Virtual phone numbers are existing telephone numbers without associated physical telephone lines or SIM cards. They offer a variety of advantages over conventional phone numbers. For example, virtual numbers use the Internet to make and receive calls.
They can be used on any device, such as a computer, mobile phone or phone (and are usually associated with a virtual phone system). With virtual phone numbers, you can make and receive calls from anyone, anywhere in the world, just as you would with a phone, but without the hassle of wires or lines.
Virtual phone numbers can be registered with a local area code or toll-free and can be customized to provide the perfect identification number. Talk route is one of the industry’s largest inventories of virtual phone numbers with hundreds of thousands of options to choose from.
Types of virtual phone numbers
Local numbers
With local virtual phone numbers, you can be located in the United States, get a number in Australia, and use it to make and receive calls. Since this is a local number in Australia, even though it is located in the United States, you will only be billed for local rates.
The main advantage of local virtual numbers is that they remove all regional barriers. Companies use them to better connect to customers and reduce the costs of international calls.
Toll Free numbers
As its name suggests – “Toll Free” – calls to these numbers are free, they start with any of the prefixes – 800, 855, 866, 877 or 888. They are paid by the recipient and therefore, all calls to this number are free for the caller. Potential buyers and customers are more likely to call a number when they know they will not be billed. Businesses usually have a toll-free number to encourage people to call them.
Establish A Local Presence Without Physical Presence
People are generally skeptical about the ability to take calls from international numbers because they fear incoming call charges. Local virtual numbers eliminate this problem by helping businesses build a local presence without having to set up a physical desktop. Calling from a number belonging to the customer’s area also helps to build trust.
How To Get Virtual Phone Numbers
Most companies would not buy virtual numbers individually they would need professional phone system software. In this case, the numbers are purchased via the software. You can choose the country in which you want to buy a number and start using it immediately.
Calls are usually billed by the minute and the number charges vary depending on the type of virtual number you wish to purchase. With a virtual phone system, all numbers – toll free or local – can be managed from one place. This helps the company keep track of the different numbers it has.
However, if you want to get individual virtual phone numbers, there are vendors such as Mightycall and grasshopper phone service that only sell numbers. You can buy virtual numbers and configure them to work with the device of your choice. You can even use multiple virtual phone numbers on the same device or use the same number from different devices.
