Unlocking the European Market: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting a Professional French Business Phone Number

For cross-border enterprises, independent store sellers, or freelancers actively expanding into the European market—especially France—having a stable and reliable local contact number is a critical step in building customer trust and enhancing brand professionalism. Calls displaying a French landline or mobile number achieve far higher answer rates and customer trust than international calls starting with “+86.”

Today, we will detail how to legally, compliantly, and efficiently apply for your own French business phone number (VoIP number) through IntBell, a global cloud communication service provider.

Why Do You Need a French Local Number?

Before diving into the process, understand its core value:

1. Build Local Trust: Demonstrate your “local presence” to French clients and partners, eliminating the distance barrier.
2. Lower Communication Barriers: Clients can reach you without incurring international calling fees, significantly boosting their willingness to inquire proactively.
3. Shape a Professional Image: Displaying the number on your website, product brochures, and business cards is a key symbol of an international brand identity.
4. Unify Business Entry Points: It serves as a central hub for customer inquiries and a core digital asset for market expansion.

Key Difference: Why Is Applying for a French Number More Complex?

Unlike the familiar “instant activation” numbers for countries like the US and Canada, applying for a French VoIP number requires “KYC (Know Your Customer)” verification under strict French and EU telecom regulations. This ensures numbers are used for legitimate business activities, preventing fraud and abuse.

Therefore, applying for a French number is not a fully automated online process; it involves a review requiring collaboration with customer support and submission of supporting documents. While this adds steps, it guarantees the legitimacy and reliability of the entire number ecosystem.

Core Step: Required Documents for a French Number Application

This is the key to approval. Please prepare the following 5 clear electronic documents or pieces of information in advance (typically in PDF or high-resolution image format):

1. Company Name

Provide your company’s full, accurate legal registered name (in English or French).

2. Company Address

Provide your company’s official registered address or physical operating address.

3. Business Description

Clearly and concisely explain your company’s core business activities (e.g., cross-border e-commerce, fashion accessories sales, IT consulting services) to help the carrier understand the number’s intended use.

4. Proof of Company Address

Submit one official document verifying the above address, issued within the last 5 months.

• Accepted Documents: Bank statements, utility bills (water, electricity, gas, internet), or government-issued tax documents. The document must clearly show the company name and address.

5. Company Incorporation Certificate

Provide an official document proving the company’s legal establishment.

• Examples: Taiwan’s Company Registration Certificate, China’s Business License, Hong Kong’s Certificate of Incorporation, or commercial registration certificates from other regions. The document must include the company number and registration date.

Tip: Preparing these documents before contacting support will significantly shorten the review period.

4 Steps to Complete Your French Number Application

The entire process can be summarized in four clear steps:

Step 1: Complete Basic IntBell Account Registration

• Visit the IntBell official website and register a basic account with your email. This step is identical to applying for numbers in other countries.

Step 2: Submit Application Intent via Official Channels

• This is the critical starting point. After logging into your IntBell account, contact the support team via any of the following methods and clearly state: “I wish to apply for a French business phone number and have prepared the required company documents”:
  • Live Chat: Typically available at the bottom right of the official website.
  • Email: Send to the official support mailbox: [email protected].
  • Account Manager: Contact your dedicated account manager directly if you have one.

Step 3: Cooperate with Support to Submit and Review Documents

• Follow the support team’s instructions to submit the 5 prepared documents via email or other secure channels.
• The review process will then begin, usually taking 7–10 business days. Support may contact you for further clarification on document details.

Step 4: Approval and Number Activation

• Once approved, the support team will assign the French number to your account.
• After assignment, your French number is activated and ready for immediate use.

Final Note

Applying for a French local number involves more document preparation than instant-activation numbers, but this effort is the best guarantee of professionalism and compliance. It is more than just a phone number—it is your first “local ID card” for entering the European market.