> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.brilo.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Buy a phone number

> Get a phone number from Brilo in a couple of minutes and attach it to your agent, with no phone company account needed.

Buy a number from Brilo in about two minutes, then attach it to your agent so callers reach the
agent instead of your desk phone. You do not need a Twilio account or anything from your phone
company, and you can search by country and area code. Every paid plan includes one number.

## Before you start

* An agent to attach the number to. It does not have to be finished. See
  [Create your first agent](/agents/create-your-first-agent).
* A paid plan. The Free plan does not include a number, so either move to Starter or use a number
  you already own.
* Numbers renew monthly. Your first one is included in your plan and the rest are charged on top.
  See [What will this cost me](/account/what-will-this-cost-me).
* You will be working in the dashboard, under **Phone Number**.

## Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Buy a New Phone Number">
    In the dashboard, go to **Phone Number** and choose **Buy a New Phone Number**. The panel is
    headed **Purchase a new number from Brilo**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your country">
    Pick your **Country**. If the country you want is not available, see
    [Change your country or region](/phone-numbers/change-your-country-or-region).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Search for a number">
    Type the area code you want into **Search Area Code** and search. Matching numbers appear under
    **Available Numbers** with their **Price**. If you see **No Numbers Found**, try a nearby area
    code, because availability changes daily.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the number you want">
    Choose one from the list. It appears under **Your selected phone number** so you can check it
    before you buy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Buy it and attach it to your agent">
    Confirm the purchase, choose your agent, and select **Attach Number**. If you want this number
    to handle texts as well as calls, switch on **Enable SMS**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## You will know it worked when

* You see **Phone Number Successfully Activated**.
* The number appears in your phone numbers list with your agent's name under **Assigned To**.
* You call the number yourself and your agent answers. See
  [Test your agent yourself](/go-live/test-your-agent-yourself).

## What else you can do here

* [Use a number you already own](/phone-numbers/use-your-existing-number) instead of buying one.
* [Move the number to a different agent](/phone-numbers/assign-a-number-to-an-agent) at any time.
* [Turn on texting](/channels/text-messages) so your agent answers messages too.
* [Register your business](/phone-numbers/register-your-business), which US numbers need before
  they can send texts.
* [Set what callers see](/phone-numbers/caller-id) when your agent calls out.

## If it did not work

**The purchase was declined.** Check the card on your billing page and try again. A declined
payment does not hold the number, so it may be gone by the time you retry.

**No numbers appear for your area code.** Availability changes daily. Try a neighbouring area code,
or a different city in the same region.

**The number is bought but calls do not reach your agent.** The number is probably not attached to
an agent, or the agent has not been turned on. See
[Turn your agent on](/go-live/turn-your-agent-on).

Anything else: [I cannot buy or change a number](/phone-numbers/i-cant-buy-or-change-a-number).

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="How much does a phone number cost?">
    Every paid plan includes one number, and extra numbers renew monthly at the price shown next to
    each number before you buy. Prices vary by country. For a worked example of a full monthly
    bill, see [What will this cost me](/account/what-will-this-cost-me).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I choose my area code?">
    Yes. Search by area code and Brilo shows what is available there, so you can get a number that
    looks local to your customers. Availability changes daily, so if nothing comes back, try a
    neighbouring area code rather than waiting.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many numbers can I buy?">
    There is no fixed cap on numbers, and each one renews monthly. One number is included with
    every paid plan. Buy extra numbers when you want separate lines for departments, locations, or
    campaigns, not to handle more calls: one number already carries every call your plan allows at
    once.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why can I not buy a number in my country?">
    Some countries require documents or a local presence before numbers can be sold there, and a
    few are not available at all. See
    [Change your country or region](/phone-numbers/change-your-country-or-region), and contact
    [support@brilo.ai](mailto:support@brilo.ai) with the country you need.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need to register my business first?">
    Not to buy a number or take calls. US numbers do need business registration before they can
    send texts, and approval usually takes a week or two plus a one time carrier fee, so start it
    early if texting matters to you. See
    [Register your business](/phone-numbers/register-your-business).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long until my new number works?">
    Straight away. Once you see **Phone Number Successfully Activated** and the number is attached
    to an agent that is turned on, it can take a call immediately. Call it yourself as the first
    thing you do.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I release a number I no longer need?">
    Yes. Delete the number from your phone numbers list and it stops renewing. A released number
    cannot be recovered, and someone else may take it, so keep any number you have advertised even
    if you are not using it right now.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can one number handle both calls and texts?">
    Yes. Switch on **Enable SMS** for the number and your agent answers texts on the same line
    callers dial. Calls and texts can even go to different agents if you want a different style for
    each. See [Text messages](/channels/text-messages).
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

* [Use your existing number](/phone-numbers/use-your-existing-number) to keep the number your
  customers already know
* [Assign a number to an agent](/phone-numbers/assign-a-number-to-an-agent) to move it later
* [Register your business](/phone-numbers/register-your-business) before turning on texting
* [Test your agent yourself](/go-live/test-your-agent-yourself) before real callers arrive
* [I cannot buy or change a number](/phone-numbers/i-cant-buy-or-change-a-number) when something
  goes wrong