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Cloud-based phone systems and business VoIP comparison
Compare VoIP phone systems for small business
All analogue landlines will be switched off by 2027
Switch to VoIP to future-proof your business
Bionic is the comparison site for your small business
We compare a vetted panel of trusted UK business suppliers
What is a VoIP cloud-based phone system?
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a cloud-based phone system that allows businesses to make voice phone calls through an internet connection.
VoIP simply uses the internet to carry phone calls instead of the old-fashioned analogue network. You can connect modern business phones to VoIP, but you can also make VoIP calls from your laptop or smartphone. Using the internet to make phone calls makes them cheaper and means you can easily get business features.
Prepare for the big switch off
All UK landlines - both home and business - will be switched from the old analogue network (copper phone lines) to a fully digital network by 2025. Don’t get left behind.
Suitable for large or small businesses
VoIP phones are quicker and more adaptable than traditional phone services. VoIP is also flexible and adaptable, meaning you can make calls from anywhere.
Customise your phone system
Choose from a range of customizable features including conference calls, customer insights, call logging, call routing, a virtual receptionist and more.
Faster, cheaper, and easy to install
VoIP is simple to set up and easy to scale up or down depending upon your needs. Set-up costs and call charges are much cheaper than most traditional systems.
How Bionic will help you find the right digital phone system for your business
You tell us what you need
Tell us a bit about your business online then one of our independent VoIP experts will talk you through the options. They’ll also be on hand to answer your questions and listen to your needs.
We tailor and demo your system
Our experts will talk you through the quotes from different business VoIP providers. They’ll work with you and help you choose the VoIP system that’s right for your business.
We’ll manage the switch
If you’re happy to go ahead, we’ll take care of the rest. We’ll work with your new supplier to arrange installation and make sure you get switched over with no interruption to your service.
Your Bionic comparison is free.
If you decide to buy a business VoIP system, we’ll be paid a commission by the new supplier that is included in the prices we quote.
What are the benefits of VoIP for a small business?
There are loads of advantages of switching to a cloud-based VoIP phone system. Here are some of the ways your business could benefit:
Work from anywhere
Making the switch to VoIP means you can take your landline anywhere by simply using your laptop or smartphone. Perfect for a remote workforce and frequent travelers, it also means there’s no need to confuse customers with an alternative mobile number for when you’re on the move.
Never miss another call
VoIP uses cloud technology, so you stay in complete control of your business calls. If you’re away from the office, calls can easily be routed to another handset, mobile phone or even a laptop, meaning you and your employees can answer from anywhere. Perfect for remote working.
Great value with inclusive calls, even to mobiles
VoIP calls are usually cheaper than those made using a traditional landline phone and are especially cost-effective for making international calls. And there’s no line rental to pay with a VoIP package, which is ideal for businesses with multiple lines or more than one site.
Get ready for the analogue switch off in 2025
It’s not new news, but it might have slipped under your radar - the traditional landline will be no more from 2025. This means that all UK landlines - both home and business - will be switched from the old copper lines to a fully digital network. Future-proof your systems now.
Get a tailored VoIP digital phone system for your business
Do you need a VoIP handset? Or will you be using mobile VoIP? Maybe you want both? Our tech-enabled experts will help tailor your perfect package.
Choose from a
range of VoIP handsets
We have access to a wide range of handsets from our panel of suppliers. We can even work with your existing set-up.
Desktop and mobile
VoIP options
Use the VoIP app to manage all your business calls from your existing laptop, smartphone, or other mobile devices.
Or a
combination
Use a combination of devices to make and manage VoIP calls from the office, home, or on the go.
Here’s what some of our customers say about Bionic’s business VoIP comparison service
Ryan Bull, owner of Muscle Bull Gym, London
I was frustrated that my gym only had one line so, if someone was dealing with another member, there would quickly be a queue of callers building up. I didn’t want our members to be waiting on hold for ages to book an appointment.
Ryan at Bionic helped me tailor a VoIP system with call queuing system, hold music and virtual receptionist. And we could keep the gym’s existing number, so we didn’t need to splash.
Why switch to business VoIP?
VoIP phones are becoming increasingly popular among businesses of all sizes, across all industries. This is largely because they’re quicker and more adaptable than traditional phone services.
If you switch to a VoIP for small business package, you’ll find that both the set-up cost and call charges are much cheaper than when using most traditional systems.
VoIP is also flexible and adaptable, which is ideal for small businesses. In fact, with a software-based Voice over IP phone system, you can make calls from anywhere, meaning you are not trapped in your office. Essential for effective remote working.
You can also scale up the system quite easily, as most VoIP providers will be able to add workspaces or phones to your system with limited hassle. Again, for many small businesses this could prove especially useful.
To find out how switching to VoIP helped a busy London gym owner, check out our customer case study Gym builds its muscles back up with Bionic.
What business VoIP providers does Bionic work with?
At Bionic, we work with the following panel of trusted VoIP providers who can offer reliable connectivity alongside a great service and competitive rates.
- Daisy Communications – Award winning B2B connectivity specialists. Daisy provides phone, broadband and connectivity solutions to more than 88,000 business customers of all sizes and sectors.
