A virtual phone number is a useful business and personal communication tool. It is a number that isn’t directly connected to a telephone network. Calls made to virtual numbers go through a computer, a mobile phone or some other traditional phone.
Many people run ‘virtual’ businesses these days; they have a virtual office with a virtual phone number. All this means is that the business is conducted from a different area than the number indicates by its area code. A virtual phone number can look like a local number, even if it connects to a computer or phone in a totally different location.
Toll-free numbers have been around for some time to allow people to make inquiries from non-local businesses without incurring long distances call rates. Many of these are now virtual numbers, and when placing a call, you have no idea what area the call will be answered in. With virtual phone numbers, customers don’t know they aren’t talking to a local business.
A virtual phone number looks just like a normal local phone number, can be used just like a normal land line phone number and anyone calling from a conventional telephone can place a call to it just as they normally would to traditional phone numbers. People calling a virtual phone number do not know that they have not called a conventional landline number.
With a virtual phone number, anyone can call you on that number, no matter where you happen to be. You never need to miss a business or personal call when you are away from home. The caller pays for a local call, regardless of where you are located at the time. Your virtual number can be allocated to traditional phone, or directed to any landline phone or your mobile phone.
In the US, a virtual phone number costs just pennies a day with any US area code. International virtual numbers are more expensive and may have an additional start-up fee, and are available in 40 countries.
The ability to use virtual telephone numbers with your company can increase the visibility of your business. Used together with a virtual telephone system, virtual numbers make it incredibly easy for customers to get a hold of you.