> ## 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.

# Use your existing number

> Keep the business number your customers already know and have your Brilo agent answer it, either by forwarding calls or by importing the number.

You can keep the number your customers already know. There are two ways to do it: forward calls
from your existing number to a Brilo number, or import your number into Brilo so it answers
directly. Forwarding takes minutes and needs nothing technical. Importing takes about fifteen
minutes and gives you texting on the same number.

## Which one to choose

|                                     | Forward your calls                              | Import your number                                       |
| ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- |
| How long it takes                   | Minutes                                         | About 15 minutes                                         |
| Who can do it                       | Anyone with access to your phone provider       | Anyone with admin access to both accounts                |
| Who holds the number                | Your current provider                           | Your current provider, connected to Brilo                |
| You still pay your current provider | Yes                                             | Yes, the number stays with them                          |
| Texting on that number              | No                                              | Yes, once registered where required                      |
| Works with any provider             | Yes, if it can forward a number                 | No, only Twilio, Telnyx and Plivo                        |
| Best when                           | You want to try Brilo without changing anything | You are committed and want one place for calls and texts |

Neither route moves the number away from your provider. If you want to stop paying your
current provider altogether, that is a number move, which is a phone company process rather
than a setting. Email [support@brilo.ai](mailto:support@brilo.ai) before you start one.

Start with forwarding if you are still evaluating. It is reversible in a minute, and nothing about
your existing service changes.

## Forwarding calls to your agent

1. [Buy a Brilo number](/phone-numbers/buy-a-phone-number) and attach it to your agent.
2. Call the Brilo number yourself and check your agent answers.
3. In your existing phone provider's settings, forward your business number to the Brilo number.
4. Call your business number. Your agent should answer.

Your callers keep dialling the number they know, your provider passes the call to Brilo, and your
agent picks up. You can forward all calls, or only the ones nobody in your team answers, depending
on what your provider supports.

## Importing your number instead

Importing connects the number itself to Brilo, so your agent answers it directly and can also
text from it. The number stays in your provider account and you keep paying them for it.
Brilo can import numbers held at Twilio, Telnyx and Plivo.

Start in the dashboard under **Phone Number**, choose **Import existing number**, enter your number
and select your carrier. The exact steps depend on your provider, and the full walkthrough is here:

* [Import a phone number from Twilio](/integrations/telephony/twilio/import-number)

For Telnyx and Plivo, contact [support@brilo.ai](mailto:support@brilo.ai) before you start,
since the steps on your provider's side differ.

If your number is somewhere else, including RingCentral, forwarding is the route. See
[Connect Brilo to RingCentral](/integrations/telephony/ringcentral) for a worked example.

## You will know it worked when

* Someone dials your original business number and your agent answers.
* The call appears in your call history in Brilo.
* If you imported and enabled texting, a text to that number reaches your agent.

## If it did not work

**Your business number still rings your old phone.** Forwarding has not taken effect. Check the
forwarding setting saved on your provider's side, and that you forwarded to the Brilo number rather
than your own mobile.

**Your agent answers but the caller cannot hear it, or it cannot hear them.** This is usually a
setting on the provider side of an import. See
[Import a phone number from Twilio](/integrations/telephony/twilio/import-number), which lists the
common causes.

**Your imported number cannot send texts.** US numbers must be registered before they can text.
See [Register your business](/phone-numbers/register-your-business).

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

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Can I keep my existing business number?">
    Yes. Either forward calls from it to a Brilo number, which takes minutes and changes nothing at
    your provider, or import the number into Brilo so your agent answers it directly. Your
    customers keep dialling the number they already know either way.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is the difference between forwarding and importing?">
    Forwarding passes calls on to a Brilo number and works with any provider. Importing connects
    your number to Brilo directly, which adds texting and needs the number to be at Twilio, Telnyx
    or Plivo. Both leave the number with your provider. Forwarding is reversible in a minute.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Will my number stop working during the switch?">
    Forwarding does not interrupt anything: calls route to Brilo the moment you save the setting.
    An import involves changes on your provider's side, so do it outside your busy hours and test
    with your own phone as soon as it completes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I still make outgoing calls from my number?">
    If you forward, your existing service is untouched, so your team carries on calling out as
    before. If you import, inbound calls go to your agent, so plan how your team will make and
    take calls on that number before you connect it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need a Twilio account to use Brilo?">
    No. Buying a number from Brilo needs no phone provider account at all. Twilio only comes into
    it if you already own a Twilio number and want to bring it across. See
    [Buy a phone number](/phone-numbers/buy-a-phone-number).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which providers can I import a number from?">
    Twilio, Telnyx and Plivo. Twilio has a full step by step guide at
    [Import a phone number from Twilio](/integrations/telephony/twilio/import-number). For Telnyx
    and Plivo, contact support first, because the setup on your provider's side differs. Numbers
    at any other provider, including RingCentral, reach Brilo by forwarding instead.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I move the number back to my old provider later?">
    Yes, the number stays yours throughout. Forwarding is a setting you can turn off in a minute,
    and an imported number can be disconnected from Brilo and left with your provider. Contact
    [support@brilo.ai](mailto:support@brilo.ai) first so nothing is interrupted while you change it.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

* [Buy a phone number](/phone-numbers/buy-a-phone-number) if you would rather start fresh
* [Import a phone number from Twilio](/integrations/telephony/twilio/import-number) for the full
  import walkthrough
* [Register your business](/phone-numbers/register-your-business) before texting from a US number
* [Assign a number to an agent](/phone-numbers/assign-a-number-to-an-agent) once it is in Brilo
* [Text messages](/channels/text-messages) to have your agent answer texts too