UK phone number
Have your own phone number in the UK for a few dollars per month. Incoming calls can be forwarded anywhere worldwide at the cost of a local call.
In this article we will explain how it works and how you can get a virtual phone number in the United Kingdom now.
A virtual number is a real phone number
A virtual phone number is actually a normal, real phone number. The only difference is that a virtual number isn’t connected to any physical phone line or to any SIM-card.
You can make and answer calls with free apps for Android and iOS or your laptop.
People calling your UK virtual phone number will have the same experience as if calling a regular local number.
When you make calls from your number – people you call will see your number before answering.
You can get your UK phone number here.
Different types of numbers
In the United Kingdom there are four types of numbers that you can purchase as virtual phone numbers.
- City numbers
These phone numbers are related to a city, such as (20) for London or (161) for Manchester. There are many area codes in the United Kingdom. - National numbers
These numbers are not related to any city and are mainly used by businesses. National numbers start with (33) or (844). - Mobile numbers
These are regular mobile numbers – but not connected to a SIM card. - Toll free numbers
These numbers are free for the caller to call – as long as they are calling from within the United Kingdom. Toll free numbers start with 800 or 808. The owner of the phone number pays an extra per minute fee for all calls received.
Who can buy a UK phone number?
Anyone in the world can buy a UK phone number. You do not need to be a citizen of the United Kingdom or live there to buy one.
What can you do with a virtual phone number in the United Kingdom
A UK phone number gives you a local presence in the United Kingdom. Local leads and customers will see that you are available locally, thus enhancing your company’s reputation.
Try free
You can try a UK number for a couple of days for free by starting a free trial now. If you like the way it works, you can keep it.
If you take no action, the number will be removed automatically and there is no cost for you
What does it cost?
The cost of having a virtual United Kingdom phone number is based on the following components.
- Monthly cost
From $1.89 - Calls and forwarding
Costs as a local call. - Optional add-on services
Voice response and call recording require that you have a paid plan (starts at $9.95 per user and month). This includes free calls, call forwarding, and free phone numbers.
Answer calls
The easiest way to answer incoming calls to your UK phone number is to forward all calls to your regular mobile phone number or to a landline number.
When you receive a forwarded call, you can see the number of the caller – or the virtual number they called – dependent on your settings.
Call forwarding worldwide costs like a regular local call.
There are many other options available for call forwarding, such as answering calls with voice response, sending calls to team members etc.
Make calls
You can make calls from your UK number by using our free Android , iOS, or web app. You can import your regular mobile contacts into the app and call anyone you know with a click.
The person you call can see your number. You can choose if you want to show one of your Sonetel numbers or your regular mobile number.
You will be charged local call rates for the calls you make.
SMS
SMS is supported on mobile numbers. Other types of numbers do not support SMS. You will get incoming SMS delivered by email to your email address.
Voice response
If you want to add voice response to your phone number (“For sales, press one…”.) you need to have a paid plan. This gives you access to the “Voice apps”.
You can easily create menus for callers, announcements or voicemail boxes.
Text-to-speech can be used to create the messages to be played to callers. Simply type in the message you want to be converted into an audio message. You can also upload audio files or record new messages with your phone.
Call recording
Call recording is available if you have a paid plan.
Only use call recording if you can do it without breaking any laws in the country of the phone number, or in the countries where you – and the person you are talking to – is in.
Subscription options
Here are the options.
- Free with Plans
Premium and Business are optional “all-inclusive” plans that are charged per user and month. They include free phone numbers for every user in your team. - Pay for it
You can subscribe with monthly renewal, or 1-year or 3-years. The longer the subscription – the lower the monthly cost. You pay in advance for the entire subscription period. You can turn off auto-renewal whenever you want.
Most common dialing codes in the UK
If you’re planning to get a United Kingdom phone number, it’s worth noting a few common dialing codes. Knowing these will streamline operations and make contacting clients in the UK a breeze. Here we delve into the most common dialing codes and provide some practical tips along the way.
| Location | Country code | Area code | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | UK | (20) | At the forefront, you’ll often encounter (20) when making calls to the capital. This is the area code for London, a thriving business hub where many entrepreneurs base their operations. |
| Manchester | UK | (161) | If contacting individuals or firms in Manchester, you’ll use (161). This vibrant city is the second largest in the United Kingdom; a place where UK phone numbers are in high demand. |
| Mobile numbers | UK | (07), (70) | For British mobile numbers, the code varies depending on the mobile carrier. Commonly used prefixes include (07) and (70). |
| Toll-free numbers | UK | 800, 808 | Toll-free numbers usually start with 800 or 808. An essential aspect to remember is that, within the United Kingdom, these calls are free for the caller. As a business owner, you consent to pay an extra per-minute fee for all received calls. |
VoIP Features of UK Business Phone Number
Let’s delve into some essential VoIP features you should take note of when using a UK phone number, be it a United Kingdom mobile number, or any other British number.
Regardless of whether you opt for British mobile numbers or run operations using an England mobile number, these features enhance your professional interactions and simplify the communication process.
- SIP devices.
Connect any standard SIP device to your UK number - Forward to SIP destination
Forward incoming calls to a SIP address across the Internet. - Call Logs
Your UK phone number comes with a database of call history. You can assess call logs anytime for record-keeping or future reference. - Voicemail
Voicemail features are available on all UK numbers. These help you manage, store, and access voice messages conveniently. They also provide AI-supported text summaries of voicemail received. - Call Forwarding
Never miss a call again. This feature redirects the incoming calls from your UK phone number to multiple other numbers. - Interactive Voice Response (IVR)
IVR can be incredibly important to any business. You can customize it for routing caller’s to the right department or person in your organization.
Are there any limitations?
Yes, there are different limitations, depending on what type of subscription you have.
Photo by Robert Tudor, James Giddins and Unsplash