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How to purchase an SMS phone number

Explore the importance and usage of toll-free numbers in businesses for customer service, sales, and support. Our guide details how to obtain one via an SMS add-on in your subscription and the subsequent approval process.

Toll-free numbers

A toll-free number is a phone number that is free for the recipient to call. Businesses use toll-free numbers for marketing and transactional purposes, such as customer service, sales, and support.

Toll-free numbers are different from shortcodes. Shortcodes are also free for the recipient to call, but they are limited in number and require a shorter verification process. Toll-free numbers are more common and require a longer verification process to ensure that the phone number is owned by a legitimate business.

They are used mainly for:

  • Customer support 

  • Text for information

  • Shipping notifications

  • Event or appointment reminders

  • Internal communication

  • Service updates

  • Emergency alerts

  • 2FA

By default, all premium accounts will have a trial number that can only be used to send to verified recipients. To learn how to add a verified recipient, read our guide on SMS verification and limits.

To start sending SMS to customers:

  1. Go to Plan and Billing. 

  2. Choose the Phone Number add-on.

  3. Select a phone number and click Add to cart to subscribe to the add-on. 

  4. Purchase the subscription and start sending test SMS.

  5. To ensure the best deliverability, you have to submit the verification form, which we send to our downstream peers. Your number has to be verified to deliver SMS to your customers.

Keep in mind that SMS is currently only available in the US and Canada.