How to Get a Temporary International Call Forwarding Number
You can keep it or cancel at any time without penalties or fees.
Having a global presence often requires the use of virtual numbers so that callers from around the world can seamlessly reach your business’s call centers, branch locations, and help desks.
However, with ongoing operations, you’ll likely keep your global numbers for the long-term. What about short-term global calling needs? Here’s how to get a temporary international call forwarding number that rings to your designated location for as long as you need it.
How to Get a Call Forwarding Number
If you’ve ever tried to build international business relationships without a local presence, you’ve probably learned that trust is a fragile thing. A handshake across the Atlantic is a bit hard to pull off—unless, of course, you’ve got a London phone number ready to take that call.
That’s where temporary call forwarding steps in like a well-dressed personal assistant who never sleeps and never misses a call.
Let’s unpack how to get one, why you’d want one, and how it can make your global communications smoother than a fresh cup of English breakfast tea.
What Is a Temporary Number?
A temporary international call forwarding number is essentially your digital chameleon. It looks local to the caller—say, a +44 London number—but forwards the call to your actual line anywhere in the world. You might be in Los Angeles, Lisbon, or lounging somewhere in Bali. Your caller doesn’t need to know that.
It’s temporary because you can rent or subscribe to it for as long (or short) as you need. Maybe it’s for a short business trip, a pilot marketing campaign, or testing a new market. You get the credibility and convenience of being “local” without needing an office lease or a £5 coffee habit.
Why Businesses Use Call Forwarding
Let’s be honest—most people still feel more comfortable calling a local number. A UK client calling a London 020 number is subconsciously reassured: “They’re established here. I can trust them.”
And that psychological comfort translates to better engagement, smoother negotiations, and—if all goes well—a signed contract instead of an unanswered email.
Here’s what makes temporary numbers so useful:
📞 Instant credibility: A local number makes you look like you’re around the corner, even if you’re not. 🌍 Seamless communication: Forward calls from London, New York, or Tokyo straight to your mobile or office. 💼 Business flexibility: You can test a market, host a temporary event, or open short-term campaigns without long-term phone commitments. ✈️ Freedom to move: Whether you’re traveling or working remotely, your calls follow you.
I once used a temporary UK number while consulting for a fintech startup in London. We didn’t have a physical office—just a ragtag crew of developers spread across time zones and an obsession with uptime. But having that London number made a world of difference. British clients called it, and I’d answer from my kitchen in California. To them, we were “London-based.” To me, we were “wherever the Wi-Fi worked.”
Building UK Business Confidence with a London Contact Number
The UK is a relationship-driven market. Whether you’re negotiating SaaS deals or sourcing suppliers, UK clients value accessibility and familiarity. A London number is your silent business card—it says, “We’re serious about doing business here.”
Even if your operations are abroad, presenting a local touchpoint helps in several ways:
📍 Ease of access: UK customers prefer not to dial international numbers with expensive tariffs. 💬 Professional image: A +44 number implies local support and commitment. 🕒 Time zone alignment: Clients feel confident knowing you’re (or appear to be) reachable during UK business hours.
When my colleague first started his logistics business, his U.S. clients didn’t think twice about dialing an international number. But when he expanded to the UK, the story changed. UK prospects hesitated—until he added a London 020 number that forwarded to his existing U.S. line. Within two months, his UK call volume tripled.
Sometimes, perception is reality.
How to Get a Temporary Virtual Phone Number
Getting a temporary call forwarding number is surprisingly simple. You don’t need a telecom engineering degree, just a few minutes and a credit card.
Here’s the general roadmap:
🌐 Choose a reliable global phone service provider. Look for services offering international virtual numbers with advanced routing and short-term plans such as aitelephone.com
📍 Select your desired country and city. Want a London presence? Pick a +44 20 number. Need to look local in Paris, Sydney, or Dubai? Those are usually just a few clicks away.
📲 Set your forwarding destination. You can forward calls to your mobile, VoIP app, or office phone—anywhere you want. Most systems allow you to edit this on the fly.
💼 Enable advanced features.
Voicemail-to-email: Get messages transcribed and sent straight to your inbox.
Call recording: For training or record-keeping.
IVR (Interactive Voice Response): Let callers self-direct to the right person or department.
🕒 Cancel when you no longer need it. Whether it’s one week or six months, enjoy flexible billing. Perfect for project-based needs.
The Power of Voicemail-to-Email
Now, here’s where technology gets downright civilized.
Modern virtual phone services offer voicemail-to-email—a feature that feels like a small miracle on a busy day. Your voicemail gets converted to both audio and text (thanks to speech-to-text AI), and delivered right to your email.
