FAQ

Here you will find the most frequently asked questions about Ubigo
What is Ubigo and how can this service benefit me?

With the Ubigo service, you can get a business phone number in a matter of minutes and then direct your calls to your mobile phone according to the parameters you set. This service is ideal for business people who seek to better handle their professional communications.

What do I need to use Ubigo?

You will need four things:

  • A mobile phone on which you will receive an SMS to confirm your registration;
  • A destination number that can either be a mobile phone (same or different one), a landline or even a phone with an extension;
  • A valid credit card;
  • A street address for billing purposes.
Can I transfer my current phone number with Ubigo?


Absolutely! Whether it's your current business number or even your cell phone number, you can transfer it to Ubigo. Some conditions apply, but usually Ubigo is able to transfer your North American numbers in just a few days. 

Here is the procedure to transfer your phone number.  Continue reading →

Can I try Ubigo for free?

Of course! Simply go to the “Register Free” section and fill in the required fields to try our service for free for 10 days.  No credit card is required to try out Ubigo.

What is Ubity?

Ubity is a privately held Canadian business and a leader in the telecommunications field. It has existed for more than ten years and processes more than three million calls a month. Ubity has used its state-of- the-art technology to develop Ubigo, a product that offers functionality adapted to small and medium businesses, as well as to entrepreneurs and self-employed workers.

Does Ubigo replace my local telephone service provider?

Ubigo is used as a complement to your current telephone service by enabling you to obtain phone numbers that are often unavailable with your local provider. But stay tuned! Ubigo will soon announce a virtual telephone service!

What are the different types of phone numbers I can obtain with Ubigo?

You can obtain local or toll-free phone numbers from Canada and US.

What is the Ubigo mobile application for?

The Ubigo mobile application is the perfect tool to make business calls from your mobile phone; it preserves your professional image by presenting your business number to your interlocutor instead of your personal number. This app is easy to install and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.  For more information on this application, consult the mobile app’s FAQ section.

What is a virtual number?

A virtual number is a telephone number that is not directly associated with a telephone line, and is usually redirected to another number. This type of number has the added advantage of being easily and quickly redirected to another number via a web interface.

Continue reading →

If I leave Ubigo, can I keep my number?

Absolutely! Your new provider should be able to arrange the transfer. Please note, however, that international numbers are much more difficult to transfer than numbers of Canada and United States.

Can I get a toll-free number?

Yes! Ubigo offers toll-free numbers for clients in North America for now, but the service will be available in many countries in the near future. Go to the section “Add a number” to see the list of available numbers.

Can I forward calls received on my Ubigo phone number to any number?

Absolutely! You can forward calls received on a number you obtained with us to any type of phone number, and that is, anywhere in the world. The call forwarding feature also supports phone extensions, so it is possible to indicate the destination number’s extension.

Can I obtain more than one phone number with Ubigo?

Of course! And we encourage you to use our service as you see fit!

Can I receive more than one phone call at a time on my Ubigo number?

Yes. There is no limit for the number of simultaneous calls you can receive on your number. You can thus switch from one call to another if you have the call waiting feature on your destination phone.

How can I keep track of the number of calls I received in a given month?

You can view your call statistics by visiting your portal and clicking the “Usage” tab. You can consult the reports for all your numbers or for one number in particular.

How can I recognize calls coming from my Ubigo number?

When receiving a call from your Ubigo service, the call ID number can be the number you will have obtained. By entering that number in your mobile, you will be able to recognize the caller ID.

Can I retrieve a message once it has been erased?

Unfortunately not! A message that has been deleted cannot be retrieved.

Can I get a toll-free number from a country other than those in North America?

Not for now, but this type of number will be available shortly.

What happens if I don’t answer a call I am sent?

There are two options possible. The system can simply forward the call to your number where the message will be taken if there is no answer, or the system can take the message for you and send it to you by email.

How are the minutes calculated?


Minutes are calculated as soon as the conversation has begun up until the conversation ends. Partial minutes are charged per every six seconds.

How can I pay for the service?


The service must be paid by credit card by going to your portal in the “Add credit” section. The transactions are secure and we never keep your credit card information.

Must I visit my portal each month to pay for the services?


