How To Get a Second Phone Number Online – No Landline or SIM Card Required

Last Updated on December 31, 2024

As specialists in virtual phone numbers, virtual business landline numbers and telecoms, we find that we help and advise our customers a lot and a subject we discuss a lot is how they go about getting themselves a second phone number and whether they can do it online. 

So we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to get a second phone number online easily, quickly and cheaply.

What is a second phone number?

If you’ve got a primary phone number, then the chances are your main number is your personal phone number.

You’re trying to separate business from personal, meaning that people can contact you via your business number, but it can come through to your mobile.

You can be notified who’s calling, which number from and whether they’re calling for business or personal reasons.

How does it work?

It’s simple. All you need to do to obtain a second phone number through Air Landline is sign up for our free 7-day trial, and from there, it’s a simple sign-up process where you can have a business number set up within minutes and ready to be diverted to your mobile or a different phone. 

Do I need a landline or SIM card in order for the 2nd number to work?

No, your second number is an online VoIP (Voice Over IP) phone number that can be redirected to any mobile phone device that has a phone signal.

Examples of different second numbers for businesses

Customer Support: One of the most common reasons for taking a second number for business is to take dedicated customer care calls.

Rather than providing a mobile number or a difficult contact method, customers can reach out directly via your business number. It also allows the flexibility to take it through your mobile and know precisely who’s calling and why. 

Sales Hotline: Another reason could be that you want to know when people are calling about sales, and you want the ability to prioritise those calls, knowing that you want to take these calls as your top priority. 

Regional Hotlines: You may have different marketing campaigns for different areas of the country, or you may have slightly different service offerings depending on location.

This would allow you to receive calls on a dedicated local area number and know exactly where your calls are coming from and why.

How to get a second number on the same mobile phone (FREE for 7 days)

Our sign-up process is straightforward and takes barely any time at all. 

Our service is completely free for 7 days and will allow you to create and operate a dedicated second business number directed at your mobile within minutes. 

Select your area code

Firstly, we’ll ask you to select the area code you want to use for your dedicated virtual number.

Here, you can select from hundreds of different UK area codes or simply select a 0330 national number.

Link your mobile and email address

Type in the mobile number you want to divert calls to and enter your email address so we know where to send your new alternative number. 

That’s it! You’re ready to get started!

Once complete, in the next couple of minutes, you’ll receive an email containing your new second landline business number and instructions on how to create your Air Landline account.

How much does a second phone number cost?

We don’t have hidden fees attached and only charge a flat £9.99 + VAT per month for using your second phone number and unlimited calls diverted to your personal mobile.

There are some optional extras you can choose afterwards.

Why does someone need a second phone number?

When the subject comes up about getting a dedicated second phone number, sometimes we’re asked why somebody would need a second phone, so we’ve listed the top reasons customers tell us they feel they need to get one through Air Landline.

Work-Life Balance

When you decide to become self-employed or start running your own business, it’s usually fine to have your personal mobile listed as your primary contact number.

But, as your business grows, you’ll struggle to balance work life and home life as you may be getting a lot of calls out of business hours and not be able to recognise who’s calling.

This can sometimes affect mental health if business owners are finding it hard to separate work from home life.

Increased Privacy

One of the reasons customers prefer to take a dedicated second phone number is that it offers increased privacy.

When advertising your personal number or featuring it in an advertisement, anybody with the number can call you at any time, or colleagues or business contacts may also pass it on.

For those taking a second phone number or dedicated business number, this allows you to keep your personal number private.

Improved Organisation

Taking a second phone number or a dedicated business number allows our customers to improve their organisation by separating business calls from personal calls.

With Air Landline, we also offer a voicemail feature, a call history feature, and a call recording feature that allows you to go back and listen to previous calls. Some customers even use this for call analytics and extra integration with things like CRM.

What options do I have?

When you’re looking at getting yourself a second phone number, it’s useful to know what the options, benefits and potential downsides are.

Virtual numbers

Virtual numbers, or VoIP numbers, are telephone numbers that are operated over the internet and can be forwarded or directed to a mobile or device of your choosing. 

The benefits of a VoIP number are that it’s much more cost-effective than a traditional landline or extra sim card and generally offers better call quality as well as added features like a menu, a welcome message and hold music.

2 sim cards

If you decide to get a second SIM card or an Esim, you could get into a second mobile phone so that you effectively have two numbers.

