How to Get a Business Phone Number UK: Virtual vs Traditional Solutions

Last Updated on 18 November 2025

When Marcus launched his landscaping business in Leeds, he hit an immediate roadblock: verifying his WhatsApp Business account, Google Business Profile, and Instagram Business page all required separate UK phone numbers. Using his personal mobile for everything meant a cluttered message inbox and clients seeing his personal WhatsApp. He needed dedicated business phone numbers UK for verification and professional communication, but didn’t need expensive landlines with features he’d never use.

This scenario has become increasingly common for UK small businesses. As platforms like WhatsApp Business, Instagram Business, and Google Business Profile become essential tools for customer communication, the need for proper phone number verification has grown. The challenge? Most of these platforms won’t accept the same number twice, and mixing business verifications with your personal mobile creates confusion and looks unprofessional.

The solution lies in understanding the difference between traditional phone lines built for voice calls and virtual phone numbers designed specifically for SMS verification and messaging-based business communication. This guide explains both options, when each makes sense, and how to get a business phone number UK that actually fits your needs in 2025.

Why UK Businesses Need Dedicated Numbers for Platform Verification

Five years ago, having a business phone number meant installing a landline for customers to call. Today, the landscape has shifted dramatically. Most UK businesses now need phone numbers primarily for SMS verification and managing messaging platforms, not traditional voice calls.

WhatsApp Business, Instagram Business, Facebook Business Manager, and Google Business Profile all require UK phone number verification during setup. You can’t skip this step, and these platforms are no longer optional for businesses trying to reach UK customers who increasingly prefer messaging over email or phone calls.

You cannot use the same phone number to verify multiple business accounts. If you’re a digital marketing agency managing five client Instagram Business accounts, you need five separate phone numbers. If you run an e-commerce business selling on Amazon, eBay, and your own Shopify store, each platform needs its own verified number.

Using your personal mobile number for business verifications means mixing personal WhatsApp messages with customer inquiries, receiving verification codes for business accounts on your private phone, and having no clear boundary between work and personal life. UK businesses are increasingly recognising that professional communication requires dedicated business numbers.

When platforms send two-factor authentication codes or account recovery messages, having those arrive on a dedicated business number rather than your personal mobile provides better security and makes account management significantly easier, especially if you’re managing multiple team members or client accounts.

The modern business phone number serves a fundamentally different purpose than it did even three years ago. Understanding this shift is crucial to choosing the right solution.

Traditional vs Virtual Business Phone Numbers: What’s the Difference?

When you search for how to get a business phone number UK, you’ll encounter two distinct options. Each serves different purposes, and understanding these differences helps you avoid paying for features you don’t need or choosing a solution that doesn’t actually solve your problem.

Traditional Business Phone Lines

Traditional business phone lines are physical telephone connections installed at a fixed location. These are the classic landlines that connect to desk phones, require professional installation, and are designed primarily for voice communication.

Traditional landlines excel at voice communication and are ideal if your business relies on phone calls with customers. If you run a call centre, have a receptionist answering inquiries all day, or operate from a fixed office where voice calls are your primary communication method, traditional phone lines provide exactly what you need. They offer features like call forwarding, voicemail, hold music, and the ability to connect multiple desk phones throughout an office.

The installation process typically requires scheduling an engineer visit, installing physical equipment, and waiting several days to weeks for activation. You’re tied to the physical location where the line is installed, which works perfectly for businesses that operate from fixed premises.

Virtual Phone Numbers for SMS Verification

Virtual phone numbers operate completely differently. These are UK phone numbers that receive SMS messages for verification purposes, accessible through an online dashboard rather than a physical phone or desk equipment.

Virtual phone numbers for business are purpose-built for SMS verification and managing business messaging across platforms like WhatsApp Business and social media. When someone sends a text message or verification code to your virtual number, it appears in your online dashboard instantly. There’s no hardware to install, no engineer visits to schedule, and no physical location requirement.

These numbers are ideal for businesses that need to verify WhatsApp Business accounts, manage multiple social media business profiles, verify e-commerce platform accounts, or maintain separate business messaging from personal communications. The setup is instant, typically taking less than five minutes from selecting a number to receiving your first verification code.

So which option fits your business needs? It depends on how your customers communicate with you.

5 Reasons UK Businesses Choose Virtual Numbers for Business Communication

For businesses whose customer communication happens primarily through WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, and text-based platforms rather than traditional phone calls, virtual numbers offer several compelling advantages.