No. You must simply add credits to your account so that these credits can be used to pay for your phone usage; and thanks to the useful auto-renewal option, you do not have to worry about adding credits to maintain the service.

How am I notified of pre-authorized payments from my account?


When Ubigo processes pre-authorized payments from your account, an email will be sent to the person responsible for the account. This email will indicate the amount charged, the date and the account charged. Copies of all the transactions are also found on your portal in the section “My Account/Overview.”

If I have not selected pre-authorized payments, what happens if I forget to pay for my services?


When your credit balance reaches a level that does not allow you to receive calls, your account is suspended and an email is sent to the person responsible for the account inviting them to visit the portal and solve the situation.

What fees am I charged?

Ubigo will invoice you on the first of each month for the numbers you have purchased, and as you use the service. The credit balance of your Ubigo account will be applied against the invoice.

Why must I pay for the service in advance?


Ubigo sells its services across the world and cannot afford to perform credit checks on all its clients. We believe that it is fair and reasonable to work this way.

Is it safe to use my credit card number with Ubigo?


Ubigo never stores your credit card number in its files. Instead, Ubigo chose to entrust this task to a credit card payment provider that is specialized in the field.

How does the first payment work?

When you first add credits to your account, some are automatically deduced for the first payment.

Here is how it is calculated:

  • First, there is a $5 setup fee (or $25 for a ported number)
  • Second, we calculate the prorata of the month to apply the monthly fee.
    • For instance, if you are adding credit on April 18th, only the twelve remaining days will be calculated:  $2.50 * 12/30 = $1.00.
    • Idem for the paid options, such as voicemail, SMS and others.

On the first day of the upcoming month, the full monthly fee will be charged. So, if your first payment is at the end of a month, don't be surprised if you are billed twice in a short period of time.

What is the purpose of the Ubigo mobile app?

The Ubigo mobile app allows you to make calls from your mobile phone, but instead of displaying your mobile phone number to your contact person, it will present your Ubigo number. This way, you preserve the confidentiality of your personal number by displaying the professional number you previously purchased with Ubigo.

Does using the Ubigo app involve high data usage?

At the beginning of a call only, when a small amount of data is exchanged (200 octets) with our servers. Exchange of this data is required to authenticate the service user.

With iOS, a popup sometimes asks to validate the call number. Why is the number displayed different from the one I dialled?

First, the call is initiated by calling our servers that then channel the call to the cellular network. That is why the number called is another number and that it has a different format.

How much does the Ubigo app cost?

The Ubigo mobile app is free and can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store. However, you must have an existing account with Ubigo to use it.

What is the rate charged for calls made via the Ubigo mobile app?

Calls made using the Ubigo mobile app are charged at the same rate as inbound calls, that is to say, a cent and a half per minute (.015$CAD/minute), or according to the going rate for international calls. Please refer to our rates table.

When I call, why does the app redirect the call to my mobile phone?

The Ubigo mobile app is not a VoiP-type app and thus does not use the Internet to make phone calls. Consequently, it must act as a bridge between the application and your telephone service.

Why does Ubigo track my minutes if it is my mobile phone that is making the call?

Calls made using the mobile application pass through Ubigo servers throughout the entire communication. This link is essential to ensure the service’s proper functioning and enables features, such as call recording and call statistics, to be offered.

Must I enter my contact list in the application?

Thankfully, no! The Ubigo app accesses your mobile phone’s telephone contacts if you authorize it to do so.

Is an Internet connection required to use the Ubigo app?

You must have an Internet connection to use the service, as when you call, data is exchanged between you and our servers so that it may authenticate you as a legitimate user of our service and connect you to the person you wish to contact. However, the amount of data required is quite limited, and none is required during the call.

On which mobile platforms is the application available?

The Ubigo mobile app is free and can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store. To find it, search using the keyword “ubigo.”

Why can I not change the language of my Ubigo application?

As with all other applications of your mobile phone, the language of the Ubigo app is based on your mobile phone’s language.

Must I create a special password for the app?

Of course not! Your email and password to access your account via the mobile app are the same as the ones you use to access your online account through a web browser. If you change your password on the platform, it will be modified for all access points.

Are my call minutes tracked when I use the Ubigo mobile app?

