Virtual DID numbers in Nigeria

What a DID number is

DID stands for direct inward dialling: a phone number that rings directly into a phone system. A virtual DID is not tied to a physical line. It is a number you rent and point wherever you like, such as a cloud PBX extension, a mobile phone, a call-centre queue or an application.

How it works

1. You choose a number, for example a local or geographic number for the city where your customers are.
2. You tell the provider where calls to that number should go.
3. When a customer dials the number, the provider receives the call and forwards it to your destination over the internet.
4. You can change the destination at any time without changing the number the customer dials.

Why businesses use virtual numbers

• A local presence. A customer in another city can call a number that looks local to them.
• No physical office or hardware. The number exists on the provider's platform.
• Separate numbers for separate purposes. One for sales, one for support, one per branch or campaign.
• Routing that follows your team. Calls can go to different people by time of day or by team, and to staff working remotely.
• Call tracking. Different numbers on different adverts show which campaign brought the call.

What to check before you choose

• Number types available. Local, mobile and geographic numbers are different; ask which your provider can supply.
• Where calls can be delivered. A phone system, a mobile number, a SIP address or an application.
• Capacity. How many calls can arrive at once.
• Related numbers. If customers should call free of charge, you may want a toll-free number instead.
• Reporting. Call records, so you can see volumes and missed calls.

Virtual DID numbers with Ruach

Ruach provides virtual local, mobile and geographic numbers with cloud call management and intelligent routing, so customers across Nigeria and Africa can reach your team with no hardware or physical office. See DID numbers. Numbers work with a cloud PBX or over SIP trunking.

To see which numbers are available for your use case, contact us.

Frequently asked questions

What does DID mean?

Direct inward dialling. It is a number that rings directly into a phone system without going through an operator or receptionist first.

Do I need a physical line?

No. A virtual DID is delivered over the internet, so no physical line or office is needed.

Can one number ring several people?

Yes. The number can ring a group, a queue or an IVR menu, depending on how your phone system is set up.

Can customers send text messages to a DID?

That depends on the number type and the services enabled on it. Ask us about your use case.