How do I set up a VoIP phone system for my business?

Set up your Signal business phone system - create a location with E911, add your first extension, provision a desk phone, and route a number.

What do I need to set up a cloud phone system?

Set up your Signal business phone system - create a location with E911, add your first extension, provision a desk phone, and route a number.

Support Center / Get Started

Admin Quickstart — Set Up a Business Phone System in One Hour

Setting up a working business phone system on Signal takes four steps: create a location with a verified E911 address, create an extension for the first user, provision a desk phone (or the web phone), and point a phone number at that extension. A first test call is typically possible within an hour of account activation.

Before you start

Your Signal account credentials and admin portal access.
The street address of each office (for E911 verification).
The MAC address of at least one supported desk phone, printed on the label under the phone — or use the Signal web phone with no hardware at all.
A network that meets the minimum requirements: roughly 100 kbps per concurrent call and SIP ALG disabled on your router.

Step 1 — Create your location

Go to Settings → Locations → New Location.
Enter the office's legal street address and confirm E911 validation.
Repeat for each physical office. Extensions and devices you create next will reference these.

Step 2 — Create your first extension

Go to Settings → Extensions → Create New.
Enter the user's name, pick an extension number (for example, 100), and select the location.
Save. Signal generates the extension's SIP credentials — username, password, and server domain — automatically. You never need to type these into a supported desk phone; provisioning handles it.

Step 3 — Add a phone

Go to Devices → Phones → Create New.
Enter the phone's MAC address, select the manufacturer and model, assign the extension from Step 2, and choose the location.
Connect the phone to the network. It downloads its configuration and registers — the portal shows Last Seen when it succeeds.

Full details, including line keys: Adding and provisioning a desk phone.

Step 4 — Point a number

Go to Settings → Phone Numbers.
Select a number, set its destination to the new extension, and save.
Call the number from a mobile phone. The desk phone rings; you have a working system.

Note: Numbers being ported from a previous provider keep working there until the port completes. Test with a Signal-native number first.

Last reviewed August 6, 2026. Still stuck? Contact Signal Support from your portal — include what you expected, what happened instead, and one example phone number or extension.