Can customers call my business on WhatsApp?

Yes. Through the WhatsApp Business Calling API, customers can call your WhatsApp number and you answer in your platform.

Can I call customers on WhatsApp?

Yes, once they have given you permission to call. Meta requires that permission before a business starts a call.

Why can't a WhatsApp call ring my mobile phone number?

Because it is an internet call between WhatsApp and your platform, not a phone-network call. It has no phone-network leg to forward to an ordinary number.

What if nobody answers?

Ring groups try several people, and an unanswered call can go to voicemail or trigger an automatic WhatsApp reply.

WhatsApp Calling for Business in the EU

Customers already call friends on WhatsApp. Business calling lets them call you the same way, from the chat they already have with you — and lets your team call back once the customer agrees.

In Short
Inbound and outbound WhatsApp calls work through the Calling API. They are internet calls, so they ring people signed in to your platform, not a mobile number. Use ring groups and voicemail to make sure no call is lost.

What Works

Customers call you. Meta's Calling API lets businesses receive and make calls with WhatsApp users over the internet (VoIP) (Meta for Developers).
You call customers, with permission. Meta announced that larger businesses can call a customer directly "once they've asked to hear from you" (Meta Newsroom).
One thread. Calls and chats sit in the same WhatsApp thread for the customer (Meta for Developers).
Country availability. Meta publishes a list of countries where calling is supported, and some rules differ by country (Calling FAQ). Check it for every EU country you serve before you promise calls there.

In Arino One, WhatsApp calling works with Infobip and Meta Direct. Whether a specific EU country allows business-initiated calls today should be checked on Meta's current availability list [Source Needed].

Why You Can't Forward a WhatsApp Call to a Mobile

A WhatsApp business call travels over the internet between the customer's WhatsApp app and your platform (Meta for Developers). There is no phone-network leg, so it cannot be "forwarded" to an ordinary mobile number the way a landline call can. Instead, the people who should answer sign in to the platform — on a computer or in the mobile app — and the call rings there.

Ring Groups

A ring group rings several team members at once or one after another, so the call reaches whoever is free. See Ring Groups and Forwarding.

Voicemail and Missed Calls

When nobody answers, the caller can leave a voicemail, which arrives transcribed in the inbox, and you can send an automatic WhatsApp reply so they know you'll call back. See Voicemail and Transcription.

GDPR Notes

Call recordings and transcripts are personal data. Tell callers if you record, keep recordings only as long as you need them, and set a retention period. See Retention Policies.