In short
A business VoIP phone system carries calls over your internet connection instead of copper phone lines, giving every user an extension, a direct number and apps for desk, laptop and mobile. Forever Systems supplies hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC, Forever Teams and SIP trunks, and helps you choose and set up the right one.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you need to achieve and we will point you to the right option.
What a business VoIP phone system does
VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol. A VoIP phone system turns speech into data, sends it across your broadband or leased line, and connects it to the public phone network so you can call any landline or mobile. On top of that it gives you everything a traditional office phone system did: extensions, transfers, a greeting and menu, hunt groups, call queues and voicemail.
The difference is where it lives and how people use it. Calls are no longer tied to a socket on the wall, so the same number can ring a desk phone in the office, an app on a laptop at home and a mobile on the road. Users, menus and opening hours are changed in a web portal rather than by rewiring a phone system.
New to the subject? Start with what is a VoIP phone system? and how a VoIP phone system works. If the jargon is getting in the way, our explainers on SIP vs VoIP and PBX vs VoIP clear it up.
Vendors we supply
The VoIP platforms we supply
Forever Systems is not tied to a single phone system. These are the platforms Forever Group supplies, sets up and supports, so we can recommend by fit:
- 3CX: a full-featured VoIP phone system licensed per system rather than per user, hosted by 3CX or in your own cloud account, with web, Windows, iOS and Android apps and a wide choice of desk phones. Our sister site covers hosted 3CX in depth
- Microsoft Teams Phone: calling inside the Teams app your staff already use, connected to the phone network with a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing
- Forever Teams: Forever Group's own Teams calling service, built on Direct Routing, so you keep your existing numbers and make calls in the Teams app on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac
- Forever UC: Forever Group's own app-first phone system, built on Cisco BroadSoft technology, with apps for iOS, Android, Windows and Mac and desk phones as an option
- Webex Calling: Cisco's cloud calling service in the Webex App and on Cisco devices. Forever Systems is a Cisco Partner, so Webex Calling sits naturally alongside Cisco networking
- SIP trunks: keep the phone system you already own and replace its ISDN or analogue lines with internet-based trunks. See SIP trunk providers on our sister site
- Teams with your existing PBX: Dstny's Direct Routing service connects Microsoft Teams users to an existing SIP-capable PBX or SIP trunk with nothing installed on site; each user needs Teams Phone Standard. See Teams Direct Routing
- BT Cloud Voice: supplied by our sister company Forever Communications. Everything about it is on cloudvoice.cloud
Which VoIP phone system suits which business
There is no single right answer, which is why we supply more than one platform. This is how they usually match up:
| Platform | How it is licensed | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| 3CX | One flat annual licence per system, sized by edition and simultaneous calls | Busy receptions, sales and support queues, many desk phones, CRM screen pops |
| Microsoft Teams Phone | Per user, added to a qualifying Microsoft 365 or Teams plan, plus a way to reach the phone network | Organisations that already work in Teams all day |
| Forever Teams | Teams Phone licensing plus Forever Group's Direct Routing service | Teams users who want to keep their numbers and have one supplier for calls and licences |
| Forever UC | Per user, in Standard, Plus and Contact tiers | App-first, mobile and hybrid teams, and small contact teams that need recording and reporting |
| Webex Calling | Per user, Professional or Standard, with Workspace licences for shared phones | Cisco estates and organisations that meet in Webex |
| SIP trunks | By channel or call capacity | Organisations with a phone system they want to keep |
For a structured comparison, read choosing the best VoIP phone system, and if you run a small team, see VoIP phone system for small business.
Not sure which edition fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will help you choose the right edition.
What we handle for you
Choosing a platform is only part of the job. We can help with everything around it, so the move is planned from the first audit to the first calls:
- A requirements check: we look at your connection, network, firewall and power so it is ready to carry voice well. Our VoIP requirements checklist shows what we look at.
- Numbers: we plan new numbers, direct dial numbers for users, and porting your landline number to VoIP so callers keep reaching you on the numbers they know.
- Handsets and headsets: desk, cordless and conference handsets can be bought outright or, in some cases, included in your monthly rental, with the options confirmed at quote. See VoIP handsets for business.
- Installation and call flows: we build users, menus, groups, queues and opening hours, much of it remotely. See VoIP phone system installation.
- Training and go-live: we show users, receptionists and supervisors how it works before the switch.
- Help with changes: we can help with moves, adds and changes as your team grows.
