How to get a US phone number in the UK

The bigger your UK business gets, the more you’re casting your sights across the pond. But your +44 country code might prevent US customers from picking up the phone. They might worry about overseas charges or wrongly assume you don’t serve the US.

A US phone number resolves these issues so you can reach markets from your UK headquarters. It helps your business compete locally, build trust, and boost revenue without having a physical US office.

In this guide, you’ll learn the three-step process to get a US phone number in the UK. You’ll also explore a business phone system that can get you started in under 15 minutes.

Why businesses get a US phone number in the UK

A US phone number in the UK can offer benefits like:

Access to a much larger market

The US has more than 340 million people. So if you’re based in the UK, expanding could provide a massive jump in business opportunities.

If you run a UK recruiting firm, for example, you may have more candidates to choose from. This helps you place US candidates for UK clients and vice versa. Plus, you can easily build relationships with US companies without opening an office in the States.

Professional services firms can do the same. For example, a UK-based design or branding agency working with US companies can remotely:

• Run discovery calls
• Present creatives
• Manage client communication
• Hire US contractors

Higher revenue potential per customer

Price points in markets like New York and San Francisco are often higher than in the UK.

If you sell services, have a startup, or offer consulting in these markets, a US number can help secure larger average deal sizes. This is especially true when using a local number, which can help boost answer rates for US prospects.

Win credibility with US customers

American customers are more likely to call a familiar area code than a +44 number.

That’s why a US number makes your business feel local from the first interaction. 

Reduce friction around international calling charges

US prospects may avoid calling international numbers due to international calling fees. But with US numbers, this won’t be a problem. You can also opt for North American toll-free numbers so customers across the country can reach you free of charge.

Run US-targeted ads more effectively

Running Google or Facebook ads in specific US cities? Pair them with local area codes that match where you’re advertising. This can help improve trust and response rates, since locals will recognize your number’s local area code. It also makes it easier to measure campaign performance in different US locations.

Test the US market without opening a US office

A US phone number can help you validate demand before committing to long-term expenses. First, confirm that a market is a good fit based on message and call volume. Then, you can confidently start establishing legal entities, office space, or US hires.

Make it easier for US partners and suppliers to reach you

Your US phone number can simplify communication with US distributors, freelancers, or agencies. Contacts won’t need to pay extra fees to call the UK from the US. Plus, you can separate your US partners and suppliers from your existing UK contacts.

How to get a US phone number anywhere in the UK 

It’s easy to call the USA from the UK with a business phone system like Quo, formerly OpenPhone. Here’s how to get started in 15 minutes or less with a cell phone, computer, or tablet, and a WiFi connection.

Get a US phone number in the UK in minutes

Try for free

1. Sign up to try Quo for free for seven days.
2. Pick a specific phone number with a US city or area code. You can use our phone number generator to look up local US, Canadian, and North American toll-free numbers.

3. Use the desktop, web, or mobile app to start calling from your US phone number!

Get a sneak peek of how to create a Quo account in the following video:

Here’s what one UK business owner had to say about using Quo to buy US phone numbers:

“I need to have a USA phone number that works in the UK, and Quo does the job perfectly.” — Trustpilot 

Choose the right type of US number for your expansion strategy

There are three main types of US phone numbers you can get.

Types of US phone numbers at a glance

First, here’s a comparison of the different US number types you can get in the United Kingdom:

US number type	Best for	What it signals	When to choose this
Local number	Businesses targeting specific US states or cities	“We’re local to your area”	You’re expanding into specific states or cities and want higher trust and answer rates.
Toll-free number	Businesses serving customers nationwide	“We operate across the US”	You want a national presence without making callers pay long-distance costs.
Vanity number	Businesses invested in marketing campaigns	“We’re established and our phone number is memorable.”	You’re running ads and want a phone number that’s easy to remember, like 1-800-TAX-HELP.

Local numbers: Build trust in specific US cities

Local US phone numbers have three-digit area codes that indicate which city or state they’re from. Numbers with 929 area codes, for example, are tied to New York City boroughs like Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island.

Since local phone numbers look familiar to US residents, they can help you build trust even without physical offices. They can also boost answer rates when recruiting, making sales calls, and managing other types of business activities.

Toll-free numbers: Signal national reach

Toll-free numbers have three-digit prefixes like 800, 888, or 877. But they’re not tied to specific locations like local phone numbers. Instead, anyone in the NANP can reach you without paying long-distance fees. This includes countries and territories like the US, Canada, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. 

However, you should know that the exact cost of toll-free calls a business pays depends on your provider. Some providers charge extra for calls you receive if you use a toll-free number, or they may give you a set number of minutes per month for your total inbound calls. With Quo, you won’t have to pay additional toll-free minute charges for incoming calls.

