How to Get a Business Phone Number in Australia (2026)

A new geographic or virtual mobile number may be activated within minutes, but porting an existing number takes longer, and pricing varies by number type, provider and features. This guide covers four common approaches: a geographic number, a 1300 number, a virtual mobile number, or keeping and porting an existing number. This guide explains each option clearly so you can pick the right one for how your business actually works.

All prices are in AUD including GST. If you want to understand whether you need a landline at all, read our guide on whether your business needs a landline first.

Option 1: Geographic Number (02, 03, 07, 08)

A geographic number is a standard Australian landline number tied to a state. 02 is NSW/ACT, 03 is VIC/TAS, 07 is QLD, 08 is WA/SA/NT. Customers see a regional area code, but it does not prove where the business or answering device is physically located. This builds local trust, especially for service businesses, professional practices, or any business where people want to know they are dealing with someone nearby.

Cost: geographic numbers are included in the base plan fee with many cloud phone plans, but not all, some providers charge for the number separately. If you already have a plan and want an additional number, expect to pay $0-5/month extra per number depending on the provider. You are not tied to a physical location, the number routes to wherever your system sends it, which can be your mobile, a softphone app, or a desk phone anywhere in Australia.

Best for: local businesses that serve a specific area and want to appear local to their customers. A Melbourne plumber, a Sydney accountant, a Brisbane physio, geographic numbers make sense here.

Option 2: 1300 Number

A 1300 number is a national number. It is classed as a local-rate number, but the caller's actual charge depends on their telco and plan; some plans include these calls and others charge separately. The business pays the inbound call charge. 1300 numbers signal national presence and are often used by businesses that want to appear bigger than they are, or that genuinely serve customers across multiple states.

1300 pricing varies by provider and plan. Current offerings include monthly fees and inbound rates outside these ranges, as well as plans with included or unlimited inbound calls; check the answering-point and usage conditions. For detailed guidance on getting one set up, see our guides on 1300 numbers in Australia and how to get a 1300 number.

Best for: businesses based in one state that serve customers nationally, or businesses that want a professional national presence without a geographic footprint. Be aware of the ongoing inbound call costs before committing, high call volumes can make 1300 numbers surprisingly expensive.

Option 3: Virtual Mobile Number

A virtual mobile number looks like a standard Australian mobile (04xx) but it is not tied to a SIM card. It is a number that exists in the cloud, when someone dials it, the call routes to your app, your desk phone, or any device you have configured. The caller sees a mobile number; you answer on whatever device works for you.

Cost: some providers include a virtual mobile number as part of their standard plan. Others charge $5-15/month extra. Availability varies by provider, not all Australian hosted VoIP providers offer virtual mobile numbers, so check before assuming it is included.

Best for: tradespeople, mobile businesses, and small operators who primarily deal with customers on mobile. A virtual mobile number feels more personal than a landline number in industries where customers expect to text you, while still keeping your business and personal numbers separate.

Option 4: Port Your Existing Number

If you already have a number that customers know, a mobile you have been using for business, or an existing landline, you do not have to change it. Number porting transfers your existing number to a new provider so you keep the same number while gaining all the features of a proper phone system. Think of it like redirecting your postal address to a new letterbox, the address stays the same, but the mail goes somewhere better.

Cost: porting fees depend on the number and complexity: some simple ports are free, while complex local-number ports can cost substantially more than $50. Request a current quote from your gaining provider. A mobile-number port usually takes about 3 hours, with 99% required to complete within 2 business days. Individual local-number ports generally take 8-15 business days, while more complex ports can take up to 30 business days, with limited exceptions. Keep the existing service active until the port completes. A brief interruption may occur during cutover, so ask the new provider about expected downtime and pre-configure the destination call flow. For a full explanation of what the process involves and what can go wrong, read our guide on porting your existing number.

Best for: any business that has been trading under an existing number and does not want to update stationery, websites, Google Business Profile, and customer contacts. Porting is almost always the right call if you have an established number.