- Focus Group – Specialists in VoIP solutions, Focus is the UK’s leading B2B independent providers of business technology.
- Gamma – Cloud-based business communications specialists.
- Cisco – IP enabled handset and communications provider.
- Polycom – IP enabled handset and communications provider.
- Yealink – IP enabled handset and communications provider.
- Mitel – Specialist VoIP phone system provider.
How to choose the best VoIP for your small business
When choosing which VoIP provider to work with and which package to buy, the main things you’ll need to consider are pricing and the services or features your provider offers as part of their package.
There are several steps to take to work out how much a VoIP phone package will cost your business. The main monthly cost is a fixed price per user, but providers will also charge extra for additional phone numbers if you need them. If your business operates from several locations, for instance, you may want to give customers in different regions their own unique number.
You will also be charged for the calls you make. Just as with your mobile phone contract, you would normally buy VoIP call packages, or bundles, such as 1,000 minutes to local numbers. But do check what call charges will be once you use up your bundle and think about how much you will use your phone line.
In terms of services, providers will offer a vast range, with more expensive deals coming with plenty of optional extras. These might include call transfer services, voicemail, call recording, SMS transmission or call screening - to name but a few. Again, think about what your business needs before agreeing to a deal.
One call to our connectivity experts is all it takes to find the perfect business VoIP solution. Call us now on 0800 327 7734.
How does VoIP work?
Time for a bit of tech talk - Voice over IP phone systems work by converting the sound of users’ voices into digital data ‘packets’. These packets are then transmitted either online or through a local area network (LAN). Once they reach their destination, these packets are decoded and decompressed so that the user hears them as a voice. Unlike traditional phone calls, the decoding and decompression is instant, to make sure calls are faster and clearer.
It's doubtful you’ll ever really need to know much about how the technology works, just how to use it. When you switch to a VoIP business phone line, you can either use a software or hardware-based system.
A hardware-based VoIP system will look and work just like a traditional business phone system, and a new handset will be provided as part of the package. A software-based system uses an app that is installed on a computer or mobile, which allows access to mobile VoIP. Software-based systems allow you to use VoIP with existing computer and mobile devices.
Check out our business phone line comparison page if you are looking to switch your landline instead.
How much do VoIP call packages cost?
VoIP call packages can cost just a few pounds a month or as much as £30 a month. But, as you’d expect, the range of prices means there is also a wide variety of services you might receive for the money paid.
The same provider might offer a package of £5 a month and another at £25. But the more expensive deal will also generally offer more options in terms of the number of lines and additional services they provide. Additional phones can cost anything up to £500, so if you don’t have enough included in your initial package, costs can soon start adding up.
As always, think about what services you need before signing up to one particular package.
Business VoIP FAQs
To help you understand more about switching your business phone to business VoIP, here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
Is VoIP cheaper than a landline?
VoIP calls are usually cheaper than calls made using a traditional landline phone and are especially cost-effective for making international calls. And there’s no line rental to pay with a VoIP package.
Are VoIP calls high quality?
When you switch to business VoIP with Bionic, your package will include HD quality calls.
Is there a minimum speed needed for VoIP?
Although the speeds you need vary according to how many end users are connected, VoIP will work absolutely fine on speeds of just 1-2Mbps.
What equipment do I need?
Just a way to make and receive VoIP calls. This could come in the form of an app for your mobile, a PC softphone or a VoIP handset.
Why do you need my postcode to compare VoIP?
This is because the majority of VoIP customers run the system over their broadband, and the postcode allows our experts to check your available speeds.
How do you use VoIP?
In exactly the same way you would take a normal phone call, albeit with more flexibility to take it via your handset, mobile or a PC softphone.
Do you need to change your number when switching to VoIP?
You can usually keep your existing number when switching from an analogue business phone system to VoIP. This is something our connectivity experts can take care of on your behalf.
But you may want to change your number to better suit the location in which you do business – if, for instance, you want to let customers know your business operates nationally, you might want to switch to an 0330 number.
What is PBX?
Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a type of business telephone network used within a company or organisation. PBX phone systems allow you to communicate both internally and externally using VoIP, ISDN or analogue phone lines.
What is hosted VoIP?
Hosted VoIP - or ‘managed VoIP’ - is when your VoIP hardware and PBX is hosted at a site separate from where the VoIP telephone service is being used.
This might sound complicated, but simply signing up for cloud-based VoIP means you’re using a hosted VoIP system – you make calls via VoIP, but your provider maintains the physical kit needed in a data centre off-site, subject to you paying a monthly fee.
Many businesses find this the easiest way to use a VoIP phone service.
What is the difference between SIP trunking and VoIP?
While VoIP allows you to make voice calls using an internet connection, SIP trunking can transfer multimedia data, which means you can make voice, text or video calls.
How can I find the best business VoIP?
The simplest way to find the best business VoIP system is to speak to Bionic’s connectivity experts.
We compare both hardware and software-based systems to make sure you get a full view of what’s on offer before you decide. We’ll cut through the jargon to save any confusion and help work out what type of VoIP you need, which providers have the best deals, and how you can negotiate the best terms available.
Give us a call today on 0800 327 7734