However, it tends to be expensive to source a second device, and it doesn’t come with the extra features that a virtual number does. Further, you’re likely to be spending more per month on a phone tariff. 

Dual Sim

Rather than a second SIM and device, you also have the option to get a dual SIM, which can go into the same mobile phone.

This has an advantage over a second device in that you can take separate calls on the same device; however, you still have to advertise a mobile number, pay for a separate phone tariff, and benefit from the advanced call features that a VoIP number offers. 

Different virtual number providers in the UK

When it comes to getting a second phone number in the UK, there are a number of providers that you can choose from, all with their own advantages and potential drawbacks. 

Air Landline is one of the leading providers of second and virtual phone numbers in the UK, and we also offer a 7-day free trial.

However, here’s a quick breakdown of other providers:

Air Landline

• No Internet Needed: Calls are diverted to your mobile number without relying on an app or internet connection.
• Free Call Diversion: Unlimited call diversions with no extra costs.
• Extensive Free Features: Includes call recording, multi-number routing, time-of-day scheduling, and much more!
• No long-term contracts: Cancel anytime with no fees and 30-day money-back guarantee.
• High Call Quality & Uptime: Advanced backend systems ensure reliability.

	Air Landline™	Other providers
Instant automated set up:	✅	❌
Works without needing an App, internet, or 4G/5G:	✅	❌
Incoming calls diverted to:	Your Mobile Number.	An Internet-Based App.
Call quality:	High	Inconsistent, as it relies on internet/4G/5G
Cost of diversion to mobile number:	Free	3p-20p per minute
Diversion limit:	Unlimited	Limited in their fair usage policy
Uptime record:	100%	Varies, read their 1-2 star reviews on Trustpilot
Displays unbiased review platform:	Yes, Trustpilot (read how it’s unbiased)	Varies, always check Trustpilot for reviews
Customer service hours:	7am-10pm with 24/7 Network Ops.	Typically 9am-5pm
Contract length:	1 month	1-12 months
Cancellation notice period:	1 day. We stop charges immediately	30-90 days
Cancellation fee:	Free	Varies, read their 1-2 star reviews on Trustpilot
Cost to transfer-out to another provider:	£0 (FREE) leave us any time for free	£30-£90 to leave them
Cost to transfer-in your existing number:	£0 (FREE) we have no porting-in fees	Typically £30 per number ported-in
UK-based customer service:	Yes, our own experienced team	Typically call centre staff
Ease-of-use:	“Easy” – that’s the most used word in our reviews	Requires a level of tech-savviness
Call recording cost:	Free	Not possible/£15 a month
Diversion to multiple mobile numbers:	Free – sequentially, simultaneously & time-of-day routing	Not possible/3p-20p per minute
WhatsApp Business integration:	Free, just follow these steps	Not possible/£4 a month
Has the most useful free features:	✅	❌
Security protocols:	High. Our layered security protocols push industry standards to the extreme	Not clear on their websites
Guarantees:	30-day money-back guarantee	None

Google Voice

Google Voice is a virtual phone service that allows users to make calls, send texts, and receive voicemails using a Google-assigned number.

It’s primarily app-based and requires a stable internet connection, making it less reliable for consistent, high-quality calls.

In comparison, Air Landline doesn’t require an internet connection.

EE

EE offers virtual numbers in the UK as part of its business solutions, providing additional phone lines on existing devices.

These typically work through the mobile network or require apps, relying on internet connectivity or specific plans for usage.

Air Landline has a number of features that EE doesn’t offer or restrict.

BT

BT provide VoIP services for both business and residential customers. They supply features like virtual numbers, call forwarding, and voicemail, which are accessible via internet-connected devices.

Air Landline, in comparison, doesn’t need an internet-connected device to work.

Vodafone

Vodafone offers virtual phone services designed for businesses. It works via apps (mobile or desktop) and requires an internet connection. It offers features like texting, call forwarding, and team collaboration tools.

VoipLine

VoipLine offers virtual phone number services through its range of products, enabling users to separate business and personal calls.

It does require an app, which Air Landline doesn’t require, and doesn’t require an internet connection either. 

FAQ

Here, we’ve put together a list of FAQs that we get from our customers when they’re looking at acquiring a second phone number for their business.

Summary – How To Get a Second Phone Number

Obtaining a second phone number is straightforward with Air Landline, offering a professional, VoIP-based solution without the need to download an app or use a computer, a dual SIM, or an internet connection.

Get Started Today!