Claim New Phone Numbers

8x8 allots a pool of phone numbers to your business. You can claim new phone numbers from this pool and assign them to your users or services. The number availability depends on the number of DIDs you have allocated to your business, as well as the number inventory of 8x8. You can choose toll-free or regular phone numbers, or request vanity phone numbers (such as 1-408-400-CASH), which are easier to remember.

Features

  • Claim new phone numbers and assign them to your users or services. The number availability depends on the number of DIDs you have allocated to your business, as well as the number inventory of 8x8.
  • Choose toll-free, regular phone numbers, or request vanity phone numbers which are easier to remember, such as 1-408-400-CASH.

Claim New Phone Numbers

To claim new numbers:

  1. Go to Phone Numbers > + Claim Phone Numbers.
  2. Enter the Country. The country code is shown next to each country in the list, such as United States (+1). The selected country determines the default language for the porting emails. For example, for a French customer, the emails are sent in French. For multiple orders during one porting process, the same location is assigned to all numbers. When no Country is selected, United States is the default.
  3. Enter the Number Type such as regular or toll free. A toll-free virtual number is an inbound number that rings to your auto attendant, ring group or primary 8x8 line. US callers can call your toll-free number at no charge to them. You need a license for the toll free numbers.
  4. You can Filter By number, state or rate center. Rate center is a geographically-specified area used for determining mileage or usage dependent rates in the public switched telephone network.
  5. Click Search to find the desired numbers.
    For faster results, customize your search by number or location. You can search the numbers that start with, ends with, or contain particular digits or letters. For example, you can filter by numbers in California that contain or end with DIAL, returning +1 209-828-3425 or +1 209-828-DIAL.
  6. Select the desired numbers from the result list, then click Claim Phone Numbers. The search results are listed in ascending order.
    The claimed numbers are added to your company's phone number inventory, and are reserved for you. You can assign these numbers to users or services, such as auto attendant.
    To check your phone number inventory, go to Home > Phone Numbers from the main menu to view the list of claimed numbers. Check the list of phone numbers to see the source of numbers (whether a number is claimed or ported), which numbers are assigned to users, and who the numbers are assigned to.
  7. Click Generate Numbers Report to download and save the numbers and information such as number type, location, temporary number, and more.

    The following table describes the different statuses of phone numbers:
    Number StatusDefinition
    AssignedNumber is assigned to a user or a service such as ring group, and auto attendant.
    Available Number is claimed or successfully ported and available for use. See how to return a claimed number to 8x8.
    Failed (porting status and reason) Porting has failed. Depending on the reason, the administrator can make the necessary corrections and submit again.
    Pending (porting status and due date) Shows the exact time of porting. To manage the specific porting date, contact the Line Number Porting team. See Various Porting Statuses.

Search Phone Numbers

You can search and filter all phone numbers including: assigned, failed, available, pending, and temporary numbers. Enter the plus sign (+) and the country code, such as +1 408, to filter all numbers starting with that country code. This can specially help filter the international numbers such as +44. To easily locate the UK number +44 121 704 4455, enter +44 or the country code.

To search users, go to Home > Phone Numbers and enter a telephone number. Press Enter on your keyboard to see the results. To remove the search results, clear the search entry and press Enter on your keyboard again.

FAQs

Refer to the following frequently-asked questions for more information:

By entering plus sign and a number in your search box under Home > Phone Numbers, you can filter all numbers starting with that specific number. For example, to easily locate the UK number +44 121 704 4455, enter +44.

You can see the source of phone numbers in your tenant. To see whether a number is claimed or ported, go to Home > Phone numbers and check out the Number Source column o see if the number is claimed or ported.

Yes; whether you have selected a wrong number or simply have no use for it, you can cancel the claimed number and return it to 8x8. The number will be removed from your number pool and a number license becomes available. You will still be able to recover this number (claim back) within 90 days. To cancel a claimed number, go to Home > Phone Numbers. Find the available number in the list, click , and select Return number to 8x8.

Note: If you have assigned the number to a user, you must un-assign it first. You cannot return ported numbers to 8x8.

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The Shared Caller ID or company's caller ID is the number you choose to be displayed for your external calls. You first need to designate a phone number as your shared caller ID and then select that number as the user's external caller ID:

To create a shared caller ID:

  1.  Go to Home > Phone Numbers.
  2. Choose a phone number and select Use as shared caller ID from the menu .
    This number will be available for selection as the user's external caller ID.
  3. Enter a common name, and click Save.
    The common name will be used as the caller ID by all users when dialing out with this number, The number appears as Enabled under External Caller ID showing the common name as the display name. You can choose more than one shared caller ID.
  4. While editing a user, go to External Caller ID.
  5. Select a shared phone number from the list. The Display Name is automatically populated.
  6. Click Save.