Getting a Phone Number
Your AI agent needs a phone number so customers can reach it. You can buy a new number through Akol or forward your existing business number.
Option 1: Buy a New Number
Go to Phone Numbers
Navigate to Dashboard > Phone Numbers and click Buy Number.
Choose Your Country
Select your country from the dropdown. Akol offers numbers in 30+ countries including the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
Pick a Number Type
| Type | What It Is | Best For | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | A number with your area code | Regional businesses — customers see a familiar area code | $2.99/month |
| Toll-Free | A 1-800 style number | National businesses — free for callers | $4.99/month |
Select Your Area (Optional)
If you chose Local, you can pick:
- State/Province — e.g., Texas, California, Ontario
- Area Code — e.g., 512, 415, 647
This lets you get a number with your local area code so it looks familiar to your customers.
Browse Available Numbers
You’ll see a list of available phone numbers. Pick the one you like.
Assign to Your Agent
After selecting a number, you’ll be asked to:
- Choose a business — Select which business this number is for
- Choose an agent — Select which AI agent should answer calls to this number
You can skip this and assign the agent later from your dashboard.
Complete Purchase
Click Continue to Checkout to finalize. Your new number will be active within minutes.
Your first phone number is included with paid plans. Additional numbers are $2.99/month (local) or $4.99/month (toll-free).
Option 2: Forward Your Existing Number
If you already have a business phone number that customers know, you can forward it to your Akol number:
Get Your Akol Number
Buy a number following the steps above.
Set Up Call Forwarding
Contact your current phone provider and ask them to set up call forwarding to your new Akol number.
The exact steps depend on your provider, but usually:
- Call your phone company or log in to their website
- Look for “Call Forwarding” settings
- Enter your Akol phone number as the forwarding destination
- Choose when to forward: Always or When busy/no answer
Test It
Call your existing business number and confirm it rings through to your Akol agent.
“When busy/no answer” forwarding is popular with home service businesses. When you’re available, you answer the phone. When you miss a call, Akol picks up instead.
Managing Your Numbers
Go to Dashboard > Phone Numbers to:
- See all your numbers — with their assigned agents and status
- Change the agent — reassign a number to a different agent
- Toggle active/inactive — temporarily pause a number without deleting it
- Release a number — remove a number you no longer need
Next Step
Your agent has a phone number. Let’s make a test call → to hear it in action.