1. Verify WhatsApp Business, Google, and Social Media Instantly

Every major business platform now requires phone verification. WhatsApp Business won’t let you create a business account without a verified UK phone number. Instagram Business and Facebook Business Manager enforce the same requirement. Google Business Profile sends verification codes via SMS. None of these platforms accept numbers that have already been used for another account.

This creates an immediate problem: if you’re running multiple business accounts or managing client profiles, you need multiple phone numbers. A Manchester-based electrician uses three separate virtual business phone numbers UK – one for his WhatsApp Business account, one for Instagram Business, and one for Google Business Profile verification.

The verification process is straightforward: select your virtual number, enter it into the platform’s verification field, receive the SMS code in your dashboard within seconds, and complete verification.

2. Run Multiple Business Accounts Without Multiple SIM Cards

The traditional solution to needing multiple phone numbers was buying multiple SIM cards and managing multiple physical devices. This quickly becomes unmanageable. Social media agencies managing ten client Instagram Business accounts would need ten different phones or constantly swap SIM cards.

Virtual numbers eliminate this physical device problem entirely. You can have five, ten, or twenty different UK business phone numbers, all accessible from your laptop or tablet through a single dashboard. When verification codes arrive, they’re organised by number, making it easy to identify which code belongs to which business account.

Social media agencies managing client accounts need separate WhatsApp Business numbers for each client to avoid platform restrictions. Managing this with physical SIM cards would require dedicated phones for each client. With virtual numbers, one team member can manage all client verifications from a single device.

3. Separate Business Messages from Personal Life

When you use your personal mobile number for business verifications, everything mixes together. Verification codes for your business Instagram account arrive alongside messages from friends. WhatsApp Business inquiries from customers appear in the same app where you chat with family.

A second phone number UK for business creates a clear separation. Business verification codes go to your business number. Personal messages stay on your personal mobile. A London roofer gets quote requests via WhatsApp Business on his virtual number, keeping his personal WhatsApp free for family and friends.

4. Set Up in Minutes Without Installation or Equipment

Traditional business phone lines require scheduling engineer appointments, taking time off work to be present during installation, purchasing or renting desk phones, and waiting days or weeks for activation.

Unlike traditional phone lines that require installation, virtual numbers for SMS verification are active within minutes. Select your preferred UK area code from available options, complete a simple online signup, and your number is ready to receive verification codes. There’s no equipment to buy, no engineer to schedule, no installation process to navigate.

5. Affordable Solution for Businesses That Don’t Need Voice Calls

If your business communication happens primarily via WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, and text messages rather than traditional phone calls, virtual numbers offer exactly what you need without paying for features you don’t use. Traditional phone lines are built for voice communication, with infrastructure and features designed around taking calls.

Modern UK small businesses, particularly tradespeople and digital-focused companies, increasingly find that customers prefer messaging over calling. Rather than phoning for a quote, customers message via WhatsApp. The business phone number becomes primarily a verification tool and messaging identifier rather than a voice communication channel.

Virtual numbers are purpose-built for this messaging-first reality. There are no installation fees because there’s no physical installation. There’s no hardware to maintain because everything operates through cloud infrastructure.

How to Get a Business Phone Number UK for Verification in 2025

Once you understand the difference between voice-focused traditional lines and verification-focused virtual numbers, the process of actually getting a business phone number UK becomes straightforward.

Step 1: Identify Your Communication Needs

Before selecting a provider or choosing a number type, honestly assess how your customers actually communicate with your business.

Do customers regularly call you for inquiries, quotes, or support? If yes, you need a traditional phone line or mobile for voice calls. If customers primarily reach you through WhatsApp, Instagram, or email, voice capability might not be necessary.

Are you verifying business accounts on WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, or e-commerce platforms? If yes, virtual numbers designed for SMS verification are exactly what these platforms require.

Do you manage multiple business accounts or client profiles? If yes, you need separate phone numbers for each account, making virtual numbers practical and traditional lines impractical.

Most modern UK small businesses find they need virtual numbers for platform verification while handling voice communication through mobile or landline. A Leeds-based plumber keeps his mobile number for customer calls but uses separate virtual numbers to verify his WhatsApp Business account, Google Business Profile, and Instagram Business page.

Step 2: Select a UK Virtual Number Provider

When you’re ready to get a virtual business phone number UK for SMS verification, choosing the right provider matters. Look for UK phone numbers with proper area codes, reliable SMS reception for verification codes, and compatibility with WhatsApp Business, Google, Instagram, and other platforms.

