What's the Best Phone System for a Small Business in Australia? A Buyer's Checklist
Choosing the best phone system for a small business in Australia starts with how your team works, not with a list of products. Do you need one person to answer a business number, or call queues for several teams? Do staff work at desks, on the road or across multiple sites?
For many small businesses, a cloud phone system is a flexible option. But it is not automatically the right fit for everyone. Use this checklist to compare the main types of business phone service and decide what to ask before you choose.
Start with what your business needs
Before comparing quotes, write down:
- How many people need to make or answer calls?
- How many calls might happen at the same time?
- Do callers need to reach a person, a team or a contact centre?
- Do you need call queues, ring groups, voicemail, business-hours routing or an automated greeting?
- Will staff answer from a mobile, a desk phone or both?
- Do you have more than one location, or people working remotely?
- Do you want to keep your existing business number?
Those answers help you compare systems on the things that matter to your team, rather than paying attention to a long feature list you may not use.
Compare the main phone system options
| Option | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional landline | Calls use a fixed phone service and handset. | A business that needs a simple, fixed setup and has confirmed the service is available and suitable at its premises. |
| On-premise PBX | Phone-system equipment is installed at your site and connects staff and external calls. | A business with specific on-site requirements, existing compatible equipment or the resources to manage its own phone infrastructure. |
| Hosted or cloud phone system | The phone platform is hosted online. Staff connect using compatible desk phones or apps. | Businesses that need shared call handling, flexible working, multiple locations or room to grow without managing an on-site PBX. |
| Mobile-only | Staff use mobile phones, usually without a shared phone system. | A sole trader or very small team that mainly needs direct calls and does not require queues, extensions or coordinated call handling. |
The terms hosted PBX and cloud PBX are often used for a phone system whose call-handling platform is hosted away from your premises. VoIP for small business describes calls carried over an internet connection. VoIP is the way calls travel; a PBX manages features such as extensions, transfers and queues.
If you are weighing up whether your business needs PBX features, read our straight-answer guide to whether a small business needs a PBX.
Why consider a cloud phone system?
A cloud phone system can bring calls and call-handling features together without placing the main phone-system equipment in your office. Depending on the setup, staff may answer through an app, a desk handset or a combination of devices.
For our service, the phone system runs on the app on a mobile. Most clients are set up to use it over Wi-Fi in the office and mobile data when Wi-Fi is unavailable. Optional desk handsets work too.
This mobile-first setup can suit a team that moves between the office, home and customer sites. For businesses with more involved call flows, the system can also support contact centre capabilities. Our service is set up for businesses of every size, from sole traders to contact centre operations.
Keep connectivity and outage conditions in mind
A cloud phone system relies on a working connection and powered devices. Calls can keep working over mobile data when the office NBN or power drops, provided the mobile has power, a working connection and an active app sign-in. Make sure the people expected to answer calls know how to sign in and have tested the setup before they need it.
Emergency calling has separate limitations. Use this approved wording when considering any cloud phone service:
Emergency calling: cloud phone calls, including calls through the app, need power, a working internet connection, correct configuration and a signed-in device or app. They may not reach 000 or 112 during an NBN, broadband or power outage. Keep a charged mobile phone as a backup. You can dial 000 or 112 from a mobile phone in range of a mobile network, even without a SIM or credit. Emergency calls may not automatically pass on your address or location, so be ready to tell the operator where you are.
For more on outage planning, see our guide to how a small business can keep taking calls when the NBN is down.
What to compare when you get quotes
Use this checklist to compare like with like. Ask each provider to explain what is included, what is optional and what depends on your network or devices.
1. Users, call capacity and features
Confirm how users and simultaneous calls are handled. Check that the system can manage the call flows you actually need, such as ring groups, queues, transfers, voicemail, business hours, menus or contact centre operations.
2. Devices and everyday use
Ask whether staff can use an app, desk handsets or both, and whether existing handsets are compatible. Have the team try common tasks such as answering, transferring and checking voicemail. A system that looks good on paper still needs to work for the people using it.
3. Internet and continuity
Ask what connection quality the provider recommends, how Wi-Fi coverage should be checked and what happens if the office connection is unavailable. Confirm any mobile-data fallback conditions, including device power, connection and app sign-in. Test the setup before relying on it.
4. Number porting and changeover
If you want to keep your number, ask whether it can be ported and what information is needed. Check who prepares and lodges the port request, who carries out the port, what the expected steps are and what you should keep active during the change.
Cloud Phone Company prepares and lodges number porting requests with GoTo; GoTo carries out the port. Our business number porting guide explains what details to prepare and why it is important not to cancel your existing service before the port is complete.
5. Full cost and contract details
There is no useful comparison based on a headline alone. Ask for a quote based on your users, call needs and devices. Check what drives the total cost, including setup, handsets, numbers, call features, integrations and any optional services. Also ask about contract length, cancellation, price changes and what happens if your needs change.
6. Responsibility and help when needed
Understand who handles setup and configuration, who provides technical support, and where you should direct a request if something is not working. Make sure those responsibilities are clear before you agree to change systems.
Who does what at Cloud Phone Company?
Cloud Phone Company handles setup and configuration and remains your local point of contact. If you want to keep your number, we prepare and lodge the porting request with GoTo, who carries out the port. Technical support is provided by GoTo, and we pass requests straight to them.
The service is supplied by GoTo and sold and set up by Cloud Phone Company.
Make the choice that fits your team
A traditional landline or mobile-only setup may suit a business with very simple needs. An on-premise PBX can fit businesses that have particular on-site requirements and the capacity to manage the equipment. For teams that need shared call handling and the flexibility to answer in different places, a hosted cloud phone system may be worth comparing.
The best business phone service is the one that fits your call patterns, devices, connectivity and plans for growth. Use the checklist, ask providers to explain their responsibilities, and test the setup your team will actually use.
Further reading
- How to customise call routing for your business: GoTo Connect
- The benefits of mobile apps to a modern workforce: GoTo Connect
Talk through your phone system options
Cloud Phone Company handles setup and configuration and stays your local point of contact. Technical support is provided by GoTo, and we pass requests straight to them.
Call 07 5238 8578 or email hello@cloudphonecompany.com.au to discuss what your business needs.