If you’re looking to test your business’s SMS service, the most efficient way to do this is with non-VoIP numbers. Not only does that mean you’re not having to involve your personal phone, but it also opens you up to a more versatile testing process, as you can easily access and use numbers based all over the world.
But if you’ve never used a non-VoIP number before and you’re not even sure what it is, you probably don’t know where to begin. Here, we’re outlining the simple three-step process of using a non-VoIP number for SMS testing, so you know what to do before you begin.
- Start By Choosing A Temporary Number Provider
Your first step is to choose a provider to buy your temporary non-VoIP numbers from. There are several companies dominating the search results pages, but the quality of their numbers varies quite a bit.
When you’re choosing a provider, make sure they clearly outline all the different countries their phone numbers are tied to, like SMSPool does. Check out this website to see their offerings, as they’re an example of a reputable online SMS verification service that you can trust.
Also make sure the site specifically offers non-VoIP numbers (not VoIP numbers). These are connected to a real phone SIM, so they’ll get accepted by your software during testing and not flagged as spam.
- Define How Long You Want the Number For
Next, figure out how long you’ll need the number(s) for. Most sites offer temporary numbers that expire after so many minutes or hours, so you’ll need to make sure that you only buy the numbers when you’re ready to begin your testing.
If you need numbers intermittently throughout a multi-week or multi-month testing process, you might want to rent non-VoIP numbers instead, so you don’t have the pressure of a time crunch. Or, you could just buy temporary numbers as and when you need them. This depends on your budget and how quickly you’re planning to get the testing done.
- Buy The Number and Start Testing
When you’ve found a reliable provider and defined exactly what you need, you can then go ahead and buy the number(s) you need for your testing. Once you do, you’ll be able to enter them in your testing flows and receive SMS codes via the service provider online. Most numbers cost less than 20 cents, so you can keep your testing procedures affordable even at scale.
Since you can buy numbers based all over the world, you can use them to test your verification processes in multiple countries, making them particularly useful for testing a service with an international reach.
Takeaway
Quality non-VoIP numbers offer a quick and easy way to check that your SMS verification services are working as intended. Just make sure you work with a provider that has a history of positive customer feedback, so you’re not wasting your money on numbers that don’t work.
