Hey guys! I was wondering if it's possible to import numbers from local providers into vapi that is not the preoptions on vapi systems. Would appreciate an answer, And possibly either reference to docs or guide how to do that

Hi there! 👋 Yes, it's definitely possible to import phone numbers from local providers that aren't the pre-options like Twilio, Vonage, or Telnyx into Vapi! Here are the main methods you can use: ## SIP Trunking The primary method is using SIP trunking to integrate numbers from providers not directly supported by Vapi: 1. Configure a SIP trunk on your PBX that points to Vapi's SIP endpoint (

sip.vapi.ai

) 2. Input Vapi's SIP hostname and credentials into your PBX configuration 3. Ensure your PBX is configured to handle SIP REFER messages (important for call transfers) According to [this guide](https://vapi.notion.site/SIP-104008c8393f80feaeb7de8ca19565ed), the process remains consistent across different telephony providers, even though some examples use Twilio. ## Alternative Methods ### Using the API with "byo-phone-number" You can use the

/phone-number

API endpoint with the

POST

method and set the provider to `byo-phone-number`:

curl -X POST https://api.vapi.ai/phone-number \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
          "provider": "byo-phone-number",
          "credentialId": "credentialId"
        }'

### BYO-SIP Configuration If your provider supports it, you can use BYO-SIP configuration. This works with providers like voip.ms and others that support SIP trunking. ### Forwarding Rules You can also configure forwarding rules to integrate numbers from other providers. ## Important Considerations - Vapi primarily supports US numbers directly - Ensure your telephony provider supports SIP trunking - Make sure phone numbers include the correct country code and are properly formatted Is there anything specific about your local provider or setup that you'd like me to help with? Sources: - [SIP Guide](https://vapi.notion.site/SIP-104008c8393f80feaeb7de8ca19565ed) - [Vapi API Reference](https://docs.vapi.ai/api-reference/phone-numbers/create)

When I import numbers to Vapi, does vapi use twilio/their own API for the calling and only uses the number to dial as and receive calls? Or do I pay my phone number provider for the minute price for the calls?

To use local phone numbers or import numbers to VAPI which are not from Twilio or Vonage you have to check if your telephony provider supports SIP trunking. If they do then you can follow the below documentation shared for you. It guides you the process on how to setup SIP trunking using VAPI.