Phone Number Setup
Your AI receptionist needs a dedicated phone number to receive calls. Welco makes it easy to purchase a new number directly through our platform, with instant activation and no additional provider setup required.What You’ll Get: A professional business phone number that immediately connects to your AI receptionist, ready to handle calls within minutes of purchase.
Before You Start
Requirements
- Active Welco account (free trial or paid subscription)
- Payment method added to your account
- Decision on preferred area code/location for your number
Pricing Information
- Phone numbers are billed monthly as part of your subscription
- No setup fees or activation charges
- Unlimited incoming calls included
- Additional usage charges may apply for high-volume accounts
New to Welco? If you haven’t created your account yet, you’ll be prompted to start your free trial first. The phone number purchase is included in the setup process.
Step 1: Access Phone Number Purchase
For New Accounts
- After completing signup, you’ll see the dashboard welcome screen
- Look for the “Start free trial” button or card
- Click “Start free trial” to start the selection process
For Existing Accounts
- Log into your Welco dashboard at
https://app.welco.ai - Navigate to Phone Numbers in the left sidebar
- Click the “Purchase New Number” button
- You’ll be taken to the number selection interface
Account Status: You must have an active subscription or free trial to purchase phone numbers. If prompted, complete your subscription setup first.
Step 2: Choose Your Phone Number Location
Select Your Preferred Area
- You’ll see a location selection interface
- Choose Country: Select your country from the dropdown (if international options are available)
- Select State/Province: Choose your state or region
- Pick Area Code: Select your preferred area code from available options
Area Code Considerations
- Local Presence: Choose an area code where your customers are located
- Toll-Free Options: Look for 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, 833 numbers if available
- Availability: Some popular area codes may have limited number availability
Local vs Toll-Free: Local numbers build trust with regional customers, while toll-free numbers appear more professional for national businesses.
Step 3: Select Your Specific Number
Browse Available Numbers
- After selecting your area code, you’ll see a list of available phone numbers
- Numbers are displayed in an easy-to-read format:
(555) 123-4567 - Browse the options
Number Selection Tips
- Look for easy-to-remember patterns (repeated digits, sequences)
- Avoid numbers that might be hard to say over the phone
- Consider if the number spells anything relevant to your business
- Check that you’re comfortable with the specific digits
Choose Your Number
- Click on your preferred number to select it
- The number will be highlighted to show your selection
- You’ll see a preview of your choice with confirmation details
Number Reservation: Your selected number is temporarily held for 10 minutes while you complete the purchase process.
Step 4: Verify Your Number is Active
Immediate Activation
After purchase, your number should be active within 2-3 minutes:- Check your dashboard - your new number should appear in the Phone Numbers section
- Look for the green “Active” status next to your number
- Test the connection by calling your new number from another phone
- Verify your AI answers using your configured greeting
Test Your New Number
- Call your new number from your personal or another business phone
- Listen for your AI receptionist to answer with the configured greeting
- Have a brief conversation to ensure everything works properly
- Check your dashboard to see the test call logged in your call history
Expected Response Time: Your AI should answer within 2-3 rings. If there’s no answer after 6 rings, check your account status or contact support.