Question 1

What is a cloud phone system?

Accepted Answer

A cloud phone system is a business telephone service delivered over the internet instead of from hardware in your office. Call routing, voicemail, auto attendant, recording and reporting all run in secure UK data centres, and your team connects using desk phones or apps on a laptop or mobile. You manage users and call flows from a web portal rather than calling out an engineer.

Question 2

Is hosted VoIP the same as a cloud phone system?

Accepted Answer

In everyday use, yes. Hosted VoIP describes the underlying technology - voice calls carried over an internet connection from a hosted platform. Cloud phone system describes the full service you get on top of it: extensions, call handling, apps, integrations and reporting. SelectVoice provides both as a single managed service.

Question 3

Cloud phone system vs on-premise PBX - which is better?

Accepted Answer

For most UK businesses today, a cloud phone system works out cheaper to run and far easier to change, because there is no hardware to buy or maintain and users can be added in minutes. An on-premise PBX can still make sense if you have recently invested in hardware and your team works from one fixed location - but the lines behind it still need replacing before the 2027 PSTN switch-off, so SIP trunking is usually the interim step.

Question 4

How much does a cloud phone system cost in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Pricing is per user, per month, and depends on the features and call bundles you need. There is no upfront cost for the platform itself, and handsets can be bought outright or included. We quote after a short discovery call so the figure reflects your users, sites and call volumes rather than a headline rate.

Question 5

Can I keep my existing phone numbers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Geographic, non-geographic and freephone numbers can be ported across, and we manage the process with your current provider. Numbers stay live throughout, with the cutover scheduled at a time that suits you.

Question 6

What internet connection do I need for hosted VoIP?

Accepted Answer

Around 100kbps per concurrent call is a sensible planning figure, so most business broadband connections cope comfortably. Call quality depends more on consistency than raw speed, so we check your line and recommend prioritising voice traffic - or a dedicated connection for larger sites.

Question 7

What happens if the internet or power goes down?

Accepted Answer

Because the system is hosted, calls can be rerouted automatically to mobiles, another site or voicemail while your office connection is unavailable. You set those failover rules yourself in the portal, and mobile apps keep working on 4G or 5G.

Question 8

How long does it take to switch?

Accepted Answer

A single-site business with a straightforward setup is typically live within a few weeks, with number porting usually the longest step. Multi-site or call centre deployments take longer because of call flow design and testing. We agree a plan and cutover date up front.

Question 9

Does it work with Microsoft Teams?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Direct routing lets your team make and receive external calls inside Teams while the cloud phone system handles the telephony, call recording and reporting behind it.

Question 10

Is a cloud phone system suitable for a small business?

Accepted Answer

It suits small businesses particularly well. There is no hardware investment, you pay only for the users you have, and features that once needed an expensive on-site PBX - auto attendant, call recording, CRM integration - are included from the first user.

Factor	On-premise PBX	Cloud phone system
Upfront cost	Buy the PBX hardware, licences and installation up front	No platform hardware to buy - a monthly per-user charge instead
Ongoing maintenance	Maintenance contract plus engineer visits for changes	Platform maintained and updated for you, included in the service
Adding or moving a user	Usually a scheduled engineer visit	A few minutes in the admin portal
Home and hybrid working	Needs VPN, add-on licences or extra hardware	Desktop, mobile and browser apps included as standard
Opening a new site	New hardware and links between sites	New users join the same system, wherever they are
Resilience	Tied to the building's power and connectivity	Calls reroute to mobiles or another site automatically
PSTN switch-off readiness	Analogue and ISDN lines must be replaced before 2027	Already digital - the switch-off is handled
Best suited to	Recently invested hardware you want to keep running for now	Teams that change, work flexibly, or need lower fixed costs

A Cloud Phone System That Answers Every Customer Call

Costs you can plan for

Ready for the PSTN switch-off

Support from people who know your setup

What's Included in the Cloud Phone System

Cloud phone system for every desk

Hosted VoIP calling on UK infrastructure

Desktop, mobile and browser apps

Call centre and queuing

CRM and business app integrations

AI answering with Ella

Reporting and call analytics

SIP trunking for existing systems

Cloud Phone System vs On-Premise PBX

Cloud Phone System FAQs

Related Guides and Services

PSTN switch-off guide

UK landline switch-off by city

Hosted PBX

SIP trunking

Integrations

Sectors we work with

Ready to Transform How Your Customers Communicate?