for so you can build a sensible budget and compare quotes fairly. Modern cloud VoIP systems are the option most businesses are moving to before the 2027 switch-off.
The six things that make up the cost
1. User licences (the monthly fee)
Most cloud phone systems charge per user or extension. The licence usually covers a business number, desk phones and apps, voicemail to email, call forwarding and an online portal. Advanced features such as call recording, queues, wallboards and contact-centre tools may use a higher tier.
2. Calls
Calls between colleagues are usually free. UK landline and mobile calls may be bundled; international and premium-rate calls are usually extra. Check what is included and how calls outside the bundle are charged.
3. Handsets and headsets
You can buy or rent desk phones, or use mobile and desktop apps. Existing IP phones may be reusable. Check whether handsets are included and which current phones can be reused.
4. Your internet connection
A cloud phone system runs over your internet connection. Small offices may be fine on good business broadband; busy teams may need a leased line or backup connection. A cheap phone system on a poor line is a false economy.
5. Installation, porting and training
Moving to a new system means setting up users and call flows, porting numbers, installing phones and training the team. Ask what installation and number porting include and whether someone comes on site.
6. Support
Check support hours, how you contact support and whether you speak to people who know your setup or a call centre.
Hidden costs to watch for
Check long contracts and auto-renewal, charges for changes, equipment such as alarms and card machines, network work for data cabling or Wi-Fi, and early-termination fees on current lines.
What you might save
A cloud system can remove copper-line and ISDN rental, old phone-system maintenance, inter-site call charges and separate mobile costs. Whether you save overall depends on your current setup, so compare like for like.
How to compare quotes fairly
Compare monthly cost and tier, users on each tier, included calls, handsets, installation and porting, support, contract length, and whether the connection and backup were checked. Compare the total over the contract term, not just the monthly price.
Questions to ask before you sign
Can I keep all my numbers, including 029 numbers? Has the internet connection and equipment been checked? What happens if the internet fails? Who supports me and when are they open? What does it cost to add a user or make changes later?
Frequently asked questions
A cloud system can be cheaper than a landline because line rental and internal calls may reduce, but compare the full setup. You do not always need new phones: apps and existing IP phones may work. Quotes vary because they include different handsets, installation, support and call bundles. Installation and porting vary by provider, so ask what is included.
Get a clear, no-obligation price
Crystal Voice Data is a Cardiff-based Gamma Accredited Partner. Book a free line check at /contact-us and we will review your lines, numbers and costs, then give you a clear price for a business phone system at /office-phones. Call 0333 5678 444, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
How much does a business phone system cost?
It's the first question most businesses ask, and the honest answer is "it depends". That isn't a dodge: two businesses with ten staff can need very different setups. What we can do is show you exactly what you're paying for, so you can build a sensible budget and compare quotes fairly.
This guide covers modern cloud (VoIP) phone systems. With traditional lines needing to move to digital by 31 January 2027 (Openreach), that's what almost every business will be buying.
The six things that make up the cost
1. User licences (the monthly fee)
Most cloud phone systems charge a monthly fee per user or extension. Our Gamma Horizon cloud phone system, for example, starts from £19.99 per user per month plus VAT. The licence usually covers the core features: a business number on desk phones and apps, voicemail to email, call forwarding and the online portal. More advanced features can sit on a higher tier, such as call recording, call queues, wallboards or contact centre tools.
What to check: what's included in each tier, and whether you need everyone on the same tier. Often only a few people need the advanced features.
2. Calls
Calls between colleagues on the same system are usually free. Calls to UK landlines and mobiles are often bundled into the monthly price. International and premium-rate calls are usually extra. (More on this in are VoIP calls free?)
What to check: what's in the bundle, what's outside it, and how calls outside it are charged.
3. Handsets and headsets
You can buy desk phones, rent them, or go app-only and use the mobile and desktop apps on devices you already have. Some existing IP phones can be reused. Most offices mix the two: desk phones for reception and busy desks, and apps for everyone else. We supply Yealink, Polycom and Cisco handsets.
What to check: whether the quote includes handsets, whether they're bought or rented, and which of your current phones can be reused.
4. Your internet connection
A cloud phone system runs over your internet connection, so the connection is part of the cost, even if you already pay for it. Many small offices are fine on good business broadband. Busier offices, call teams and businesses that can't afford downtime may need a leased line or a backup connection.
What to check: whether the provider has looked at your current connection. A cheap phone system on a poor line is a false economy.
5. Installation, porting and training
Moving to a new system means setting up users and call flows, porting your numbers, installing desk phones, and showing the team how it works. Some providers charge for this separately and some include it.
What to check: what installation includes, whether number porting is included, and whether someone comes on site.
6. Support
This is the one most often missing from cheap quotes. When calls aren't coming through, who do you ring, and how quickly will they help?
What to check: support hours, how you contact support, and whether you speak to people who know your setup or to a call centre.
Hidden costs to watch for
Long contracts with auto-renewal. Check the term and the notice period.
Charges for changes. Adding users, changing call flows or moving desks.
Equipment you didn't know you had. Alarms, card machines, lifts and door entry systems that use your phone line may need upgrading as part of the switch-off (GOV.UK). Better to find out at the start.
Network work. Desk phones need network points. If your data cabling or Wi-Fi isn't up to it, budget for it.
Old contracts. Early-termination fees on your current lines. Check your end dates.
What you might save
Moving to a cloud system often removes costs as well as adding them:
Line rental on copper lines and ISDN channels you no longer need
Maintenance on an old on-site phone system
Charges for calls between your own sites or staff
Separate mobile costs for people who currently use personal phones for work calls
Whether you save overall depends on your current setup, which is why a like-for-like comparison matters.
How to compare quotes fairly
Put each quote into the same table:
Quote AQuote BMonthly cost per user (and which tier)Number of users on each tierCalls included / not includedHandsets (buy, rent, reuse, app-only)Installation and portingSupport hours and contact methodContract length and notice periodConnection checked? Backup included?
Compare the total over the contract term, not just the monthly headline price.
Questions to ask before you sign
Can I keep all my numbers, including 029 numbers?
Have you checked my internet connection and the equipment on my phone lines?
What happens to calls if my internet fails?
Who supports me, and when are you open?
What does it cost to add a user or change something later?
Frequently asked questions
Is a cloud phone system cheaper than a landline?
Often, because you stop paying line rental and internal calls are usually free. But it depends on your setup, so compare your current bills against a full quote.
Do I have to buy new phones?
No. You can use the mobile and desktop apps, reuse some IP phones, or buy or rent desk phones.
Why do quotes vary so much?
They often include different things: handsets, installation, support and call bundles. Put them into the same table to compare like for like.
Is installation included?
It varies by provider. Always ask what's included, especially number porting and on-site setup.
Get a clear, no-obligation price
Crystal Voice Data is a Cardiff-based Gamma Accredited Partner. Book a free line check and we'll review your current lines, numbers and costs, then give you a clear price for a business phone system that fits your team, with no call centres. Gamma Horizon user licences start from £19.99 per user per month plus VAT. Call 0333 5678 444, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
Still deciding whether to switch? Read how to switch from landline to VoIP or the PSTN switch-off guide.
