# Get a phone number

Source: https://voksha.com/docs/getting-started/phone-numbers/

> Pick a country and area code, and what to do while a UK number waits on its regulatory check.

Your agent needs its own number. Voksha buys it and sets it up, so there is nothing to arrange with a phone company.

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## Picking one

1. Choose **the country**. This decides which numbers you can get and which checks apply.
2. Choose **the area code**, so the number looks local to your callers.
3. Pick a number from the list. It is yours straight away. Voksha sets it up in the background.

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## What happens next

Voksha does these steps in order:

1. Buy the number
2. Import it
3. Create the voice agent
4. Save its instructions
5. Attach the number

The page shows which step it is on. It usually takes a couple of minutes. If a step fails, it tries again by itself. If it keeps failing, the page tells you why, and support sees the same details.

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## UK numbers take about a working day

A +44 landline cannot be sold until an approved regulatory bundle is attached to it. That is the regulator's rule, not ours.

Your agent waits at **awaiting regulatory approval**. Voksha checks again every few minutes and carries on by itself once it is approved.

> **Note:** Waiting is not failing. Nothing is lost, you do not need to start again, and you will not be
> asked to pick a number twice. If it is rejected, the page tells you and support will contact you.

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## Keeping the number you already advertise

| Option | What it does |
|---|---|
| **Send your existing number to the agent** | Callers keep using your printed number, and it rings the agent |
| **Send it after hours only** | You answer in person during the day. The agent takes the rest |

Your phone company controls this, usually from their app. It takes minutes to turn on or off.

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## One number, one agent

A number belongs to one agent. If you want two different behaviours, like a sales line and a support line, create two agents. One number cannot be split, because the caller would have no way to choose.

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## Next steps

- [Make a test call](https://voksha.com/docs/getting-started/test-call/): Free, twice, before any customer calls
- [Go live](https://voksha.com/docs/getting-started/go-live/): A safe order for switching your real number over