If customers already know the business's landline or office number, you can make it textable without moving it. Its calls stay with its current phone company; only its texts come to the business app (the Conversations inbox, automations and the texting rules). To move the whole number, calls too, use Bring your number in Phone numbers.
It's in Settings → Phone & texting → Text-enable a landline. Most of it runs itself; you only type a code and upload a bill.
- Check the number. We ask the phone company whether it can be text-enabled. Mobile numbers, toll-free numbers and numbers already texting elsewhere can't, and you're told why, with what to do instead.
- Get the ownership code. We call the landline and read out a code (or text it, if the line can get texts). Type it in. You have 5 tries; you can ask for a new code.
- Sign the letter and upload a bill. We write the letter of authorization for you, with the business's legal name and address and the number. You read it, type your name to sign it (we record the time and your IP address), and upload a recent phone bill (PDF or photo) that shows the number and the account name.
- Review: usually 1–3 days. The phone company checks it. You're told when it's done (the "Phone numbers and texting" notification).
- Approved: the landline shows in your numbers as texting only. It joins the business's texting registration like any other number. Until that registration is approved, it can't send texts yet.
If it's not approved, you see the reason in plain words and the fix. The most common: use the name exactly as it is on the phone bill, or upload a bill from the last 60 days.
A number can only be set up in one business at a time.