 29, 2025

Many assume voice communication is fading—but business calling is thriving. The global call center market was valued at US$352.4 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $500 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of about 6%. This growth is fueled largely by virtual business phone number, which power modern, flexible, cloud-based communication across the world. In today’s always-on business landscape, having a virtual business phone number isn’t just convenient – it’s a necessity. But what exactly is a virtual phone number, and how can you get one for your business?

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the different steps required for a company to receive virtual phone numbers for its operations..

What Exactly Is a Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual phone number isn’t tied to a physical phone line or device. Instead, it uses the internet (Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP) to route calls and messages to any device you choose – your smartphone, office phone, or even a laptop. Think of it as a flexible, cloud-based number that follows you wherever you go.

The key features of virtual phone numbers are :

They can be local, national, or toll-free numbers, just like traditional phone lines. You might choose a local area code to appear local to customers in a certain city, or a toll-free number for a nationwide presence.

You can separate business and personal calls easily. Your virtual number acts as your dedicated business line, so you don’t have to give out your personal cell number anymore.

They often come with advanced calling features. Since they’re powered by software, you typically get access to voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, recording, IVR menus, and more (features that project a professional image for your business).

Why Your Business Needs a Virtual Number

You might be wondering, “Is a virtual number really neededit for my business?”

The answer for most modern businesses is a resounding yes.

Here’s why businesses of all sizes – from lean startups to global enterprises – are embracing virtual phone numbers :

1. Present a Professional Image

A dedicated business number instantly signals professionalism. For inbound calls you can setup a welcome message so your customers are greeted with a polished, branded experience that builds trust from the first ring.

You can also set up menu options and route callers to the right person or department – all without extra hardware. It’s a small touch that makes a big impact, helping your brand sound more established, reliable, and ready to serve.

2. Local Presence, Global Reach

A virtual phone number lets you be where your customers are—without actually being there. You could be working from London, but with a virtual New York phone number, U.S. clients feel like you’re just around the corner.

When callers see a familiar local area code, they’re significantly more likely to answer. In fact, local presence dialers have been shown to boost connection rates by up to 400%. With Squaretalk, you can instantly add numbers in 150+ countries, giving you a local identity in every key market – no office space, no travel, just smart global communication.

3. Cost Savings on Calls

If you’ve ever paid for long-distance or international phone calls on traditional lines, you know it can get expensive.

Virtual phone numbers run on VoIP, which significantly cuts costs.

Instead of paying per-minute international rates through a phone carrier, your can opt-in for local numbers on multiple markets and always call locally with calls being transmitted over the internet.

Using a contact center platform to facilitate your client communication, you also save on infrastructure – no need for separate phone lines for each team member or office. Everything is in the cloud, a few mouse clicks away.

Flexibility and Mobility: Whether you’re working from home, traveling between meetings, or managing a global team across different time zones, a virtual phone number ensures you stay connected.

Calls can be routed to your laptop, desk phone, or mobile – individually or in sequence – so you never miss an important conversation. The system can ring multiple team members, ensuring customers are always answered promptly and professionally.

For remote and hybrid teams, this flexibility is a game-changer. It allows your business to operate seamlessly across locations, while maintaining one consistent, reliable point of contact.

4. Business Continuity and Security

Virtual phone numbers give your company full ownership of communication channels. If a team member leaves, their number – and all associated call history, contacts, and voicemails – stays with the business.

This ensures continuity in client relationships and eliminates the risk of important calls being missed or misrouted. It’s a simple way to maintain control, protect your customer experience, and keep your operations running smoothly.

5. Scalability and Advanced Features

With contact center platforms that provide virtual phone numbers, scaling your communications is seamless. As your business grows, you can instantly add virtual numbers or onboard new users – no hardware, no wait times.

Built-in features like call recording, real-time contact center analytics, and CRM screen pop-ups empower your team to deliver faster, more personalized service. Reps see a caller’s history the moment the phone rings, ensuring every conversation is context-aware and productive.

