--- title: How to set up a Telnyx Local MCP Server canonical: https://telnyx.com/resources/setting-up-telnyx-local-mcp-server --- # How to set up a Telnyx Local MCP Server [Back to blog](https://telnyx.com/resources) **Conversational AI** # How to set up and use the Telnyx Local MCP Server Quickly integrate Telnyx MCP server to manage phone numbers, streamline communications, and easily deploy AI-powered assistants. By [Michael Bratschi](https://telnyx.com/authors/michael-bratschi) The Telnyx Local MCP (Model Context Protocol) Server streamlines your workflow and enhances your capabilities when handling real-time communications and AI assistance. This guide walks you through the step-by-step process of setting up and using Telnyx MCP server effectively. ## Step 1: Gather prerequisites To start, ensure you have the following prerequisites: * Access to your [Telnyx Mission Control Portal](https://portal.telnyx.com/#/login/sign-in) account to retrieve your API key. * Access to the [Telnyx GitHub repository](https://github.com/team-telnyx/telnyx-mcp-server). * Claude desktop installed. * ngrok installed and configured with your ngrok auth token if you're planning to use webhooks. ## Step 2: Set up Telnyx MCP Server First, clone the Telnyx MCP server repository from GitHub: ``` git clone https://github.com/team-telnyx/telnyx-mcp-server.git cd telnyx-mcp-server ``` ## Step 3: Install dependencies Next, install the necessary dependencies using Python’s package manager. If you don't have it yet, install UPX with Homebrew: ``` brew install uv ``` Additionally, ensure UVX (Python package manager) is installed via Curl or Homebrew: Using Curl: ``` curl -sSL https://install.uvx.sh | sh ``` Using Homebrew: ``` brew install uv ``` ## Step 4: Configure Claude Desktop You'll need to modify Claude's config.json file with your Telnyx API key: * Open Claude Desktop. * Go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config. * Add your Telnyx API key in the appropriate field. * Update the file path to your cloned MCP server using your terminal (pwd command gives the current path). ## Step 5: Launch and test Start the MCP server and ensure it integrates correctly with Claude desktop. Test its functionality by making requests directly through Claude. For example, search for a Telnyx phone number: * Request a phone number with specific features like HD voice and a particular area code (e.g., 773). * Confirm that Claude handles the query and modifies parameters appropriately, like adding a country prefix. ## Step 6: Purchasing and configuring phone numbers Claude can directly interact with Telnyx’s API to purchase phone numbers and configure them for use with Telnyx AI Assistants. For instance: * Ask Claude to purchase a selected number and link it to your Telnyx account. * Set up an AI assistant to handle inbound calls, providing specific details like business hours and accepted insurance providers. ## Step 7: Refinement and testing Use Claude to refine the assistant's prompt and instructions if initial testing indicates issues (e.g., incorrect time formatting). * Modify assistant instructions to ensure accurate communication (e.g., changing from "900" to "9:00 a.m."). * Validate improvements through additional testing via Claude's interface. ## Results Upon completion, you should have a fully functional, Telnyx-powered AI assistant capable of: * Handling inbound calls with accurate and helpful responses. * Providing key information like business hours and insurance coverage clearly and effectively. Integrating Telnyx MCP server with Claude desktop simplifies the process, enabling quick iterations and improvements without extensive prompting expertise. Share on Social Michael Bratschi Michael Bratschi leads the field marketing team at Telnyx. When he's not running events, he's hunting down his next great meal or sweating it out on the yoga mat. ## Jump to: [Step 1: Gather prerequisites](#step-1-gather-prerequisites)[Step 2: Set up Telnyx MCP Server](#step-2-set-up-telnyx-mcp-server)[Step 3: Install dependencies](#step-3-install-dependencies)[Step 4: Configure Claude Desktop](#step-4-configure-claude-desktop)[Step 5: Launch and test](#step-5-launch-and-test)[Step 6: Purchasing and configuring phone numbers](#step-6-purchasing-and-configuring-phone-numbers)[Step 7: Refinement and testing](#step-7-refinement-and-testing)[Results](#results) ## Sign up for emails of our latest articles and news [Start building](https://telnyx.com/sign-up) Related articles * [**Conversational AI**Data Sovereignty for Voice AI in Australia![Deniz Yakışıklı](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/Deniz_Yakisikli_6b7b420ed4.png?width=96&format=webp)By Deniz Yakışıklı27, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/australia-data-sovereignty-voice-ai) * [**Conversational AI**An omnichannel AI front desk for hotels, built on Telnyx![Deniz Yakışıklı](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/Deniz_Yakisikli_6b7b420ed4.png?width=96&format=webp)By Deniz Yakışıklı21, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/telnyx-demo-hotel-ai-receptionist) * [**Conversational AI**Improving Voice AI Latency with Co-Located Infrastructure![Abhishek Sharma](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/Abishek_Sharma_8313622a2b.png?width=96&format=webp)By Abhishek Sharma15, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/how-telnyx-fixed-voice-ai-latency-with-co-located-infrastructure) * [**Voice**Build vs buy contact center software in 2026: build, buy or extend![Serhii](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/_DSC8799-6.jpg?width=96&format=webp)By Serhii Omelchenko26, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/contact-center-software-build-vs-buy) * [**WhatsApp Business API**WhatsApp AI Voice Agents: How They Work and How to Set One Up![Deniz Yakışıklı](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/Deniz_Yakisikli_6b7b420ed4.png?width=96&format=webp)By Deniz Yakışıklı14, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/whatsapp-calling-ai-voice-agents) * [**Conversational AI**How to build an omnichannel AI agent![Deniz Yakışıklı](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/Deniz_Yakisikli_6b7b420ed4.png?width=96&format=webp)By Deniz Yakisikli12, Oct 2026](https://telnyx.com/resources/how-to-build-an-omnichannel-ai-agent) ### Ask AI * [![GPT](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/chatgpt_icon-ea55e09d.jpeg?width=92&format=webp)](https://chat.openai.com/?q=What makes Telnyx's global network different, breakdown call quality for normal phone calls and voice AI calls.) * [![Claude](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/claude_icon-c7c8eef3.webp?width=92&format=webp)](https://claude.ai/new?q=What makes Telnyx's global network different, breakdown call quality for normal phone calls and voice AI calls.) * [![Perplexity](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/perplexity_icon-cd5b74f1.webp?width=92&format=webp)](https://www.perplexity.ai/search?q=What makes Telnyx's global network different, breakdown call quality for normal phone calls and voice AI calls.) * [![Gemini](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/gemini_icon-4ff1cbf4.webp?width=92&format=webp)](https://www.google.com/search?udm=50&aep=11&q=What makes Telnyx's global network different, breakdown call quality for normal phone calls and voice AI calls.) * [![Grok](https://d2efw2akbx8gaf.cloudfront.net/https://dotcom-payload-assets-prod.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/cms-media/grok_icon-e588e5bd.webp?width=92&format=webp)](https://x.com/i/grok?text=What makes Telnyx's global network different, breakdown call quality for normal phone calls and voice AI calls.)