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Phone numbers

Phone numbers are the lines your agents use to place and receive calls. Import the numbers you already own, connect a provider like Twilio, and manage outbound settings all in one place.

Phone numbers

Manage phone numbers for voice interactions and connect callers directly to your agents. Once a number is imported and wired up, it is ready to ring through to a voice agent on incoming calls or place outbound ones.

What you can do​

  • Import the phone numbers you want to use for voice interactions with Import number.
  • Connect a provider, Twilio for a prebuilt integration or a Custom provider for your own SIP endpoint, so numbers can be brought in and managed through that service.
  • Pick a country code and enter a number, then give it a clear, recognizable label.
  • Turn on Enable outbound calling and configure outbound details like Outbound SIP, Transport protocol, custom Headers, and Media Encryption.
  • Assign a number to an agent so incoming calls ring straight through to it.
  • Search across your numbers and refresh the list to see the latest changes.
  • Update or delete any number, and review every provider you have connected from one panel.

How it works​

Behind the simple import form, RedFlare does the plumbing that connects a real telephone number to a live voice agent.

  1. Connecting a provider. When you add a Twilio provider, RedFlare checks your account SID and auth token against Twilio to confirm they are valid before saving anything. Those credentials are then encrypted at rest, so your secrets are never stored in plain text. A Custom provider only needs a name and your own SIP details.
  2. Importing a Twilio number. RedFlare confirms the number actually exists in your Twilio account, then provisions a SIP trunk for it, attaches an origination route that points calls at RedFlare's voice platform, and associates your number with that trunk. For a custom provider, RedFlare sets up the trunk on its side using the SIP details you provide.
  3. Wiring up voice. Every imported number, Twilio or custom, gets an inbound trunk created in RedFlare's real-time voice engine. This is what lets a phone call cross over into a live, low-latency session with an agent.
  4. Assigning to an agent. When you attach a number to an agent, RedFlare creates a routing (dispatch) rule that sends incoming calls on that line to a session with that specific agent. A number can be assigned to only one agent at a time.
  5. Unlinking and deleting. Unlinking removes the routing rule so the number stops ringing through to its agent, while keeping the number itself. Deleting goes further: it tears down the SIP trunk at the provider, removes the voice-engine trunk and routing rule, and clears the record from RedFlare.
note

Because a number routes to a single agent, RedFlare will not let you reassign a number that is already linked. Unlink it first, then point it at the new agent.

Import a phone number​

When you first open Phone numbers and haven't added anything yet, you'll see No phone numbers yet with the note "Looks like you haven't imported any phone numbers yet." Use the call to action to get started.

  1. Click Import number (top right of the list, or the button on the empty state).
  2. In the Phone number configurations panel, choose a Provider from the dropdown. If you don't have one yet, click Add new to create one without leaving the form.
  3. Enter a Name so the number is easy to recognize later.
  4. Select the country code, then type the Phone number you want to import.
  5. Click Create to save it. You'll see "Phone number imported successfully" once it's added.
note

The number field accepts digits only, so you can paste a number freely and any extra characters are stripped automatically. RedFlare expects a full international number, for example +14155550123.

tip

For a Twilio number, the import only succeeds if the number is present in the Twilio account behind your provider. If you get an error, check that the number is actually owned by that account.

Set up a provider​

A provider lets RedFlare import and manage numbers through a service like Twilio or your own custom SIP configuration. You can reach providers from the Add new button inside the import form, or from View Providers on the main screen.

  1. Open the provider form (via Add new, or View Providers then Add provider).
  2. Choose a Provider: select Twilio for a prebuilt integration, or Custom to use your own endpoint and authentication details.
  3. For Twilio, enter your account credentials (account SID and auth token). RedFlare validates them against Twilio before saving.
  4. For a Custom provider, enter a Name to identify it, along with your own connection details.
  5. Click Create. The new provider becomes available to select when importing numbers.
tip

Set up a provider once and reuse it across many numbers. As the import form puts it: "Use a provider you've already set up or create a new one." Your provider credentials are encrypted before they are stored.

Configure outbound calling​

If a number should place outbound calls, turn on the outbound settings while importing or editing it.

  1. In the number form, switch on Enable outbound calling.
  2. Choose a Transport protocol (TCP or UDP).
  3. Enter the Outbound SIP address for the number.
  4. Optionally add custom Headers as key-value pairs. These are sent with outbound calls for provider-specific configuration, such as SIP or Twilio metadata.
  5. Turn on Media Encryption if you want call media encrypted in transit.
  6. Click Create (or Update when editing) to save your changes.
note

A number needs at least one SIP route to work, inbound, outbound, or both. If you only want the number to receive calls, you can leave outbound calling off.

Assign a number to an agent​

Importing a number makes it available; assigning it to an agent is what makes incoming calls reach a conversation.

  1. Open the agent you want to take calls and go to its phone deployment settings.
  2. Use Select a phone number to pick one of your imported, unassigned numbers.
  3. Save. RedFlare sets up the routing rule so any call to that number starts a session with this agent.

To move a number to a different agent, unlink it from its current agent first, then assign it where you want it.

Manage your numbers​

Everything you've imported appears in a list with columns for Name, Phone number, Transport, Outbound, Created at, and Last modified at.

  1. Use the search bar ("Search phone numbers") to filter the list by name.
  2. Click the refresh icon to reload the list and pull in the latest details.
  3. On any row, open the actions menu (the three-dot icon) and choose Update to edit the number or Delete to remove it.
  4. Confirm a deletion to remove the number. You'll see "Phone number deleted successfully" when it's gone.
note

Deleting a number is permanent and also removes its underlying trunk and routing at the provider and in RedFlare's voice engine. If you only want to stop a number from ringing an agent, unlink it instead of deleting it.

tip

To see and manage every provider you've connected, click View Providers. You can filter by All, Twilio, or Custom, and add another provider from the same panel.

Review connected providers​

The providers panel keeps all your connections in one place.

  1. Click View Providers on the Phone numbers screen.
  2. Switch between the All, Twilio, and Custom tabs to narrow the view.
  3. If nothing is connected yet, you'll see "No Providers Connected" with a prompt to connect a provider like Twilio or add a custom configuration to begin using phone services.
  4. Use Add provider to connect a new one at any time.

Tips​

tip

Give each number a label that says where it is used, such as "Support line, UK" or "Sales callback." Labels are what you search and what shows up when picking a number for an agent.

note

Country codes are provided for you in the import form, so you can select the right one rather than typing it. RedFlare can also check a number against carrier data to confirm it is a real, dialable line.

tip

Connect a provider before your first import. The import form lets you create one inline with Add new, but setting providers up first keeps the flow quick when you have several numbers to bring in.