Everything You Need to Know About VoIP

When it comes to business communications, everyone’s talking about VoIP. With BT set to close down the UK’s traditional telephony network by 2027, homes and companies across the country are getting set to move to a faster, data-based communication alternative.

VoIP technology has been around for several years now and has already saved thousands of companies considerable time, money, and hassle. We’re now at a point where superfast internet connectivity is available on-demand – meaning traditional phone lines are quickly becoming obsolete.

If you’re thinking of moving over to VoIP ahead of the big switchoff in 2027, keep reading. In this guide, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about VoIP for business, its knock-on benefits, and why it’s worth making the leap sooner rather than later.

What is VoIP?

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It’s a type of communications technology that lets people make and receive calls via internet connection. Essentially, VoIP is a cloud-based service that’s run through superfast broadband, meaning there’s no longer a need for a traditional landline setup.

To get started with VoIP, all you typically need is a superfast broadband connection, a router that can connect as many devices as you need, and the support of a leading VoIP provider. From there, you can safely and confidently unplug the old landline and step into a new, faster era of communications.

VoIP is sweeping across homes as well as businesses throughout the UK. For example, some phone providers install VoIP for residential users to remove the need for costly, time-consuming cable work.

The legacy communications setup in the UK is known as PSTN, and it’s this that VoIP is looking to unseat over the next few years. It has served us all well – but now really is the time to move into fully digital calls and conferencing!

How Does VoIP Work?

Think of VoIP as a cloud-based translator that converts your voice into data. It then sends this data via the internet to whoever you’re talking to – via small data packets that travel across endless miles in seconds.

The main idea behind VoIP is that there’s no need for a central switchboard or a control centre. VoIP is the middleman in the operation – it receives call data and sends it to receivers in real time, just like you’re making calls on a traditional landline.

Here’s the process boiled down into a few handy steps:

You connect your VoIP-enabled phone or device to your router, which allows you to connect via a VoIP provider
You then ask your VoIP provider to make a call by exchanging data packets through your data-enabled device
Your phone then converts signals from the other party on the call into sound – and you go ahead and have a conversation!

VoIP is designed to be as open and as scalable as possible. Without awkward cabling and restrictive physical hardware, it’s possible for a variety of devices to call each other – provided you use IP phones, conference phones, mobile apps, or desktop apps enabled for VoIP, it’s easy to get connected and start talking.

PSTN or landline phones use outdated technology dependent on copper cabling – and there are many reasons why BT is pushing people and businesses towards VoIP in the next few years.

The PSTN Switchoff – What You Need to Know

By 2027, BT will switch off its PSTN service for good. That means analogue phones and other devices will no longer be able to make or receive calls – and homes and businesses will need to upgrade their hardware, as well as sign up with a VoIP provider like VoIPer.

BT’s aim to go fully digital by 2027 has been signposted for a long time now. In fact, the 2027 deadline is already an extension from 2025! BT states that it hasn’t sold or commissioned any products, services, or local cabinets reliant on PSTN or ISDN since 2023.

What’s more, you won’t be able to purchase new handsets that solely operate on PSTN. If you are still using such devices already, you can continue to do so until the switchoff – but from 2027, you’ll need to use VoIP.

Why is BT Switching Off PSTN and ISDN?

Put simply, these services are no longer fit for purpose. The old infrastructure of copper cabling has been upgraded and managed steadily since the 1800s!

However, since the late 1990s, internet technology has evolved rapidly to the point where it’s possible to speak to someone on the other side of the planet, even via video, at the touch of a button. We’re all used to our internet being ‘always-on’ – and BT is taking measured steps to address that.

BT recognises the importance and scalability of VoIP and cloud-based communications. The costs and hassle of maintaining and fixing physical PSTN and ISDN networking is also a heavy strain not only on BT, but on the homes and firms that use such services.

By switching to fully-digital communications, there’s less chance for calls to drop out or fizzle due to local interference. Cabinet maintenance and weather issues are two further bugbears of the legacy infrastructure – and many of us will be happy to see the back of these problems, if not all of us!

