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Phone Numbers

To have your voice agent answer real phone calls, you need to connect phone numbers. This section covers everything about acquiring, configuring, and managing phone numbers on the Hanc.AI platform.

Overview​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    PHONE NUMBER FLOW                            │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

    Customer                         Your Business
        │                                  │
        │  Calls +43 1 234 5678            │
        ▼                                  │
┌─────────────────┐                        │
│    Twilio       │  ──────────────────▶   │
│  (Phone Provider)                        │
└─────────────────┘                        │
        │                                  │
        │  Routes to Hanc.AI               │
        ▼                                  │
┌─────────────────┐                        │
│   Hanc.AI       │                        │
│  Voice Agent    │  ◀──────────────────   │
│                 │    (configured agent)  │
└─────────────────┘                        │
        │                                  │
        │  Handles conversation            │
        │  (or transfers to human)         │
        ▼                                  │
    Call Complete                          │

Phone Provider: Twilio​

Hanc.AI uses Twilio as the phone infrastructure provider. Twilio is a leading cloud communications platform that:

  • Provides phone numbers in 100+ countries
  • Handles call routing reliably
  • Offers local, mobile, and toll-free numbers
  • Ensures high voice quality

Why Twilio?​

BenefitDescription
Global coverageNumbers available worldwide
ReliabilityEnterprise-grade uptime
ComplianceMeets telecom regulations
ScalabilityFrom 1 to thousands of numbers

Getting Started with Phone Numbers​

Option A: Connect Existing Twilio Account​

If you already have a Twilio account:

  1. Go to Integration in the sidebar
  2. Select Twilio
  3. Enter your Twilio credentials:
    • Account SID (from Twilio Console)
    • Auth Token (from Twilio Console)
  4. Click Connect
  5. Your existing Twilio numbers will be available to import

Option B: Buy Numbers Through Hanc.AI​

  1. Go to Phone Numbers in the sidebar
  2. Click "Buy Number"
  3. Select country and number type
  4. Complete purchase
  5. Number is automatically configured

Twilio Account Setup​

If you don't have a Twilio account:

Step 1: Create Twilio Account​

  1. Go to twilio.com
  2. Click "Sign Up"
  3. Enter your details
  4. Verify your email and phone

Step 2: Get Credentials​

  1. Log into Twilio Console
  2. Find Account SID on the dashboard
  3. Find Auth Token (click to reveal)
  4. Copy both values
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  TWILIO CONSOLE                                 │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                 │
│  Account SID: ACxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx              │
│                                                                 │
│  Auth Token: [Click to reveal] ••••••••••••••••••••             │
│                                                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Step 3: Connect to Hanc.AI​

  1. In Hanc.AI, go to Integration → Twilio
  2. Paste your Account SID
  3. Paste your Auth Token
  4. Click Connect

Phone Number Types​

Local Numbers​

Phone numbers tied to a specific area:

ExampleCoverage
+43 1 xxx xxxxVienna, Austria
+49 30 xxx xxxxBerlin, Germany
+41 44 xxx xxxxZurich, Switzerland

Best for: Local businesses, regional presence

Mobile Numbers​

Numbers that appear as mobile phones:

Best for: Personal service feel, SMS capability

Toll-Free Numbers​

Numbers where caller doesn't pay:

ExampleCountry
0800 xxx xxxAustria/Germany
1-800-xxx-xxxxUSA

Best for: Customer service, national reach

Assigning Agents to Numbers​

Inbound Agent​

The agent that answers incoming calls:

  1. Go to Phone Numbers
  2. Click on a number
  3. Under Inbound Agent, select your agent
  4. Save

Outbound Agent​

The agent used for outgoing calls (if applicable):

  1. Same location
  2. Under Outbound Agent, select your agent
  3. Save

Multiple Numbers, One Agent​

You can assign the same agent to multiple numbers:

+43 1 234 5678  ──┐
+43 1 234 5679  ──┼──▶  Reception Agent
+43 1 234 5680  ──┘

Multiple Agents, Multiple Numbers​

Or different agents for different numbers:

+43 1 234 5678  ──────▶  Sales Agent
+43 1 234 5679  ──────▶  Support Agent
+43 1 234 5680  ──────▶  Booking Agent

Number Configuration​

Basic Settings​

SettingDescription
Friendly NameDisplay name (e.g., "Main Reception")
Inbound AgentAgent for incoming calls
Outbound AgentAgent for outgoing calls
StatusActive or inactive

Advanced Settings​

SettingDescription
Fallback NumberWhere to route if agent unavailable
RecordingEnable/disable call recording
WebhookCustom webhook for call events

Number Management​

View All Numbers​

Go to Phone Numbers to see:

  • All your numbers
  • Assigned agents
  • Status
  • Call statistics

Edit Number Settings​

  1. Click on the number
  2. Modify settings
  3. Save changes

Remove Number​

  1. Click on the number
  2. Click Delete or Remove
  3. Confirm removal
warning

Removing a number may result in losing that number permanently. It might be assigned to someone else if released.

Call Routing Scenarios​

Simple: One Number, One Agent​

Most common setup:

Main Number ──────▶ Reception Agent ──────▶ Handle Call

With Fallback​

If agent can't handle:

Main Number ──▶ Reception Agent ──┬──▶ Resolved
                                  │
                                  └──▶ Transfer to Human
                                          │
                                          ▼
                                    +43 1 999 8888
                                    (Staff phone)

Department Routing​

Different numbers for different purposes:

Sales Number    (+43 1 111 1111) ──▶ Sales Agent
Support Number  (+43 1 222 2222) ──▶ Support Agent
Booking Number  (+43 1 333 3333) ──▶ Booking Agent

After-Hours Routing​

Time-based handling:

                          ┌── Business Hours ──▶ Live Agent
Main Number ──▶ Check Time │
                          └── After Hours ────▶ Voicemail Agent

Best Practices​

Number Selection​

✅ Choose local numbers for local businesses ✅ Use toll-free for customer service lines ✅ Consider mobile numbers for personal services ✅ Have a backup number for emergencies

Configuration​

✅ Test numbers before going live ✅ Set fallback numbers for agent failures ✅ Enable recording for quality and training ✅ Label numbers clearly in your account

Operations​

✅ Monitor call volumes per number ✅ Track success rates by number ✅ Review periodically — remove unused numbers

Troubleshooting​

Calls not connecting​

Check:

  1. Number is active in Twilio
  2. Twilio integration is connected
  3. Agent is assigned to number
  4. Agent is active (not paused)

Poor audio quality​

Possible causes:

  • Network issues
  • Twilio region
  • Customer's phone quality

Solutions:

  • Check Twilio status page
  • Test with different phones

Calls going to wrong agent​

Check:

  1. Number's inbound agent setting
  2. No conflicting webhooks
  3. Correct number displayed in dashboard

Costs​

Twilio Costs (Approximate)​

ItemCost Range
Local number (monthly)$1-5
Toll-free number (monthly)$2-10
Inbound call (per minute)$0.01-0.05
Outbound call (per minute)$0.01-0.10

Costs vary by country and number type.

Hanc.AI Usage​

Your Hanc.AI plan determines:

  • Number of agents
  • Call minutes included
  • Additional minute costs