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

# Phone

> Voice channels – let customers talk to your agent over the phone or directly from your website.

Phone is how customers reach your agent by voice. PolyAI gives you two voice transports – pick whichever fits the moment, or run both side by side. Same agent, same voice, two routes in.

|                            | [Numbers](/telephony/introduction)                                                            | [Web Calling](/polyphone/introduction)                            |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **What it is**             | A real phone number (PSTN) your customers dial                                                | A "Talk to our agent" button on your website                      |
| **How customers reach it** | They call from any phone, anywhere                                                            | They click on your site – no number to dial, no app to install    |
| **Underlying transport**   | SIP / PSTN                                                                                    | WebRTC over the visitor's browser                                 |
| **Best for**               | Existing call-center workloads, support hotlines, ad-driven inbound, anyone without a website | Website conversion, demos, pilots, embedded sales / support flows |
| **Cost shape**             | Per-minute carrier minutes, plus number rental                                                | No PSTN minutes – runs on your existing site infrastructure       |
| **Time to launch**         | Hours-to-days (number provisioning + porting/SIP)                                             | Minutes (paste a script tag)                                      |

Both transports run the same agent – same conversation logic, same [voice](/voice/introduction), same flows. Switching a customer from one to the other doesn't require a separate build.

## When to use which

Reach for **Numbers** when:

* Customers find you off-site (search, ads, business cards, IVR menus).
* You're replacing or augmenting an existing call center.
* You need omnichannel reach beyond the website.

Reach for **Web Calling** when:

* You want to capture intent on your website at the point of need.
* You want a low-friction demo or pilot path without provisioning a real number per project.
* You want voice as a CTA on landing pages, product pages, or in-app help.

You don't have to choose. Most teams ship Numbers for inbound from the wild and Web Calling as a website CTA, both routing to the same agent.

<Note>
  Web Calling is a website voice entry point that complements your existing phone channel. It's not a replacement for phone support, and v1 doesn't include live-agent, voice-to-chat, or chat-to-voice handoffs. See [Where Web Calling fits today](/polyphone/introduction#where-web-calling-fits-today) for rollout guidance on browser, mobile, and consent considerations.
</Note>

## Channels under Phone

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Numbers" icon="phone" href="/telephony/introduction">
    Buy a phone number, route inbound calls, and integrate with carriers like Twilio.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Web Calling" icon="globe" href="/polyphone/introduction">
    Embed a one-click voice widget on your website using the visitor's browser.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Voice & speech" icon="waveform-lines" href="/voice/introduction">
    Configure how your agent sounds and listens – TTS voice, ASR, response control.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chat" icon="message" href="/webchat/introduction">
    Add a text-based chat widget for customers who prefer typing.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>