You can read your messages discreetly during meetings, or listen to them while commuting. No dialing in, no passcodes, no “press 3 to delete.”
It’s particularly handy when dealing with international time zones. You might miss a 3 a.m. London call, but you’ll wake up to a neatly transcribed message in your inbox. It’s the 21st century equivalent of a butler sliding your messages under the door—minus the waistcoat.
Companies That Use Global Virtual Phone Numbers. Some have been using it for years, others use it for temporary assignments.
You might think this tech is for scrappy startups or digital nomads, but many established brands rely on global virtual phone numbers for everyday operations. It’s a quiet infrastructure that keeps international business humming.
Here’s a snapshot of who uses them regularly:
🌍 Tech and SaaS Companies – To offer local support numbers in multiple countries (think HubSpot, Zoho, or Slack). 📦 Logistics and Freight Firms – To let clients track shipments or reach dispatch offices easily (FedEx, DHL). 🏦 Financial Services – For secure client communication without physical branches (Revolut, Wise, Payoneer). 🎓 Educational Institutions – To field inquiries from international students (Cambridge Online, Coursera). 🧳 Travel Agencies and Airlines – To manage global bookings through local contact points (Expedia, British Airways). 💬 Consultancies and Freelancers – To appear local while working remotely.
The principle is simple: make it easy for clients to call you from wherever they are, without worrying about international fees or time differences.
Practical Tips for Success
If you’re setting up your first temporary call forwarding line, keep these in mind:
🔹 Match your hours to your audience. If you’re appealing to UK clients, adjust your availability or voicemail greeting accordingly.
🔹 Customize your greeting. A simple “Thank you for calling our London office” does wonders for perception.
🔹 Use analytics. Many services provide call reports. Learn when and where your leads are calling from—it’s valuable market data.
🔹 Don’t forget to test. Place a few calls to ensure the forwarding works seamlessly across devices.
The Human Side of Call Forwarding
I’ll admit it: the first time I used a temporary call forwarding number, I felt like a spy. I was in New York but taking calls as “the London liaison.” Clients would mention the weather, and I’d nod politely while staring out at Manhattan rain instead of London fog.
But here’s the thing—it worked. The illusion of local presence helped bridge a psychological gap that email never could. Clients felt comfortable, I felt connected, and the business relationship blossomed.
That’s the quiet genius of temporary call forwarding: it lets technology do the heavy lifting while preserving the human touch in communication.
Wrapping Up
Whether you’re a one-person consultancy or a growing multinational, a temporary international call forwarding number can open doors you didn’t even know existed. It projects local credibility, simplifies communication, and keeps you reachable no matter where you are.
With tools like voicemail-to-email, call analytics, and flexible setup options, you can operate like a global company without the overhead—or the jet lag.
And if you ever find yourself sipping coffee at home while answering a “London office” call, just smile. You’re not being deceptive—you’re being efficiently international.
✅ In Short:
A temporary call forwarding number helps you appear local while staying global.
Use it to connect with UK clients through a London contact number.
Enjoy features like voicemail-to-email transcription for total flexibility.
When you can sound local, look global, and stay mobile—all with one number—you’ve officially mastered modern communication.
Global Call Forwarding at a Glance
International call forwarding numbers are a virtual type of phone number that allow callers in one country reach your business in another country by dialing a phone number that is local or toll free to their location. For example, if your business is located in India, but you have customers in USA, the phone number will look and act like a typical USA toll free or local number but will ring to a phone in India. For callers, there are no international dialing codes or costs whatsoever.
Global Virtual Numbers
In the example above, you’d probably want to keep your international call forwarding number for an extended period, especially after printing sales and marketing materials. For temporary projects, such as a natural disaster hotline or an international sporting event that happens just once every few years, getting a temporary global call forwarding number is a better choice. Fortunately, it’s easy to do exactly that with our contract-free plans!
Our contract-free temporary international call forwarding numbers are offered month to month. You can dance at any time, making them perfect for those instances where you need international call forwarding for a limited time period.
Start by selecting the country for your new phone number – Since your callers are located in a different country, the call forwarding number needs to be local to that specific country. Depending on the country, you’ll be offered a choice of toll free, toll free mobile, regional, or city-based phone numbers. Choose the one that makes the most sense for your needs.
Now enter the phone number where the international calls will be forwarded to – This destination number can be changed at any time. For instance, if you initially need to receive calls at your main call center, enter that number as the destination number. You can change it to a branch office number, mobile phone, or any other number as your needs change. Using the service’s advanced features, you can even change the destination number based on time of day and other parameters.
Choose your monthly plan and add it to your cart – That’s it! Once activated, callers in other countries can conveniently call you with your new global call forwarding number.
Cancel at any time – You can cancel at any time without penalties or fees.
