How to Onboard a PSTN Number on DoubleTick
What is PSTN calling?
Normally, a WhatsApp Business number on DoubleTick can only send and receive WhatsApp messages & make WhatsApp Calls. PSTN calling adds real phone-calling to that same number, so you, your team, or your AI Agent can make and receive actual phone calls, not just WhatsApp messages, directly from DoubleTick.
This guide walks you through onboarding a new number on DoubleTick: first as a PSTN channel, and then as your WhatsApp channel for the same number, also called a WABA, short for WhatsApp Business Account.
What you'll need
Admin access to your DoubleTick account
The new phone number you want to onboard
A team member to assign, if you want calls to go to a human agent
An AI Agent already set up in DoubleTick, if you want calls to go to AI instead
Any existing WhatsApp channel already on DoubleTick, even an unrelated one, to use as a temporary placeholder during Step 1
Step 1: Onboard the number as a PSTN channel
Log in to your DoubleTick account at web.doubletick.io using your registered mobile number and OTP
On the left-hand navigation panel, scroll down and click Settings
Under Settings, click Manage Channels
In the top-right corner, click Connect New Channel
A pop-up will ask which channel you'd like to connect. Select PSTN Channel
A form will now appear. Fill it in like this:
Display Name: a name for this channel, just for your own reference inside DoubleTick. This can be anything you like, for example "Support Line" or "Sales Calling Number"
PSTN Phone Number: the new phone number you're onboarding
Incoming Call Routing: this decides who picks up when someone calls this number. You have two choices:
Forward to Human: pick a specific team member from the dropdown. All incoming calls go to them
Forward to AI Agent: pick an AI Agent from the dropdown instead. It handles incoming calls automatically
Keep this in mind for later: the person or AI Agent you pick here isn't just used for regular calls. In Step 2, when you onboard this same number's WhatsApp channel, the OTP verification call also goes to whoever you pick here.
Linked WhatsApp Channel: this field is required, but since your WhatsApp channel for this new number doesn't exist yet, you can't select it here. Instead, pick any existing WhatsApp channel you already have on DoubleTick as a temporary placeholder. This is normal and expected, you'll swap it out for the real one in Step 3
Click Connect
That's it, your PSTN channel is now set up.
If you see this error: Number is not part of the active number pool for this organization
This just means the number hasn't been cleared for use on DoubleTick's backend yet.
What to do: send the phone number to your DoubleTick account manager or support team, and ask them to whitelist it for your organization. Once they confirm it's done, come back to this same screen and connect the number again, it will work.
Step 2: Onboard the same number as your WhatsApp channel
Now that PSTN is set up, onboard this same phone number as your actual WhatsApp Business number, the WABA.
Step 1: Hover over the left navigation panel, click Settings, then click Manage WABA.
Step 2: Click the Add Number button in the top-right corner.
Step 3: Click Add Number using Embedded Signup, select Connect WhatsApp API Number, and click Confirm and Proceed.
Step 4: Meta will redirect you to Facebook — click Continue to proceed with your profile.
Step 5: Select your Business Portfolio from the dropdown and click Next.
Step 6: Choose an existing WhatsApp Business Account or select Create a New WhatsApp Business Account and click Next.
Step 7: Choose an existing WhatsApp Business Profile or click Create a New WhatsApp Business Profile and click Next.
Step 8: Fill in your WhatsApp Business Account Name, Display Name, and Business Category, then click Next.
Step 9: Click Add a New Number, select your country code, and enter the PSTN phone number
Step 10: Select Phone Call as your verification method and click Next — the OTP call goes to the person or AI Agent selected in Step 1, who will receive and enter the OTP to complete verification.
Step 11: Click Finish — once Meta connects your account, your number will appear as Connected Successfully.
Here you will choose Call, remember the person or AI Agent you picked back in Step 1? The OTP call goes to them. They receive the call, get the OTP, and either pass it to you or enter it themselves to complete verification.
Step 3: Swap the placeholder WhatsApp channel for your real one
Your PSTN channel is currently still linked to the temporary placeholder WhatsApp channel you picked in Step 1. Now that your real WhatsApp number is onboarded and verified, update the link:
Go to Settings, then Manage Channels
Find your PSTN channel, click the three-dot menu, and select Edit Channel Details
Change the Linked WhatsApp Channel to your real WhatsApp number
Click Save
Your PSTN and WhatsApp channels for this number are now fully connected.
Frequently asked questions
What does WABA mean? WABA stands for WhatsApp Business Account. It's just the official term for your verified WhatsApp Business number.
Why do I need to pick a placeholder WhatsApp channel in Step 1? The Linked WhatsApp Channel field is required when setting up a PSTN channel, but your real WhatsApp number for this new phone number doesn't exist yet at that point. Picking any existing channel temporarily lets you continue, and you swap it out for the real one once it's onboarded.
Why does my OTP call go to a specific person? Because that person, or AI Agent, is the one you assigned to receive calls on this PSTN number back in Step 1. The system reuses that same routing for OTP verification calls too.
I got an error saying the number isn't whitelisted. What now? Send the number to your DoubleTick account manager or support team and ask them to whitelist it. Then try connecting the number again.
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