You may already be aware that traditional landlines will be no more from January 31, 2027.
Perhaps you’ve been shopping around for virtual landline providers already and feel overwhelmed by the features on a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system. This is especially true if you’re a sole trader who doesn’t need excessive embellishments. That’s where a virtual landline could come in handy. This is a pared back system which gives you the basics.
In this article we’ll be looking at five of the UK’s top virtual landline providers and what they offer.
What is the difference between a virtual landline and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)?
As we’ve touched on, VoIP systems tend to have more features than virtual landlines, such as video calls for unlimited users and meeting transcription.
Virtual landlines, meanwhile, are a type of VOIP that provide businesses with a virtual phone number that can be used to forward calls to any device, including smartphones and laptops. Your phone number is linked to your business account rather than your physical location and, in most cases, you can choose your own virtual number.
Here are five virtual landline providers that are a fine fit for smaller businesses.
Virtual Landline
Pricing
- Local phone numbers and national numbers: Starting from £4.50 per month (including VAT)
- 0207 or 0208 London numbers: Starting from £6.50 per month (including VAT)
- 0800 numbers: Starting from £11.95 per month (including VAT)
Virtual Landline specialises in virtual phone numbers and VOIP systems. It offers a range of virtual numbers, including London and freephone numbers, making it an ideal solution for business startups, businesses that want to relocate or businesses that employ remote working staff.
What’s more, you can port your existing number to Virtual Landline or choose a memorable number to enhance your branding. Make and receive calls with ease with Virtual Landline’s user-friendly app or just divert all calls to another landline or mobile number. On top of all that, Virtual Landline is one of the most affordable VoIP options on the market.
Key features
- Call forwarding, hunt groups, call queues, Call recording, transfer
- Wide range of UK local landline numbers with 01 and 02 prefixes to establish a local presence
- Unlimited UK minutes to landline and mobile depending on calling plan
- Extremely competitive call rates that are out of plan
- Free App ecosystem for desktop and mobile
- Number porting: Retain your existing number by porting it to Virtual Landline
- Memorable numbers: Option to select easy-to-remember numbers for branding purposes
- Self-service portal
- UK-based customer service
Integrations
- CRM platforms such as HubSpot, Sage, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, Zoho and more
- Compatible with various devices, including smartphones and desktops, for unified communication
bOnline
Pricing
Prices start at £7 per month.
Though it’s advertised as VoIP system, bOnline’s Starter account is geared towards freelancers, start-ups and growing small businesses. Give yourself a professional look with minimal costs and features such as call flows which minimise your call handling time by sending your calls straight to the correct people. With 12 and 24-month contracts, you’re not tied in for the long term.
Key features
- Unlimited inbound calls
- 100 outbound landline minutes
- Set business hours
- Set business hours
- Personalised voicemail greetings
- Call flows
Integrations
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
Vonage
Pricing
- Express: £10 per user per month
- Core: £15 per user per month
- Max: £25 per user per month
Vonage’s offering is focused on phone calls, offering more than 96 world numbers – perfect for small businesses that operate around the globe. There are plenty of call features and, if you need some hardware to go with your package, Vonage can dish up a competitive offer on that, too.
Key features
- Call forwarding, transfer, and monitoring
- Virtual receptionist
- Desktop and mobile app
- 96+ world numbers
Integrations
- Salesforce
- Microsoft Teams
- Slack
DialPad
Pricing
- Standard: £12 per month
- Pro: £20
Even for a more basic package, you’re getting a bundle of features with DialPad. You can even try out AI meetings for up to 10 participants. DialPad also gives you a number porting option and an automatic spam call detection system to stop time wasters in their tracks. What’s more, call routing and the ability to switch between devices results in a better customer experience.
Key features
- Unlimited calling within the UK, US and Canada
- Customer caller ID verification
- Use softphone app on any device
- Scale user numbers up and down with your business
Integrations
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft 365
- Zendesk
RingCentral
Pricing
- Essentials: £12.99
- Standard: £19.99
- Premium: £24.99
- Ultimate: £29.99
The Essentials package doesn’t include video meetings so you can really keep it to the bare bones.
Contact RingCentral 24 hours a day for support over live chat or over the phone. High quality calls will also improve your productivity and customer experience. Track your business interactions with call log reports that can be viewed by individual or by team.
Key features
- At least 100 inclusive minutes per user
- iOS and android apps
- Team messaging
- Call logs
- Around-the-clock customer support
Integrations
- Microsoft 365
- Google Workspace
- Slack
What should I do now?
From here, it’s up to you to assess which virtual landline package is best for you based on features, price, customer support, or anything else that’s important to your business. If you’re still unsure which one to go for, take advantage of free trials and check out company reviews to give you a better idea of what to expect.
You can start by heading over to Virtual Landline to find out how you can secure a virtual landline number for as little as £4.50.
