Do I Still Need a Landline for My Business?

The short answer to 'do I need a landline for my business?' is no. You do not need a copper landline. Most legacy copper services in the nbn fixed-line footprint have been disconnected as premises migrated to the nbn, but copper phone services remain in some fixed-wireless, satellite, regional and remote areas. But that does not mean your personal mobile is enough. This article explains what 'landline' actually means in 2026, why most businesses still need a dedicated number, and what the modern replacement looks like, including what it costs.

Why Your Personal Mobile Is Not Enough

It works in the beginning. But it creates problems that get worse as your business grows:

It looks unprofessional. When a potential customer rings a mobile number, they cannot tell if they are calling a business or a personal contact. A geographic landline number or 1300 number signals 'this is a business'. A mobile number signals 'this might be a person's personal phone'.

There is no separation. Your business calls, personal calls, and everything in between all go to the same device and the same number. You cannot hand the number to a staff member to cover when you are busy. You cannot turn off business calls after hours. You cannot see which calls are business calls without checking your recents one by one.

There is no after-hours control. When your business is closed, callers get your personal voicemail, if you have one set up at all. There is no professional after-hours message, no indication of your business hours, no option to direct them to your website or email. A missed call at 7pm either interrupts your evening or goes unacknowledged until you notice it.

There is no call routing. A personal mobile may support basic call forwarding to another number, but it does not provide the same reception queues, schedules and routing controls as a business phone system. If you want calls answered by different people depending on time of day, you cannot do that. If you want a 'press 1 for quotes, press 2 for existing customers' menu, you cannot do that. Your personal mobile does exactly one thing: ring your phone.

What happens when you hire someone? If your business number is your personal mobile, every time a customer has been dealing with you and you hire someone to take over, there is a problem. The number follows you, not the business. A dedicated business number stays with the business regardless of who is answering it.

What 'Landline' Actually Means in 2026

Here is the thing most people do not realise: if you signed up for a 'landline' phone service with your internet provider when you got NBN, you probably already have VoIP, whether you know it or not.

The old copper landline network (called the PSTN, Public Switched Telephone Network) has been switched off across most of Australia. Legacy copper services have been progressively disconnected across most of the nbn fixed-line footprint, but the copper phone network has not been completely shut down nationwide. Most new fixed-phone services in the nbn fixed-line footprint are delivered using IP-based technology, but copper and other fixed-voice technologies remain in use in some areas.

What your ISP calls a 'landline' is almost certainly a VoIP service delivered via an ATA adapter, a small device that converts the digital signal to the analog plug your old phone uses. Your ISP controls the service. You plug in your existing handset. It feels like a landline. But it is VoIP.

The problem with the ISP-provided ATA setup is that it is the bare minimum. You get a number, you get dial tone, you get basic voicemail. Features vary by ISP and plan: some services are limited, while others include call forwarding, online management or additional business calling features. If changing providers, request the number port before disconnecting the old service; only an active service can be ported.

The modern replacement, a cloud business phone system, gives you the same 'landline' number (including local geographic numbers like 02 and 03) but with a full feature set, proper management tools, and no dependency on any single ISP. For a full explanation of what the copper shutdown means for your business, see PSTN Shutdown Australia. If you are weighing a basic line against a full phone system, see Do I Need a Phone System or Just a VOIP Line?.

The Modern Replacement: A Cloud Business Number

A cloud business number gives you a dedicated business phone number that works on your mobile, your laptop, or a desk phone, wherever you are, however you work. It is built on VoIP (calls over the internet) but you do not need to understand the technology to use it.

Here is what it looks like in practice:

• You sign up with a business phone provider online
• You choose a local geographic number (02, 03, 07, etc.) or a 1300 number
• You download an app on your mobile and/or laptop
• Calls to your business number ring on your app, or on a desk phone if you have one
• You set up a professional voicemail greeting and after-hours message
• When you call customers, your business number shows on their phone, not your personal mobile

The key difference from the ISP ATA setup: you own the service relationship. You can add users, change your settings, port your number to another provider if you want, and access your call records without needing to call your ISP and wait on hold.

For businesses with multiple staff, a cloud phone system adds ring groups (all phones ring when a call comes in), call transfers, hold music, and IVR menus. For a sole trader, a simple virtual number app is enough. See VoIP vs Traditional Phone Australia for a detailed comparison, or Best VoIP Phone System for Small Business Australia for a full review of the available options.

What It Costs, Often Less Than a Telstra Landline Was

A basic virtual business number costs $5-15/month including GST. A cloud phone system for a small team costs $25-50 per seat per month including GST. Compare that to what a Telstra business landline used to cost, often $50-80/month for the line rental alone, before calls. A cloud service may cost less and offer more features, but total cost and performance depend on the provider, number of users, call inclusions, equipment and internet connection.

Use the VoIP Cost Calculator to estimate your specific monthly cost based on your team size and call volume.

How to Keep Your Existing Landline Number

If your business has been using a landline number for years and your customers know it, you do not have to give it up. The process of transferring a phone number from one provider to another is called number porting, and it is your legal right in Australia, ACMA regulations require providers to release your number when you request a port.

