Most offices don’t know what their phone system costs. The bill from the phone company is only part of it. The rest is spread across a maintenance contract, a technician who comes when something breaks, and the phones themselves.
Here’s how to add it up, using a 20-person office as the example.
What the old system really costs
Pull your last three months of bills and list these:
- Phone lines or trunks. The monthly charge from the phone company for the lines coming into the closet.
- Long distance and add-ons. Per-minute charges, hunting, voicemail-to-email.
- Maintenance contract. Many older systems carry a yearly support contract.
- Repairs and moves. Every technician visit to add a user, move a desk or replace a dead phone.
- Replacement risk. When the system is past its end of life, parts get harder to find. Budget for a replacement.
Add these together and divide by 20. That’s your cost per person per month.
What a hosted PBX costs
A hosted PBX runs the phone system in the cloud. The only thing in your office is the desk phone and your internet connection.
With QTech, a 20-person office pays:
| Plan | Per user per month | 20 users per month |
|---|---|---|
| 36-month term, Yealink desk phone included | $24.95 | $499 |
| No contract, phones not included | $34.95 | $699 |
The 3-year plan includes a Yealink desk phone per user, free installation and number porting, auto attendant, ring groups, voicemail to email and the mobile app. On the no-contract plan you bring or buy your phones. Taxes and fees are extra.
What changes day to day
- Moves and new hires take minutes, not a technician visit.
- Calls follow people to their cell phone or laptop when they work from home.
- No closet to maintain. No hardware to replace at end of life.
- One bill, with the price locked for the term.
What to check first
A hosted phone system needs reliable internet. If your office connection drops often, fix that first. We also offer business fiber and fixed wireless backup.
Plan for 911 too. Each phone’s 911 address must be kept up to date, and calls won’t work during a power or internet outage unless you have backup.
Get a side-by-side number
Send us your last phone bill and we’ll show you what you pay today next to what you’d pay with a hosted system. No obligation.
Request a free bill review or call (800) 392-3377.
