Numbering → Buy number searches by prefix and buys directly from the results. Numbers sold directly are UK for now, with more countries to follow; anywhere else, bring numbers in on a trunk (below).
Numbers already held with a SIP provider can stay there. Ask support to set up a private trunk, then add the numbers to it one by one, in lists or as whole ranges. The carrier keeps the numbers; polite.ai answers the calls.
Choose which team answers from the Builder's Connect inbound calls panel or the agent drawer's Deploy tab. Changes take effect on Go live.
Numbers route to the live version of a team. Drafts never answer real callers, so editing is always safe while calls come in.
Buy a number
Numbering → Buy number opens a prefix search: anything from a full area code (at least four digits) up to a complete 11-digit number. Extra digits narrow the results. Numbers bought from the results are provisioned immediately and appear in the list, ready to route.
Every plan includes an allowance of purchased numbers: 1 on pay as you go, 3 on Pro, and 10 on Scale. The Numbering screen shows how much of the allowance remains; more slots come from upgrading the plan or releasing an unused number.
Bring your own numbers
Numbers that live with another provider are hosted on a private SIP trunk. Contact support to set one up. Once the trunk exists, Add number attaches single numbers, comma-separated lists, or whole ranges at once.
The provider is pointed at polite.ai with the details from the trunk's drawer:
The connection can also run the other way round, with polite.ai registering with an existing PBX or SIP account. See SIP registrations.
Point it at a team
A number answers for exactly one agent team, and routing can be managed in either place:
- In the Builder, the Connect inbound calls panel lists unassigned numbers. The chosen one is connected on go-live.
- On the Numbering screen, a number's drawer shows where it routes today (Routed to) and whether it has ever received a call (Call received).
Outbound calls
Each number has an Outbound toggle in its drawer. When enabled, agents can place calls presenting that number as the caller ID. This is used for transfers to a team member and for outbound calling. Numbers bought here arrive with it enabled; numbers added on your own trunk start disabled. The toggle can be edited across many numbers at once.
Releasing a number
Deleting a number releases it at the carrier. It stops answering immediately and may be reallocated to someone else, so the delete asks for the number to be typed in as confirmation. Releasing frees a slot in the allowance immediately.