Put it this way – if BT is advising how important it is to move from PSTN to VoIP, you know it’s crucial to start taking that leap. However, there are even more benefits to doing so early, and not in 2026 at the very last minute.

What are the Cost-Saving Benefits of Moving to VoIP?

All business owners want to save money as well as make it – and as it happens, switching to VoIP early can cut a lot of your communication costs down by a significant amount. Here’s why:

There’s fewer hardware fees: Yes – you’ll need to buy IP phones and VoIP-ready tech to begin with, but you won’t have to worry about paying for cabling maintenance or having anything repaired on-site. VoIP is completely managed in the cloud, meaning there’s reduced upkeep costs.
You won’t have to pay exorbitant landline rental costs: One of the best reasons for investing in VoIP is the fact you won’t have to pay confusing and increasingly expensive line fees associated with PSTN. You should only expect to pay simple VoIP management fees each month – and with VoIPer, we make these balanced and easy to understand.
You can call anywhere in the world for less: Looking to expand your business to overseas clients? Forget about expensive international tariffs and per-minute rates. Calling anywhere in the world with VoIP is quick, easy, and cheaper than you’d expect to pay through PSTN.
It’s immensely scalable: We cover scalability in more detail below, but if you’re growing your business, the last thing you want is to pay out for extra setup costs just to install new phones and other hardware. VoIP lets you add and remove phones and users whenever you like.

Communication Made Easy

Naturally, we all think of costs first before making any kind of investments, for business or for everyday life. However, there is a raft of extra, practical benefits to using VoIP which are worth considering ahead of the switchoff.

For example, with VoIP, you can expect:

Enhanced call quality: Digital calling is crisper, sharper, and more reliable than PSTN – you’ll forget that drop-outs were ever a problem
Easy setup and scaling: Set up VoIP coverage for your office in minutes, no matter its size. In fact, if it shrinks or grows, you won’t have to worry about hiring an engineer to make any physical changes – VoIP is built to scale
Complete off-site management: VoIP is managed in the cloud and off-site, meaning any problems are managed, and upgrades are made without disrupting your business
Coverage and monitoring around the clock: Someone is always available to ensure your connections are stable and secure – there’s no need for any muddling around at your side
Tons of features and versatility: More on this below – but VoIP is highly flexible to support a range of communication features and upgrades, and is ideal for remote work
Portability and ease of movement: Need to move office or location? Don’t lose business – stay connected with a tariff that moves with you, offered by a reliable provider that always has your back

Ultimately, VoIP is harnessing modern connectivity to make conversations easier to handle – and to ensure people stay connected around the clock. Why wait until 2027 to make the switch?

Remote Working and VoIP

As we all know by now, remote working is here for good. The changes we all had to make during the pandemic led to some serious operational shifts – and thankfully, VoIP is making remote work setups that little bit easier to manage and scale.

VoIP services allow your agents to work from almost anywhere thanks to a range of features they can access through smartphones, desktops, laptops, and tablets. Because VoIP is cloud-based, with a simple login, an agent in the field can simply load up an app and get connected to a reliable, professional service.

That’s a weight off the minds of any business owners moving people to remote work for the first time – and who might wonder how reliable and secure agents’ individual connections are. What’s more, you won’t have to worry about reimbursing remote staff for the data they use – just pay the same monthly rates!

Fantastic Features You Can Unlock with VoIP

Digital telephony is scalable and flexible to adapt to a range of fantastic features to further aid your business.