What the process looks like:

1. Sign up with your new cloud phone provider and request a port of your existing number
2. Provide your current provider's account details (account number, address on the account)
3. For a single local-number port, the code sets completion targets of 80% within 8 business days, 90% within 10 business days and 98% within 15 business days; more complex ports can differ.
4. Keep your old service active until the port completes, cancelling early can cause the number to be released
5. Once the port completes, your existing number works on your new cloud phone system

Mobile numbers port on stricter, faster service levels (90% within 3 hours, 99% within 2 business days). Geographic and mobile numbers are governed by different porting processes and service-level timeframes. For a detailed walkthrough and common reasons ports get rejected, see Number Porting Australia. If you are migrating from a landline service specifically, Migrate Landline to VoIP Australia covers the full process step by step.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong

Three things trip up businesses when they are thinking through this decision:

Mistake 1, Confusing 'landline' with 'dedicated business number'. You do not need a copper landline. But you probably do need a number that is not your personal mobile. These are two different things. Most legacy copper services in the nbn fixed-line footprint have been disconnected, but copper remains operational in some parts of Australia. A dedicated business number, on a cloud platform, is still absolutely worth having.

Mistake 2, Assuming VoIP means poor call quality. Ten years ago, VoIP had a reputation for choppy calls and dropouts. On modern NBN connections, that problem is largely gone. VoIP call quality depends on latency, congestion, the local network and equipment as well as available bandwidth. Fixed wireless and satellite connections can be more variable, but connection type alone does not determine call quality. Use the VoIP Bandwidth Calculator to check.

Mistake 3, Waiting until there is a 'problem' to switch. The time to set up a dedicated business number is before you start handing out contact details to customers, not after you have 200 clients saved under your personal mobile number. Once customers have your personal mobile, they will continue to use it even if you get a business number. Starting with a clean separation is much easier than trying to migrate later.

Your Next Steps

A quick checklist based on your situation:

• Sole trader or micro business: Get a virtual business number with a mobile app. Setup time varies by provider and is longer when an existing number must be ported. Costs $5-15/month. Set up your voicemail greeting and after-hours message before you hand the number to anyone.
• Small office with 2+ staff: Get a cloud phone system. This gives you ring groups, call transfers, and proper call routing. Do not start with individual mobile numbers, you will regret it when you try to set up proper call routing later.
• Have an existing landline number: Keep it. Request a number port to your new cloud phone provider. Keep your old service active until the port completes (generally 8 to 15 business days).
• Still on an ISP ATA setup: Check if your number can be ported. In most cases it can. Switch to a dedicated cloud phone provider to get proper features and control over your number.

Whether you keep a landline or move fully to cloud VoIP, the number of lines you need is calculated the same way: peak concurrent call volume, not headcount. Our Phone Lines Calculator works this out in under a minute.

If you have decided to move away from your landline, the next step is planning the migration properly. Our Phone System Switch Planner generates a step-by-step migration plan and timeline based on your current setup and how many numbers need to be ported.

Whether you keep a landline or switch to a cloud phone system, you still need to decide what number your business will use publicly. Our guide to how to get a business phone number in Australia covers all four options, including how to port an existing number, how long each type takes to go live, and what a 1300 number actually costs to run each month.

Is a VoIP number the same as a landline number?

For all practical purposes, yes. A VoIP business number can be a standard Australian geographic number (02, 03, 07, etc.) that looks and behaves exactly like a traditional landline number to callers. The difference is in the underlying technology, calls travel over the internet rather than the old copper network. The caller cannot tell the difference. You get the same number format and local numbers can be ported under Australian porting rules, but reliability depends on power, internet stability, equipment and provider infrastructure.

What happens to my phone if the power goes out?

A VoIP phone system depends on your internet connection, which depends on your modem, which needs power. VoIP equipment normally stops working without premises power. A traditional copper line could continue during a premises outage when used with a handset that did not require mains power. Where supported, preconfigure and test offline diversion to a charged mobile with coverage. Setup steps and timing vary by provider and call-flow configuration.

Can I call 000 from a VoIP phone?

You can call 000 from fixed and mobile phones and certain VoIP services. Confirm that the specific VoIP service provides emergency-call access before relying on it. However, VoIP phones do not automatically transmit your precise physical address to emergency services the way a traditional copper landline did. You need to register your address with your provider so they can pass it to emergency services when you call 000. This is a mandatory setup step that reputable cloud phone providers walk you through during onboarding. See 000 Emergency Calling VoIP Australia for full details.

What is the cheapest way to get a dedicated business number?

A virtual-number app can be a low-cost option, but total cost varies with number rental, app or device licences, call charges, features and GST treatment. You do not need a desk phone, a separate device, or any hardware. The app runs on your existing smartphone. Depending on the provider and plan, voicemail, scheduled messaging, app access and outbound caller-ID presentation may be included or may require separate licences or add-ons. It is the right starting point for sole traders and micro businesses.

My ISP gave me a phone port with my NBN, is that enough?

It depends on what you need. The ISP phone port is a basic VoIP service, you get a number, dial tone, and basic voicemail. For a home-based business that just needs occasional calls, it might be fine. Available routing and management features vary by ISP and plan. Number porting is governed by Australian porting rules, although the gaining provider must support and arrange the port. If you want to use it as your main business line, check whether the number can be ported if you ever want to switch providers, Ask the receiving provider to arrange the port before disconnecting the ISP service, because only an active number can be ported. A dedicated business phone provider gives you more control and more features for a similar or lower monthly cost.

Do I need a separate phone for my business number?

Many virtual-number services can use a compatible smartphone app or forward calls to an existing mobile, but app, device and licence requirements vary by provider. You answer calls from your business number on the same phone you already have, they just come through the app rather than to your regular phone number. The caller sees your business number. Your personal number stays private. If you prefer a physical desk phone for your office, that option exists too, but it is a preference, not a requirement.

Every business is different. A sole trader working from home has different phone needs than a 5-person team sharing an office. Tell us how many people take calls and what your biggest phone problem is. We'll give you a specific recommendation. We reply personally. Not a bot, not a form letter.