Number types
Azure Communication Services allows you to use phone numbers to make voice calls and send SMS messages with the public-switched telephone network (PSTN). In this document, we review the phone number types, region availability, and use cases for planning your telephony and SMS solution using Communication Services.
Available options
Important
SMS and PSTN capabilities depend on the phone number you use and the country/region that you're operating within as determined by your Azure billing address. For more information, visit the Subscription eligibility documentation.
Azure Communication Services offers three types of Numbers: Toll-Free, Local, and Short Codes.
- To send or receive an SMS, choose a Toll-Free Number or a Short Code
- To make or receive phone calls, choose a Toll-Free Number or a Local Number
This table summarizes the number types and supported capabilities:
| Type | Example | Send SMS | Receive SMS | Make Calls | Receive Calls | Typical Use Case | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toll-Free | +1 (8AB) XYZ PQRS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Receive calls on IVR bots, SMS Notifications | SMS in US and CA only |
| Local (Geographic) | +1 (ABC) XYZ PQRS | No | No | Yes | Yes | Geography Specific Number | Calling Only |
| Short-Codes | ABC-XYZ | Yes | Yes | No | No | High-velocity SMS | SMS only |
Next steps
For more information about getting or managing phone numbers, see the following topics: