Release a phone number

What happens when you release a number, who can do it, and why it can't be undone.

Releasing a number gives it back to the carrier and unwinds everything Hey Quad set up for it. It's the only way to remove a number from your account short of cancelling the org.

Who can release a number. Org owners and admins.

What happens, in order

Releasing a number runs the same sequence every time:

1. 911 is turned off for the number. If it was any location's emergency callback number, that location loses its callback number and its 911 status drops back to not enabled.
2. The texting campaign is detached. The number stops sending and receiving SMS/MMS immediately.
3. Call routing is removed and the number is unbound from the calling platform. Inbound calls to it stop working the moment this step completes — there's no grace period.
4. The number is returned to the carrier. Telnyx releases it from your account.

Each step is idempotent — if a step was already off (say, the number never had E911 enabled), releasing just skips it instead of failing.

Before you release

• This can't be undone. Once a number is released you'd have to buy it again from scratch — and Telnyx quarantines released numbers for up to 90 days, so you may not get the same number back at all.
• Calls and texts stop the moment you confirm. There's no delay for callers to notice the number is gone — make sure nothing still points customers at it (voicemail greetings, a website, printed materials) before releasing.
• Billing stops at the next billing cycle, not immediately — releasing mid-cycle doesn't produce a prorated refund for the days already used.

Ported-out numbers release automatically

If you're moving a number to another carrier, you don't need to release it yourself. Once the port-out completes, Hey Quad releases the number on your behalf — see Moving your numbers away (porting out) for the full port-out process.

How to release a number

Open Phone numbers, select the number, and choose Release. You'll be asked to confirm — read the warning before clicking through, since this step can't be reversed.

Common gotchas

• A number with an active call flow or extension routing still releases. Nothing blocks you from releasing a number that's in active use — double-check what's routed to it before you confirm.
• Releasing doesn't cancel your org. If you're closing the account entirely, see Moving your numbers away (porting out) for the account-closure steps, or contact support.