> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.maple.inc/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Getting a Phone Number

> Acquire a new phone number for your Maple voice AI

Get a new Maple phone number for your voice AI. You pick the number when you create an agent.

## Number Options

When you create an agent and choose **Purchase New**, you can:

- **Assign Random Number**: let Maple pick an available number
- **Search By Area Code**: enter a 3-digit area code and generate a number in that area code

## Selection Process

1. ### Create your agent
   Click **AI Agents** in the sidebar, then **Create Agent**. Enter an agent name, such as “Main Reception Line”.
2. ### Attach Phone Number
   Choose **Purchase New** to get a new number (or **Use Existing** to pick a number already on your account).
3. ### Pick the number
   Choose **Assign Random Number** or **Search By Area Code**, then click **Generate New Number**. Select a number from the list if you’re choosing an existing one.
4. ### Review & Confirm
   Check the **Source** and **Phone Line**, then create the agent. The confirmation screen shows your **Reserved Number**.

> [!NOTE]
>
> SMS from your number requires messaging registration. See [SMS A2P registration](https://docs.maple.inc/voice-core/sms-a2p.md).

## During onboarding

Onboarding creates your first agent and its number. On **Time To Set Up Your First Agent With Maple!**, click **Get Started**. If you left onboarding, return from **Maple Home** → **Pending Tasks**.

Maple suggests a number. If its area code isn’t the one you want, click **Search For Other Numbers**, type an area code, and choose a number with **Select Number**. Enter the area code again for a fresh list. Then click **Assign Phone Number**.

Next you edit the greeting, choose how customers reach the agent (**call forwarding** from your store number, or a **Maple line** that replaces it), and enter a **handoff number**. The handoff number can’t be your agent number or your store number. You can skip the handoff number and call forwarding and finish them later.

Onboarding also turns on **Ring Staff First**, so calls keep ringing your staff until you go live. See [Going live](https://docs.maple.inc/going-live.md).

## About your number

- If you use call forwarding, customers keep calling your business number and never see the agent number. The area code is then only your preference.
- Your number is always shown under **AI Agents**.
- Any number works. To change it after setup, contact Maple support.
- You need a second line for the handoff number, even if you port. A basic landline or a cell phone is enough.

## Troubleshooting

- **“Fail to save phone number”**: the number may be taken or briefly unavailable. Pick another one or click **Search For Other Numbers**. If it keeps failing, return from **Maple Home** → **Pending Tasks** and try again, or contact Maple support to assign one for you.
- **No numbers for your area code**: some area codes have few numbers. Try a nearby one.
- **Calling the agent number rings your staff**: **Ring Staff First** is still on. Open your agent under **AI Agents**, go to **Call Handling**, and turn it off.

## Best Practices

- Match your existing area code if you’re replacing a line
- **Recommended:** keep your existing business number on your website and Google Business Profile, and forward its calls to your Maple number, so customers keep calling the number they know
- Or put the new Maple number on your Google Business Profile and website, and keep your old line for transfers to staff
- [Porting](https://docs.maple.inc/voice-core/phone/porting.md) your existing number to Maple is also possible. To port, reach out to your onboarding specialist

## Next Steps

- [Configure SMS](https://docs.maple.inc/voice-core/sms-a2p.md)
- [Configure voice and call handoff](https://docs.maple.inc/voice-core/voice-configuration.md)