Porting Geographic Phone Numbers (01/02) to VoIP

What Are Geographic Phone Numbers?

Geographic phone numbers are UK telephone numbers that begin with 01 or 02 and are associated with a specific local area. For example, 0161 numbers are associated with Manchester, 0113 with Leeds, 020 with London, and 0131 with Edinburgh. These are the most common type of business phone number in the UK and are often deeply tied to a company's local identity.

When switching to a VoIP phone system, businesses naturally want to keep their geographic numbers. The good news is that porting 01 and 02 numbers to a hosted VoIP platform is a straightforward process.

The Porting Process for 01/02 Numbers

Porting your geographic numbers to VoIP follows a standard regulated process:

Step 1: Gather Your Number Details

Compile a complete list of all 01 and 02 numbers you want to port. This includes your main number, any additional lines, and DDI (Direct Dial-In) ranges if you have them. You will also need your current provider's name and your account reference.

Step 2: Submit the Porting Request

Your new VoIP provider submits a porting request to your current carrier on your behalf. You will need to sign a Letter of Authority (LOA) confirming you authorise the transfer. Connection Technologies handles all the paperwork and coordination for you.

Step 3: Porting Window

The standard porting timescale for UK geographic numbers is 5–10 working days. During this period, your existing phone service continues to work as normal. A specific porting date is agreed in advance so you know exactly when the switch will happen.

Step 4: Go Live

On the porting date, your numbers are transferred to your new VoIP platform. Calls to your 01 or 02 numbers are now routed through your hosted phone system. The switchover is typically seamless, with minimal or no downtime.

Keeping Your Local Area Code

Your geographic number retains its area code when ported to VoIP. A Manchester business keeps its 0161 number, a London business keeps its 020 number, and so on. From your customers' perspective, nothing changes — they dial the same number they have always used.

This is important for businesses that value their local presence. Your business phone number is part of your brand identity, and porting ensures you never lose it.

Using Geographic Numbers from Any Location

One of the significant advantages of VoIP is that your geographic number is no longer tied to a physical location. Once your 01 or 02 number is on a VoIP platform:

Answer calls anywhere — take calls on your London 020 number from your home in Birmingham, or your Manchester 0161 number while travelling
Remote working — staff working from home can answer the office number on their laptop or mobile using a softphone app
Multiple locations — a single phone system can serve offices in different cities, each with their own local geographic number

This geographic flexibility is one of the key benefits of IP telephony over traditional landlines, where the number is physically wired to a specific premises.

Multi-Site Number Consolidation

For businesses with multiple offices, VoIP makes it easy to consolidate all your geographic numbers onto a single hosted platform:

Unified management — manage all numbers, users and call routing from one online portal
Inter-site transfers — transfer calls between offices seamlessly, as if everyone were in the same building
Centralised features — apply consistent auto attendant greetings, call recording and reporting across all sites
Cost efficiency — one provider, one bill, one support contact for all your telephony

A business with offices in London (020), Manchester (0161) and Bristol (0117) can have all three numbers on the same VoIP platform, with calls routing intelligently between locations based on time of day, staff availability or customer preference.

Typical Timescales

Here is what to expect for geographic number porting:

Single numbers or small batches — 5–7 working days
DDI ranges (10+ numbers) — 7–10 working days
Large or complex migrations — 10–15 working days (planned in consultation with your provider)

These timescales are governed by industry regulations and your current provider's processing speed. Your new provider will keep you informed throughout the process.

Get Your Virtual Telephone Number Working on VoIP

Once ported, your geographic number effectively becomes a virtual telephone number — it exists on the VoIP platform rather than on a physical copper line. This means it can ring on any device, be routed to any location, and be managed entirely online.

Ready to port your 01/02 numbers to VoIP? Get a free quote from Connection Technologies and we will handle the entire porting process for you.