Is a Landline Number Still Important?

[DontAsk]

I used to be sniffy about businesses that only had mobile contact numbers.

Now with the impending switch of off the telephone network by OpenReach, and the move to broadband telephony, and the fact that one of my cordless 'phone handsets has stopped working, I am considering a home broadband deal that has no landline number. That means I will use only a mobile mobile number for my (home based) business.

What do other think?

 

[fisicx]

Haven’t had a landline for years. It’s never been a problem.

 

[AJames-Design]

I have been curious about this myself.

I'd completely agree with your outlook. I used to judge a business for a lack of it, as likely someone hustling. But now I fall in to this category, I can't see a reason to have a landline number.

Some of the VOIP services I see advertised seem great, but unless there is a ROI, why would I.

Appreciate the post!

 

[UKSBD]

I've still got a landline for receiving calls, made 2 of what they call "out of plan" calls last month which cost nearly £4.55

I still like the idea of having a landline and I think it only costs about £3 a month (provided I remember not to use it)

Edit to ad: £3.23 a month

 

[DontAsk]

Edit to ad: £3.23 a month

Even less for me but I will also need to buy a new cordless phone to use it, which will be landfill in a year or two.

 

[tony84]

I have a landline number that diverts through to my mobile if I am out (which is a lot of the time).
I think it really depends on what you do. A plumber, I think a mobile is fine, a funeral director and it might look a bit odd.

 

[glengraving]

My shop has a landline, 90% of it's use is spam calls from fellas in a different continent selling energy/card payment processors etc. The 10% that is customers checking whether I'm open/have a thing in stock etc is appreciated, but I've stopped emphasising the landline number on my receipts/business card/website etc in favour of a whatsapp business chat link and other online ways to communicate.
Ofc they can also phone the mobile number associated with that whatsapp (a second sim in my phone), but I encourage texting first so I know who/why is ringing.
Unsure how long I'll keep the landline around for, it's not costing me much to be fair.

 

[cjd]

There's no doubt that opinions are changing over this. I would have said - and did say regularly - that if you were a business you absolutely had to have a geographic number because if you only had an 07 number (or none at all), everyone would know immediately that you're a flaky one-man band and go find a real company. (You then divert the landline call to your mobile and you look big.)

I wasn't just saying that, there was a stack of Ofcom research that customers trust companies more with a 'real' number.

That's still true about many businesses, particularly those that are office-based and/or have more than a single employee.

There is more of an acceptance now for 07s but it's not everywhere - builders, plumbers, anybody you'd expect to be travelling fine, but I still expect my accountant to have a real number.

In the home though, landlines are plummeting - young people now don't have landlines.

But to be frank, I think spending £3 per month on landline for incoming calls is still a bit of a no brainer. But then I suppose I would wouldn't I?

 

[FreddyG]

I wasn't just saying that, there was a stack of Ofcom research that customers trust companies more with a 'real' number.

Yesterday I was 'subjected' to a call from some research company on behalf of Ofcom. They wanted to know all about our use of telephones and postal services. It came from an 07 number! (Someone working from home!)

 

[cjd]

Yesterday I was 'subjected' to a call from some research company on behalf of Ofcom. They wanted to know all about our use of telephones and postal services. It came from an 07 number! (Someone working from home!)

And that's another problem isn't it? How do you know it's Ofcom if you're being called from a personal mobile?

Trust is becoming an enormous issue generally for all forms of numbers - they can all be spoofed - but at least they need to make the effort to do the spoofing.

It's all only going in one direction though.

 

[fisicx]

Yesterday I was 'subjected' to a call from some research company on behalf of Ofcom.

No you didn’t. It was just some scammer.

 

[Newchodge]

I have a landline and the number is on all my business emails. I am primarily based at my home office.

However I always use my mobile to ring clients and they, with one exception, call my landline. The exception is a new client who I haven't rung much, who always uses the landline number. Apart from her ALL my landline calls are spam. I never use it to make calls as outgoing calls cost a fortune.

The landline is part of a package including broadband. I am not very tech aware and was under the impression that you had to have a landline to have broadband. That idea is probably wll out of date now.

 

[cjd]

I have a landline and the number is on all my business emails. I am primarily based at my home office.

However I always use my mobile to ring clients and they, with one exception, call my landline. The exception is a new client who I haven't rung much, who always uses the landline number. Apart from her ALL my landline calls are spam. I never use it to make calls as outgoing calls cost a fortune.

The landline is part of a package including broadband. I am not very tech aware and was under the impression that you had to have a landline to have broadband. That idea is probably wll out of date now.

