Glossary
Virtual phone number
Definition
A real, dialable number. Its calls and messages terminate to software instead of to a SIM card in a handset.
Why it matters
The number exists in the national numbering plan like any other. What differs is the last hop: instead of routing to a mobile switching centre and a SIM, it routes to a gateway that hands the message to a web panel or an API. Senders cannot tell the difference from the routing alone.
Related terms
- DID numberA Direct Inward Dialing number reaches a specific endpoint directly, without a switchboard; each one is individually routable.
- VoIP vs non-VoIP numberA classification based on which block a number was allocated from, either a VoIP block or a mobile carrier range; the delivery technology does not matter.
Related reading
Sources
- ITU-T Recommendation E.164 — The international public telecommunication numbering plan · International Telecommunication UnionCountry calling codes, national significant number lengths, number structure
Part of the HushSMS glossary — 18 terms defined.