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Comparison

VoIP or a traditional phone system?

In practice this decision has already been made for you by the PSTN switch-off. What is worth understanding is what genuinely changes, and the two things you have to plan for.

31 Jan 2027THE DECISION IS MADE
Per userHOW HOSTED IS PRICED
AnywhereWHERE THE NUMBER RINGS
PowerTHE ONE REAL CATCH

Side by side

What actually differs.

Traditional systems are not bad. They are simply built around assumptions, a fixed office and a physical line, that stopped being true for most businesses.

On-site

Traditional phone system

  • Works in a power cut, on analogue lines
  • Familiar to staff who have used it for years
  • No dependency on your broadband
  • Depends on the PSTN, withdrawn 31 January 2027
  • Hardware to maintain, replace and insure
  • Adding a user often means an engineer
  • The number is tied to the building
  • Nothing works if you are not at the desk
Cloud

Hosted VoIP

  • Number not tied to a line or a building
  • Rings desk, laptop and mobile together
  • Adding a user is a setting, not a visit
  • Call handling and reporting included
  • Priced per user, so it scales with you
  • Keeps working if the office does not
  • Needs a stable internet connection
  • Needs mains power, or battery backup

The two real catches

What you have to plan for, honestly.

Anyone telling you hosted VoIP has no downsides is selling. There are two, and both are manageable if you deal with them at the design stage.

  • Power. Analogue phones drew power from the exchange and worked in an outage. IP phones do not. Where that matters, the answer is battery backup or automatic routing to mobiles.
  • Connection quality. Voice needs little bandwidth but a stable connection. A poor line shows up as choppy calls. We test before recommending, and say so if the line is not up to it.

Neither is a reason to keep a system that stops working in January 2027. Both are reasons to plan properly rather than swap like for like.

Keep your numberPorted across, not replaced. Port before cancelling, always.
Handsets optionalDesktop and mobile apps do the same job. Many buy handsets only for reception.
See the pricingHosted VoIP is £9.99 to £19.99 per user per month, ex VAT. Full pricing.

The deadline

This is not really a choice any more.

The PSTN and ISDN networks are withdrawn on 31 January 2027. Traditional systems that depend on them will stop working. The genuine decision is not whether to move, but whether you use the move to get something better or simply replicate what you had.

Read the PSTN switch-off guide

Common questions

Answered.

Is VoIP better than a traditional phone system?

For most businesses now, yes, though the honest answer is that the comparison is largely academic. The PSTN is withdrawn on 31 January 2027 and traditional systems that rely on it will stop working. The useful question is what to move to, not whether to move.

Will VoIP work in a power cut?

Not on its own. Analogue phones drew power from the telephone exchange, which is why they worked in an outage. IP phones need mains power. Where calls must survive a power cut, the answer is battery backup on the router and phones, or automatic routing to mobiles.

Do I need good broadband for VoIP?

You need stable broadband more than fast broadband. A single call uses very little bandwidth, but an unstable connection produces choppy or dropped calls. We test the line before recommending a system and will tell you if it needs improving first.

Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes, in almost all cases. Numbers are ported to the new service so customers keep dialling what they always have. The critical rule is to port before cancelling, because a number that has been disconnected cannot be recovered.

Do I have to buy new handsets?

No. The desktop and mobile apps do everything a handset does, and plenty of businesses run entirely on those, buying handsets only for reception or shared areas. It is a common way to reduce the up-front cost of moving.

Working out what you need?

Tell us how your team actually works and we will tell you what fits, rather than selling you every feature on the list.

Call 0151 230 3949Send us a message