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Connectivity
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Compare business phone line providers
Compare business phone deals
Your business might need a landline even if your home doesn’t
Keep your existing number and get enhanced features
Bionic is the comparison site for your small business
We compare a vetted panel of trusted business phone and broadband, and VoIP suppliers
Why do you need a...
business phone line?
Every business knows the importance of being connected to the outside world. But have you ever stopped to consider whether your business phone line services are suited to your needs?
It’s easy to dismiss business landlines as outdated, not least because most of us carry a smartphone everywhere we go. But a landline is as essential now as it ever was - not only does it provide a reliable line of communication for employees, customers, clients and suppliers, but having a landline number on your website and marketing material can help improve the trust, image and authority of your business.
If you’re looking to install a new landline at your business premises, or thinking of switching landline provider, it might be worth looking into business VoIP instead. This is because the analogue phone system (the old traditional copper wires that have been in use for decades) will be switched off across the UK by 2025. A VoIP system will provide a cutting-edge and future proof alternative to your landline.
A quick call to our tech-enabled team is all it takes to check out the current business phone line options and find the best deal for your business. Give us a call or enter your postcode and we’ll get right back to you.
What’s the difference between a business landline and a home landline?
Do you really need a dedicated business phone line, or will a domestic phone line do the trick? A phone line is a phone line, after all. The reality is that a dedicated business landline is often more cost-effective and will offer several additional services that can really help your business.
Unlike domestic lines, business phone lines offer conference calling, call forwarding, and multiple lines from the same address. Priority support is also given to business users, and a business phone contract might also offer better deals on inclusive minutes, including international calls.
What business phone line providers do Bionic work with?
At Bionic, we work with business phone providers who offer a wide range of products to meet the needs and budget of any business. Our trusted panel of suppliers also guarantee great service alongside competitive rates, to help keep your business connected.
Here are the broadband suppliers we work with:
- Daisy – Daisy offers a range of phone line plans to suit businesses of all sizes. Daisy Duo offers free landline to mobile calls, Daisy Phoneline + is a VoIP system that allows you to keep your existing business number, make calls from multiple devices wherever you are, and manage your clients from an easy-to-use online hub. Daisy also offers a hosted VoIP system.
- Focus - Focus is one of the UK’s largest independent providers of fixed-line products. Its range of competitive tariffs are designed to help deliver cost savings and great service to your business. Its bespoke business phone packages offer low leased line rental costs, free reports and itemisation, 24/7 fault reporting, and a dedicated account manager. They are also specialist in cloud voice services such as VoIP.
- BT - The UK’s biggest phone provider offers a range of business phone line packages to appeal to all budgets. 24/7 customer support is included as standard, as are features such as BT Answer 1571, and BT last-caller 1471. You can also add a caller display for free. BT Featureline offers a range of additional features, such as call diversion, ring back when free, and many more. BT also offers business VoIP solutions.
Should you bundle your business phone line and broadband?
Business phone and broadband services are often sold together as a joint product, known as a ‘bundle’.
It’s worth considering one of these packages, as they could be more cost-effective and convenient than getting separate deals for your landline and internet connections - you’ll only have one connectivity bill to look out for each month, which should make it easier to keep track of your monthly expenses.
When comparing business phone and broadband packages, you need to make sure the deal you sign up to only includes features that are relevant to your business and its needs. The tech-enabled experts at Bionic can explain what each supplier offers to help you get rid of any unnecessary extras.
If you're not sure which business phone line provider is best for you, or which landline features you need, our tech-enabled experts are also on hand to talk through all the available options to find you the best business phone line package. Just enter your postcode or call us to get in touch.
Things to consider when choosing a business phone line provider
Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a business phone line provider:
Do you have enough phone lines to manage the volume of calls your business handles?
If your business is taking an increasing number of phone calls, installing multiple phone lines could help spread the workload and increase productivity. It might also be worth looking into a multi-line phone system that directs multiple lines to a single device, so you can screen and transfer incoming calls to the right contact, quickly and easily.
Are you on the most cost-effective call plan?
If your business is being hit with high phone bills, switching to a more cost-effective call plan can help cut your overheads. Speak to our connectivity experts to find a call plan that suits the needs of your business and see if you could save money with a plan that offers unlimited calls.
Should you cap the cost of your business phone calls?
Capping the costs of your calls is another option you should consider, especially if you’re on a tight budget and need to reduce the risk of your bills unexpectedly soaring.
On the other hand, an unlimited calls package might work best, as this allows you to make as many calls as you need at certain times of the day, for no extra cost. If you want to cap specific costs - international calls, for instance - you'll need to make sure this is specified in any deal you sign up to, so bear this in mind when you're considering a package that's right for your business.
Business phone line FAQs
To help you understand more about switching business phone with Bionic, here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
How much does it cost to set up a new landline?
Landline prices start from as low as £9.95 per month with no set-up fees. Speak to one of our tech-enabled team to find out more.
What is line rental?
Line rental is a charge that’s included on your phone bill to cover the cost of the maintenance and repairs of your phone line. It almost acts as insurance in case anything goes wrong, as any faults on the network can usually be repaired without you having to pay a one-off fee.
What’s the difference between landline and VoIP?
Both landline and VoIP are ways of making voice calls. The only difference is that while landline calls are made over copper phone lines, VoIP calls are made over an internet connection.
Will I get a new business phone handset when I switch landline provider?
Not always, you can often use your existing handset and it will work like normal. If you do require a new handset, our connectivity experts can talk you through the options from a simple handset to a full high spec IP-enabled VoIP handset.
Can I keep my number if I switch to a business landline provider?
Your business should be able to keep its existing landline telephone number when you switch. This is known as number 'porting' and is standard practice for landline providers. You might have some issues if you switch provider while moving business premises, but this will depend on your provider. To find out more, get in touch with our connectivity experts.
What extras can I add to my business landline package?
When choosing a business landline provider, you’ll also need to consider any extra services you might need, such as:
- Additional phone lines
- Three-way calling
- Conference calling
- Call diversion
- Call waiting
- Caller display
- Anonymous caller reject
It’s also worth weighing up whether you’ll need things like Interactive Voice Response (IVR), to automatically get caller information and routes calls to the right recipients, or even set up your own switchboard using a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).
While some of these features and functions could be valuable to the smallest of businesses, others are clearly aimed at larger businesses. At Bionic, we only want you to offer you the products and services you need, so we’ll never recommend any unnecessary extras.
What’s the best phone system for a small business?
VoIP is the best phone system for small businesses. Also known as a digital phone or cloud-based phone, these systems work just like your landline, but calls are made over an internet connection instead of the usual analogue phone system.
The reason that VoIP is the best option for business is that the old copper wires of the analogue system will all be disconnected by 2025 (it’s already happening in some areas), meaning you’ll need to switch to a digital phone solution if you want to keep using your landline. For more information, check out our business VoIP page.
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