diff --git a/app/forms/new_phone_form.rb b/app/forms/new_phone_form.rb
index 8492f7daf25..d2c94fc8fd8 100644
--- a/app/forms/new_phone_form.rb
+++ b/app/forms/new_phone_form.rb
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ def extra_analytics_attributes
   end
 
   def validate_not_voip
-    return if phone.blank?
+    return if phone.blank? || !FeatureManagement.voip_check?
 
     @phone_info = Telephony.phone_info(phone)
 
diff --git a/config/application.yml.default b/config/application.yml.default
index 3cd3558b44c..d763d982052 100644
--- a/config/application.yml.default
+++ b/config/application.yml.default
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ usps_ipp_password: ''
 usps_ipp_root_url: ''
 usps_ipp_sponsor_id: ''
 usps_ipp_username: ''
+voip_check: 'false'
 voip_block: 'false'
 voip_allowed_phones: '[]'
 
diff --git a/lib/feature_management.rb b/lib/feature_management.rb
index 28b8928de14..d0ee513585a 100644
--- a/lib/feature_management.rb
+++ b/lib/feature_management.rb
@@ -136,6 +136,11 @@ def self.log_to_stdout?
     !Rails.env.test? && AppConfig.env.log_to_stdout == 'true'
   end
 
+  # Whether or not we can call the phone_info endpoint at all
+  def self.voip_check?
+    AppConfig.env.voip_check == 'true'
+  end
+
   # Whether or not we should block VOIP phone numbers
   def self.voip_block?
     AppConfig.env.voip_block == 'true'
diff --git a/spec/controllers/users/phone_setup_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/users/phone_setup_controller_spec.rb
index 609c08fd503..4b78d04aca8 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/users/phone_setup_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/users/phone_setup_controller_spec.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 require 'rails_helper'
 
 describe Users::PhoneSetupController do
-  before { allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(true) }
+  before do
+    allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_check?).and_return(true)
+    allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(true)
+  end
 
   describe 'GET index' do
     context 'when signed out' do
diff --git a/spec/features/phone/add_phone_spec.rb b/spec/features/phone/add_phone_spec.rb
index 85f350670e8..175adfc60d3 100644
--- a/spec/features/phone/add_phone_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/phone/add_phone_spec.rb
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
 
   scenario 'adding a VOIP phone' do
     allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(true)
+    allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_check?).and_return(true)
 
     user = create(:user, :signed_up)
 
diff --git a/spec/forms/new_phone_form_spec.rb b/spec/forms/new_phone_form_spec.rb
index cc22ecfc1f2..2c8d68c37b1 100644
--- a/spec/forms/new_phone_form_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/forms/new_phone_form_spec.rb
@@ -153,15 +153,20 @@
 
     context 'voip numbers' do
       let(:telephony_gem_voip_number) { '+12255552000' }
+      let(:voip_block?) { false }
+      let(:voip_check?) { true }
+
+      before do
+        allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(voip_block?)
+        allow(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_check?).and_return(voip_check?)
+      end
 
       subject(:result) do
         form.submit(params.merge(phone: telephony_gem_voip_number))
       end
 
       context 'when voip numbers are blocked' do
-        before do
-          expect(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(true)
-        end
+        let(:voip_block?) { true }
 
         it 'is invalid' do
           expect(result.success?).to eq(false)
@@ -186,12 +191,25 @@
             expect(result.errors).to be_blank
           end
         end
+
+        context 'when voip checks are disabled' do
+          let(:voip_check?) { false }
+
+          it 'does not check the phone type' do
+            expect(Telephony).to_not receive(:phone_info)
+
+            result
+          end
+
+          it 'allows voip numbers since it cannot check the type' do
+            expect(result.success?).to eq(true)
+            expect(result.errors).to be_blank
+          end
+        end
       end
 
       context 'when voip numbers are allowed' do
-        before do
-          expect(FeatureManagement).to receive(:voip_block?).and_return(false)
-        end
+        let(:voip_block) { false }
 
         it 'does a voip check but does not enforce it' do
           expect(Telephony).to receive(:phone_info).and_call_original
@@ -200,6 +218,16 @@
           expect(result.to_h).to include(phone_type: :voip)
         end
       end
+
+      context 'when voip checks are disabled' do
+        let(:voip_check?) { false }
+
+        it 'does not check the phone type' do
+          expect(Telephony).to_not receive(:phone_info)
+
+          result
+        end
+      end
     end
   end
 end