FAQ’s

VoIP (it stands for Voice over Internet Protocol) means that you make calls over the internet rather than over the traditional phone network. And with a cloud-based phone system, your call routing takes place in our internet-connected secure data centre instead of in hardware installed on your premises. 

Put these technologies together and you get a cloud-based VoIP system. Why would you want one? How about lower upfront costs, fixed monthly pricing, no maintenance, and automatic updates for starters? Plus, being on the internet means you can manage your system through an online portal wherever you can get an internet connection; and the system easily grows as your business does.

Yes, you’ll get the same level of clarity as you do with a regular landline (depending on the set-up of your system and the internet connection, call quality may even be better).  Calls made over your internet connection take priority over data, so you can be sure that your call quality will be consistent.

When you talk to us about installing a cloud-based phone system, we’ll discuss your current broadband connection to ensure your VoIP calls will be of good enough quality for your business. And if you’re looking for a new broadband connection, we’ll find the right package for your business from our comprehensive range: standard broadband, fibre broadband, or 365 Agency Broadband

The speed you need basically depends on a couple of things: how many people will be on the phone at the same time; and how much data your business uses.

You might think you need fibre broadband, but this isn’t necessarily the case as a VoIP call only uses a fraction of your broadband’s capacity. All new business broadband connections from BT come with a Smart Hub. Web traffic prioritisation technology within the hub boosts the strength of voice calls over the internet. Which means you could get by with less bandwidth. 

Don’t worry about this, though. We won’t place any orders until we’ve talked to you about how your business works, what you want to achieve, what your future plans are, and so on.

There are several ways you can use your mobile with the system.

You can set your mobile to ring whenever your office phone does, which is handy whether you’ve just popped away from your desk or you’re out of the office.

With 365 Agency VoIP Phone Systems you can flip calls between phones. So if you get a call on your Cloud Voice number, say, just as you’re leaving the office to go home, you can flip the call seamlessly from the office phone onto your mobile.

And then there’s the mobile app (for Android and iOS devices).

This turns your mobile into an extension of your phone system.  Not only can you answer and make calls, but you’ll also be able to see when people are available to talk, set-up call routing, and transfer calls between colleagues.  

With the mobile app you can control your phone system from wherever you are.

We host our cloud-based phone systems across multiple secure data centres, each in a different location. In the unlikely event that one of them has a problem, another takes over.

And when you run a VoIP system with 365 Agency internet access, you’ll get 99.99% reliability from our business broadband and fibre broadband networks. And if you’re making calls over a dedicated fiber internet connection, we’ll give you money back if it isn’t available 100% of the time.

But let’s say your internet connection does have an off day. You can take your IP phones, plug them into another broadband service and carry on as normal, using the same number (note, though that, we’ll only support your cloud-based phone system when you’re using it with the Business equipment and internet connection that we set it up to work with). And, when things are up and running again, re-connect your phones as before and you’re back in business with high quality phone calls.

Or, using the online portal, you could just re-direct your calls to any other landline or mobile.

We aim to make setting up as simple as possible, which is why you’ll have a team of cloud system experts to call on if you need help.

Our 365 Agency Cloud Phone systems is the simple plug and play option where phones arrive ready to go. Just connect things together and we’ll talk you through how to set it up so it’s right for your business, including help with setting up call handling rules and user profiles.

365 Agency Cloud Phone Systems, which is ideal for the business with more than 9 employees, is also a system that you can install yourself, but you’ve also got the option for us to pop in and set it up if you prefer. 

Yes.

Security is absolutely crucial.

That’s why the data centres where we host our VoIP phone systems undergo robust audits; it’s why they have everything from firewalls to intrusion detection systems; and it’s why all your data is encrypted, to protect it from cyber-attacks and unauthorised access.  

First, you’ll need an internet connection and the equipment that comes with it. If you’re looking for a new broadband connection, we can find the right package for your business from our comprehensive range: standard broadband or fibre broadband.

You can use an IP phone as long as it is supported by our systems and this can be automatically provisioned, provided you supply us with your MAC address and IP phone model

How much you’ll pay depends on several different factors so it’s difficult to give you a price just here.

It all depends on which system is best for your business: how many people will be using the system, now and in the future?  How does your business work? How many IP phones do you want? What type? What about Feature Packs and call minutes? And so on …

So give us a call and we’ll have a chat about what you need.

For starters, everything you need you can get directly from us, making the whole process easy. All the equipment and the internet connections we supply are designed to work together to give you the highest quality of service.

To get you up and running, you’ll have support from our team of VoIP experts who will help you set up the system so it works for how you run your business. They’ll show you how to configure and  manage it through the online portal.   

And you’ll be able to call our free helpdesk for technical help or advice, whenever you want. 

A VoIP phone is just like any other traditional desk phone and will normally operate in the same way. The key difference is how your phone calls travel across the network; with VoIP this is done via an Internet connection instead of the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). VoIP phones will often have a greater array of functionality than their traditional counterparts.

VoIP call charges will vary from one provider to another but long distance calls are usually far cheaper on VoIP networks than on the PSTN.

VoIP Phones are now extremely common in businesses across the UK. As they often look similar to traditional phones, you may not even know a business is using a VoIP phone when you see them.

We recommend utilising the latest VoIP phones, such as Polycom VVX601 so that you can take advantages of the latest features they offer, such as video calling and video support.

There are very few disadvantages to VoIP, but call quality and reliability can be an issue with less reputable providers. It’s best to go with an established VoIP provider with a track record of good reliability.

The quality of a VoIP call is the same, if not better, than that through traditional phone lines. VoIP simply requires a reliable internet connection to maintain call quality, which is something that will be assessed by 365 Agency experts if you choose to have the system fitted.

SIP stands for ‘session initiation protocol’, and SIP trunking is essentially the protocol which allows telephone systems to communicate within a network via an internet connection, rather than traditional phone lines. SIP allows VoIP calls to commence within businesses, as it begins the process which allows voice and other data to be transmitted between devices.

Plus call monitoring is available when you choose Connect or Collaborate.

Call recording

Easily record inbound and outbound calls – plus download them to your computer. Recording calls is handy for training, checking customer service and keeping accurate records. And because it’s all done in the cloud, there’s no need for any extra equipment.

Call monitoring

Listen in to calls and lend support using VoIp Phone Systems. Supervisors can join a call, discreetly speak to staff at the same time, and even take over the call.

Calls across your system are free so your employees can call each other for nothing.

Everything that a Featureline or traditional phone system provides plus more …

Call management features including call forwarding, routing, transfer, screening, caller ID, and voicemail.

Features, such as fully integrated mobile (Android and iOS) and desktop apps, softphone, and call recording.