Get a Virtual Chinese Phone Number

A Chinese VoIP phone number lets you make and receive calls over the internet instead of traditional landlines. It’s not tied to a SIM card or physical office, making it useful for approved international businesses or remote teams with a local presence in China.

Key characteristics of VoIP China numbers:

• Internet-based calling: Save on local and international costs by routing calls through data connections.
• Use from any device: Make and receive calls via desktop, laptop, or mobile app.
• Flexible scalability: Expand your China setup quickly after approval—new lines can be added remotely without hardware or office space.
• Local caller identity: Display a recognizable China area code or a shared cost prefix.

VoIP providers like CloudTalk offer China VoIP numbers that combine flexibility and credibility—helping international teams serve Chinese customers easily.

Buying a China virtual number through CloudTalk involves a formal approval process with local carriers, which our team will guide you through step by step.

Steps to get a Chinese phone number:

1. Choose a VoIP provider: Choose a VoIP provider like CloudTalk with carrier-approved coverage.
2. Select your number type: Choose from local/fixed or shared-cost numbers.
3. Pick an area code: For example, +86 10 for Beijing or +86 21 for Shanghai.
4. Provide documentation: Submit the necessary company documents for verification by licensed Chinese telecom operators.
5. Activate and configure features: Set up call routing, IVR, or voicemail instantly.

With CloudTalk, your local and shared-cost Chinese numbers typically activate within 1–4 weeks after carrier verification.

There are several China virtual phone number types, each designed for different business needs and communication goals.

Basic types of Chinese virtual numbers are:

1. Local or Geographic Numbers: These use specific area codes such as +86 10 (Beijing), +86 21 (Shanghai), or +86 20 (Guangzhou). Local Chinese numbers are ideal for creating a strong local presence and building trust with customers who prefer to deal with nearby businesses.
2. Toll-Free Numbers (800): Toll-free numbers let customers anywhere in China call your business free of charge. They’re often used for nationwide customer service lines, hotlines, and support centers.
3. Mobile Numbers (+86 170): Typically used for mobile communication, SMS alerts, and app verification. These numbers are flexible and familiar but usually unavailable through VoIP providers due to telecom restrictions.
4. National Numbers (95/96): Non-geographic numbers that give your business a unified presence across China. They’re ideal for large organizations or distributed teams serving customers in multiple regions.
5. Vanity Numbers: Custom or easy-to-remember numbers like 400-888-8888 help your brand stand out and improve recall. Availability and pricing vary depending on the carrier.
6. Shared Cost or Premium Numbers (400/900): Often used for paid information or support services. Callers share the cost of the call, and these numbers are tightly regulated by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

Providers like CloudTalk focus on the most trusted and compliant formats—local and shared-cost (400) numbers—supported by certified Chinese carriers to ensure reliability, voice quality, and full alignment with China’s telecom regulations.

A virtual Chinese number is essential for any business expanding into China or serving Mandarin-speaking customers.

Common scenarios when businesses need a China virtual phone number:

• China market entry: Establish a local presence to increase trust and conversion rates.
• Remote Sales or Support Teams: Equip international agents with Chinese caller IDs to call Chinese customers from anywhere.
• Advertising Campaigns: Use unique local or shared-cost numbers to track marketing and inbound performance.
• Customer Service Outsourcing: Route calls to your support teams while maintaining a local +86 presence.
• Asia-Pacific expansion: Build a unified communication layer for the APAC region.

With modern VoIP systems like CloudTalk, you can create and manage multiple China numbers for various campaigns, departments, or cities—all from one centralized dashboard.

All Chinese phone numbers follow this format: +86 (Area Code) XXX XXXX or +86 (Mobile Prefix) X XXX XXXX.

Here are a few examples of common China area prefixes:

• +86 10: Beijing
• +86 21: Shanghai
• +86 20: Guangzhou
• +86 755: Shenzhen
• +86 29: Xi’an
• +86 400: Shared-cost (nationwide) numbers
• +86 800: Toll-free numbers
• +86 170: Mobile virtual network numbers

Knowing the right prefix helps businesses choose the best number type for their Chinese audience.

A virtual China number helps your business appear local, stay compliant, and communicate efficiently with customers across the country.

Key business benefits of having a virtual China number:

• Build instant local trust: Chinese customers are more likely to answer familiar +86 calls.
• Lower costs: Save on international calling fees with internet-based VoIP.
• CRM integration: Log and sync every interaction automatically.
• Regulatory compliance: All CloudTalk numbers meet Chinese telecom and data protection standards.
• Scalability: Add new regions or agents instantly from the same platform.
• 24/7 coverage: Use routing, IVR, or virtual receptionist tools to stay available across time zones.

Top VoIP providers such as CloudTalk enhance these advantages with AI-powered analytics, smart routing, and automation tools, such as AI Voice Agents, built for scaling teams.

WhatsApp generally does not support Chinese virtual or fixed-line numbers for verification, and Chinese mobile prefixes such as +86 170 are restricted to domestic mobile carriers. China numbers offered by CloudTalk are not compatible with WhatsApp.

SMS functionality in China is heavily restricted and depends on local carrier rules. Fixed-line and shared-cost numbers do not support SMS, and two-way messaging is unavailable. CloudTalk confirms SMS availability and compliance details during provisioning.

While many VoIP providers offer China coverage, CloudTalk specializes in helping growing SMBs navigate local telecom approval smoothly. You’ll benefit from:

• End-to-end support through the setup process
• AI-powered call analytics and automation tools
• CRM and helpdesk integrations with HubSpot and Salesforce
• Carrier-grade reliability via licensed Chinese partners

CloudTalk helps you go beyond a phone number—empowering your business to connect, convert, and grow across all of China.