VoIP Costs
What DID Numbers Cost
A DID — direct inward dialing — is a public phone number that lands on a specific user, queue or department. DIDs feel like the free part of a phone system. They are not: each one carries a small monthly rent plus its share of the regulatory fee stack, and businesses accumulate them the way they accumulate email aliases — until a 40-person company is paying for 300 numbers.
This guide covers what local, toll-free and vanity DIDs cost in published pricing (checked October 2026), which fees attach per number, and how to audit your number inventory.
Published price ranges by number type
Exact prices vary by provider and rate center, but published US pricing clusters in consistent bands:
| Number type | Typical monthly rent | Usage notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local DID | $0.50–$2.00 | Often one per seat included in hosted plans; extras bill at rent + fees |
| Toll-free DID (8xx) | $1.00–$5.00 | Inbound minutes billed to you, commonly $0.01–$0.03/min |
| Vanity toll-free | $10–$30+ setup, similar rent | Scarce patterns cost more; resporg and porting rules apply |
| International DID | $3–$15+ | Country-dependent; some require local address documentation |
| Fax DID on an ATA/eFax | $5–$15 (service) | Usually priced as a small service, not a bare number |
The fee stack rides on every number
Rent is the visible part. Each DID also attracts its share of per-number charges — e911 service where the number is registered for it, state 911 surcharges, and tax allocation. A $1 DID can carry $2–$3 of monthly fee load, which is why the audit matters: 150 forgotten numbers (old employees, dead fax lines, test numbers from the migration) at ~$3.50 all-in is over $6,000 a year for numbers that ring nothing. Numbers also cannot simply be deleted carelessly: confirm nothing legitimately forwards to or advertises an old number (vehicle wraps, directories, a partner's speed dial) before releasing it — released numbers return to the pool and can be reassigned to a stranger.
Audit your DID inventory
- Export the full number list from your provider portal, with assignments. Flag every number with no user, queue or documented purpose.
- Check inbound call history for 90 days: numbers with zero calls and no owner are release candidates — after checking marketing materials and directories.
- Consolidate: you need a DID per public-facing user and per published department, not per employee who ever existed.
- For toll-free, verify you are not paying premium rent for a number nobody advertises.
- Repeat the audit every six months; put new-number requests through the same 'who owns this and why' question.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I own my DID numbers?
- You control them while they are assigned to your account and you can port them to another provider under LNP rules — but numbers are a public resource administered under the North American Numbering Plan, not property. Let an account lapse and numbers can be reclaimed.
- Why does a toll-free number cost more to run?
- With toll-free, the called party (you) pays for inbound minutes, on top of the number's rent. That reverses the usual caller-pays model, so a busy support line's toll-free bill is mostly usage, not rent.
- Can I keep my numbers when I change providers?
- Yes — local number portability is a legal right in the US. The process and its costs are covered in migration and porting costs. Do not cancel the old service until ports complete.