Executive dashboards highlight call volumes, peak hours, and team performance, turning raw data into actionable insights. This way, contact center platforms like Squaretalk transform your phone number from a simple calling line into a business asset that can enable your growth and improve customer satisfaction.

How to Get a Virtual Phone Number (Step by Step)

Getting a virtual phone number for your business might sound technical, but it’s actually a straightforward process.

Here’s a step-by-step roadmap :

1. Choose a Service Provider

First, you’ll need to pick a provider or platform that offers virtual phone numbers.

There are many options out there, so consider your needs. Some popular providers include Squaretalk, JustCall, Twilio, RingCentral, and others.

Each has its own features: for example, some focus on easy setup for small businesses, while others are more developer-centric.

Key things to look for :

Coverage : Do they offer numbers in the countries or regions you need? (Squaretalk, for instance, provides local numbers in 150+ countries, whereas some apps might only cover a handful).

Pricing : How do they charge? Monthly subscription per user, or pay-as-you-go? Are numbers included free in the plan or paid separately? (Most providers charge a monthly fee per number. Truly free permanent numbers are rare – usually only temporary trials.)

Features : Do you need just a basic number, or a full call management system with texting, voicemail, call routing, etc.? Make sure the provider supports what you need.

WhatsApp/Multichannel : If you plan to use the number for WhatsApp Business or SMS, check that the provider supports those channels (more on this later).

2. Sign Up for an Account

Once you’ve chosen a provider, you’ll typically create an account. This usually involves providing your company name, business email, payment info (if required), and setting up a login. During sign-up, providers typically require additional documents to verify company identity before providing a virtual phone number.

3. Provide Required Info & Verify (if needed)

While creating your account, you will have the option to order the virtual phone numbers for your team. Depending on the country/number you choose, you might need to provide some information due to regulations.

The telecom laws of some countries require all phone number holders to provide a local address or an ID document to purchase a local number. For example, if you’re obtaining a number in the UK, you might need to list a UK address. The provider will guide you through any requirements. For many countries like the US, no documentation is needed – you can just grab the number instantly.

Also, for certain services, you may need to verify your email or phone before you can activate the number.

Tip : Have a quick look at the provider’s FAQ or documentation if any special requirements apply to the number you want.

4. Confirm and Activate

After selecting the number and providing any needed info, you’ll confirm your order.

If the number isn’t free, this is where you’d agree to any monthly fee .

Once you confirm, the number gets activated and added to your account.

Activation is usually instantaneous or within a few seconds. You’ll see the new number in your account’s dashboard.

At this point, the number is yours, you can start using it.

Try calling it from another phone to ensure it rings through to your device/app.

If it’s an outbound call you want to test, try dialing out from your app and see that the recipient sees your new virtual number on their caller ID.

5. Configure Call Handling (Optional but Important)

This step is about making the number useful for you. Set up where you want incoming calls to ring. With virtual phone services, you have options to :

Forward calls to a specific phone (e.g. ring your cell), or

Use a softphone/webphone – i.e., take calls in the provider’s app or web interface,

Set up an IVR (menu system) if you have multiple departments,

Add a custom voicemail greeting for when you miss calls or for outside of your working hours,

If it’s a team account, assign the number to a team or user, or set it to ring multiple people.

For example, Squaretalk has an integrated webphone in its dashboard, so you can answer calls right from your browser, and also allows routing rules like time-based forwarding. Take a moment to tweak these settings so your new numbers work exactly how you need it. It’s usually straightforward – no coding, just toggling options in a settings menu.

Next, let’s talk specifically about how Squaretalk simplifies this process and what extra perks you get as a Squaretalk client.

How to Claim Your Squaretalk Virtual Number

Getting your DID on Squaretalk is simple.

Let’s assume you’ve already signed up and have access to the Squaretalk portal (if not, you’d start by talking to our sales team and creating an account to log into the Squaretalk dashboard).

Step 1 : Go to the Phone Numbers section

Once you’re logged in, navigate to your Billing Portal (the Squaretalk dashboard). In the menu, look for “Phone Numbers” under the Services section. Click on Phone Numbers. This is where you manage all your virtual numbers.

