Phone numbers#

A rented number an agent can receive SMS codes on. Phone numbers behave differently from email in ways worth knowing before you buy one.

Rented, not owned#

The number comes from a vendor and is rented. That has consequences:

• Availability cannot be fully guaranteed before purchase. CitizenAI can check configuration, reusable inventory, and vendor credit, but exact availability is known only once the number is actually rented.
• A number is generally tied to the service it was rented for. It is not a general phone line for the agent.
• Reusable inventory may be assigned without a new vendor purchase, in which case no new charge is made.

What the agent gets#

• A number to enter into a signup form.
• The ability to read codes that arrive on it.

Cost#

Phone is a priced capability, and the availability check is best-effort by nature. If the vendor cannot deliver at the moment of purchase, you are not charged for a number you did not get — see Refunds and failed delivery.

Using one in a signup#

Some services accept email verification; some insist on SMS. If a signup needs a phone number and the agent does not have one, the signup will wait for you rather than guess. Provision the number, then let it continue.

Limits#

One service at a time	Numbers are rented against a service, not pooled freely
Not for voice	The capability is SMS code reception
Vendor-dependent	Country and service coverage follow the vendor's inventory