If you have seen advertisements for phone numbers that work through an app, you may wonder how a VoIP number area code compares with the code on a normal cell phone. The short answer is that a VoIP number looks like any other phone number and has an area code, but that code does not always show where the person is actually located. Here is how it all fits together.
What a VoIP number is
VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. Instead of sending your voice over a traditional phone line or a cellular voice network, a VoIP service carries it as data over the internet. You can place and receive calls through an app on your phone, a computer, or a desk phone plugged into your router.
A VoIP number is the phone number attached to that service. It has the same format as any North American number: a three-digit area code, a three-digit prefix, and a four-digit line number. People who call you simply dial it as they would dial a cell phone or landline.
How a VoIP number area code is chosen
With a traditional landline, your area code is assigned based on the place where the line is installed. A VoIP number is more flexible. Providers hold blocks of numbers from many regions and let you choose from the list they have available. If you want a Chicago code while living somewhere else, the provider may offer one, as long as it has numbers left in that region.
This flexibility is called a nonfixed number, because it is not tied to a building. It brings several benefits.
- You can pick a code that matches your customers, family, or favorite city.
- You can keep the number while you travel or move.
- You can have several numbers in different areas on one device.
The caution is that a code is not proof of location. Someone with a New York area code could be in another state or another country entirely, which is true of mobile numbers too.
Common ways people use a VoIP number
People pick a VoIP service for many everyday reasons. Small businesses use one to give customers a local-looking contact line without a physical office. Freelancers use a second number to keep work calls separate from personal ones. Travelers and expatriates use one to receive calls from home without paying international rates. Families sometimes use one as a shared line.
Many services include handy extras such as voicemail transcription, call forwarding, business hours, text messaging, and an auto-attendant that greets callers. These features are one reason small teams like them.
Limits to understand before choosing a VoIP number area code
VoIP numbers are practical, but they come with trade-offs worth knowing about in advance.
- Internet dependence: Calls need a decent internet connection. If your Wi-Fi or data drops, so does the call.
- Emergency calling: A VoIP service may need you to register a physical address so that a call to 911 can be routed to the right place. If you move or travel, update that address. Some apps do not support emergency calls at all, so read the provider’s notice carefully.
- Verification codes: Some banks and online services refuse to send text verification messages to VoIP numbers, because they treat them as higher risk. Keep a regular mobile number for important accounts.
- Call labeling: Because VoIP numbers are easy to get, some call-screening apps treat unfamiliar ones with extra suspicion. A new number might be flagged as spam by mistake.
How to pick and set up a number
Start by deciding what the number is for. If it is for a local business, choose the area code your customers recognize. If it is a personal second line, the code matters less than reliability. Then compare providers by looking at call quality, whether texting is included, support for your phone type, and the rules on porting a number in or out.
Before you commit, check whether you can move an existing number to the service. Many providers allow this process, called porting, but it usually requires account details from your current carrier. Also test the app on the Wi-Fi and mobile data you actually use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a VoIP number have an area code?
Yes. It has a normal three-digit area code like any other US number. You usually choose from the codes your provider offers.
Can I pick an area code that is not where I live?
Often yes, subject to availability. Remember that the code will not prove where you are, and some services have rules about the choice.
Can a VoIP number receive text messages?
Many can, but support varies by provider, and some websites will not send verification texts to VoIP numbers.
A VoIP number is a flexible tool when you understand what its area code does and does not say about you. To learn about the region behind a particular code, try the lookup at areascode.us.
