A virtual number is a phone number that lives in the cloud: it needs no physical line or SIM, and your team answers it from the browser. You can have several (for example, one for Reservations and another for Front Desk).
ℹ️ Buying numbers from the panel is enabled through the Extras section. If you don't see it yet, check with your WeSpeak advisor.
Step by step
- Go to Channels, open the Numbers card with the Manage button and, on the My numbers page, click Buy number.
- The wizard has three steps: Search availability → Choose a number → Confirm purchase. In the first, choose country and number type. You can refine by area code, city / region or state / province, and with the advanced search request a number that contains, starts with or ends with certain digits. Click Search — only numbers available to activate at that moment are shown.
- Select a number from the results list: each card shows its region, type and capabilities (Voice, SMS, WhatsApp Business). Click Acquire.
- Review the requirements: before confirming, the "Documentation needed to activate" section warns you if that country requires business documentation (and which). If nothing is required, you'll see "This number activates automatically with no additional documentation". Where it applies, check the box confirming you have the documentation ready.
- Confirm the purchase leaving "Connect to Calls" checked — that way the number is operational as soon as it activates. You'll see the notice "Purchase started. We'll let you know when it's active."
- Wait for activation — the status updates on its own on the page, without reloading — and then assign users in Calls → Settings, to define who answers.
Number types
| Type | What it is |
|---|---|
| Local | Geographic number tied to a city or region (for example, the Buenos Aires area code +54 11). Ideal for showing a familiar local presence. |
| Mobile | Number with a cellphone format. Allows receiving SMS in addition to calls and tends to have a better response rate. Availability and regulations vary by country. |
| Toll-free | Free for whoever calls you: the call is charged to your account, not to the customer. Useful for support lines. No geographic association. |
| National | Coverage across the entire country, without being tied to a city. Useful for businesses with several locations or nationwide operations. |
Number statuses
Activation isn't always immediate. Here's what each status means:
| Status | What it means | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| ⏳ Activating | The purchase is being processed | Wait (in the US, less than a minute) |
| 📋 Documentation missing | The country requires documents | Upload them with Complete requirements, from the number's detail |
| 🔍 Under review | Documents submitted | Wait 24–48 business hours (up to 5 days in some countries) |
| ⚠️ Documents rejected | Something wasn't approved | Read the reason in the red notice, correct it and resubmit |
| ⏳ Provisioning | Last step of activation underway | Wait |
| ✅ Active | The number works | Nothing — it already receives and makes calls |
| ❌ Purchase failed | It couldn't be acquired | Try with another number |
| 🟠 Suspended | The number was suspended | Contact WeSpeak support |
| ⚫ Canceled by the carrier | The order was canceled automatically because the requirements weren't completed in time | The number is no longer available — you can buy a new one whenever you want |
About the documentation
Most Latin American countries require documents before activating a number: identification, address and business details. The panel warns you before you buy what they'll ask for, and then you complete everything from the number's detail, on the Complete requirements screen:
- Each requirement appears with its status: Pending, Submitted, Approved or Rejected.
- Depending on the requirement, you fill in a text field, upload a file (PDF, PNG, JPG, DOC or XLS, up to 20 MB) or load the business address (legal name, country, province, city, street and number, postal code).
- Click Submit. When everything is submitted, you'll see "All submitted": the review takes 24–48 business hours (up to 5 days in some countries) and the status updates on its own.
- If something is rejected, the "Some data was rejected" notice marks the items to correct in red, with the reason for the rejection on each one — you correct and resubmit from the same screen.
⚠️ Don't leave the documentation pending too long: if the requirements aren't completed in time, the carrier cancels the order automatically (Canceled by the carrier status) and the number stops being available.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to activate?
In countries without requirements (like the US), less than a minute. Where they require documentation, it activates when the review is approved (24–48 business hours from when you submit the documents).
In which countries are there numbers?
There's good coverage in Latin America, the United States and Europe. The search includes, among others: Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, United States, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, United Kingdom and Germany — and shows you instantly what's available in each one.
Can I use my usual number instead of buying one?
Yes — you can port it to WeSpeak. See the "How to bring (port) your current number" article.
What's the difference between disconnecting and releasing a number?
Disconnecting from VoIP Calls only removes it from the channel: the number is still yours and you can reconnect it whenever you want. Releasing the number permanently is irreversible: the number is released from the system, disconnected from all channels and nobody else in WeSpeak will be able to use it.
I bought the number but I can't connect it to Calls.
Two typical causes: the number isn't Active yet (it can only be connected once activated), or your account doesn't have the Calls (WeSpeak Voice) service — check with your advisor. Some numbers include trial calls to receive calls on the platform before contracting the service; once they run out, you need to contract it to keep operating.