Business Phone Number
Even though it looks like a small or even pointless step at the start, a separate phone number for the company can make your life much easier.
More and more platforms, services and business accounts use the phone number for verification: SMS codes, 2FA, account recovery, identity confirmations or login checks. If you use your personal number everywhere, you quickly end up mixing your personal life with the company's infrastructure.
For me, the most practical option was a separate eSIM, taken on the company. If your phone supports eSIM, you keep the business number on the same phone, without carrying two phones or two physical cards.
Why a separate number is worth it
A business number helps you keep the company's important accounts separate: bank, platforms, Apple, Google, Steam, hosting services, email, tools, advertising accounts, tax services or support accounts.
It is cleaner to have a number dedicated to the company, especially if colleagues, accountants, collaborators or handovers of responsibility may appear over time.
If you use your personal number everywhere, it becomes harder to:
- keep company accounts separate from personal ones;
- change your phone without messing up your accounts;
- give someone else access to the company accounts;
- transfer ownership of some accounts later.
Why eSIM
An eSIM is a digital SIM card. You no longer have a physical card; you activate the number directly on the phone, usually through a QR code or the operator's app.
The big advantage is convenience: if you have a compatible phone, you can keep your personal number and the company number on the same device, but separate. For a solo founder or game developer this is very useful, you don't need a second phone, but you also don't expose your personal number everywhere.
Check compatibility before you buy. Not all phones support eSIM. Dial *#06# on the phone: if an EID code appears, the device is compatible. You can also check in settings (on iPhone: Settings → General → About) or on the list of compatible phones on the operator's site.
Operators in Romania
The three big operators offer eSIM with a subscription. The costs below are rough guidance and change often, so check the current offer directly on their site.
| Operator | eSIM | Rough cost | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | Yes | subscriptions from ~5-7 €/month | Has a list of compatible phones on the site. |
| Vodafone | Yes, free (subscription only) | business from ~5 €+VAT/SIM/month | Activated from the My Vodafone app; not available on prepaid. |
| Digi | Yes (subscription and prepaid) | mobile subscriptions from ~5 €/month | You get a QR code by email; see also the business plans. |
| Telekom | Check | , | The mobile offer has changed in recent years; check current availability. |
Prices, plans and eSIM availability change frequently. Treat the figures as rough guidance and confirm everything on the operator's page before signing a subscription.
Why I don't recommend your personal number
When your company appears on directory sites or in public databases, the data linked to the company becomes much more visible. In practice, you may start getting calls with offers for services, accounting, loans, consulting or advertising you never asked for.
If you use your personal number, all that noise goes straight to you. A separate business number lets you control better who contacts you, where you use the number, and what happens if you want to change it later.
Platforms and limits
Some platforms use the phone number for verification and may have internal limits on how many accounts, codes or verifications can be tied to the same number.
Not all of these limits are clearly documented, but in practice they can become a problem. With Apple or other big platforms you can run into blocks, verification limits or "too many verification codes" messages. That is why it is safer not to reuse the same personal number for all the company accounts, personal accounts and test accounts.
Practical recommendation
If you want to treat the company seriously, get a separate business number as early as possible.
It does not have to be an eSIM, a normal physical SIM works too. What matters is that it is separate from your personal number and that you use it consistently for the company's infrastructure.
Save the number once in My Own Company Details, so you can paste the same number everywhere. You will also be asked for it when opening the bank account, when verifying platform accounts, and in dealings with the digital signature / ANAF.
In short
A business phone number looks like a minor detail, but it becomes important once you start creating accounts on platforms, receiving verification codes, using 2FA and appearing in public databases.
For me, the most convenient solution was a separate eSIM. It is not the only option, but it is one of the simplest for anyone who works remotely and wants to keep the company organised from the start.