Phone Agent Setup
The Phone Agent Setup page lets you provision a dedicated phone number for your AI voice agent, enable SMS messaging, and configure call transfer to human agents. Access it from Admin > Phone Agent Setup in your admin panel.
Note: Phone numbers are only available on paid plans. Upgrade from the free tier to get started.
Overview
Your AI phone agent can:
- Answer voice calls — Customers call the number and talk to your AI assistant
- Send and receive SMS — After carrier verification, your AI can handle text conversations
- Transfer calls — Route callers to a human agent during office hours when the AI can't resolve their request
Setup Process
Phone agent setup is a 3-step wizard:
- Select a Number — Choose a toll-free number (800/888/877)
- Confirm & Activate — Review pricing and activate the number
- Business Verification — Submit business details for SMS verification (optional)
Step 1: Select a Toll-Free Number
Available toll-free numbers are shown automatically when you open the setup page. You can:
- Search by pattern — Enter a pattern like
*555*,800*, or*HELPand press Enter or click the search icon - Browse results — Click any number to select it
- Load more — Click Load more to see additional available numbers
Click Continue once you've selected a number.
Step 2: Confirm & Activate
Review your selection before activating:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Setup fee (one-time) | $10 |
| Monthly fee (added to your plan) | $30/mo |
| Total due now | $40 |
Click Activate Phone Agent to provision the number. Voice calls work immediately after activation.
Step 3: Business Verification (SMS)
After activation, you can optionally submit your business details for SMS carrier verification. This is required to enable text messaging on your number.
Required fields:
- Business Name — Your registered business name
- Business Type — Sole Proprietorship, Private/For-Profit, Public/For-Profit, Non-profit, or Government
- Contact Name — Primary contact person
- Contact Email — Contact email address
- Contact Phone — Contact phone number
Additional fields for non-sole-proprietor businesses:
- Registration Number — EIN or company registration number
- Registration Authority — State of incorporation or registering body
- Country — Country of registration
Click Submit for Verification to begin the process, or Skip for now to set up SMS later.
Phone Agent Status
Once your phone number is active, the setup page shows your current configuration:
- Phone Number — Your assigned toll-free number
- Type — Toll-free
- SMS Status — Off, Pending, or Active
- Monthly Cost — Current monthly fee
Enabling SMS Later
If you skipped SMS verification during setup, you can enable it anytime:
- Click Enable SMS Messaging on the status page
- Fill in your business details
- Click Submit for Verification
SMS Verification
SMS messaging requires carrier verification due to telecom regulations. After submitting your business info, you'll see a verification checklist:
- Add your phone number to your website — Display the number on your business site to prove association
- Link the SMS Consent page — Add a link to your SMS consent page (provided automatically at
https://your-subdomain.xinfer.ai/sms-consent) or copy its content to your site - Ensure Privacy Policy and Terms of Service are visible — These must be accessible on your website
Verification typically takes 1-5 business days. Voice calls work immediately regardless of SMS verification status.
You can click the refresh button next to the SMS status badge to check for updates.
Call Transfer
The Call Transfer section lets you route calls to a human agent when the AI can't resolve a request.
How It Works
- During office hours — The AI transfers the call to your specified phone number
- Outside office hours — The AI collects the caller's details and submits a follow-up request for your team
Configuration
- Enable Call Transfer — Toggle the switch on
- Transfer Phone Number — Enter the phone number to transfer calls to (e.g.,
+14155551234) - Timezone — Select your office timezone (Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii, or UTC)
- Office Hours — Set open and close times for each day of the week
- Use the time inputs to set hours (e.g., 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
- Check Closed for days your office is closed
- Click Save to apply changes
Office Hours Schedule
Each day of the week can be configured independently:
- Set specific open and close times
- Mark individual days as Closed
- Changes are saved together when you click Save
Troubleshooting
No Numbers Showing Up
- Make sure you're on a paid plan (phone numbers aren't available on the free tier)
- Try searching with a different pattern
- Click the search button or press Enter to refresh results
Activation Failed
- Verify your account has a valid payment method
- Check that the selected number is still available (try selecting a different one)
- Contact support if the error persists
SMS Verification Taking Too Long
- Ensure you've completed all items on the verification checklist
- Make sure your phone number is visible on your website
- Verify the SMS consent page link is accessible
- Check that your Privacy Policy and Terms of Service are live
- Verification typically takes 1-5 business days
Call Transfer Not Working
- Verify the transfer phone number is correct and includes the country code (e.g.,
+1) - Check that current time falls within your configured office hours
- Make sure the timezone setting matches your office location
- Confirm the transfer is enabled (toggle is on) and saved
Related Pages
- Agent Voice - Choose your AI's voice personality
- Hands-Free Voice - Voice commerce and conversational checkout
- Follow-Ups - Handle customer requests for human assistance
- Billing Usage - Monitor usage including phone costs
- SMS Consent - SMS messaging consent and opt-in disclosure