In short
Business SIM only is a mobile plan for a business that covers airtime only: calls, texts and data on a SIM or eSIM, without a handset. You use phones you own, keep your numbers with a PAC code and manage every line on one business account. We supply EE Business and Three Business, and can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business.
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What is business SIM only?
A business SIM only plan is a mobile airtime agreement held by a business rather than a person. The monthly charge covers the service on the SIM (UK calls, texts and data, plus any roaming or add-ons you choose) and nothing else. There is no handset built into the price, so you put the SIM into a phone, tablet, laptop or router your business already owns.
That makes SIM only for business a different decision from a handset contract. With a handset contract, part of every monthly payment pays off the device over the term. With SIM only you pay for the device separately (or not at all, if you keep the phones you have) and the plan is simply connectivity. Our guide to SIM only vs contract sets the two side by side.
What makes it a business plan is the account around it: the business is the account holder, the numbers belong to the business, prices are quoted ex VAT, and you get controls such as spend caps and an online account for managing many lines on one bill. Our explainer on business SIM cards covers those differences in more detail, and business SIM vs personal SIM answers the common question of whether a personal plan will do.
Who business SIM only suits
- You already own your phones: handsets bought outright, or phones coming to the end of a contract that are now paid off
- You buy devices separately: some organisations prefer to buy or lease phones on their own terms and keep the airtime agreement simple
- You need data in other devices: tablets, laptops, routers and vehicles that need a business data only SIM rather than a phone plan
- You want flexibility: shorter terms are available on some networks, and SIM only lines are easier to add or remove as the team changes
- Staff use their own phones: an eSIM on a business plan can give someone a work number on the phone they already carry
- You run a fleet of lines: one account, many SIMs and central controls, covered on our fleet SIM cards page
If you also need new handsets, a phone contract may suit you better for some or all of your lines. Our sister site covers business mobile phone contracts and devices, and the two approaches can sit on the same organisation without any trouble.
The networks we supply
We supply business SIM only plans on EE Business and Three Business, and we can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business. Each one has its own plan structures, account tools and coverage, so we describe them separately. The right network for you depends mainly on signal where your people actually work, which you can check with each network's own coverage checker. Our guide to business SIM only networks explains how to approach that choice.
EE Business
EE Business sells SIM-only plans for businesses with 1-10 employees and a separate range for businesses with 11 or more, which comes in three plan types: The Team Plan, The Shared Plan and The Individual Plan. Alongside phone SIMs it offers Data SIMs, eSIM and a ruggedised IoT SIM card, with spend caps on data, calls and roaming, a Bill Protector feature and the Mobile Manager portal for running the account. See EE Business SIM only plans.
Three Business
Three Business SIM Only plans run on 1, 12 or 24-month terms, alongside data only SIMs as an eSIM or a physical SIM and Multibuy SIM plans for teams. All Three Business plans are eSIM compatible, and Three Business SIMs are 5G-ready for use where Three has 5G coverage and your device supports it. See Three Business SIM only.
O2 Business
We can also supply SIM only plans on the O2 Business network. O2 Business's own shop lists SIM only plans on 12 or 24-month terms with spend caps, offers standard, micro, nano and eSIM, and supports keeping your number with a PAC. The plan, term and price we can offer are confirmed at quote. See O2 Business SIM only plans.
Vodafone Business
We can also supply SIM only plans on the Vodafone Business network. Vodafone Business has small business (1-9 employees), medium and large business ranges, sells business SIM only on fixed terms and 30-day plans, and lists data-only SIMs for tablets. The plan, term and price for your lines are confirmed at quote. See Vodafone Business SIM only.
Need help choosing?
We will recommend what fits your organisation and explain why, in plain English.
Phone SIMs, data SIMs and eSIM
Business SIM only covers more than one kind of SIM. Most organisations end up with a mix:
- Phone (voice) SIMs: calls, texts and data for staff handsets, with individual or shared data; see business SIM only plans
- Data only SIMs: no voice or text, for tablets, laptops, routers and dongles; see mobile broadband SIM only
- IoT SIMs: low-data SIMs for telematics, payment terminals, alarms and sensors; see IoT SIM cards
- eSIM: the same plan delivered digitally, activated with a QR code rather than a plastic card; see eSIM SIM only
- 5G SIMs: plans that use 5G where a compatible device has 5G coverage; see 5G SIM only for business
- Multibuy and multi SIM: several SIMs on one account, or SIMs that can use more than one network; our page on what a multi SIM is untangles the terms
Plans also differ in how long they run. Networks sell business SIM only on 24-month, 12-month and rolling monthly terms, each with different trade-offs between price and flexibility, which we explain in business SIM only contracts. If your team uses a lot of data for hotspotting or video calls, start with our guide to the unlimited data business SIM.
