Virtual telephone number
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A virtual telephone number or "virtual number", is a telephone number without a directly-associated phone line. Usually these numbers are programmed to be forwarded to either a voice over IP service, or to a different phone line, fixed or mobile.
Virtual numbers are sometimes used in conjunction with mail forwarding services to create a "virtual office" in a remote location. For instance, a company may purchase a virtual phone number with area code 212, together with a mail forwarding service in Manhattan, to give the impression that the company is located in New York, when in fact it may be located in an entirely different country.
Toll-free phone numbers, often beginning with "800" as in North America, are virtual phone numbers. For companies (or telecommuters) located just outside of a metropolitan area, or serving another town, a virtual local number in the other area will allow callers from that area to call without incurring long distance charges. The business can do this through the local phone company, and not incur unnecessary charges for 800 service, since it is typically between adjacent or nearby telephone exchanges.
Virtual numbers are especially appealing to technology companies (for technical support), exporters (to give the impression that the company is local) and service companies such as call centers. Often calls to toll-free support numbers in the United States are actually connected to India as a means of outsourcing.
[edit] Examples
Universal Personal Telecommunications numbers, Personal Numbering and Non-geographical telephone numbers in the UK are good examples of Virtual Numbers. Vonage, SkypeIn (worldwide), Google Voice (USA), Flextel (UK) and Ipkall (USA) are notable implementations based on dramatically different business models.
