WhatsApp Business
Get a WhatsApp Business Number
Use a dedicated UK number for WhatsApp Business and keep your personal mobile private. WhatsApp Business supports voice-call verification, so an ONSIM landline number from £5/month + VAT works perfectly: the verification call forwards to your mobile, you hear the code, you are done.
Why use a separate number for WhatsApp Business?
Keep your personal number private
Once your personal mobile number is on flyers, marketplaces and customer group chats, it never comes back. A dedicated business number keeps evening and weekend messages where they belong.
Look like a business
A WhatsApp Business profile on a proper UK number - with your business name, hours, catalogue and automated greetings - reads very differently from a personal account with your first name on it.
Own the number
The number is a business asset. Staff can come and go, handsets can change, and your WhatsApp identity, call routing and customer relationships stay with the business.
How to set up WhatsApp Business with an ONSIM number
No SIM card and no hardware required. The whole process typically takes a few minutes once your number is live.
1. Choose your ONSIM number
Pick a UK 01, 02 or 03 number from 650+ dial codes and set it to forward to your mobile. This is the standard Virtual Landline divert product at £5/mo + VAT.
2. Download WhatsApp Business
Install the free WhatsApp Business app from the App Store or Google Play. It can run alongside your personal WhatsApp on the same phone, each with its own number.
3. Verify by voice call
Enter your ONSIM number (without the leading zero, after the +44) and choose the call option instead of SMS. WhatsApp phones your number, the call forwards to your mobile and an automated voice reads a six digit code.
4. Enter the code - done
Type the code into the app and your ONSIM number is now your WhatsApp Business number. Set up your business profile, greeting message and away replies, and start chatting.
Landline vs mobile numbers on WhatsApp Business
| Consideration | UK landline number (01/02/03) | Mobile number (07) |
|---|---|---|
| Works with WhatsApp Business | Yes, via voice-call verification | Yes, via SMS or call |
| Business impression | Established, local or national presence | Personal, individual feel |
| Matches website and Google profile | Usually yes - one number everywhere | Often a second, separate number |
| Keeps personal mobile private | Yes | Only with a second SIM or handset |
| Cost with ONSIM | From £5/mo + VAT, no SIM needed | Via ONSIM business SIM plans |
The honest caveats
We would rather you know these up front than find out later.
- One registration per number. A phone number can only be linked to one WhatsApp account at a time. If the number is already on WhatsApp, deregister it there first.
- Use call verification, not SMS. UK landline numbers do not reliably receive SMS, so always choose the voice-call option when WhatsApp asks how to verify.
- WhatsApp is a Meta product. ONSIM provides the number and the verification path. Registration steps, business policies and messaging rules belong to WhatsApp and Meta, and their terms apply.
- Normal calls carry on as usual. Registering the number on WhatsApp does not affect voice calls - customers who dial your number still forward through to your mobile within your plan allowance.
WhatsApp Business number FAQs
Common questions about using an ONSIM number with WhatsApp Business.
Get your WhatsApp Business number from £5/mo
One UK number for calls and WhatsApp chat - verified in minutes, forwarded to your mobile, owned by your business.