By setting up a VoiP connection with VoIPer, for example, you can make use of:

Call routing: Choose where you’d like your calls to go at certain times of day or year
Call forwarding: Never miss a single call by having customers and clients routed to backup devices and phones
Softphone apps: Manage your communications easily with a raft of app options, available for desktop and mobile – helping you make calls and send messages from afar
Call waiting: Alert anyone in your team – in the office or out in the field – to any calls waiting for their attention
Advanced voicemail: In the event no one’s around to answer, always have a digital mailbox ready to collect messages
Busy lamp field: Monitor which devices are connected and live on your VoIP service at any time
Auto attendant: Customise your own digital receptionist who can greet callers and forward them to where they want to go
Call blocking: Use advanced tools to bar certain incoming and outgoing calls – for protection and reducing unexpected costs
Call recording: Record all calls and listen back in the cloud for up to seven years – great for solving cases and training staff
Call centre supervisor: Monitor operations statistics and real-time data – never lose sight of call queuing and handling times
Call analytics: Get a complete breakdown of who’s calling, and how your agents are performing across the board
Caller ID: Always stay in the know when it comes to who’s calling your business
Call whisper: Even before you pick up – learn about the types of calls you’re going to answer
Conference calling: Use advanced VoIP tools to make and receive video calls from clients based all over the world
Hold music: Yes – you can even customise and change what people listen to when they’re waiting for an agent!
CRM integration: Share analytics and customer profiles with your choice of CRM – keeping all the data you need in one central location
Video calls: Make things friendlier by speaking to clients face-on
Agent solutions: Help call centre agents manage their queue work by giving them the power to log in and out of specific work areas

And this is only the beginning. Your individual business needs will vary – meaning there could be some bespoke features and services our team can tailor to you as a priority.

VoIP Glossary: A Quick Rundown

When researching VoIP and its various benefits, you’re likely to come across a lot of technical language and plenty of acronyms!

Before you start getting set up with VoIP for the first time, here are a few crucial terms you’ll want to get familiar with!

ACD: Automatic Call Distribution: Where your calls are delivered around a business in a specific way or order
ATA: Analogue Telephone Adaptor: A piece of equipment you can use to ensure your existing phones are digital-ready – without having to invest in VoIP phones
CNAM: Caller ID Name: A pre-filled name for your callers based on a selected directory.
CTI: Computer Telephony Integration: Where you can access telephony from your phone and from a desktop device
DID: Direct Inward Dialing: Where you can add specific numbers and extensions to your team without the need for new, physical lines
IP: Internet Protocol: It’s the IP in VoIP – and it’s basically the formatting standards your connections follow to deliver and receive packets
ITSP: Internet Telephony Service Provider: That’s us! We provide data-based telecoms services and management services
IVR: Interactive Voice Response: The technology that callers speak to when first dialling your number – it’s an assistant that helps guide people to specific departments
LAN: Local Area Network: This is your private network of computers and other devices that are connected to each other
LEC: Local Exchange Carrier: This type of service provider ensures that calls are delivered across a specific region
LNP: Local Number Portability: This technology helps you move your existing numbers to new lines and services
PBX: Private Branch Exchange: A PBX manages all calls heading into and out of a business – and all the extensions in between – much like a physical telephone exchange
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network: This is the traditional telephony service and cabling BT has operated on for decades, and which is getting phased out by VoIP
SaaS: Software as a Service: This refers to apps and subscription services you can invest in to quickly upgrade and scale up your VoIP
SIP: Session Initiation Protocol: SIP refers to rules that allow data packets to transfer across VoIP – it’s used to manage calls, messages, and conferencing
WAN: Wide Area Network: This network is broad enough to cover regional areas or even entire jurisdictions

It’s time to move to VoIP!

Thousands and thousands of businesses all over the world have already leaped over to VoIP. It’s fast, it’s reliable, it’s cost-effective, and on top of all of that, it’s flexible and highly customisable.

At VoIPer, we want to help make your transition from PSTN as smooth as possible. Our team is on hand to provide complete management and support across a range of affordable and easy-to-manage cloud-based VoIP packages.

Whether you’re completely new to VoIP or have been considering your options for a while, allow us to help you find a custom solution that will grow with your business.

Call us free on 0800 332266 or email our team via web form now – and let’s take your comms into the future.

Download our PDF: Everything You Need to Know About VoIP