One person or a small team
Prioritise a business number, a professional greeting, voicemail and answering on the devices you already use. If you are a sole trader, ask for a one-user quote: our published annual guide starts at two users.
Make the right choice
A practical guide to business phone systems
Compare cloud phone costs, choose the features your team will use and plan your move without overlooking the details that matter.
What does your business actually need?
Start with the calls you need to handle, rather than the longest feature list. A user extension is a person or account on the system; it is not necessarily a physical desk phone. Tell us how many people need their own login and how many calls you expect at your busiest time.
A busy office or reception
Consider shared ring groups, call queues, opening-hours rules and overflow handling. Decide who answers first, how long callers wait and what happens when everyone is busy.
Remote staff or several sites
Plan extensions, transfers and shared numbers across office and mobile users. Check each location’s connection and decide which calls should stay with a local team.
Use our phone system configurator to put your requirements together.
How much does a cloud phone system cost?
Our Cloud Start guide is from £6.39 per seat per month, excluding VAT, billed annually for 2–19 users. This is a starting budget for a tailored proposal. Features and call allowances are confirmed in your quote.
| Users | Monthly equivalent | Annual charge |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | £12.78 | £153.36 |
| 5 | £31.95 | £383.40 |
| 10 | £63.90 | £766.80 |
| 19 | £121.41 | £1,456.92 |
All figures exclude VAT. Examples multiply the starting rate by the user count; they are not complete package quotes. Setup, handsets, extra services and chargeable calls may add to the total. Monthly billing and teams of 20 or more need a separate quote.
Check the full cost, not just the headline rate
- Recurring service: user licences, numbers, agreed features and any support options.
- Calls: included destinations and minutes, fair-use terms and out-of-bundle charges.
- Equipment and setup: desk phones, headsets, delivery, configuration and installation.
- Moving provider: number-transfer charges, overlapping bills or charges from your existing contract.
- Connectivity: broadband, network changes and backup connectivity where needed.
Compare our four starting price guides, then ask us for the complete cost of your chosen setup.
Choose features around missed calls and daily work
A ring group lets several team members answer the same incoming call. A queue helps manage callers when staff are busy. An auto-attendant lets callers choose a department. These solve different problems, so explain what happens to calls today and what you want to improve.
For work away from a desk, discuss mobile and desktop apps. If you need help answering, compare human telephone answering with AI call-handling options. For recording, transcripts or CRM integration, confirm the exact application, permissions, retention settings and licence requirements before ordering.
Bring one real call journey
For example: “Sales calls should ring three people, then go to our receptionist if nobody answers. After 5pm, take a message.” That gives us a useful starting point for your proposal.
Can you keep your business phone number?
Ask us to check your numbers and current provider before committing to a move. Portability, charges and timing need confirming for your specific service. Keep the existing service active until the transfer arrangements have been agreed.
- Gather the details. List the numbers you use, the current provider, account details and service address. Include direct-dial numbers and numbers used by fax, alarms or other equipment.
- Agree the design. Map greetings, users, call routing, voicemail and opening hours. Check device and connection requirements.
- Plan the change. Confirm the proposed transfer date, responsibilities, any temporary arrangements and how staff will be trained. Dates depend on the providers involved.
- Check the result. Test inbound calls, outbound caller ID, transfers, voicemail and after-hours routing. Review the old account only once the move has been confirmed.
What happens if the internet or power goes down?
Include continuity in the conversation before you choose a package. Ask how calls can be redirected, whether staff can use an alternative connection and what equipment needs backup power. A second internet connection alone does not keep an unpowered router or desk phone running.
Consider call quality as well as download speed. Tell us about simultaneous calls, video meetings, cloud applications and the way devices connect to your network. Our bandwidth calculator provides an initial estimate; it is not a site survey or a quality guarantee.
If you have alarm, lift, payment or other equipment attached to existing lines, ask its supplier about compatibility before changing the service. Discuss emergency-calling arrangements and the service address for each location with your phone provider.
How to compare business phone system providers
Ask each provider to price the same users, numbers, devices and call-handling requirements. Compare the full agreed contract cost, rather than a promotional monthly figure on its own.
Compare the same setup
List required features separately from optional extras. Check whether recording, app access, queues and your exact CRM integration are included, paid add-ons or unavailable.
Check what happens after the advertised price
Confirm the billing period, minimum users, any introductory period and renewal terms. Include hardware, setup, porting, usage and VAT when comparing totals.
Test the call journey you need
Ask the provider to explain your real scenario: who rings first, what happens when they are busy and where calls go after closing. Agree device compatibility, training and support before ordering.
A simple app-based setup may be enough for one person. A reception team or business with several sites may need a more detailed routing design. Explore three small-business setups, then use the configurator to start your own proposal.
Seven things to get in writing before you order
- The users, phone numbers and features included.
- The complete recurring and one-off costs, with VAT clearly stated.
- Contract length, billing frequency, renewal and cancellation terms.
- Call allowances, exclusions and additional usage charges.
- Number-transfer responsibilities and the proposed schedule.
- Support hours, contact routes and any agreed response or repair targets.
- The setup, staff training and continuity arrangements.
A low advertised price is only useful when the scope matches your business. We’ll build a proposal around these details so you can make a clear decision.
Tell us how you work. We’ll help with the setup.
Start with your team size, current provider and what you want to improve. You do not need all the technical answers.