Step 2 : Start a new number order

In the My Phone Numbers page, you’ll see any numbers currently assigned to your account (if your account is brand new, it might be empty). To add your new number, click on the “Order DID(s)” button at the top right. DID stands for Direct Inward Dial – it’s the industry term for virtual numbers that direct calls inward to your system. By clicking this, you’re telling Squaretalk you want to acquire a new number.

Step 3 : Select your desired number (country/area)

After clicking the order, a form will pop up where you can specify details for the number you want. Here’s what to do :

Choose the Country : There’ll be a dropdown or list – pick the country where you want the number.

Number Type : Select local, mobile, or toll-free based on what’s offered.

Area/Region : If applicable, select the state or city area code. For example, if you chose the USA, you might select New York (212) or Los Angeles (310), etc. If it’s a toll-free number, you might skip this since these numbers aren’t area-specific.

Configuration Options : Squaretalk’s form might ask if you need any special configuration. For a basic setup, you likely don’t need to add anything here – the default settings will route calls to your main Squaretalk account. Advanced config could be if you want the number to start in a certain call queue or assigned to a certain team by default. You can usually set that up later, too.

Once you’ve made your selections, the form will typically display if the number is available and show the cost.

Step 4 : Submit the request

Click the Submit or Order button. Squaretalk will now process your request in the background. Often, this takes only a few seconds. In some cases, manual approval is needed, but the process generally doesn’t take long.

You should see a confirmation message like “Your request has been submitted,” and then receive an email notification once the number is active.

After processing, your shiny new virtual number will appear in your Phone Numbers list on the dashboard, showing it’s assigned to your account.

Step 5 : (Optional) Configure and test the number

Now that you have the number, make sure calls to it go where you want; otherwise, it will be routed to a default call flow.

You can click on the number in the dashboard to adjust settings.

For instance, you could set it to ring to a specific user, group, or IVR. Record a voicemail greeting so callers know they’ve reached the right place or as a default destination after hours.

Go ahead and make a test call from another phone to confirm you’ve set the destination correctly.

Pro Tip : In Squaretalk, you can also set up features like Dynamic Caller ID, which means if you call out to a certain region, the system can automatically display a local number to increase pickup rates.

Comparing Squaretalk to Other Virtual Number Providers

There are many services out there through which you can get a virtual phone number.

Each has its pros and cons.

Below is a brief comparison focusing on a few key players, so you can see how Squaretalk differs from others when it comes to getting a business number and leveraging it :

Free Number Offer	Global Coverage	WhatsApp Integration
Yes – includes 1 free DID per account (local number in selected countries).	150+ countries (4,500+ area codes) - very extensive global reach.	Yes - Built-in WhatsApp Business messaging support (via WhatsApp API). One WhatsApp channel is included on compatible plans
Free 14-day trial (no permanent free number; after trial, numbers are paid).	70+ countries available for virtual numbers (good coverage, but less than Squaretalk).	Not built-in. Focuses on voice/SMS. (No native WhatsApp integration in standard offering.)
No free permanent number (offers trial credit for new accounts, which can be used to buy a number during testing).	100+ countries - wide coverage for developers via API.	Yes - supports WhatsApp Business API, but developer-heavy (you must configure it via Twilio’s API) rather than a plug-and-play UI.
Yes - Free for personal use (1 virtual number per Google account, but only for USA/Canada users). Business version via Google Workspace is paid.	Very limited country support: US and Canada only for Google Voice numbers.	No - Google Voice is a calling/voicemail service only. Cannot be used for WhatsApp (WhatsApp doesn’t accept Voice numbers for verification in most cases).

As you can see, Squaretalk is quite generous with the free number and has one of the broadest coverage lists. It’s tailored for businesses that might be handling international calls or scaling globally.

Plus, with Squaretalk you are not just receiving a number – but an entire contact center platform around that number (webphone, call routing, integrations, etc.).

If your aim is to have a robust business phone system with modern capabilities (and perhaps use channels like WhatsApp), Squaretalk provides an all-in-one solution.