Published on January 1, 2025 | Last Updated on January 1, 2025
There are many reasons why customers decide to get a UK phone number.
For example, you may need one for business use, you may need one to forward your calls to multiple devices, or you may want one to be able to communicate with your customers over WhatsApp for business.
Regardless of the reason, we’ve put together a complete step-by-step guide on how to get a UK phone number completely free for 7 days.
Why you need to have a virtual phone number
Having a UK virtual phone number has many benefits. However, it allows you to have a completely separate phone number from your personal landline or UK mobile number.
This allows you to separate, for example, your business phone number or work phone number from your personal calls and can increase your ability to organise things better.
Not just this, there are many features that come with managing a virtual number that you don’t get with traditional landlines or mobile numbers.
You can forward these numbers to any mobile number, but that’s not all.
There’s a huge variety of advanced call features:
- Choose your own area code – With Air Landline, you can choose any local area code you want from anywhere in the UK, giving you hundreds of different area codes. All you need to do is select which one you want, and we’ll generate a number quickly and easily.
- Link your number – Simply tell us which number(s) you want your new VoIP telephone number diverted to, and we’ll set up call forwarding almost instantly. Not only that, you can quickly and easily change this in your user panel, set up a welcome message, hold music and even call recording if you need it.
- Advertise yourself – With your new professional business number, you can place this all over your company literature, advertising, and anywhere you need people to see it. You can, for example, link it to Google Ads with a ‘click to call’ feature that customers can dial from mobile, landline, or laptop or over the internet. You can make this your main UK number that all your customers know.
- Get noticed – It’s all about how you come across, and with a professional, mobile, and flexible business number, you no longer need to advertise your mobile number, which can often make you look unprofessional or too small to do business with. Air Landline allows you to choose, utilise and advertise a professional telephone number.
- Welcome message – You can set a personalised welcome message for your customers to hear as soon as they reach your UK number. If you’d prefer the personal touch, then you’re able to record your own voice, which will play automatically. If you’d rather, you can use our AI voice generator to send your message directly to your customers.
- Know who’s calling from where – By getting a virtual UK number with Air Landline, you can see who’s calling you and which number they’ve called before you even pick up the phone, meaning you can be more prepared. If you’re off for the day or the weekend, you can see it’s a business call rather than a personal call and simply divert to voicemail or call back when you’re in a better position to talk.
- Hold music – You can select hold music from our library so that if you’re not able to get to your customers straight away, they get a professional experience rather than simply hearing the phone ring and ring until the call ends.
- Log your calls – You can select call recording so that you never miss anything in your customer interactions, with the ability to go back and listen to calls that might be important or have details you need to go back to and log.
- Missed call notifications – If you miss a call, then you’ll get an instant email update from us telling you who called and when so that you can return the call as quickly as possible.
- Recorded Voicemail – You can record your own voicemail message so that if you do miss a call and your customers hit the voicemail, you can give it a personal touch, and they’ll know that you’ll get right back to them as soon as you can.
- Log your voicemails – You’ll get an instant email notification if you receive a voicemail with the recording attached so that you can file these in your emails, or you can simply go back at your convenience and see what you’ve missed.
- WhatsApp Business integration – If you’d like the ability to WhatsApp your customers with your Air Landline number, that’s not a problem. We can get that set up so that you’re able to interact over WhatsApp Business with your professional business number, which gives far superior and professional service compared to traditional methods.
- Recorded call history – Go back through your call history via the user panel anytime you need so that if, for whatever reason, you need to go back and see who’s called your UK number or vice versa, you can get this information whenever you need.
VoIP (Voice Over IP) or virtual numbers often have superior call quality because they’re delivered over the internet and tend to be cheaper than traditional methods, too.
How to get a FREE UK Number
Claiming and managing a virtual UK phone number couldn’t be easier, and often, we advise customers on the best way to do it in a few simple steps.
Research and Pick a provider
There are a number of online providers. However, Air Landline only charges a fixed monthly cost for your virtual landline number, and that subscription includes unlimited calls forwarded to your mobile phone.
Create an account
Enter your details, such as email, name, phone number, and address, and create an account. Validate your email address, and you’ll have a live active account where you can now claim a number.
Pick an area code
In a few simple steps with Air Landline, you just need to decide which area code you’d like to have your phone number in, and we’ll then generate a unique telephone number and communicate it to you.
We have a selection from all over the UK, or you can choose a national area code instead.
Choose where to forward your calls
Most providers, if they include calling forwarding in their standard package, will ask for a mobile number that can be used to divert incoming business calls, too.
How to get a FREE virtual number using Air Landline
The process for getting your completely free virtual number with Air Landline couldn’t be simpler.
In fact, it can be done in just three easy steps, as detailed below.
Pick your area code
With a choice of hundreds of UK area codes to choose from, you can select any local dialling code and we’ll immediately generate you a unique phone number that will belong to you.
Enter your Mobile Phone Number and Email Address
Secondly, enter your email address and mobile phone number.
That’s it! You’re Ready To Start Receiving Calls!
Once you’ve selected your area code and added your email address and mobile number, In the next few minutes, you’ll be emailed your brand-new UK virtual phone number, and that’s it. You’re ready to start receiving calls!
Can I use my virtual number with Whatsapp Business?
Yes, you need to set up a WhatsApp business account, and from there, you can use your Air Landline number to WhatsApp message and WhatsApp call with clients and customers.
There’s a simple process involved with a quick breakdown below. However, if you’d like a more detailed guide, it can be found here
- Prepare Your Air Landline
Go to the Routing page in your Control Panel.