Switching and keeping your numbers
You can move to a new business SIM only plan and keep your existing mobile numbers. Ofcom's switching rules give you a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code): for a single number you text PAC to 65075 from that phone, or ask through your online account or by phone. If there is more than one number on the account, you ask your current provider by phone or on its website. Ofcom says a PAC is valid for 30 days and that the number should normally be ported within one working day once your new provider has it. Ofcom has also banned mobile providers from charging for notice periods that run after the switch date.
If you do not need to keep a number, a STAC (Service Termination Authorisation Code) ends the old service instead: text STAC to 75075 for a single number. Our hub on how to keep your number explains the process, with separate guides to the PAC code, the STAC code and porting multiple mobile numbers for a whole team.
Moving landline or VoIP numbers is a different process; see number porting for business phone systems on our cloud phone site.
How we help
Most businesses are weighing up coverage, data needs, contract terms and the timing of a switch at once, and a supplier who works across networks turns that into one conversation. We can:
- Look at what you use now: review recent bills or usage reports to size allowances and spot lines nobody uses
- Check coverage first: use each network's coverage checker for your offices, sites and regular routes
- Quote on more than one network: we supply EE Business and Three Business, and can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business, so you see real options
- Plan the switch: time the move around your current contract end dates and keep your numbers with PAC codes
- Set up the account properly: spend caps, roaming settings, eSIM or physical SIMs, and a record of which SIM belongs to whom
- Help as the team changes: adding and removing lines and reviewing plans when your needs change
Prices depend on the network, the number of lines, the data you need and the term you choose, so ask us for a quote. Contact us with a rough idea of your team and we will suggest where to start.
Guides to business SIM only
Not sure where to begin? These guides answer the questions businesses ask most often before they switch:
- Business SIM only deals: how to judge a deal on total cost rather than the headline price
- SIM only vs contract: when keeping your phones makes sense and when a handset contract does
- How to get a business SIM card: the steps for sole traders, partnerships and companies
- SIM only for small businesses: what matters for teams of one to ten people
- Business SIM only contracts: contract lengths, price rises, VAT and early termination
- Business SIM only networks: choosing a network by coverage where your people work
Explore business SIM only
How Forever Communications helps with business SIM only
We help UK organisations choose, switch and run business SIM only plans, data SIMs and eSIMs for the phones and devices they already own.
- Start with what you have: we look at your current contracts, end dates, users, devices and how much data people really use before suggesting anything new
- More than one network: we supply SIM only plans on EE Business and Three Business, and we can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business, so you can choose by coverage where your people work
- Keep your numbers: we help you plan the move with PAC codes or STAC codes so existing business mobile numbers come with you
- SIMs for every device: voice SIMs, eSIM SIM only that works with your device management, business data only SIMs for tablets, routers and vehicles, and fleet SIM cards on one account
- Controls that suit a business: we can help you set up spend caps, bars and user changes through the network's own business tools
Forever Communications is part of Forever Group. Plans, terms and pricing are confirmed at quote, so contact us and we will set out the options that fit.
Frequently asked questions
What is a business SIM only plan?
A business SIM only plan is a mobile airtime agreement held by a business, covering calls, texts and data on a SIM or eSIM without a handset. You use phones or devices you already own. The business is the account holder, prices are quoted ex VAT and you get account controls such as spend caps.
Can I use my existing phones on a business SIM only plan?
Yes, as long as the phone works on the network you are moving to. If a phone is locked to its current network, ask that network to unlock it before you switch. For eSIM, the phone also needs to support eSIM.
Which networks can you supply?
We supply business SIM only plans on EE Business and Three Business, and we can also supply O2 Business and Vodafone Business. We help you choose based on coverage where your people work and the plan structure that fits your team.
Can I keep my business mobile numbers if I switch?
Yes. Ofcom's switching rules let you keep your number with a PAC code. For one number, text PAC to 65075 or ask through your online account or by phone; if there are several numbers on the account, ask your current provider by phone or on its website. Ofcom says the number should normally be ported within one working day.
How much does business SIM only cost?
It depends on the network, the number of lines, the data each line needs and the contract length. Networks quote business prices ex VAT and publish their own annual price changes. Ask us for a quote and we will set out the costs for your team.
Is SIM only cheaper than a phone contract for a business?
The monthly charge on SIM only covers airtime alone, so it is usually lower than a handset contract, but you pay for the phones separately. Whether it costs less overall depends on the devices you need. Our SIM only vs contract guide explains how to compare.
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