How to get a US virtual phone number (in the UK)

This is a step-by-step instruction describing how to get a US virtual phone number (for any city in the USA) up and running quickly for your British business.

If you are going to do business in the USA, then it makes sense to have a local US number which can be answered locally here in the UK.  If you think this is going to cost the earth in ‘forwarding charges’, then you’re wrong. US numbers are only £5.99 per month and you DON’T have to pay for international forwarding. Furthermore, unlike many other countries, the US have relaxed regulations on who gets allocated numbers. Therefore you don’t need a USA address to obtain a local/regional number.

LazyPBX provides different virtual phone numbers, UK and International. The example shows a local New York number which would cost you £5.99 per month. Pricing for different numbers can be found on our pricing page.

Step 1. Sign up for an account.

You can do this by visiting https://www.lazypbx.com/ ,then clicking ‘Try it’

Then complete the sign up form

You will need to complete SMS and email validation as part of the sign-up process.

Step 2. Login and Upgrade

Login to your new account at  https://www.lazypbx.com/login

Choose to upgrade from the Trial account. You will need a credit card to proceed.

Complete all the required details on the upgrade form and submit by clicking the Order button.

Step 3: Order a Phone number

While still logged in, select Order Phone Numbers from the Account > Supplements menu.

Choose the type of phone number you require, then click the Add button.

Check the order basket is correct (highlighted yellow below), then finalise the order by clicking the Order button.

IMPORTANT: The number will not be active immediately, LazyPBX will need to contact you for some documentation to verify your UK address. Once documentation is verified the US number will be activated immediately (verification of address normally takes 1-2 days from receipt of scans).

 

Step 4. Activate the number

Once you have notification your phone number is ready, then login into your account at  https://www.lazypbx.com/login.

Logging in will default to the Manage page, where you can setup your new number.  You will need to switch to Edit mode, do this by clicking the Edit button on the top left of your browser.

 

You will see phone numbers on the right hand side of the canvas (the dotted area).

Grab your new number with your mouse and drag it to the canvas.

Connect the number, the simplest connection is a straight divert. You do this by grabbing a Divert Call block from the Building Blocks library on the right.

Configure the number you wish to divert to by double clicking on the DivertCall Block. Fill in the details and click Save button.

Your new call flow now just needs to be made live. Do this by clicking on the Apply Changes button on the top left of the canvas.

Wait 30 seconds and then make a test call to the number – DONE.