Enable Call Recording for troubleshooting.
Set Incoming Caller ID to “Show My Air Landline Number.”
Remove any Welcome Message, Call Whisper, and untick “Require keypad press.”
Ensure calls are diverted to only one mobile number. Save changes.
Download and Set Up WhatsApp Business
- Use your Air Landline number during setup.
When prompted, choose “Use a different number” and enter your Air Landline number.
Verify Your Number
- Wait for the verification call (landlines can’t receive SMS).
Answer the call immediately to hear the verification code or retrieve it from the call recording in the Control Panel if missed.
If no call is received, tap “Call me” after the timer ends, answer promptly, and follow the instructions to get the code.
Enter the Code
Enter the verification code provided to complete the setup.
How to get a free virtual phone number using Google Voice
To sign up for Google Voice, start by visiting the Google Voice website and signing in with your Google account.
Click on “Get Google Voice” and choose your platform—Web, Android, or iOS. Next, select a phone number by entering your city or area code and picking from the available options.
Once you’ve chosen a number, verify your account by linking a valid phone number.
Google will send a verification code to this number, which you’ll need to enter to complete the process.
How to get a free UK telephone number using Skype
To sign up for Skype, visit the Skype website or download the app on your preferred device.
Click “Sign In” and then choose “Sign Up” to create a new account. Enter your email address or phone number, create a secure password, and follow the prompts to fill in your details, such as your name and date of birth.
Verify your email or phone number by entering the code Skype sends you. Once verified, you can log in, customise your profile, and start making calls and sending messages.
TextNow
To sign up for TextNow, visit the TextNow website or download the app on your mobile device. Click “Sign Up” to create an account, then enter your email address and create a password, or sign up using a third-party account like Google.
Once registered, you’ll be prompted to select a free phone number by entering your area code and choosing from the available options.
After confirming your number, you can start using TextNow.
Common uses of a virtual phone number
Our customers sign up to Air Landline for a free UK phone number for many reasons, but when it comes to the most common, here are what we see most frequently.
Business Phone
Our customers often decide to get themselves a dedicated business number to look more professional and separate their personal from their work lives.
With a virtual number, you can provide a dedicated professional number for your advertising and work calls and know who’s calling you and why.
You can also select a local number to ensure you’ve got a local presence.
Business WhatsApp
It’s a huge advantage for businesses presence to be able to communicate with their customers via WhatsApp and an even greater advantage to be able to do that from a recognised business number, providing an extra level of professionalism.
It’s also cheaper to communicate via WhatsApp, either by messaging, calling, or video chat.
Divert to Multiple Mobile Numbers
If your business is growing, chances are your team is also growing.
Most business owners across the country, at some point, will decide that they simply can’t handle all their business calls and queries by themselves.
With Air Landline, you have the ability to forward your business to multiple mobiles, meaning that your team can help take your calls and that you’re less likely to miss important calls.
What you need to look out for when choosing a virtual number provider
Selecting the right virtual number provider ensures reliable communication and meets your business needs. Here are key factors to consider:
- Coverage and Availability: Ensure the provider offers numbers in the regions you need, whether local, toll-free, or international.
- Call Quality and Reliability: Look for a provider with a strong reputation for clear, uninterrupted call quality and dependable service uptime.
- Features and Functionality: Assess if the provider offers essential features like call forwarding, voicemail, SMS capabilities, IVR systems, and integrations with your existing tools.
- Scalability: Choose a provider that can scale with your business, offering flexible plans and the ability to add more numbers or features as needed.
- Pricing and Transparency: Compare costs, ensuring the provider offers competitive rates with no hidden fees. Check for pay-as-you-go or flat-rate plans that suit your usage.
- Compliance and Security: Verify that the provider adheres to local telecom regulations and implements robust security measures like encryption and two-factor authentication.
- Ease of Setup and Management: Look for user-friendly portals or apps that simplify number management, configuration, and analytics.
- Customer Support: Choose a provider with responsive and knowledgeable support available through multiple channels like chat, email, or phone.
- Portability: Ensure the option to port existing numbers to their service or transfer numbers to another provider if needed.
- Trial or Demo Availability: Opt for providers that offer a free trial or demo, allowing you to test the service before committing.
How do I get a second phone number for free in the UK?
It’s easy for anybody to get themselves a second phone number for free in the UK by signing up for our free 7-day trial with Air Landline in the United Kingdom.
The signup process is simple and only takes a few minutes. You can claim your second number as a virtual number using any area code in the United Kingdom and then forward it to any number you choose.
FAQ
We spend a lot of time working with and advising our customers, and we know the things they want to know the most frequently.
The App add-on is £7.99 a month (+VAT) per user, which gives you UNLIMITED calls to UK landlines & mobiles from 1 mobile and 1 desktop.
The process is really simple and can be done in just a few minutes. You can cancel at any time.
Summary – How To Get a FREE UK Phone Number
Some clients decide they need to book a dedicated business phone to separate their business and personal calls as well as bring professionalism to their small business.
Some decide they want the ability to communicate with their customers simultaneously over WhatsApp business using their dedicated free UK number and take advantage of cheaper calls and messages via their UK phone numbers.
Some decide they’d like to forward their free UK number voice calls by using voip systems to multiple mobiles so their team can help take some of the stress away and provide an extra layer of reliability to their customer care and sales process.
Ultimately, with Air Landline, you can try this service completely free for 7 days and take advantage of all these features and more all over the country.
Get started with us today!