Manage Phone Numbers

📱 Phone Number Management Overview

Phone numbers are a key communication channel in tDoc for our AI agents. They offer several advantages for your team:

• Dedicated Lines: Assign specific numbers to different agents
• Customer Recognition: Build trust with consistent caller ID
• Call Routing: Direct calls to the right agent based on number dialed
• Usage Analytics: Track call volume and patterns by phone number

🔍 Finding and Purchasing Phone Numbers

📊 Available Number Types

tDoc supports three types of phone numbers to meet your business needs:

• Local Numbers: Area code-specific numbers that establish local presence
• Mobile Numbers: Numbers with SMS and MMS capabilities for text communications

🛒 How to Purchase a Number

Follow these steps to add a new phone number:

1. Navigate to Phone Management: Go to your team account's Calls section
2. Select Add a Number: Click the "Add a Number" button with the plus icon
3. Search Available Numbers: Filter by area code, prefix, or pattern (if desired)
4. Review Pricing: Check the monthly cost for each available number
5. Complete Purchase: Select your preferred number and confirm the purchase

🔄 Managing Your Phone Numbers

📋 Viewing Your Phone Inventory

The phone numbers dashboard displays comprehensive information:

• Phone Number: The actual digits in standardized format
• Friendly Name: Custom label you've assigned for easy identification
• Status: Current state (active, inactive, pending, or released)
• Type: Number category (local, toll-free, or mobile)
• Assignment: Agent or service the number is connected to
• Pricing: Monthly cost of maintaining the number
• Purchase Date: When you acquired the number

🔌 Assigning Numbers to Agents

Connect numbers to the right team members:

1. Go to Phone Management: Navigate to your Phone Numbers dashboard
2. Select the Number: Find the number you want to assign
3. Click Assign: Open the assignment dialog
4. Choose an Agent: Select from available team members
5. Confirm Assignment: Save the connection between number and agent

📴 Releasing Phone Numbers

🗑️ How to Release a Number

When you no longer need a phone number:

1. Navigate to Management: Go to your Phone Numbers dashboard
2. Locate the Number: Find the number you wish to release
3. Click Release: Press the "Release" button with the phone-off icon
4. Provide Reason: Select or enter your reason for releasing the number
5. Add Notes: Optionally include details about the release
6. Confirm Release: Acknowledge that the number will be disconnected

⚠️ Important: Released numbers enter a cooldown period and can be reclaimed within 10 days, after which they may become available to other customers.

⏱️ Understanding the Cooldown Period

After releasing a number:

• Initial Cooldown: Numbers enter a system-defined cooldown period
• Reclaim Window: You have 10 days to reactivate your released number
• Expiration: After the reclaim window ends, you lose priority rights to the number

🔄 Reactivating Released Numbers

🔙 Reclaiming Your Number

To restore a recently released number:

1. Go to Phone Management: Navigate to your Phone Numbers dashboard
2. Expand Released Number: Click the chevron icon to see detailed information
3. Check Eligibility: Verify the number is eligible for reactivation
4. Click Reactivate: Press the "Reactivate" button
5. Confirm Details: Review the reactivation information
6. Complete Reactivation: Confirm to restore the number to your account

⚠️ Reactivation Limitations

Be aware of these important constraints:

• Cooldown Restrictions: Numbers in active cooldown cannot be reactivated
• Time-Limited Window: Reactivation is only available for 10 days after release
• Eligibility Requirements: Some numbers may not be eligible for reactivation
• Same Account Only: Only the account that released the number can reclaim it

🔍 Understanding Number Statuses

🟢 Active Numbers

Active numbers are fully provisioned and ready for use:

• Currently in your inventory
• Properly configured in the underlying systems
• Ready to receive or make calls
• Being billed at the standard monthly rate

🟡 Pending Numbers

Numbers in a transitional state:

• Recently purchased but not fully provisioned
• Undergoing system configuration
• May take 24-48 hours to become fully active
• Will be billed once activated

🔴 Inactive Numbers

Numbers with usage limitations:

• Technically in your inventory but not functioning
• May occur due to billing issues
• Could indicate configuration problems
• Not capable of handling calls until resolved

⚪ Released Numbers

Numbers you've disconnected from your account:

• No longer actively part of your inventory
• Subject to cooldown and reclamation periods
• Not generating charges (after the current billing cycle)
• May show release history and reactivation eligibility

🔧 Troubleshooting

🛠️ Common Phone Number Issues

Solutions for typical phone management challenges:

Number Not Working After Purchase

1. Check if the status is still "Pending" (may need time to provision)
2. Verify proper assignment to an agent or service
3. Test basic connectivity through the admin console
4. Contact support if provisioning exceeds 48 hours

Cannot Release a Phone Number

1. Ensure all active calls using the number are completed
2. Check for dependencies in call flows or automations
3. Verify you have necessary permissions to release numbers
4. Try releasing again after system maintenance periods

Missed Reactivation Window

1. Check if the 10-day reclamation period has expired
2. Contact support to inquire about special exception requests
3. Search for similar available numbers as alternatives
4. Consider future number management planning to avoid recurrence

🔍 Advanced Phone Number Management

📊 Phone Number Analytics

Track usage patterns for each number:

• Call volume by time period
• Average call duration
• Busy hour identification
• Missed call statistics

🔄 Multiple Number Management

Strategies for organizations with numerous phone numbers:

• Implement naming conventions for easy identification
• Use department or function-based assignments
• Consider number pooling for larger teams
• Regularly audit your number inventory

Next Steps

Now that you understand phone number management, explore these related topics:

• Call Routing Configuration
• Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
• Call Recording and Compliance
• Phone Number Porting