I cannot get a phone number in Azure Communication Services

Ben Kotvis 20 Reputation points
2026-05-26T14:18:11.89+00:00

When I try to get a phone number with Azure Communication Services the "Get" button is disabled and if I try to use the JavaScript SDK I get the following error:

client/dist/commonjs/deserializationPolicy.js:146     const error = new core_rest_pipeline_1.RestError(initialErrorMessage, {                   ^

RestError: The subscription subscriptionId ... is unable to purchase numbers at this time.     at handleErrorResponse (/workspaces/workorder-notes/src/acs-management/node_modules/@azure/core-client/dist/commonjs/deserializationPolicy.js:146:19)     at deserializeResponseBody (/workspaces/workorder-notes/src/acs-management/node_modules/@azure/core-client/dist/commonjs/deserializationPolicy.js:82:45)     at process.processTicksAndRejections (node:internal/process/task_queues:95:5) 

{   code: 'InsufficientPermissions',   
statusCode: 403,   details: {     error: {       code: 'InsufficientPermissions',       message: 'The subscription subscriptionId .... is unable to purchase numbers at this time.',       target: 'subscriptionid'     }   } }

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Azure Communication Services
Answer accepted by question author
Alex Burlachenko 25,290 Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2026-05-27T08:28:01.7666667+00:00

hi Ben Kotvis & thanks for join me here at Q&A portal,

this is subscription eligibility, not JavaScript SDK auth. 403 InsufficientPermissions with “subscription is unable to purchase numbers at this time” means ACS phone number purchase is blocked for that subscription. Owner access to the resource is not enough if the subscription itself is not eligible.

ACS phone number availability depends on subscription type, billing country, number type, country, and regulatory rules

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/numbers/sub-eligibility-number-capability

Phone numbers generally require an eligible paid Azure subscription. Trial, free credit, sponsorship, some student/dev/test, or restricted offer types may not be allowed to buy numbers. Microsoft Q&A has the same guidance https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1490370/unable-to-obtain-phone-number-for-communication-se

Confirm the subscription is Pay-As-You-Go, MCA, CSP, or EA, confirm the billing address is in a supported country for the number type u want, and confirm the ACS resource country/region supports that phone number capability. Then open Azure Support ticket under Azure Communication Services > Phone numbers and ask for phone number purchase eligibility review.

The disabled Get button and SDK 403 are the same backend decision. Changing code wont fix it. If support confirms the offer type is not eligible, use a different eligible paid subscription or ask the billing owner to move the ACS resource to an eligible subscription.

rgds,

Alex

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  1. Ben Kotvis 20 Reputation points
    2026-05-29T13:46:59.6966667+00:00

    It appears we didn't have a credit card on this subscription but do on another so once I used the other subscription it worked. Thanks for your help!

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  2. Praneeth Maddali 12,670 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-26T16:36:49.41+00:00

    Hi @Ben Kotvis

    Thanks for reaching out and sharing the details (including the screenshot and error). you're hitting that InsufficientPermissions error.

    This is a very common issue with Azure Communication Services. The root cause is almost always that phone number purchasing is only available on paid Azure subscriptions. Your expired free trial number (visible in the portal) confirms this — trial numbers are temporary, and once they expire, you need a paid subscription to acquire new numbers.

    Quick Recommended Solution:

    1. Check your current subscription type in the Azure Portal > Subscriptions > Overview.
    2. If it's a Trial, Sponsorship, Free Credit, or similar non-paid subscription, the best and fastest fix is usually to:
      • Create a new Pay-As-You-Go subscription (this is the most common workaround).
      • Move your ACS resource to the new subscription.
      • Try acquiring a phone number again.

    Reference :

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/numbers/sub-eligibility-number-capability

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/telephony/plan-solution

    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/quickstarts/telephony/get-phone-number?tabs=windows&pivots=platform-azp-new

    Kindly let us know if the above helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

     

    Please "upvote" if the information helped you. This will help us and others in the community as well.

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  3. Golla Venkata Pavani 7,535 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2026-05-26T15:12:34.9666667+00:00

    Hi @Ben Kotvis

    Thank you for reaching us regarding the issue.

    This issue occurs because Azure Communication Services determines that the subscription does not currently meet the requirements to purchase phone numbers.
    User's image Resolution:
    subscription eligibility (most important)

    • Phone number purchasing is restricted to paid Azure subscriptions (Pay-As-You-Go, Enterprise Agreement, etc.).
    • Not supported on: Azure Trial / Free credits / Sponsorship subscriptions.

    Retry acquisition from the Azure portal

    • Go to your Azure Communication Services resource > Phone numbers > Get
    • Select a supported country/region (based on your subscription eligibility)
    • Complete any required regulatory configuration if prompted

    Reference:
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/telephony/trial-phone-numbers-faq
    Country/region availability of telephone numbers and subscription eligibility : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/numbers/sub-eligibility-number-capability
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/quickstarts/telephony/get-phone-number?tabs=windows&pivots=platform-azp-new
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/communication-services/concepts/telephony/plan-solution

    Kindly let us know if the above comment helps or you need further assistance on this issue.

    Please "accept" if the information helped you. This will help us and others in the community as well.

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