One supplier for the whole VoIP project
A VoIP phone system depends on everything around it: the connection, the office network, the numbers and the devices. Forever Group can help with all of it, so you are not left coordinating several suppliers on go-live day.
- Connectivity: business broadband and leased lines through our sister sites, sized for your busiest hour of calls. See broadband for VoIP and leased lines for VoIP
- The office network: Cisco Meraki switches and Wi-Fi that can give voice priority. See cloud-managed switches and cloud-managed Wi-Fi
- Numbers and porting: new numbers, direct dials and the move of your existing numbers
- Devices: desk phones, cordless handsets, conference phones, headsets and adapters for analogue devices
- Microsoft licensing: Teams Phone and the Microsoft 365 plans it sits on, if Teams is your route
- Security: the controls that keep a phone system safe from toll fraud. See VoIP security
Because the same group supplies the platform, the connection and the network, we can look at the whole picture when something needs to change.
Need help choosing?
We will recommend what fits your organisation and explain why, in plain English.
Guides to help you choose
- VoIP phone system cost: what drives the price, and how to compare quotes like for like
- VoIP phone system features: the features businesses use, and which platform tiers include them
- VoIP vs landline for business: costs, features and what changes after the switch-off
- VoIP call recording and VoIP CRM integration for sales, support and regulated teams
- Multi-line VoIP phone systems: many lines, users and sites on one system
- VoIP security: protecting your phone system from toll fraud and account takeover
Moving off landlines before 31 January 2027
Openreach says that on 31 January 2027 all traditional phone lines will be going digital. If your business still relies on analogue or ISDN lines, now is a good time to plan the move to VoIP rather than leave it to the last few months.
Our step-by-step guide to switching from landline to VoIP covers the audit, numbers, handsets and special lines, and ISDN to VoIP explains the routes for older ISDN phone systems. For the wider background, our sister site has a full PSTN switch-off guide.
When you are ready, contact us with a rough user count, the number of sites and what you use today, and we will recommend the options that fit.
More VoIP phone system guides
Teams VoIPCalls to landlines and mobiles in Microsoft Teams: licences, PSTN routes and devices.
3CX VoIP3CX as a VoIP PBX: where it runs, the editions, licensing and SIP trunks.
Webex VoIPIs Webex a VoIP service? Webex Calling licences, devices and PSTN options.How Forever Systems helps you choose a VoIP phone system
We supply and support several VoIP platforms, so we can recommend the one that fits how your team takes calls rather than fitting your business around one product.
- Platform advice across hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC and Forever Teams, with SIP trunks for phone systems you already own
- A requirements check of your broadband, network and routers before anything goes live
- Numbers and porting: we can help you keep your existing business numbers and plan the move away from analogue and ISDN lines
- Handsets and headsets that suit each platform, bought outright or, in some cases, included in your monthly rental, with the options confirmed at quote
- Set-up and changes: call flows, users and devices configured for you, and help with moves, adds and changes afterwards
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our sister site cloudvoice.cloud, and for hosted and cloud platforms in depth, cloudphone.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Frequently asked questions
What is a VoIP phone system for business?
A VoIP phone system for business is a phone system that carries calls over your internet connection rather than traditional phone lines. It gives every user an extension and direct number, plus menus, groups, queues and voicemail, on desk phones, laptop softphones and mobile apps.
Is VoIP good for business?
For most organisations, yes. VoIP lets people take calls on any device and from any site, makes changes quick, adds features such as recording and CRM integration, and is ready for the move to digital lines on 31 January 2027. It needs a reliable connection and a network that gives voice priority.
Can I keep my phone numbers if I move to VoIP?
In most cases, yes. Geographic and many non-geographic numbers can be ported to a VoIP provider. The new provider requests the port from your current one, and the account details must match. We plan the porting date with you.
How much does a VoIP phone system cost?
It depends on the platform and how it is licensed: per user per month for Teams Phone, Webex Calling, Forever UC and Forever Teams, or one flat annual licence per system for 3CX. Calls, numbers, handsets and set-up add to it. Ask us for a quote.
Do I need new phones for VoIP?
Not necessarily. Many people use softphone apps on laptops and mobiles instead of desk phones, and some existing IP phones can be re-provisioned. Where you need handsets, they can be bought outright or, in some cases, included in your monthly rental, with the options confirmed at quote.
Can Microsoft Teams be our VoIP phone system?
Yes. With a Teams Phone licence and a connection to the phone network (a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing, such as our Forever Teams service), users make and take calls to ordinary numbers in the Teams app and on Teams certified phones.
Still have a question about a VoIP phone system?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.