One way to support your remote workers is a company-wide phone system.
It makes sense for you as a business owner too. As of January 2027, landlines will become inactive as part of the PSTN switch-off, as will other fixed lines such as your broadband.
Phone systems can either be in the form of a cloud based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or VoIP private branch exchange (PBX). The VoIP PBX is a more modern version of the traditional PBX, using your broadband or data connection to receive calls. As there’s no hardware to install, it’s cheaper than the traditional version. VoIP gives you a higher quality of phone call and is free across multiple sites.
Cloud based VoIPs are another consideration and tend to be more flexible than a PBX system.
VoIPs are at times more expensive. They’re often determined by the number of employees who use it, as you’ll see in a minute. That said, it will still be generally cheaper than landline and these systems have more features than your standard phone.
Why should I upgrade my phone system?
There are huge advantages in everyone having the same system, especially when they’re working remotely. It’s easy to forward calls – it can done by name rather than wracking your brain trying to remember someone’s extension number. It’s flexible too, allowing your employees to take their calls wherever they go.
Take a look at some of the features that you can expect to find on your phone system.
Auto attendant: A digital receptionist which lets callers connect with the right person or department. Alternatively, you can set an after-hours message (outside business hours), set scripts and have your calls connect after a certain number of rings
Business SMS: Some systems have business SMS. With this you can send texts to staff and marketing texts to customers, as well as follow-up SMS surveys. What’s more, you can send someone a text using email to SMS functionality, giving you the direct communication of SMS without all of the faff of typing on your phone.
>See also: Six tips to small business success in SMS marketing
Call queuing: Queue up callers rather than missing important conversations. You’ll recognise a call queue from ringing up other businesses and customer service lines. It’ll play ‘on hold’ music and/or a repeated message to let the caller know that they’re in a queue and in what position. Other perks include automating how long a customer is on hold before being transferred to voicemail and managing queues from multiple devices. Companies with several departments have the option of defining multiple destinations for callers.
Online faxing: Online faxing is cheaper than its traditional counterpart. Platforms allow you to send multiple faxes being sent at the same time and as documents go directly to the recipient, it’s a more private way to send than traditional faxes that can be seen by the whole office.
Video calls and conferencing: If you want to use slides or other images while you chat (or you’re just missing your colleagues), you can opt for video calls. If it’s a conference, you’ll be able to record it for future playback.
Voicemail to email: This function records a voicemail, transcribes it and sends it to the recipient’s email address. You may receive an email with the recording attached, saved to your voicemail inbox (with or without a notification email). The voicemail file will include the time and date as well as caller ID info.
Which phone system should I use for my remote workers?
Below is a brief round-up of phone systems you could incorporate into your team’s day-to-day working.
1. Virtual Landline – Best for small businesses with remote or hybrid teams
Pricing
- Office Lite: £6.95/user/month
- Office Complete: £9.95/user/month
- Call Centre: £14.95/user/month
Why it’s good for small businesses
Virtual Landline is ideal for small businesses that rely on flexibility. It offers a mobile-friendly system that lets you route calls to any device, so your team can work from anywhere without missing customer calls. It’s a simple, cost-effective way to create a professional image without the overhead of a physical office.
Key Features
- Virtual numbers and mobile call forwarding
- Built-in video conferencing
- Easy-to-use self-service management portal
- UK-based customer support
- Call queues, music on hold, caller ID, and more
2. bOnline – Affordable VoIP for budget-conscious small businesses
Pricing
- Starter: £7/user/month
- Unlimited Calling: £13.95/user/month (currently £9.95)
- Unlimited + Desk Phone: £15.50/user/month
Why it’s good for small businesses
bOnline is a great option for small businesses that want powerful VoIP features at a low monthly cost. You get over 45 professional features like custom voicemail and international calling, and you can easily scale as your business grows—without breaking the bank.
Key Features
- Set business hours, holiday routing, and call flows
- HD voice and video calling
- Easy integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, and Google
- Hold music, call queuing, and multi-user support
- Designed to scale with growing teams
3. Vonage – Ideal for small businesses expanding internationally
Pricing
- Express: £10/user/month
- Core: £15/user/month
- Max: £25/user/month
Why it’s good for small businesses
If you’re a small business with international clients or offices, Vonage offers a professional way to manage calls worldwide. With local phone numbers in 96+ regions and international coverage in over 40 countries, you can establish a global presence from day one.
Key Features
- Local numbers and international call support
- Virtual receptionist to handle incoming calls professionally
- Call monitoring and voice analytics
- Video meetings and collaboration tools
- Mobile and desktop apps for team flexibility
4. Dialpad – Smart communications for small teams that want to work smarter
Pricing
- Standard: £12/user/month
- Pro: £20/user/month
- Enterprise: Contact sales
Why it’s good for small businesses
Dialpad is ideal for small businesses that want to use AI to improve communication and productivity. It offers real-time transcription, AI summaries, and intelligent call routing—making every customer interaction more efficient and actionable, especially for small teams wearing many hats.
Key Features
- AI-powered voice intelligence and live call transcription
- HD audio and video meetings
- Custom call routing and auto attendant
- Integrations with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and Zendesk
- 24/7 support and international number options on Pro plan
5. RingCentral – A complete, all-in-one system for growing small businesses
Pricing
- Essentials: £12.99/user/month
- Standard: £19.99/user/month
- Premium: £24.99/user/month
- Ultimate: £29.99/user/month
Why it’s good for small businesses
RingCentral provides a unified communications platform that handles calls, video, messaging, and more – all in one place. It’s great for small businesses that need professional-grade tools and the ability to scale without adding complexity or hardware.
Key Features
- Cloud phone system with voice, video, and messaging
- Video meetings for up to 100 people (on Standard plan+)
- 24/7 customer support
- Call recording, SMS, and long meeting durations
- Seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Slack
Which phone system should I use for my remote workers?
Choosing which system to use is really down to features and cost. If you’ve got fewer employees, you could look at one of the more expensive packages. If your business is international, your main focus should be a service which provides international calls. If you’re unsure, do a free trial before you commit.
For a virtual landline or a virtual office solution solution, try Virtual Landline and see how Virtual Landline can transform your business.
Read more
Future-proof your business communications set-up – traditional landlines are being cut off on January 31, 2027 – here’s how to ensure your communications set-up is fit for whatever the future brings
Five telephone best practice tips for small businesses – Here, Carl Di Cicco looks at five top tips for businesses on how they can improve their phone practice
Why your business should switch to a broadband-based phone network – Analogue phone systems are increasingly being replaced by smarter broadband based networks – here’s why you should consider switching
Best UK business phone and broadband deals – how to choose – You need to understand your business and its internet needs before deciding on the best broadband and phone deal for you
