Orange UK has launched an enhanced version of its Pocket Landline service, which it says makes it easier for small- and medium-sized business customers (SMEs) to benefit from having a local landline number which rings directly through to their mobile.

Orange notes that a landline is more than just a local number; it’s a symbol of reliability and a way to demonstrate a company’s presence to a local community. Despite the prevalence of mobile phones, a landline is still the staple tool for nearly half of all SMEs, with 43 per cent only advertising a landline as their main business number, according to a survey of 550 Orange small business customers carried out by Orange between June and July 2011.

However, the research also revealed that a landline does have its drawbacks with 80 per cent of businesses missing between one and five customer calls every day because they can’t wait in the office in case the phone rings. Pocket Landline offers businesses the credibility of a landline, combined with the accessibility and flexibility of a mobile.

The enhancements to the Pocket Landline service, which launched in January, include options starting at £10 per telephone number. Pocket Landline can also be routed to a business’ mobile from either their existing landline number or a new one.

In a survey of current Pocket Landline users, 76 per cent found the set up of the service quite or very easy. In addition, 24 per cent found that after four months, the service had increased the number of calls to their business.

The service will continue to include Pocket Landline Many to One and Pocket Landline One to Many for businesses with more than one user. These options allow businesses to have multiple landline numbers routed through to one mobile, or one landline number routed to multiple mobiles. Pocket Landline is managed using a simple, web-based portal. This allows customers to create bespoke announcements for incoming calls, monitor patterns regards incoming business calls, and change the availability of their number by time of day or date.

Jason Ferries, who runs taxi firm, Elegance Travel is a Pocket Landline user. He says: “As a taxi company, our vehicles are one of the main ways in which we promote the business. Before using Pocket Landline, we simply included the mobile phone number on the back of cars and buses. However, since adding the local landline number to the same vehicles, we have seen a huge increase in the amount of calls we receive. Pocket Landline gives the business increased credibility amongst the local community – we have even received calls from people who live near-by who have noted how they prefer to call a landline rather than a mobile when it comes to business.”