Yes, you can now have broadband without paying for a landline. And, if you wanted to keep your landline number there's no reason to pay silly money for it to your broadband provider. (£3pm from us ;-))

There are good ways to stop spam too now - you need a call screening phone or service.

 

[Newchodge]

Yes, you can now have broadband without paying for a landline. And, if you wanted to keep your landline number there's no reason to pay silly money for it to your broadband provider. (£3pm from us ;-))

There are good ways to stop spam too now - you need a call screening phone or service.

Thanks. The contract ends in July, so I'll get in touch before then.

 

[FreddyG]

No you didn’t. It was just some scammer.

It was a nice girl from Birmingham called Iram who kept me on the phone by asking silly multiple-choice questions about the importance of landlines, mobiles and postal services. Iram is a Persian name and means Paradise. A girl called Paradise would not be a scammer, now would she?

 

[ACM Design Company]

I agree with the posters here and I too, used to worry that a company with only a mobile number could be an issue as to whether or not they were legit. Back then I made sure I had a VOIP setup with a local landline number, but as time has gone on, I've ditched it in favour of just advertising the mobile. It doesn't seem to be an issue anymore.

 

[fisicx]

A lot of my clients are outside the UK which means a mobile number is more useful as they all seem to use WhatsApp for comms.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

I think that it is very important still
Large companies don't expect to be calling a mobile.
It maybe unimportant for those that are B2C

 

[Ozzy]

From my experience, as said above, it depends on the business. My daughter uses a mobile for her riding school, and despite my suggesting she get a VOIP service so 'mum' can help cover calls, she doesn't want to.
My accountants have a landline number for their office but I always call his mobile, don't think I've ever called their office number.
We have a landline number for our office that is a VOIP service with everyone working hybrid home and office, and all our customers call our office 'landline' number apart from a few key relationships who call either mine or a colleagues mobile number (account management).

Whether i judge a company on whether they have a mobile or a landline will depend on the company. If I'm looking for an IT firm to manage our network infrastructure (so I want a company with a network of engineers), I'd expect a landline. If I was calling a web designer I wouldn't be concerned if it was a mobile.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Whilst perceptions are changing, there are still many who believe that mobile only is a bit flakey (or categorises you as a certain type of person)

To some extent this can be addressed be being free and open with other information- a proper business address, full business details etc.

As mentioned, it does depend on the nature of your business and what you are trying to project.

I've no idea what my plumber's landlines is. I expect my insurance company to display one.

 

[Paul Carmen]

If even a small percentage of people are put off by the lack of a landline, and research suggests many are, especially when dealing with larger companies, then why not have a landline number?

As others have said the cost is small, no phone kit is needed, as calls can be received via an app on mobiles/computers, or by diverting calls straight to mobile.

 

[DontAsk]

calls can be received via an app on mobiles/computers, or by diverting calls straight to mobile.

I have no experience of this.

Does this apply to all landline providers?

Is it an extra cost?

Goes away to ask Google...

 

[cjd]

I have no experience of this.

Does this apply to all landline providers?

Is it an extra cost?

Goes away to ask Google...

Not everyone offers both those services but most will offer some sort of diversion service.

Generally a diversion to a mobile sent over the mobile network will be a chargeable call (but may be included in your calling plan from the company that owns the number originally called).

Normally a call diverted to an app on your mobile will be free (it uses your data package or WiFi.)

This is how we do it.

Call Forwarding & Divert

Voipfone UK call forwarding: redirect calls to any number. Included in plans, stay connected anywhere. Set up easily with Voipfone for seamless communication!

www.voipfone.co.uk

 

[Ozzy]

Normally a call diverted to an app on your mobile will be free (it uses your data package or WiFi.)

This is the sort of service I use in my business for all staff; through an App on mobiles and also has an App that runs on computers too.
Nothing to be worried about implementing, unless you have people who are often in poor mobile signal areas without access to a WiFi connection.

 

[DontAsk]

Thanks all.

With the extra costs for diverting, I might as well keep the landline, buy a new cordless phone system and wait to see what happens when PSTN is finally retired.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

From my experience, as said above, it depends on the business. My daughter uses a mobile for her riding school, and despite my suggesting she get a VOIP service so 'mum' can help cover calls, she doesn't want to.
My accountants have a landline number for their office but I always call his mobile, don't think I've ever called their office number.
We have a landline number for our office that is a VOIP service with everyone working hybrid home and office, and all our customers call our office 'landline' number apart from a few key relationships who call either mine or a colleagues mobile number (account management).

Whether i judge a company on whether they have a mobile or a landline will depend on the company. If I'm looking for an IT firm to manage our network infrastructure (so I want a company with a network of engineers), I'd expect a landline. If I was calling a web designer I wouldn't be concerned if it was a mobile.

