Amazon Connect is a powerful cloud-based contact center platform used by businesses worldwide to manage customer interactions across voice and digital channels. Amazon Connect has revolutionized the contact center industry with its pay-as-you-go model and seamless AWS integrations. However, for many IT leaders and operations managers, a major hurdle remains: global PSTN coverage.
While Amazon Connect supports a wide range of regions, native number availability is often limited by local regulations, strict documentation requirements, and long activation lead times. This is where forwarding calls from international numbers into Amazon Connect becomes a practical and scalable solution.
To build a truly global voice infrastructure, enterprises are increasingly turning to Bring Your Own Carrier or BYOC phone solutions.
In this guide, we’ll explain:
- How Amazon Connect call forwarding works
- Why businesses use call forwarding to extend global voice coverage
- How to set it up effectively using Amazon Connect BYOC solutions
Quick Answers: Forwarding Calls to Amazon Connect
- Can you forward calls to Amazon Connect?
Yes. Calls from international virtual numbers can be routed into Amazon Connect using a carrier or BYOC setup. - Does Amazon Connect support international numbers?
Yes—but coverage depends on country availability and regulations. - Does forwarding affect call quality?
Not when using a reliable global carrier with redundant infrastructure. - What’s the easiest way to add global voice?
Use a global telephony provider like United World Telecom to provision numbers and forward calls into Amazon Connect.
The Coverage Gap: Amazon Connect vs. Global PSTN
Global voice depends on:
- Number availability by region
- Country-specific telecom regulations
- Local carrier infrastructure
- Compliance and documentation requirements
Amazon Connect provides native numbers in many primary markets, but there are distinct “blockers” that can stall a global rollout:
Unsupported Countries: AWS does not offer local or toll-free numbers in every country (e.g., specific regions in the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Asia).
Documentation Burdens: Many countries require a physical local presence or extensive “Know Your Customer” (KYC) documentation that can take weeks for AWS to approve.
Lead Times: Provisioning specialized numbers (like UIFN or certain international toll-free number types) through AWS can involve long manual approval processes.
As a result, businesses expanding into multiple countries often face limitations when trying to rely solely on Amazon Connect for international numbers. By using a specialist carrier like United World Telecom, you can bypass these hurdles. We provide the international voice infrastructure, and you simply forward that traffic into your Amazon Connect instance.
What Does “Forwarding to Amazon Connect” Mean?
Forwarding calls to Amazon Connect refers to the process of using a global telephony carrier like United World Telecom to “originate” the call. The call is then automatically forwarded to your Amazon Connect destination number.
Here’s how to forward calls from United World Telecom phone numbers to Amazon Connect:
- The Entry Point: A customer dials your United World Telecom local or toll-free number in their home country.
- The Bridge: United World Telecom routes that call over our high-quality global voice network.
- The Delivery: The call is “forwarded” (via SIP or PSTN handoff) to a claimed number within your Amazon Connect instance.
Does this affect call quality? No, United World Telecom uses direct-to-carrier routes to ensure low latency and maintain high call quality.
When to Use Forwarding vs. Native Amazon Numbers
How do you decide if forwarding calls to Amazon Connect is the right solution for your teams’ communication needs?
| Native Amazon Numbers | Forwarding Calls via United World Telecom (BYOC) | |
| Setup Speed | Fast for US/UK; Slow for others | Rapid activation globally |
| Country Reach | Limited to AWS-supported regions | 160+ countries available |
| Documentation | Strict in-country requirements | Flexible, expert-guided compliance |
| Resiliency | Single-carrier dependency | Multi-carrier redundancy (Failover) |
Use Cases: Expanding Amazon Connect Capabilities
As businesses expand globally, call forwarding becomes a critical tool for scaling voice operations. Here are some ways businesses can take advantage of Amazon Connect BYOC solutions:
- Regional Customer Support Lines: Launch local toll-free numbers in 160+ countries, even if AWS doesn’t have a “Point of Presence” there.
- In-Country Sales Hotlines: Increase answer rates by using Local 2-Way Voice with local caller ID, making your outbound sales efforts look local to the prospect.
- Disaster Recovery & Overflow Routing: Calls can be rerouted across regions during outages or peak demand, improving resilience.
How to Forward Calls to Amazon Connect with United World Telecom
- Claim a phone number in Amazon Connect: This is a basic number (typically US or UK) that acts as the entry point for your contact flow.
- Provision your international numbers: Purchase your required local or toll-free numbers through our pricing page.
- Configure forwarding and advanced features: Set the “Destination Number” for your United World Telecom lines to the number you claimed in Amazon Connect.
- Map the call flow: Within Amazon Connect, ensure your call flow is designed to handle the incoming calls.
How United World Telecom Supports Amazon Connect
To successfully add global voice coverage, businesses need a provider that understands both telecom infrastructure and cloud integrations. United World Telecom helps businesses extend Amazon Connect by providing:
- International phone numbers in 160+ countries
- Fast provisioning with reduced documentation barriers
- Flexible call forwarding into Amazon Connect
- 24/7 support and global infrastructure
This enables organizations to scale global voice coverage without changing their existing contact center setup. Want to learn more about Amazon Connect BYOC or sign up for a free trial? Visit our Rates page to get started or chat with our experts!