Most Affordable Office Phone Systems
Many small businesses have a limited budget to spend on their office phone. They still have plenty of good choices available, since there are several phone vendors who offer business class phone service at an affordable price.
There are two main possibilities:
- VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), a telephony service that uses your computer to make and receive phone calls.
- A physical phone system that is located inside the office.
VOIP
8x8, Inc. – 8x8, Inc. offers unlimited phone calls to anywhere in the United States for just about $24.99 a month. Their business phone service automatically comes with advanced features like an auto attendant, voicemail, conference bridge, and music that plays while a caller is on hold. They also provide free customer support to all of their users, and have a thirty-day money back guarantee.
Nextiva Office – This VoIP provider allows you to make as many phone calls as you want for only appr. $21.95 a month. You can choose between a toll free or local phone number, with the option to add more. They also provide access to a virtual fax service that goes through your computer. In addition, there is no cancellation fee if you decide that you don’t want to use their services anymore.
DLS Hosted PBX – DLS Hosted PBX can provide business-class phone service for just about $15 a month. They offer an unlimited number of inbound calls for free, and provide phone features like caller identification, call waiting, and distinctive ring tones. They also have several optional modules to choose from, including a predictive dialer, email to fax, and call recording.
IN HOUSE
TalkSwitch – TalkSwitch offers a 240vs office phone unit for just around $695. The system comes with two phone lines an sixteen extensions, as well as full support for legacy software releases. You can then purchase TalkSwitch TS-200 analog phones for the system at $119 each. TalkSwitch provides a thirty-day money back guarantee and a one year limited warranty on all their products.
Avaya – You can purchase the Avaya Small Office Edition from phone vendors for just about $699. The phone system comes with four Analog Trunk Ports and eight Plain Ordinary Telephone Ports. It can also connect to PC based applications and 4600 series IP telephones through a local area network.
Nortel – The Nortel NorStar Compact ICS is offered from phone vendors at prices that range between $399 and $709. This office phone system comes with an auto attendant, distinctive ring tones, and more than two hundred system speed dials. It is also highly scalable and supports voice messaging and automatic set relocation.
*These are price estimates. They are current for July 2011. Download our guide for exact pricing.
Before it became a necessity during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, many companies had already begun realizing the benefits inherent in embracing remote work. These benefits are substantial and signal that (even when the pandemic is but a memory) remote work will continue to flourish and become a mainstay in the redefined workplace - particularly when it comes to VoIP. This guide will demonstrate how the workforce is changing and leaning toward remote work as a permanent business choice, explain the critical role VoIP will continue to play in supporting remote work, and highlight some of the new trends and innovations coming in 2021 for VoIP. more