I dont like people calling my mobile for business
I considered it an intrusion of my intrusionables

 

[Paul Carmen]

Thanks all.

With the extra costs for diverting, I might as well keep the landline, buy a new cordless phone system and wait to see what happens when PSTN is finally retired.

Really, if you use a service like Voipfone or CircleLoop these include the mobile app and free inbound calls for around £5 a month?

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

Thanks all.

With the extra costs for diverting, I might as well keep the landline, buy a new cordless phone system and wait to see what happens when PSTN is finally retired.

Waiting to see might cause you problems and inconvenience at the time

 

[cjd]

Thanks all.

With the extra costs for diverting, I might as well keep the landline, buy a new cordless phone system and wait to see what happens when PSTN is finally retired.

That would depend how you're intending to use it. If it's to replace a landline at home or in the office there would be no additional divert costs as it would use your wifi. You'd save on line rental etc.

But to be honest if you want a landline in you home or on a desk at your business you might as well just get an adapter and plug a DECT phone in (the handsfree jobbies that sit in charging cradles).

btw, you no longer need to rent a telephone line to have broadband. VoIP works over the top of it.

 

[DontAsk]

If I keep the landline then I want to keep the existing number.

Can that be transferred to any IP phone provider?

Agreed, I may just be kicking the can down the road. If I switch to BT then I can simply plug an analog phone into the router.

 

[cjd]

If I keep the landline then I want to keep the existing number.

Can that be transferred to any IP phone provider?

Yes, and it's free

Move your number to Voipfone

We can transfer (port) almost any telephone number onto our service including BT, Sky, TalkTalk, Virgin Media.

www.voipfone.co.uk

 

[Mark T Jones]

I don't know how much has changed in the market, but 10 years ago I used a service called answer.co.uk

They gave me a dedicated number and answered calls at £1 a time (they didn't charge for spam/sales calls). From memory there was a minimum call charge of £5 a month. It worked very well

 

[Talktime]

Is a Landline Number Still Important?​

Well, that depends entirely on who you are and how you're set up. If you're a good old-fashioned bricks-and-mortar business, then a landline says, "We exist! We’re not just a dodgy website!" It gives people the warm fuzzy feeling that you're not about to vanish overnight.


If you’re a multinational jet-setting empire with no fixed address—basically a corporate ghost—then a non-geographic 0333 number gives the right impression: “We’re global, darling.”


But if you’re like me—a roving consultant in my field, armed with expertise and a mobile phone that’s been through more than most marriages—then no landline is necessary. In fact, I haven’t had one since 2009. It’s probably gathering dust in a telecoms museum by now.

 

[DontAsk]

I decided to renew the landline for now, for existing customers who have old paperwork, but change my contact details over to a mobile number.

We have a fixed address that is publicised so people can see we are real and not some dodgy website operating from a temporary traveller site or half-way round the world

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Why?

You could have just migrated the number to a VoIP provider (e.g. CJD) and saved a bundle!

 

[Paul Norman]

I reckon that it is fast becoming less important.

I cannot imagine not ringing a business just because there is no landline.

However, we still have one. I am not totally sure why.

 

[martin_shl]

I have a number of older clients who prefer to phone a landline number. Doesn't matter to them if the number is a physical landline, a VOIP service or forwarded to a mobile. Even if you're dialling from a mobile and the cost is the same (or included) there is something about a landline that gives the impression of having a base.
Sometimes whether there is a phone number on the website or not can influence whether or not I will buy from that supplier as I want to know how I can get support if I need it.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

gives the impression of having a base.

Also known as building trust!

 

[cjd]

It's about trust mainly - a company with a landline looks professional and established. You might still be a fly-by-the seat-of-your-pants wideboy, but it's less likely if you've bothered to get a landline.

There are also attributes that are useful like the 01 and 02 numbers being tied to a geographic area so you know you're dealing with a local company if that's what you want.

You still need a landline number if you want to do all the clever things that a PBX can do like have extensions, call queues, IVRs (press 1 for sales etc) and so on. (Though we'll be doing that with mobile numbers too soon.)

It's changing now though, 07 numbers are becoming more acceptable for some types of businesses but not all; don't underestimate a geo number's usefulness, they're really cheap now.

 

[SSmith]

Landlines can be changed to virtual number and these can be routed to a mobile, This removes the need for a physical line, you can keep your original number (or chose a new one) and route calls to your mobile. When doing this you can also benefit from a whole host of additional features ie. IVR's, welcome messages, smart call routing, automatic disaster recovery, call queuing and any more.