Your VoIP questions, answered

In almost every case you can port your existing numbers from analogue or ISDN lines to a VoIP system, so you take your business or home numbers with you. Porting also retires the old lines. We can also provide new numbers with any UK area code, or non-geographic numbers such as 0843.

It gets more complicated when the line you want to port also carries the ADSL broadband you plan to use for VoIP. In that case we arrange a new fibre broadband or SoGEA line and move your broadband first, and handle all of it for you.

No. When calls are delivered using VoIP, your numbers go with you wherever you move. All you need at the new office is a broadband service to plug your system into, and calls arrive on the same numbers and extensions as before.

Yes. A move is an ideal moment. Broadband can be arranged to go live as you move in, number porting can be timed to move with you, and computers and phones share the same data cabling, which simplifies the installation. There are no non-VoIP options available now.

Partly. Skype is a point-to-point service, great for individuals calling each other. A business VoIP system such as Netsapiens UCaaS is a full phone system with routes to the public phone network, and many call-handling features that are difficult for consumer sign-up services to match.

Yes. Since the rollout of high-speed Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC), and Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) broadband services, it makes sense to use a single service to support voice and data in your business. However, you may want to consider routers with 'Quality of Service' (QoS) settings, and back-up strategies such as 4G/5G mobile data if your Internet connection is mission critical.

Often yes. Your network must be able to carry voice and data, with voice given priority. That usually means upgrading switches, which can also power the phones over the network cable using 'Power over Ethernet' (PoE). Upgrading your broadband can also lead to a need for faster (Gigabit) network switches to fully use the service capacity.

Yes. The bandwidth needed for a VoIP call is much less than your computer uses for e.g. an Internet download. If you have poor broadband service, then you might consider dual-WAN routers with two (or more) shared broadband connections - or, fast satellite services that have come on line since 2020.

SIP trunks are virtual phone lines able to be used to make or take a VoIP call delivered over your broadband connection. They include direct dial numbers and caller ID, and typically cost a fraction of equivalent ISDN lines. Some services are provided with bundled call minutes providing a fixed monthly cost for the service - apart from calls to International destinations or 08 series pay-as-you-go services.

Yes. Your new system is normally installed alongside your existing one on the day your numbers port. If you need the system to be live before porting is complete, we can set up a temporary DDI number as a divert target routing calls into the new system, so it is fully usable from the day it is installed.

If your phone system is part of our UCaaS platform, your calls will proceed through the unanswered call route and messages will be saved in voicemail to be responded to when you are back on line. Note that on-premises 3CX and Yeastar systems cannot offer this capability.
Routers may incorporate 4G mobile data SIMs to provide an alternate Internet access in the case of a line or fibre failure.

If someone has broadband at home, we can pre-configure a phone, courier it to them, and they plug it into their router. It finds the system over the internet and is ready within minutes. Calls between home and office are free, and staff can also use softphone or mobile apps.

Yes. Our platforms can integrate with Outlook and a range of CRM products to dial from your contacts and show caller details when a call arrives. For bespoke needs we can introduce you to a development partner.

Yes. Call recording is a standard feature of the Netsapiens, 3CX and Yeastar platforms, and can be set up per extension. You must comply with UK telecoms rules and data protection law, which means callers and staff need to know about and consent to recording. We help you plan the storage and retention too. Pricing plans are based on the amount of time the calls need to be retained in storage.

YES. 3CX’s Professional edition and NetSapiens both provide call-centre features, queues and reporting, even for small teams.

Hosted VoIP uses a shared cloud platform to serve your phones (e.g. our Netsapiens UCaaS). An on-premises system, such as a 3CX server or Yeastar appliance, keeps the system in your office and uses SIP trunks for calls. Both are sound choices with their pro's and con's, and we'll help you pick the right one.