Our Voice-over-IP, service offers both 'SIP trunk' functionality and centrex functionality all in one product. How you use it is up to you; either connected to your on-premises PBX or directly to handsets in a 'cloud telephony' setup. How you use the service is entirely up to you.
Note: This is a not sold as a "landline replacement service" package, and it does not include wire/fibre to your premises (that is your "internet service"). You will need to consider how you access emergency services during a power cut, or loss of internet access. If we are providing your internet access, that is a separate service, and we have a number of options for added resilience. The VoIP service is not provided at a "fixed" location, you can use it anywhere, even at more than one place at a time, and even link to a mobile service, just like email.
Have you just purchased number and need help setting it up?
Once you have a Number from us you'll want to configure your phone or device using these settings:
If you need more help, you can view our Support Site or Contact Us.
*Call prices can and do vary, and can be cheaper off peak. - prices quoted here are for the majority of standard UK numbers. Use the checker below to check prices to specific numbers.
Lookup the cost of a call, eg 01344 (for Bracknell) or +1212 (or New York)
We have numbers available in all UK area codes as well as 03, 05 and 0800. We grade our numbers from Tin through to Taxi. The grade depends on how nice the number is.
We can also provide sequential number blocks in either UK landline area codes or UK mobile numbers. We can provide numbers in blocks of 10 or larger. Please do get in touch if you have any special requirements for number ranges.
A number in every area code
Inbound and outbound calls for larger companies
A memorable number for your business
Replace your old PSTN service with VoIP
Features you'd use day to day
These are further features that can be enabled for no additional cost
Details about our platform
Our VoIP service and the features are equally suitable for home where you may have a single number or for business use where you may have 100 numbers.
If you are spending less than £20/month with us we will expect you to pay by Direct Debit. This is also the most sensible method for paying a call bill which can vary from month to month.
Using VoIP
Traditionally companies have paid for expensive fixed lines such as ISDN and you'd rent or purchase a relatively expensive phone system (PBX) - a decade ago we were installing and maintaining many of these systems.
With the advent of good quality broadband services and companies like us running large-scale phone systems on their own network, the cost of a telephone system has reduced dramatically.
All you need now is a phone number from us, and a VoIP phone, and you'll be making calls. Even small and medium sized companies use our own systems and have phones in their offices making calls and using the features that we provide and are saving hundreds of pounds each month.
How VoIP works
In simple terms VoIP is making and receiving telephone calls using your internet connection rather than your phone line.
You purchase one or more telephone numbers from us, you can choose the area code and even pay a little more for a nicer number. Then, you can either buy your own VoIP telephone or we can provide them for you. These phones plug in to your network rather than your phone line.
You can register your phone direct to our servers and use the features we offer, or you can do more advanced things such as running your own phone system (PBX) and we can route calls to that.
Extensions for each person
The way we work is that each of your telephones has a real phone number. You are able to call each other using the last few digits of the phone number - the number of digits is configured on our Control Pages. Typically people use the last three digits.
So, for each person or phone that you have, you will need a phone number.
You may also want additional numbers, for example for different departments. These 'department' numbers can be the ones you advertise and they can be configured to ring the relevant numbers of your staff in those depatments.
SIP Trunks
All our VoIP numbers can be used as a 'SIP Trunk' - you can use your VoIP account to make and receive simultaneous calls and we don't limit the number 'channels' you can use for either inbound or outbound calls.
If you have multiple numbers with us then they can be 'grouped' together and we will route them to a single endpoint - your PBX.
Dealing with power cuts and internet outages
A VoIP phone is more complicated than a traditional analogue 'PSTN' phone and is dependant on having power and a working internet connection.
See the page on our Support site that explains this in more detail and gives things to consider to help make sure you're able to still make phone calls during power or internet outages.
Our text message API
We have incoming and outgoing text services. Once you have a number from us you can send a text from that number, charged at Xp. You can get a confirmation that the text has arrived. This is possible via our send a text web page or from your computer systems by using our API (See the Knowledge Base).
If you have presentation numbers set up (as per outgoing calls) either of these can also be used as the sending number for your texts.
For some of our numbers you can also receive texts to the number. Where texts can be received, the texts can simply be emailed to you, or sent to your computer systems or forwarded to our mobile services voice SIM (for a fee).
Using your existing numbers
In most cases we can port your existing number or number blocks in to us. This includes blocks of numbers you may have on your existing ISDN-based system, or even your mobile number.
Silver and gold numbers
We classify numbers tin, bronze, silver, gold, etc. This depends on how nice the number is. Most numbers are tin or bronze, and have our normal low cost for them to be active or reserved. Silver numbers cost a little more, and gold numbers even more.
Some numbers are classified as platinum (e.g. 222222 or 654321) or even taxi which cost a lot more. Contact sales for these.
0800 (freephone) numbers
We can provide 0800 numbers that are free for people to call you on.
You will then be charged for any incoming calls to that number. The cost can depend on whether the call is from a landline, mobile or payphone.
Reserving numbers
Some times you don't want to use the number right away. This is usually for companies that want to have some numbers for staff phones, but want to reserve a larger block so they can activate more numbers later as they need. This keeps all of the numbers together in a block. You can reserve numbers when ordering blocks of 10 or more, and then activate individual numbers as and when. There is a smaller on-going monthly charge for reserved numbers.
You can only reserve our "tin" grade numbers. Bronze, Silver, and gold numbers cannot be reserved. If you want to reserve a block of numbers that contains a silver or gold number you will have to activate that number whilst reserving the rest. When activating a number there is no refund of the reservation fee which is charged in advance to the end of your billing period.
Picking single and multiple numbers
When picking a number you have a lot of choice
Reactivating a ceased number
You are able to reactivate a recently ceased a number with us. You can go through the order system using and the recently ceased number will be offered to you to purchase again.
03 numbers
03 numbers are not like 0845 or 0870 which were always meant to be local and national, but retained their high prices as normal calls got much cheaper. The rules are clear that they are treated like normal numbers to call.