Yes! Though the calls go through the telephone network, the calls made using the mobile app pass through Ubigo servers throughout the entire communication. This link is essential to ensure the service’s proper functioning and enables features, such as call recording and call statistics, to be offered.

Can I save money using the Ubigo mobile app?

Absolutely! Though the service’s main purpose is to preserve the confidentiality of your personal number, the service also allows you to make international calls at far better rates than those offered by your mobile phone service provider.

Can I view inbound call statistics with the Ubigo mobile app?

Absolutely! And it is one of the features that is most appreciated by our customers! The Ubigo mobile app has the history of all your calls made using the app and the numbers you purchased with Ubigo.

Can I choose the number displayed when I use the Ubigo app?

As long as it is a number you have purchased with Ubigo, yes! To do so, you must first choose a number to display from the drop-down menu at the top centre of the application.

Extra features are payable options that can be activated or deactivated for each virtual number that you own in your Ubigo account. Here are the available options:

Voicemail

Is it possible to customize your greeting messages?

Absolutely! Ubigo gives you the option of choosing an already configured generic voicemail message or making your own recording, uploading it and linking it to your number. The compatible formats are .mp3 and .wav up to 5 MB. You can download up to twenty (20) custom messages and interchange them according to your needs.

How can I get my voice messages?

Voice messages are sent by email. We are not keeping them on our servers, hence they are not available through a voicemail that you need to call. Receiving messages by email is a quick and useful way of getting them while traveling if you don’t have an international package. Plus, you can easily manage your archives if you need to refer to an old message later on.

Text messages

Can I send or receive SMS with my Ubigo number?

Yes, absolutely! You can activate the SMS feature linked to your virtual number and communicate through the Ubigo mobile application.

Can I send images by text messages?

Unfortunately not. Ubigo supports SMS protocol so far, but not MMS yet. It is nevertheless, a feature that is planned to implement soon. MMS will not only allow to send and receive pictures, but also to chat with a group of people.

Call recording

Does Ubigo offer call recording?

Absolutely! Call recording is often necessary for different reasons, such as training, audio note or even to protect yourself. Ubigo allows you to record both your outgoing and incoming calls, and keeps the call recording for a period of thirty days following the conversation.

During the thirty day period, you can download your call recordings to your computer for further needs as you wish. This service is optional and the terms and conditions are in your Ubigo portal.

Do the recorded files expire?

We keep the recorded files for thirty days. After that, they are erased. If you wish to keep them longer as a reference, it is easy to download them from the Web interface.

Call processing

Can I personalize my greeting messages?

Absolutely. You can customize messages for your voice menu, your voicemails, and also add audio introducing menu options.

Audio files could be recorded directly from our portal, using your computer’s microphone, or could be uploaded if you have already recorded them.
Continue reading →

How is this service different from a traditional telephone system?

Our service is totally virtual and requires no material, except your mobile. The service is a complement to your personal mobile phone and can be configured entirely through our Web portal.

Can I set more than one number routing to the same call processing?

Yes. You could have, for instance, one or many local numbers from a specific cities and toll-free numbers each routing to the same greeting menu. This way, no need to configure your schedule and messages many times!

Can I forward calls based on a preset schedule?

Yes. Ubigo virtual system allows to configure a schedule for opening and closing hours, which let attach distinct messages according to the situation. You can also specify recurring holidays or specific days off.

Can I set different greeting messages for opening and closing hours?

Yes. Call processing can be set differently according to the business is opened or closed and this, as well for the greeting message than for the menu options.

Is it possible to configure a multi-level menu?

Unfortunately, the Ubigo voice menu doesn’t allow more than one level. Which means that each menu option has to link to a call forward, a voicemail and/or an audio file, but cannot link to another menu. To access multi-level menus, you need to refer to Ubity.

However, you can configure a different menu for opened and closed hours, as well as for multiple languages.

Is my Ubigo number able to reach many people?

It is one of the purposes of the call processing. Our system allows the caller to select from the menu options the specific destination and then reach the proper member of your team. For instance, a caller could choose to type “101” to be redirected to someone or press “1” to join a department. It’s up to you to configure this as you like.

Can I have an overall business voicemail?

Yes. You could configure a business voicemail the same way you can have a dedicated voicemail. For each voicemail, messages are transmitted to one or several email addresses as you choose.