You Need More Than Just a Number

Here is the part most people miss: a phone number is not a phone system. Getting a number is like getting a postal address, it tells people where to send mail. But you still need a letterbox (something to receive it) and someone to read and sort what arrives.

To actually use a business number, you need a service that handles the calls. Your three realistic options are:

• Hosted cloud phone system ($20-35/user/month, standard plan with Australian calls included, as at August 2026), the most complete option. Includes your number, call management, voicemail, auto-attendant, ring groups, and more. Works with a desk phone or a mobile app.
• Mobile app only ($10-20/month), a lighter option from providers that give you a number and a softphone app. No desk phone, fewer features, but perfectly workable for sole traders and very small teams.
• ISP phone line (via modem green port), features vary by provider and plan. Some are single-line services with no extras; others include voicemail, call waiting or basic forwarding. Check what your specific ISP voice service actually includes before assuming it lacks features.

Getting a Number Without a Desk Phone

You do not need to buy any hardware to get a proper business phone number. Many cloud phone providers offer a softphone app, although availability varies by provider and plan, software that runs on your existing smartphone or computer. When someone calls your business number, the app rings. When you call out through the app, the recipient sees your business number, not your personal mobile.

From the customer's perspective, you have a dedicated business line. From your perspective, you have one phone (your existing mobile) that handles both personal and business calls, but they are clearly separated. Business calls come in on the app. Personal calls come in normally. You can set business hours so the app stops ringing after 5pm.

This is the cheapest way to get a professional business number without buying any hardware. A sole trader or 2-person business can have a proper setup running in under an hour for $10-25/month total.

How Long Does It Take?

The longest part of any setup is usually number porting, if you are porting from a major telco to a smaller VoIP provider, allow up to 10 business days to be safe. Everything else moves quickly.

What Most Businesses Get Wrong

Mistake 1: Using their personal mobile as the business number long-term. It seems fine in the first few months, you already have the phone, customers can reach you, why pay for something extra? The problem compounds over time. Your personal number gets published on your website, Google Business Profile, and industry directories. When you eventually want to separate business and personal, you have to update everything and notify all your customers of a number change. Getting a dedicated number on day one avoids this entirely.

Mistake 2: Getting a number without thinking about call handling. A number alone does not answer your phone after hours, tell callers you are busy, or let two people answer calls at the same time. Before you decide which number to get, think about: what happens when you are on another call? What happens at 6pm? What happens when you are on annual leave? A basic cloud system with voicemail and an after-hours message costs $15-20/month and solves all of these. A number alone solves none of them.

Mistake 3: Registering a 1300 number before understanding the ongoing call costs. A 1300 number costs $10-20/month for the number itself, but you also pay per-minute inbound call charges every time someone calls you. For a business that receives 50 short calls per day, this adds up to real money every month. Calculate your expected inbound call volume before committing to a 1300 number. A geographic number avoids the 1300 shared-cost model, but some providers still charge for inbound usage or forwarding. Compare the complete plan and call rates before deciding.

Your Next Steps

Here is a simple process to get from reading this to having a working business number:

• Decide whether you want to keep an existing number (port it) or get a new one
• Choose your number type: geographic for local presence, 1300 for national, virtual mobile for a trades/mobile feel
• Choose whether you want a full cloud phone system or an app-only setup (based on how many people need phone access and whether you need features like call transfer or after-hours voicemail)
• Sign up with a hosted provider, your number can be active within the hour for a new number, or within a week if you are porting
• If you want a shortlist of providers that suit your setup, get a free recommendation

Once you have your business number sorted, the next step is getting it connected to a phone system and configured for your call flow. Our guide to setting up business phones on the NBN walks through the full setup process, from choosing the right plan through to configuring ring groups, voicemail, and after-hours routing.

Every business has a different number requirement. A sole trader who moves around may want a number that follows their mobile. A retail business with customers in one city may want a local geographic number. A business that wants to project a national presence needs a 1300. Tell us your situation and we'll tell you which fits best. We reply personally. Not a bot, not a form letter.