Toll-free numbers may make you look larger as a business than you currently are  than local numbers. They also immediately remove cost concerns for callers who don’t want to pay long-distance fees to call your UK phone number. That way, you can serve customers across US locations with one national number instead of multiple local numbers.

Vanity numbers: Make your brand memorable

Vanity numbers work like toll-free numbers. But instead of just digits, the number spells out a word or phrase. You may be familiar with popular examples like 1-800-TAX-HELP.

Because vanity numbers are easy to remember, they work well in paid ads. US prospects won’t need to memorize unfamiliar UK landline or mobile numbers. Now, they can easily recall what you do by dialing your number — like 1-800-FLOWERS.

5 Reasons UK businesses choose Quo to expand in the US

While there are many ways to get a US mobile or toll-free number, not all service providers offer the same value. 

VoIP phone services with modern features and flexible pricing make it easier for your business to scale. That’s why, for hundreds of small and growing brands, Quo is the solution for US business phone numbers in the UK.

Here are five reasons why so many businesses believe Quo is the best US virtual phone number provider:

1. Split responsibility for incoming calls and texts with shared numbers

Quo’s shared phone numbers let multiple teammates answer calls and texts from the same US number. That way, everyone on your team can collaborate on customer issues.

You can also set up different ring orders that notify team members of incoming calls so you don’t miss calls. There are three types of ring groups to choose from:

• All at once: Rings everyone simultaneously
• In random batches: Evenly distributes calls to your team in batches 
• Custom: Decide who gets incoming calls first and in what order

You can also see every US customer conversation in one place with Quo’s shared inboxes. They let you:

• Track all customer interactions, including calls, texts, voicemails, call recordings, transcripts, and summaries
• Provide coaching to team members with internal threads that only members can see
• Ask team members for input when solving customer issues by tagging them with mentions
• Cover team members when they’re out of the office, so customers still get answers fast
• Avoid sending duplicate replies since you can see when other team members are typing

2. Respond to US prospects around the clock 

With a four- to seven-hour difference between the US and UK, you may not be able to answer incoming calls at all times. Texting automations help you quickly reply to customers without feeling glued to your phone during US business hours.

Auto-replies, for example, instantly respond to missed calls, texts, and voicemails. These automatic texts let customers know they’ve reached the right place and you’ll respond to them soon. You can customize these replies based on whether clients contact you during or after business hours. That way, you can set specific expectations and provide alternative contact methods if needed.

You can also schedule text messages to go out during US business hours. This estimates the caller’s time zone using their area code. But you can always adjust timing manually if needed.

Don’t want to type the same text over and over? Snippets can save templates of frequently typed messages, like your business hours. This also ensures replies are always relevant to US clients. For example, you can write relevant snippets in American English rather than British English.

3. Scale into the US without hiring a local team using Sona, Quo’s AI voice agent

Never miss a call from the US to your UK business with Sona, Quo’s AI voice agent. Sona can answer calls, capture leads, and handle inquiries 24/7.

With Sona, you can automatically perform the following tasks:

• Greet callers

• Transfer calls to a rep
• Take messages
• Respond to common questions
• Send texts during live calls with scheduling links, addresses, and more

4. Keep work and personal calls separate

Quo lets you add a dedicated US business number to any smartphone using its iOS or Android apps. This acts like a second phone number on your existing devices. That way, you don’t have to share your personal number with clients.

Plus, incoming calls to your Quo number are clearly labeled as business calls. This helps you know when to answer professionally and avoid awkward conversations.

You can use your Quo business number across multiple devices, like your iPad and computer. This allows you to get work done from anywhere, from London to Liverpool. All you need is an internet connection to respond to your US customers.

5. Connect your US number to the tools you already use

Using CRM platforms like HubSpot and Salesforce? Set up native integrations that connect directly with your Quo number. That way, you can automatically log all US call activities to the right contact in your CRM.

These integrations automate manual tasks to save time for other work. Plus, it makes US customer contact info visible to your whole team. Sales or marketing pros can now track trends and monitor deal stages without switching between multiple tabs.

Get started with a US number in the UK with Quo 

A virtual US phone number for your UK business can help you look more trustworthy to Americans. It can also help you avoid outdated and inflexible workarounds, like physical SIM cards or on-premises landlines.

You can use Quo to get all the local, US, Canadian, and North American toll-free or vanity numbers you need. Then share them with your team to collaborate on customer issues. Everyone can tap into features like texting automations and unlimited minutes in the US and Canada. And with Quo’s AI voice agent, Sona, you can take US calls even outside UK business hours.

Get started with our seven-day free trial and test out calling from your new US number from the UK in minutes.

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