Phone systems
Phones that live on the same network we look after
Business phone service through our partnership with OIT VoIP, set up and supported alongside the network it runs on.
Modern business phones run over the same internet connection as everything else, which is convenient and creates a specific failure mode: when call quality goes bad, the phone company and the IT company each have a reasonable case that it's the other one's problem.
Having both handled by the same people removes that conversation. We work with OIT VoIP for the phone service itself, and the network underneath it is the network we already look after, so there's nobody to hand the problem to.
What people actually want from a phone system
In practice it comes down to a short list. Keep the existing number, because it's on the van, the sign and every invoice ever sent. Have calls reach people who aren't sitting at a desk. Know that when the office internet has a bad afternoon, calls still land somewhere rather than ringing out into nothing.
That last one is the part worth planning rather than assuming. Where a business runs on a single internet connection, and plenty around Grand Ledge and the outer towns do, it's worth deciding in advance where calls go when that connection drops. It's usually a simple setting and it's rarely switched on until somebody asks.
What's covered
- Keeping your existing numbers when you move
- Desk phones, computer and mobile apps for staff who aren't at a desk
- Call routing, voicemail, hunt groups and out-of-hours handling
- A plan for where calls go if the internet drops
- The network the phones run on, prioritised so calls stay clear
- One provider for the phones and the network they depend on
Phone service is provided through our partnership with OIT VoIP and is billed separately from your managed IT plan. The network it runs over is covered by your plan.
Compare the three plans, or read what the monthly fee covers.
Questions we get asked
- Can we keep our current phone number?
- Yes. Moving a number between providers is routine, it takes a little planning, and it happens without your line going quiet.
- What happens to calls if our internet goes down?
- Whatever you decide in advance, which is the important part. Calls can fall back to mobiles or to another number so they land somewhere rather than ringing out. It's worth setting up before you need it.
- Is this included in the monthly plan?
- No, phone service is billed separately, through OIT VoIP. The network the phones run over is covered by your plan, which is the part that usually causes the finger-pointing.
- Can staff take calls away from the office?
- Yes, through apps on a computer or a mobile, using the business number rather than a personal one. It's one of the more common reasons businesses move off older systems.
Related
Start with the assessment
An hour on site, at no cost. You'll get a written summary of what you're running, what's out of date, and what we would deal with first.