Cloud Phone Systems
Your phone system should make it easy for customers to reach you and for your people to work from anywhere. We compare cloud phone and collaboration platforms against how your business actually works, negotiate the contract and stay with you through go-live.
31 Jan 2027
BT switches off the PSTN and ISDN networks. Old lines, and the systems that rely on them, stop working.
Source: BT
350+
Vendors we can compare for you, from global platforms to UK specialists.
£0
What our advice costs you. The supplier pays our fee, the same for every one we shortlist.
The basics
What is a cloud phone system?
A cloud phone system, often called UCaaS (unified communications as a service), runs your calls, meetings and messaging over the internet instead of phone lines and a box in the comms room. You pay per user, add or remove people in minutes, and your team can take calls on a desk phone, laptop or mobile using the same business number.
One number, any device
Staff take and make calls on a desk phone, laptop or mobile, and customers always see the same business number.
Works with Microsoft Teams
Many platforms plug straight into Teams, so calls, chat and meetings live in one place your people already use.
Grows with you
Add a new starter, a new site or a seasonal team in minutes, and stop paying for licences you no longer need.
Built to stay up
Calls route around outages, and people can keep working from home if an office goes offline.
Worth a look if
Signs it’s time to review your phones
- Your phone or line contract ends in the next 12 months
- You still rely on ISDN or analogue lines ahead of the January 2027 switch-off
- You pay for more licences than you have people
- Teams, your phones and your CRM don’t talk to each other
- Each site has a different provider and a different bill
- Callers get lost in menus or can’t reach the right person
How we work
From review to go-live
Understand what you need
We look at how calls flow today, who needs what, the contracts you’re tied into and where things fall down.
Shortlist the right platforms
From 350+ vendors, we shortlist the few that fit your users, your sites and your existing systems.
Compare like for like
A tool we use scores each supplier on business fit, features and how well it works with what you already run.
Negotiate the deal
We use our supplier experience to get the right price and terms, including number porting and contract length.
Plan and go live
We help plan the move, port your numbers and stay with you after launch, so issues get fixed quickly.
What it costs
Our advice costs you nothing. When you buy through us, the supplier pays us a fee, on the same basis for every supplier we shortlist, so no one can pay for a better recommendation. If the right answer is to stay where you are, we’ll tell you.
Why Quetzel
Our team spent years inside telephony vendors, MSPs and systems integrators. We know how suppliers price, which contract terms catch buyers out and where migrations stall, and we work across the whole market rather than one favourite platform.
Questions we’re often asked
What’s the difference between VoIP and UCaaS?
VoIP is the technology that carries calls over the internet. UCaaS is the full service built on it: calls, meetings, messaging and admin in one platform.
Can we keep our phone numbers?
Almost always. Numbers are moved (ported) to the new provider, and we plan the timing so calls keep flowing on the day.
Will it work with Microsoft Teams?
Many platforms connect directly to Teams, and Microsoft offers its own calling plans. We compare both routes for your business.
What happens at the PSTN switch-off?
BT is switching off the old phone network on 31 January 2027. Anything still using ISDN or analogue lines, such as older phone systems, alarms or card terminals, needs a digital alternative.
How long does a move take?
It depends on the number of sites and users. A single office can move in weeks; larger estates are phased so nothing breaks.
Do you favour any provider?
No. We compare across the market and recommend what fits your business, and every shortlisted supplier pays us on the same basis.
Sectors
Sectors we work in
Cloud phone systems look alike on paper. What each sector needs from one doesn’t. Here’s where it matters most.
We also work with: