WhatsApp Business API Voice Calling is a Meta feature that allows brands to place and receive voice calls with customers via the WhatsApp Calling API — without relying on traditional phone lines or third-party VoIP apps.

What Is WhatsApp Voice Calling on Interakt?

WhatsApp Voice Calling on Interakt lets businesses make and receive native WhatsApp calls directly from the Interakt dashboard — with built-in consent management, call routing, analytics, and AI-generated summaries. This guide walks through how it works, the policy limits involved, and how your team can use it effectively for sales and support.

Interakt Prerequisites

Before you get started with the WhatsApp Voice Calling API, ensure that:

1. Your business number is in use with Cloud API (not the WhatsApp Business app)
2. Your business must have a daily messaging limit of at least 2,000 unique recipients
3. You must be subscribed to the Advanced, Sales CRM plan or any plan with the Sales CRM add-on

Call Permissions

Before your business can place a WhatsApp call, you must first receive explicit permission from the customer. Permissions are entirely user-controlled and can be either temporary or permanent.

1. Ways to Obtain Call Permission

• Send a permission request message — Send a free-form or templated message asking the customer to grant calling access. The user can choose between temporary or permanent permission.

• Callback permission — If a customer calls your business first, they automatically grant temporary call permission (requires callback to be enabled on your business number).
•   Via Business Profile — The customer can grant permission directly from your WhatsApp Business Profile.

2. Permission Types

Temporary: Valid for 7 days. Resets after a successful call.

Permanent: Valid until actively revoked by the user. Stored until revoked.

Important: Businesses have no control over the type of permission granted — this is decided entirely by the user.

3. Permission Request Limits

4. Call Attempt Restrictions

• 2 consecutive unanswered calls — System prompts reconsideration of granted permission.
• 4 consecutive unanswered calls — Permission is automatically revoked. The business must request it again.
• Users can re-enable permissions at any time.
• 100 connected calls max per 24 hours — This limit applies per business phone number.

Interakt clearly shows:

• Permission status (Temporary, Permanent, Rejected)
• Expiry date of permission
• When request limits will reset

Outbound (Business-Initiated) Calls

Interakt allows businesses to initiate WhatsApp Voice calls to their customers directly from their Interakt dashboard. To ensure a compliant and professional experience, businesses require explicit permission from their customers—either temporary or permanent—before any outbound call is placed.

We maintain strict accountability by allowing only the assigned agent for a specific chat to initiate calls, ensuring clear ownership of every conversation. To streamline your workflow and quality assurance, every call is automatically recorded, and our AI generates transcripts and summaries that are instantly attached to the customer’s record. Outbound call charges are based on the customer’s country code and are conveniently deducted from your integrated Interakt wallet.

1. Agent Assignment Rules

To maintain accountability and prevent misuse, Interakt enforces strict agent-level controls on who can place outbound calls.

• Outbound calls can only be initiated by the agent assigned to that customer chat.
• If a chat is not assigned, the WhatsApp Call button will not appear — even if permission has been granted.
• This rule applies regardless of permission status (temporary or permanent).
• Chat must be assigned before a call can be placed.

2. Making an Outbound Call

Once a customer has granted permission and the chat is assigned, here is how to place a call:

• Click the WhatsApp Call button from the customer conversation.

• Review the call dialog — it shows your WhatsApp API number and key notes (customer receives the call on their WhatsApp app; charges depend on their country and your plan; costs deduct from your Interakt wallet).

• Click Start Call. The call connects through WhatsApp like a normal voice call.

• After the call, view the Call Summary from the same customer screen.

3. Availability for Outbound Calls

Business-initiated calling is available in all Cloud API locations except the following countries:

Note: The restriction applies to the business phone number’s country code. The customer’s number can be from any country where Cloud API is available.

Inbound (Customer-Initiated) Calls

Interakt lets businesses receive incoming WhatsApp voice calls directly in our web app. This feature lives under the new Channel Settings page, where you can toggle preferences, set business hours, and manage call routing. It streamlines customer interactions, boosts response times, and integrates seamlessly with your chats and CRM.

Whether you’re handling sales queries or support, WhatsApp calls appear as popups anywhere in the dashboard—ensuring you never miss a ring.

Note: User-initiated calling is available in every location Cloud API is available

1.  Setup & Configuration

Go to Settings (top-right) > Channel Settings > WhatsApp Voice Calling to configure inbound call settings.

Note: Disabling ‘Display Call Buttons’ also locks the call hours settings automatically.

2.  Incoming Call Routing & Availability

Calls follow a smart routing hierarchy to reach the right agent quickly. To ensure customers aren’t left waiting, the system now checks for Agent Availability (Online/Offline status) at every step:

•   Sales CRM merchants: Chat Assignee → Contact Owner → Round Robin
•   Non-CRM merchants: Chat Assignee → Round Robin

Note: Routing order is fixed in this phase and cannot be customised.

Example Scenarios

Here is how the routing logic plays out in practice for both plan types. In these examples, Customer Harsh is calling your business.

Advanced Plan Routing

The goal is to connect Harsh with her last chat partner or the first available agent.

• Step 1: Chat Assignee Harsh previously chatted with Agent A. The system checks Agent A’s status.
  • If Agent A is Online: The call rings Agent A.
  • If Agent A is Offline: The system skips to the next step.
• Step 2: Round Robin The system looks at the entire team pool. It sees that Agent C and Agent D are Online. The call rings them based on load balancing to ensure a quick pickup.

Sales CRM Plan Routing

The goal is to prioritize Harsh’s dedicated account manager before going to the general team.

• Step 1: Chat Assignee Harsh chatted with Agent A earlier today.
  • Status Check: Agent A is Offline.
• Step 2: Contact Owner The system sees that Agent B is the official “Contact Owner” (account manager) for Harsh.
  • Status Check: Agent B is Online.
  • Result: The call rings Agent B directly, preserving the 1:1 relationship.
• Step 3: Round Robin (The Safety Net) If Agent B had also been offline, the call would then move to the Round Robin pool to be answered by any available agent.

Agent Exclusion Logic

Agents can be added to an Exclude list to remove them from Round Robin distribution. Here is how the exclusion logic works:

• Round Robin: Agents in the Exclude list will not receive calls via Round Robin, even if their status is set to Online.
• Direct Assignment: Exclusion does not override direct assignment. If an excluded agent is the Chat Assignee or Contact Owner for that customer, the call will still be routed to them first, provided they are Online and not busy.
• Availability Requirement: Regardless of exclusion status, an agent must be Online to receive any incoming call. If an excluded agent is the Chat Assignee but is Offline, the call will skip them and move to the next step in the hierarchy.

3. Handling an Incoming Call

Incoming calls appear as popups across the entire Interakt web dashboard and mobile app — you will never miss a ring.

Popup Actions

•   Accept — Connects the call instantly.
•   Reject — Logs the call as ‘Missed by Agent.’

During the Call

•   Call recording starts automatically.
•   The customer’s chat window opens alongside the call.
•   The interface shows call duration and caller name/number.

After the Call

•   A quick summary toast appears in the top-right corner.
•   AI generates a full transcript and summary in the call details.
•   Everything is saved to the Call Management Dashboard.

Note: Inbound calls are completely free — no wallet deduction.

Call Management Dashboard

The Call Management Dashboard gives you a central view of every call — filter by type and drill into details like recordings, AI summaries, and notes.

Call Recordings, Transcripts & AI Summaries

Every WhatsApp voice call on Interakt is automatically documented to help your team improve quality, maintain accountability, and reduce follow-up gaps.

•   Call recordings are generated shortly after call completion.
•   Recordings are attached to the relevant call and customer record.
•   AI-generated summaries highlight key points from the call.
•   Full call transcripts are available for detailed review.
•   Recordings and summaries can be downloaded or exported as needed.

Role-Based Access Control

Access to call data in the Call Management Dashboard is governed by the user’s role in Interakt.

To enable broader access: In Role Settings, turn on ‘Allow access to configure WhatsApp Call settings’ and ‘Allow access to Call Management section (All calls).’ Without these, agents only see their own assigned calls.

Plan Eligibility & Pricing

• Supported Plans: Advanced plan, Sales CRM plan, or any plan with the Sales CRM add-on.
• Starter / Growth users: Upgrade your plan or purchase the Sales CRM add-on to access WhatsApp Calling.
• Outbound Call pricing: Charges depend on the customer’s country code and your calling plan. You can check out the country-wise price list here
• Wallet: Charges are deducted from your Interakt wallet. If the wallet goes negative mid-call, the call continues uninterrupted — but new outbound calls will be blocked until the wallet is topped up.

Business Use Cases

WhatsApp voice calling helps businesses deliver faster, more personal customer experiences — all within a single channel.

Customer Support Teams

•   Resolve complex issues faster than chat alone
•   Handle sensitive conversations more effectively
•   Maintain full team visibility of call outcomes

Sales & Account Teams

•   Follow up quickly with high-intent leads
•   Build stronger relationships with high-value customers
•   Switch seamlessly between chat and voice within the same conversation

When combined with Interakt’s automation and integrations, WhatsApp voice calling enables end-to-end customer journeys entirely on WhatsApp.