Quick answer
Use The Geeks designs, installs and supports hosted telephony for businesses across Lancashire and Greater Manchester from our office at 2 Slater Terrace, Burnley. We work in person in Burnley, Padiham, Nelson, Colne, Accrington, Blackburn, Darwen, Rossendale, Clitheroe, Preston, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale and Manchester, and remotely across the rest of the UK. A hosted (cloud) phone system replaces the analogue and ISDN lines Openreach is switching off by 31 January 2027 with per-user seats - roughly £8 to £20 per user per month ex VAT as an illustrative September 2026 guide - keeps your existing 01282, 01254, 01772, 0161 or 03 numbers, and follows staff to any device. The person who designs your system is one of four named advisors, and the same person answers when you ring back.
This page is for local businesses who would rather deal with someone who can come to the building. It covers what businesses in the region ask us, how the connectivity looks across the area, and how a quote works. If you already know you want one, get a no-obligation quote or call 0333 006 9399.
Why a local hosted telephony provider
Hosted telephony is delivered from the cloud, so in theory a provider can be anywhere. In practice three things are better done by someone who can drive to you: installation - handsets on desks, a business-grade router with voice prioritised, cabling checked; training - an hour with the team on the day; and the awkward fault - the one that turns out to be a switch in a cupboard, which a remote-only provider will spend a week diagnosing by phone. We do all three across the region, and the rest - portal changes, additions, routine support - remotely like everyone else. Our guide to choosing a hosted telephony provider explains what else to look for.
What businesses in the region ask us
"Will our 01282 / 01254 / 01772 / 0161 number still work?" Yes. Geographic numbers port to the hosted platform and are no longer tied to the exchange, so a Burnley business that opens a Manchester office keeps its 01282 number and can add an 0161 one. Number porting explained covers the process.
"Is our broadband good enough?" Usually, and increasingly so. Full fibre has rolled out across most of the region's towns and business parks, and SoGEA is available almost everywhere else. Older industrial units and rural premises around the Ribble Valley, Pendle and the West Pennine Moors are where we still find copper-only connections; those need the connectivity sorting first, and we test every line before quoting. See what internet speed VoIP needs.
"We are a mill / warehouse / workshop - does this work for us?" Yes, with attention to the building. Thick stone walls and large floor plates need proper Wi-Fi design if phones are wireless, and wired desk phones where people sit. Analogue devices - a warehouse wall phone, door entry - go through an adapter or a device licence. We have installed in converted mills across East Lancashire and know where the signal goes.
"What about the switch-off?" It applies here as everywhere. Openreach has stopped selling analogue and ISDN lines and switches them off by 31 January 2027. Many local exchanges have been through stop-sell already. The switch-off explainer covers what changes; the practical order of work is in the business-landlines deadline guide.
"We use Microsoft 365 - can Teams be our phone?" Often, yes. We support both Microsoft 365 and telephony, so we can build Teams Phone via Operator Connect, a conventional hosted system, or the hybrid most businesses end up with.
Where we work
| Area | Towns | Dialling codes |
|---|---|---|
| East Lancashire (home patch) | Burnley, Padiham, Nelson, Colne, Barnoldswick, Accrington, Clitheroe, Rossendale (Rawtenstall, Bacup, Haslingden) | 01282, 01254, 01200, 01706 |
| Blackburn with Darwen | Blackburn, Darwen | 01254 |
| Central Lancashire | Preston, Leyland, Chorley | 01772, 01257 |
| Greater Manchester | Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham, Salford | 0161, 01204, 01706 |
| Rest of the UK | Remote installation and support | Any UK number |
Our local pages cover each town in more detail.
Sectors we see most locally
Manufacturing and engineering across the Lancashire towns, where the phone system has to cover an office and a shop floor; professional services in Preston and Manchester, where call recording and Teams integration come up; care providers across the region, where continuity and the switch-off's effect on telecare matter; and trades and logistics businesses whose staff are never at a desk, for whom the mobile app and a good auto attendant do most of the work.
What it costs
The same as anywhere in the UK: roughly £8 to £20 per user per month ex VAT for a standard seat as an illustrative September 2026 guide, handsets at roughly £60 to £200 one-off if wanted, porting often free or a small fee, set-up usually bundled. Local installation is included in our quotes for the region. The full breakdown and worked examples are in what hosted telephony costs.
How a quote works
- Audit. Send us a recent bill or let us visit. We list every line and number and what is plugged into it - including the alarm, the lift and the card machine.
- Design and line test. Users, sites, call flows, recording and Teams requirements; a test of your connection at a busy hour.
- Proposal within one working day, per user, with one-offs shown separately, from a named advisor - Andrew Pickett, Daniel Jones, Keith Moore or Jonathan Wardrobe.
- Install and port. Typically two to four weeks from go-ahead; the new system is live and tested before your numbers move, and we are on site for the switch-over.
Use The Geeks was incorporated on 15 July 2016 and has worked from Burnley since. There is no call centre; the person who priced your system is the person who answers when you ring.
The bottom line
Businesses across Lancashire and Greater Manchester face the same switch-off deadline and the same choice of hosted telephony, SIP or Teams as everywhere else; the difference a local provider makes is the install, the training and the fault that needs someone in the building. We do those in person across the region, and the design, pricing and support the same way we would for anyone.
Get a no-obligation quote or call 0333 006 9399. Our hosted telephony service page explains the service in full.
Not sure who is calling one of your numbers? Our free UK phone number checker shows which network or provider Ofcom allocated any number to, and whether the range is in service — no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
Do you install business phone systems in Burnley and East Lancashire?
Yes. We are based at 2 Slater Terrace, Burnley and install and support hosted telephony in person across Burnley, Padiham, Nelson, Colne, Accrington, Blackburn, Darwen, Rossendale and Clitheroe, as well as Preston and Greater Manchester.
Can we keep our 01282 or 0161 number on a hosted phone system?
Yes. Geographic numbers port to the hosted platform under Ofcom's rules and are no longer tied to the local exchange, so you keep them if you move premises and can add numbers for other areas.
Is full fibre available for VoIP in Lancashire?
Across most of the region's towns and business parks, yes, with SoGEA available almost everywhere else. Some older industrial units and rural premises are still copper-only; we test every line before quoting and sort the connectivity first where needed.
Do you cover Manchester as well as Lancashire?
Yes. We install and support in person across Greater Manchester - Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Salford - and remotely across the rest of the UK.
How much does hosted telephony cost for a business in Lancashire?
The same as elsewhere in the UK: roughly £8 to £20 per user per month ex VAT for a standard seat as an illustrative September 2026 guide, plus handsets if wanted and a modest porting fee. Local installation is included in our quotes for the region.
When is the phone line switch-off in Lancashire and Manchester?
The national deadline is 31 January 2027 for all analogue and ISDN lines, and Openreach has already stopped selling new ones. Many local exchanges have completed stop-sell. Businesses still on copper lines should plan the move during 2026.
Can you set up Microsoft Teams as our phone system?
Yes. We support Microsoft 365 and telephony, so we can build Teams Phone via Operator Connect or Direct Routing, a conventional hosted system, or a hybrid of the two, and support both under one relationship.