Setup should take minutes, not days. You select a number, complete the signup, and immediately start receiving verification codes without waiting for approval or manual activation. You should be able to view incoming SMS messages clearly, organised by number if you have multiple.

Providers like Quackr specialise in UK virtual numbers for SMS verification and platform management. You can receive verification codes instantly and manage multiple numbers from a single dashboard. Setup takes minutes, and numbers work reliably with WhatsApp Business, Google Business Profile, Instagram Business, and other platforms that require UK phone verification.

Step 3: Start Verifying Your Business Accounts

With your virtual number active, you can immediately begin verifying the business accounts and platforms your company needs. Start with WhatsApp Business verification since most UK customers now prefer WhatsApp for business communication.

Receive your UK virtual number instantly. Use it to verify WhatsApp Business first, then verify other platforms (Google, Instagram, etc.). Save the number for future verifications.

For WhatsApp Business, this process takes approximately two minutes from entering your number to having a fully verified business account. Google Business Profile verification via SMS is equally quick.

Who Uses Virtual Business Phone Numbers UK?

Understanding real-world use cases helps clarify whether virtual numbers fit your specific business situation.

Tradespeople Using WhatsApp Business

Electricians, plumbers, builders, and roofers increasingly rely on WhatsApp Business for customer communication. Customers prefer sending a quick WhatsApp message with photos of the problem rather than making a phone call.

However, setting up WhatsApp Business requires sms verification with a number that hasn’t been used for any other WhatsApp account. Using your personal mobile number means you can’t have both personal WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business on the same device.

A Birmingham-based plumber solved this by getting a virtual number specifically for WhatsApp Business verification. He verifies his business account, customers message him for quotes and scheduling, and his personal WhatsApp remains completely separate on his regular mobile.

Managing Multiple Social Media Business Profiles

Digital marketing agencies face a unique challenge: managing multiple client Instagram Business accounts, Facebook Business pages, and other social media profiles. Each business account requires separate phone verification, and platforms explicitly prohibit using the same number for multiple business accounts.

The traditional solution was maintaining a drawer full of old mobile phones, each with its own SIM card. This became unmanageable at scale.

A digital marketing agency in Edinburgh now manages 8 client Instagram Business accounts using 8 separate virtual numbers. When Instagram sends verification codes, each code arrives in the agency’s dashboard clearly labelled with which number received it.

E-Commerce Verification Across Multiple Platforms

Online retailers selling through multiple marketplaces face constant verification requirements. Amazon Seller Central needs a verified phone number. eBay business accounts require verification. Shopify accounts need phone confirmation. Each platform enforces these requirements independently.

An online retailer uses separate virtual numbers to verify their Amazon Seller account, eBay business account, and Etsy shop. When any platform sends verification codes, the codes arrive on the correct number clearly separated from the others.

FAQs About Business Phone Numbers UK

Do virtual business phone numbers receive regular calls?

Virtual numbers designed for SMS verification receive text messages and verification codes, not voice calls. If your business needs to receive customer phone calls, you’ll want a traditional phone line or mobile number.

Can I use a virtual number for WhatsApp Business?

Yes, virtual numbers work perfectly for WhatsApp Business verification. Once verified, you’ll use WhatsApp Business’s built-in calling features for voice communication with customers.

How many virtual numbers can I have?

You can have as many virtual numbers as your business needs. Many UK businesses use multiple numbers – one for WhatsApp Business, another for Instagram Business, and others for different platform verifications.

Do I need a traditional phone line AND a virtual number?

It depends on your needs. If customers call you frequently, keep your traditional line or mobile for voice calls. Add virtual numbers for platform verification. Many UK businesses use both.

Choosing the Right Business Phone Solution for Your UK Business

For UK businesses that communicate primarily through WhatsApp Business, Instagram, and other messaging platforms, virtual phone numbers offer a practical solution for SMS verification and account management. They complement rather than replace your existing phone system.

Traditional phone lines remain essential for voice-heavy businesses with fixed offices. Virtual numbers shine for platform verification, managing multiple business accounts, and keeping professional messaging separate from personal. Many businesses use both.

Need to verify WhatsApp Business, Google Business Profile, or social media accounts? Quackr provides instant access to UK virtual numbers for SMS verification. Setup takes minutes, and you can manage multiple business verifications from one simple dashboard.