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What type of phone number should my business choose?

Local 01/02, national 0330 or 0333, freephone 0800, or 0300? Answer 6 quick questions about your customers, your brand and who should pay for calls. Get a primary recommendation, an honest alternative, the ONSIM plan that fits, and the porting path if you already have a number you want to keep.

Guidance, not a quote - exact pricing, especially inbound 0800 rates, is confirmed at signup.

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Where are your customers?

How to choose a business phone number

UK business numbers split into four practical families, and the choice mostly comes down to two questions: where do you want to look based, and who pays for the call?

Local 01/02 numbers tie you to a place - 020 for London, 0161 for Manchester and so on. If your customers are in one area and being local wins you work, this is usually the answer. Calls are covered by inclusive minutes on virtually every UK plan, and inbound calls are included in ONSIM plans. Browse local numbers by city.

National 03 numbers (0330 and 0333) look UK-wide without being tied to any town. Ofcom rules cap the caller cost at the 01/02 rate, so inclusive minutes cover them too - effectively free for most callers, and inbound calls are included in your plan.

Freephone 0800 numbers guarantee the caller pays nothing - the strongest possible invitation to call, which is why sales lines use them. The honest catch: you fund the calls. Every inbound 0800 call is charged to you at a pence-per-minute rate on top of the plan, unlike 01, 02 and 03 where inbound is included. Many businesses run an 03 main line and keep 0800 for sales.

0300 numbers are the same national-rate idea, but Ofcom reserves the range for public sector bodies and registered charities - the NHS, councils and major charities have made the prefix instantly recognisable to the public.

Whichever type fits, the delivery question is separate: inbound-only divert to your existing mobile (Virtual Landline, £5/mo + VAT, 01/02/03 numbers) or a native SIM that shows the business number on outbound calls too (Landline SIM, from £10/user/mo + VAT, 01/02/03/08). Already have a number? It ports in - included on Landline SIM, £20 + VAT one-off on Virtual Landline.

Frequently asked questions

About getting a business phone number in the UK

How do I get a business phone number?

Three steps: choose a number type (local 01/02, national 03, or freephone 0800), choose how it reaches you, and sign up online. With ONSIM there is no phone line, office or hardware involved - a Virtual Landline (£5/mo + VAT) diverts a new 01, 02 or 03 number to the mobile you already carry, and Landline SIM (from £10/user/mo + VAT) puts the number natively on a SIM or eSIM so outbound calls show it too. Most numbers are live the same day; 0800 numbers go through a quote.

Should I choose a local number or an 0800 number?

It comes down to who pays and what impression you want. A local 01/02 number says established-in-your-area, and inbound calls are included in your plan. An 0800 number guarantees callers pay nothing, which maximises inbound volume for sales lines, but you pay a pence-per-minute rate for every inbound 0800 call on top of the plan. Since virtually all UK phone plans include 01, 02 and 03 calls in inclusive minutes, standard-rate numbers are effectively free for most callers anyway. Many businesses run an 01/02/03 main line and reserve 0800 for the sales line. The chooser above weighs this up for your answers, or see 0800 numbers for the full cost picture.

Do I need a landline for a business phone number?

No. A business landline number no longer needs a physical phone line - and with the copper PSTN switching off in January 2027, physical lines are on the way out anyway. Virtual numbers route calls to a mobile (Virtual Landline) or live natively on a SIM in your existing phone (Landline SIM). You get an 01, 02, 03 or 08 number without an office, a desk phone or an engineer visit.

Can I use my personal mobile number as my business number?

You can, but most businesses grow out of it: an 07 number can look less established than a landline, and once your personal mobile is on your van and website you can never take it back. Two better options: get a separate business number that rings the same phone (from £5/mo + VAT), or port your existing business mobile number to a Landline SIM, which can carry your 07 number and a new landline number side by side, letting you choose which to show on each call.

What does a business phone number cost?

With ONSIM: a Virtual Landline (01, 02 or 03 number diverted to your mobile, inbound only) is £5/month + VAT. A Landline SIM (the number lives natively on a SIM, inbound and outbound, unlimited UK calls under fair use) is from £10/user/month + VAT. 0800 numbers are Landline SIM only and add a pence-per-minute charge for every inbound freephone call, with the exact rate confirmed at signup - unlike 01, 02 and 03 numbers, where inbound calls are included.

Can I keep my business number if I switch provider?

Yes. UK numbers are portable between providers, and your number keeps working with your current provider until the port completes, typically in 10 to 14 working days. Porting in is included on Landline SIM plans and a one-off £20 + VAT on the £5 Virtual Landline plan. Mobile (07) numbers port to Landline SIM. See port your number for the process.

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