What is a virtual landline?

A virtual landline is a real UK landline number that isn't tied to a phone socket. Calls to the number ring on the mobile you already have, so you get the trust of a local landline with no wiring, no hardware and no broadband deal.

What is a virtual landline in the UK?

In the UK, a virtual landline means a genuine 01 or 02 number, like 020 for London or 0161 for Manchester, hosted digitally instead of on a copper line. To the people calling it, it behaves exactly like a normal landline. The difference is where it rings: your mobile.

How does a virtual landline work?

You pick a landline number or move your existing one across. When a customer dials it, the call is routed to the mobile you already have and it rings like a normal call. If you can't answer, smart answering picks up in your business name and texts you what the caller wanted.

Can I keep my existing landline number?

Yes. You can port the landline number your customers already know to Solofone and it carries on working, with no phone socket needed. Porting is free and your number stays yours.

Is there a virtual landline app?

Solofone works on the phone you already have: calls to your landline number ring like normal calls, and WhatsApp Business runs on the same number. Setup and settings live in your Solofone dashboard, so there's nothing extra for your customers to think about. They just dial your number.

How much does a virtual landline cost?

Solofone costs £10 a month with a free 7-day trial and no contract. That includes your landline number, calls ringing on your mobile, WhatsApp Business on the same number and smart answering for the calls you miss.

Do I need broadband for a virtual landline?

No. A virtual landline needs no broadband deal, no router and no phone socket. If your mobile works, your landline number works.

Does WhatsApp Business work with a virtual landline?

Yes. With Solofone, your virtual landline number doubles as a WhatsApp Business number. Customers can ring it or message it, and you handle both from one phone.

Will the 2027 landline switch off affect a virtual landline?

No. Virtual landlines already run on the digital network, so the 31 January 2027 copper switch-off doesn't touch them. If anything it's the reason to move now: port your number once and the switch-off is dealt with.

The virtual landline that puts calls and WhatsApp Business on one phone.

A virtual landline is a real UK landline number that rings on your mobile, with no phone socket, no broadband deal and no new hardware. Solofone adds WhatsApp Business on the same number and answers the calls you miss. Keep your existing number or pick a new local one. From £10/month.

No contract

Cancel anytime

Keep your number

No new hardware. No desk phone, no socket, no router. The number lives digitally and rings on your mobile.

Works on the phone you already have, on any UK mobile network.

WhatsApp Business on the same number, so customers can call it or message it.

How it works

How to get a virtual landline in the UK

1
Pick a local number, or bring your own
Choose a landline number with the area code you want, from 020 in London to 0141 in Glasgow. Already have a landline number your customers know? Port it across and keep it.
2
Calls ring on your current mobile
No new SIM, no new handset, nothing to install. Customers dial your landline number and the phone you already have rings, with the business call announced so you know it's work before you answer.
3
Verify WhatsApp Business on the same number
A guided setup activates WhatsApp Business on your landline number, so calls and messages from customers land in one place.
4
Call it and hear it work
Dial your new landline number and listen to it ring on your own phone. From that moment, your business has a landline.

Local numbers available include 020 (London), 0121 (Birmingham), 0161 (Manchester), 0117 (Bristol), 0113 (Leeds) and more. Bringing a number with you? See how to cancel your landline but keep the number, including the order that keeps it safe.

Does a virtual landline work on my network?

Yes. A virtual landline doesn't care who your mobile contract is with. Whether you're on EE, Vodafone, O2, Sky or Three, your landline number rings on the phone you already have. And if you switch mobile network later, nothing changes: the landline number stays put.

A virtual landline for business

For a one-person business, a virtual landline solves two problems at once. Customers see an established local business number on your website, van and invoices instead of a personal mobile. And your work life gets its own line: it works as a second business number on the phone you already have, so your personal number never gets handed out again.

Because the same number is verified as a WhatsApp Business landline number, the number on your business card handles calls and messages alike. One number for customers to save, one phone for you to carry.

Do I need broadband for a landline?

No. This is the part that surprises people: a virtual landline has no connection to your house or office at all. There's no phone socket, no broadband requirement and nothing to install. The number exists digitally and simply connects to your mobile, which means it also moves house with you, free of charge.

Are landlines being switched off?

The old copper network is: the UK's analogue phone lines are being retired by 31 January 2027, and every traditional landline has to move to digital before then. Landline numbers themselves are not going anywhere. We've covered what the landline switch off means for your business in plain English. You can also check where your area stands with our landline switch off postcode checker. The short version: a virtual landline is already on the digital side, so moving your number to one deals with the deadline for good.

FAQ

Virtual landline questions, answered

Your landline number, live in minutes.

Start free for 7 days. Pick a local number or bring your own. Calls and WhatsApp Business on the phone you already have.

The virtual landline that puts calls and WhatsApp Business on one phone.

How to get a virtual landline in the UK

Pick a local number, or bring your own

Calls ring on your current mobile

Verify WhatsApp Business on the same number