second number basics: the questions buyers actually ask

A second phone number is a separate line you use alongside your usual one, on the phone you already own. With nothanumber you choose a genuine UK mobile or landline number in one app, then make and receive calls and texts from it - no second SIM, no second handset, and no monthly contract. Below are the questions people ask most about a second number, answered plainly.

How can I get a second UK phone number without buying another SIM or carrying a second phone?

You add the number in an app. nothanumber gives you a second UK number - mobile or landline - inside a single app on the phone you already own. You choose the number, top up a small wallet, and start calling and texting from your new line, while your personal number stays private and untouched. There is nothing to post, no SIM tray to open, and no second device to charge.

Is a second number the same as a second SIM?

No. A second SIM is a separate plan that usually needs a spare slot, a swap, or a phone that supports two SIMs, and it often comes with its own contract. A second number in an app is just software: the line lives inside the app, so you get a separate number without changing anything about your normal SIM or plan.

Can I choose a mobile or a landline number?

Yes. nothanumber lets you pick a UK mobile number or a UK landline-style number, depending on how you want to come across. A mobile number feels personal and familiar; a landline number can look more established for a small business or side hustle. Either way, it is a genuine UK number that works for everyday calls and texts.

What can I do with a second number - calls, texts, or both?

Both. You can make and receive calls and send and receive SMS from your nothanumber, just as you would from your main line. To the people you contact it behaves like any normal number - they simply see your second number, not your personal one.

Do I need a monthly contract?

No. nothanumber is free to download and works pay as you go: you top up a wallet and spend from it, with no subscription to remember or cancel. That suits an occasional need - a run of Marketplace sales, a short project - just as well as an everyday second line.

What is voicemail for on a second number?

Voicemail lets the line take a message when you would rather not pick up. It is handy when you want your second number to go quiet - a work number in the evening, say, or a selling number once a sale is done - so you can step away from the line without worrying you have missed something.

Can I stop using the number later?

That is one of the main reasons people like having a second number. Because it is separate from your personal line, you can lean on it heavily for a while - a house move, a spell of dating, a busy selling season - and then wind it down when you no longer need it, all without touching the number your friends and family already have.

Is it legal and normal to have two phone numbers?

Yes. Having a second number is completely normal and perfectly legitimate. People use one to keep work and home life apart, to sell online without handing strangers their real mobile, to stay safe on dating apps, or simply to cut down on spam. It is an everyday privacy choice, not anything to feel awkward about.

Can I get a nothanumber right now?

Not quite yet - nothanumber is putting the finishing touches to the app before launch. The honest answer today is to join the early-access list at nothanumber.com, so you are among the first to get a second UK number when it goes live.

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If keeping your personal number to yourself sounds useful - for selling, for work, for dating, or just for a bit of peace and quiet - add your email to the early-access list at nothanumber.com, and we will let you know the moment you can get your nothanumber.

nothanumber is invite-only for now. Join the waitlist and we'll tell you the moment you can set up your second number.

Join the waitlist