Insights
How to set up a WhatsApp Business account using a landline number
Insights
Can I create a WhatsApp Business account with a landline number? That’s something businesses often wonder when setting up a new WhatsApp number for their company. The good news is: Yes, it’s definitely possible under certain conditions – and we’ll walk you through the process.
If your main business number is a landline, it makes sense to want everything in one place, including your WhatsApp messages. So, can you actually use WhatsApp Business and connect it to a landline? Good news: Yes, you can.
Whether it’s a standard landline, a toll-free number like a 1-800 contact, or even a number you’ve already been using, it’s totally possible to link it to your WhatsApp Business (WABA) account.
But this might only work with certain WhatsApp for Business solutions, depending on what type of number you want to register. For example, you can’t register a toll-free number with the free WhatsApp Business app, but the WhatsApp API offers a way to do that.
Here’s the full breakdown.
Download the WhatsApp Business app from an app store (iOS or Android), open it, and enter the mobile phone number you’d like to use as your WhatsApp contact. For using a landline, register the main number since extensions don’t work with WhatsApp.
Note that you can’t use your private WhatsApp messenger number for this, you’ll have to use a WhatsApp Business solution to register your company.
Also make sure that it’s a number you own and that can receive phone calls or SMS messages.
Now:
Obviously, if you’re registering with a landline phone number, SMS won’t work, so tap Call me instead. You’ll get an automated verification call that reads the code aloud as part of the verification process.
If you’ve registered this number before and use iCloud Keychain, you may be logged in automatically without needing a new code.
But as mentioned, there are certain types of landline numbers you can’t use for your WABA registration with the WhatsApp Business app. VoIP services, toll-free numbers, premium-rate numbers, universal access numbers (UAN), and personal numbers are not supported.
Not being able to use a foll-free number as your WhatsApp Business number can be a big hurdle, since that’s exactly what many businesses use as their contact number, often through a contact center. That’s why WhatsApp does offer a way to register toll-free numbers as well, but you’ll have to use the WhatsApp Business API.
“You can easily set up a WhatsApp Business account using either a landline or a cell phone number, but certain setups like using a toll-free or 1-800 number only work with the WhatsApp API.”
We’ll walk you through that next.
With the API, you can pretty much register any type of phone number from almost any country, whether it’s tied to a SIM card or a fixed landline if you fulfill the following requirements:
You then register the mobile number with WhatsApp, so it becomes your official WhatsApp contact. The easiest way to do this is to work with a solution partner like Sinch.
We’ll simply provide you with a link to an embedded signup to register a number with one of our WhatsApp solutions, Sinch Engage or Conversation API, and then guide you through the process, step by step.
When you create your WABA, you’ll also register a display name (make sure to follow WhatsApp’s naming guidelines) that’ll show up next to your logo and the verified check mark.
It’s generally possible to register toll-free or 1-800 numbers with the WhatsApp API. However, there’s one caveat. Most toll-free numbers sit behind an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system – those automated menus that say things like “Press or say one for sales.” The issue is that a WhatsApp registration call can’t get past an IVR on its own.
That doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. You can still register a number behind an IVR, but it needs to be set up so the call can reach a real person. The number must be able to accept calls from international phone numbers, and it must be able to redirect the WhatsApp registration call or SMS to someone who can hear the code.
Here’s how it usually works: WhatsApp will share one or two phone numbers that the registration call will come from. You’ll need to allow those numbers through your system. If that’s not possible, you can add the phone number to your WhatsApp Business account and open a Direct Support ticket. In that ticket, request the registration call numbers and include the number you’re trying to register.
Once the call comes through, just redirect it to an employee or even a voicemail box, so the six-digit verification code linked to your WhatsApp number can be captured. If the IVR blocks the call completely, though, the number can’t be registered on WhatsApp.
If you’re working with a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider like Sinch, we can support you throughout the entire onboarding process – from setting up your account to verifying your WhatsApp number with a verification code to integrating it with your other business communication tools.
Getting started doesn’t have to be complicated. Once your landline is verified with a WhatsApp number, it opens the door to new ways of interacting with your customers, from managing customer support to sending marketing campaigns to automating responses.
And with a professional WhatsApp Business solutions from a trusted provider like Sinch, you can even add more channels like RCS or SMS to the mix – and manage them all from one place.
Connect with us to learn more about your options.
We answer the most common questions around using a landline as your WhatsApp Business number.
No, phone line extension numbers can’t be used to complete the registration process. For security purposes, WhatsApp only sends the six-digit registration code to the landline number that you intend to use for your business account.
While there might be some exceptions, WhatsApp flags and blocks virtual phone numbers from services like TextNow or Google Voice from registration because they’re harder to verify. They’re often linked to spam or fake accounts, and they don’t always work reliably with the text messages or voice calls needed for registration. By sticking to mobile and landline numbers, WhatsApp keeps accounts more secure and the platform safer for everyone.
If you’re using the WhatsApp Business app, you can only have one number connected to your WABA. However, with the API, that limit goes up. Initially, WhatsApp allows API users two registered business phone numbers, but this limit can be increased to 20.
Yes, you can port your existing WhatsApp Business number to the API. At Sinch, you can either follow the instructions to register the number yourself directly on our plug-and-play WhatsApp solution Sinch Engage. Or, if you’re using the Sinch Conversation API, simply go through the embedded signup process on the Sinch Dashboard.
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