# Telephony Providers Guide

> Compare telephony providers to choose the best for your needs

Source: https://edesy.in/docs/voice-agent/phone-numbers/providers-guide

Compare telephony providers to choose the best for your needs.

## Provider Comparison

| Feature | Twilio | Exotel | Plivo | Alohaa |
|---------|--------|--------|-------|--------|
| **Coverage** | Global | India | Global | India |
| **Pricing** | Premium | Competitive | Mid-range | Budget |
| **Local Numbers** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Toll-free** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **SMS** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| **WhatsApp** | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| **Recording** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| **Setup** | Easy | Easy | Easy | Moderate |

## When to Use Each

### Twilio

**Best for:**
- Global operations
- Enterprise reliability
- Full feature set
- WhatsApp Business integration

**Pricing:**
- Pay-per-minute
- Premium pricing
- Volume discounts available

### Exotel

**Best for:**
- India-focused operations
- Cost-sensitive projects
- Local Indian numbers
- Regional language support

**Pricing:**
- Competitive for India
- Bundled minutes available
- Good volume pricing

### Plivo

**Best for:**
- Global coverage on budget
- Simple API needs
- Growing startups

**Pricing:**
- Mid-range global pricing
- Pay-as-you-go
- Good API access

### Alohaa

**Best for:**
- India-only operations
- Budget-conscious
- Basic voice needs

**Pricing:**
- Most affordable
- Limited features
- Good for simple use cases

## Feature Deep Dive

### Call Recording

All providers support call recording:

| Provider | Storage | Retention |
|----------|---------|-----------|
| Twilio | S3/GCS | Configurable |
| Exotel | Cloud | 90 days |
| Plivo | S3 | Configurable |
| Alohaa | Cloud | 30 days |

### Number Porting

Move existing numbers to your provider:

| Provider | Porting Available |
|----------|-------------------|
| Twilio | Yes |
| Exotel | Yes (India) |
| Plivo | Yes |
| Alohaa | Limited |

### Support Quality

| Provider | Support Level |
|----------|---------------|
| Twilio | 24/7 Premium |
| Exotel | Business hours |
| Plivo | 24/7 Standard |
| Alohaa | Business hours |

## Recommendation

| Scenario | Recommended |
|----------|-------------|
| Just starting (India) | Exotel |
| Enterprise (Global) | Twilio |
| Startup (Global) | Plivo |
| Budget (India) | Alohaa |