Phone Systems
Modern VoIP for small businesses — what it does, what it costs, how switching works.
A modern phone system runs over your internet connection instead of copper lines. That is the whole idea — and it is why it usually costs less and does more.
What it does
- Auto attendant. “Press 1 for sales” — or straight through to a person, however you want it.
- Ring groups and queues. A call rings several phones, or waits in line, rather than dying on one unanswered extension.
- Voicemail to email. Messages arrive as a file and a transcript, so you are not dialling in to check.
- One extension, three devices. Desk phone, computer app and mobile all ring together and all show the business number when you dial out.
- After-hours and holiday routing. Set once, and it takes care of itself.
- Call recording and reporting for the businesses that need it.
Phones and headsets
We supply and configure the hardware before it arrives, so it works when you plug it in. Common choices:
- Yealink T54W — colour screen desk phone with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. A good all-round desk handset.
- Wireless headsets for anyone on the phone for long stretches.
Not tied to those — if you already own handsets, we will tell you honestly whether they can be reused.
Switching over
- Send us a recent bill. That tells us what you are paying and what you actually use.
- We quote it plainly — hardware, monthly cost, and what changes.
- We build the system and configure the handsets before anything ships.
- We port your numbers. You keep them. This is the slow part and carriers make it awkward, which is why we handle it.
- Cutover and training. Usually an afternoon, and we stay on it until your staff are comfortable.
What it costs
It depends on how many extensions you need and what features you use, so we quote rather than publish a price list. What we will commit to: we show you the comparison against your current bill before you decide, and if we cannot beat it we will tell you.