UK virtual phone numbers

A virtual number is a real UK phone number that isn’t tied to a SIM or a physical line. Calls to it are forwarded over the internet to whichever phone you choose, so you can run a professional business line from your existing mobile.

Yes. You can port most UK landline and non-geographic numbers to LineHQ, or start with a brand-new number and port later. Porting is free and usually completes within a couple of weeks.

New numbers are typically active within 24–48 hours once any regulatory checks clear, and you can configure call forwarding, recording and voicemail straight away in the dashboard.

LineHQ packages start at £4.99 a month and include a UK virtual number plus call forwarding. You top up a prepaid wallet and only pay for the forwarding minutes you actually use, billed to the penny. There’s no line rental and no contract, so you can cancel anytime and scale up or down as your call volume changes.

No — a LineHQ virtual number needs no app, no SIM and no desk phone. Calls to it are simply forwarded to a phone you already own, so you answer them like any normal call on your mobile or landline. Everything else — routing, recording and voicemail — is set up in the online dashboard from any browser.

Yes. A LineHQ number can ring your whole team rather than a single phone. You choose whether the phones ring one after another in a set order or all at once, and set how long each rings before the call moves on — so the right person picks up and nothing goes unanswered.

A local number (like 020 or 0161) carries a city dialling code and suits a business serving a specific area. An 0800 freephone number is free for customers to call and looks well-established. An 03 national number is charged like a landline and included in callers’ bundles. You can run more than one type on the same account.