FAQ

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), is a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line.

Up to 50% lower call cost for landline, mobile and international calls.Reduced rates for line rental or service charge. Inter-connectivity between all phones for call transfers and more Inexpensive hardware and lower upfront costs Free, unlimited technical support and maintenance VOIP systems can be easily scaled up or down based on requirements

Based on the majority of our customers, we typically expect most people to save between 40% and 50% on calls, but especially if the bulk of calls are made to mobile numbers and international numbers.

Our VOIP telephone systems utilize an existing broadband connection at your office or home to make and receive calls. Bypassing BT’s traditional network, you will have access to lower rates for calls to landline numbers, mobile numbers, and international numbers. Similarly, because no physical phone line is taken up, our line rental or service charge costs are much lower than BT’s, starting from £5.00 per month (ex VAT). Please see our call rate sheet for example costs and charges.

There is no difference in call quality thanks to VOIP’s HD Call technology built right into the service. We use VOIP here at the alphaTALK office – please give us a call on freephone 0800 093 2193 to hear the quality for yourself. Additionally, calls on our VOIP platform are superior to Skype. Our VOIP calls sound identical to those provided by traditional analogue phone line from the likes of BT.

To be able to use VOIP, we will need to supply you with VOIP compatible telephones. We provide VOIP handsets from the manufacturer Yealink.

We have a variety of VOIP handsets to suit different budgets and needs; from basic desk phones all the way to cordless handsets with color displays. All VOIP handsets supplied by us come pre-configured, ready to simply plug and play.

These are just some of our most popular VOIP features we can provide with our service:

A choice of any UK 01 or 02 area telephone number Or a choice of 0800 and 0845 telephone numbers. Interconnectivity between all of your VOIP phones Call transfers, Hold music, Auto Attendant menus and welcome messages Voicemail Conference calls Call recording Call forwarding Hunt groups and call management And much more.

For our standard VOIP phone service, there is a minimum term of just 12 months on the first handset per system. All subsequent handsets have a minimum term of just 3 months, so you can add or remove users with ease based on demands of the business. For our VOIP and broadband package, there is a minimum term of 24 months on the first handset. Again, all subsequent handsets thereafter have a minimum term of just 3 months. subsequent handsets thereafter have a minimum term of just 3 months.

Anybody will be able to call you via your VoIP telephone system. The beauty of VoIP is that it is indistinguishable from a traditional phone system with your caller none the wiser. Calls from certain numbers or number types can also be blocked from reaching you, for example, nuisance callers.

Our VoIP phones are truly plugged and play – all you have to do is plug them into your broadband router with the supplied network lead and you will have immediate access to cheaper calls and line rental. Nothing else needs to be installed for our VOIP phones to work. You will need a broadband connection for VOIP.

You can choose from any UK local area code beginning with 01 or 02, even if you are not based in the particular city or region. For example, your office may be located in Manchester but you wish to use a London 0207 or 0208 number for marketing purposes. We can also provide 0800 and 0845 numbers upon request. These can be used as primary phone numbers or as secondary phone numbers, showing up on caller display.

Our VOIP phone system comes with full, unlimited technical support. Should you run into any issues, simply contact a member of the alphaTALK team via 0800 093 2193 or 0121 633 5200 for assistance.

We can migrate or port your existing telephone number to our VOIP platform to take advantage of cheaper calls and lower line rental/service charge costs. Please discuss this request with a member of alphaTALK team.

You will be able to call any phone number around the world. As a security precaution, we can also block calls to certain number types by default such as premium types and international destinations. This can be applied on a group-wide basis or per user basis.

A business phone system enables organizations to maintain lines of communication with both internal and external contacts.
Traditionally, small businesses and large enterprises both use a complicated system of on-premise telephones to manage incoming and outgoing calls. Called private branch exchange or PBX, this phone solution entails purchasing, setting, and housing an array of equipment, such as desk phones, telephone cables, and even adapters.
These days, however, there has been a shift to digital business communications. New technologies are allowing businesses to enjoy a more remote friendly, innovative, and cost-efficient way of handling phone calls: cloud phone systems.
Cloud PBX makes it possible to make and receive calls using any device. Team members can use their laptops, desktops, or mobile devices for real-time communication. A strong internet connection is all you need, and you are good to go!
Like the name implies, cloud phone systems deliver PBX functionally as a service through the cloud. This means that users get the same calling features of a traditional phone system—call routing, call recording, call transfer, call forwarding, call waiting, auto-attendant, and more—while using voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to facilitate calls over the internet. This is far more cost effective, flexible and scalable infrastructure. Plus you only pay for what you use, not a cent more. 
Additionally, hosted PBX usually offers other capabilities for better business communications. RingCentral, for example, is more than just a regular business phone system. We also integrate the features of team messaging, HD video calling, business SMS, eFaxing, IT and line of business analytics, embedded apps, and APIs to give you an all-in-one communications solution that works according to your business needs.
You can get local, toll-free, local, or international business phone numbers along with your VoIP phone systems. This step is important in making sure your employees and clients can reach you anytime, anywhere.
With Alphatalk, the process is very easy:
 
  1. Sign up for any Alphatalk plan.
  2. Indicate what type of business phone number you need (toll-free or local), and you will be given a list of available numbers to choose from.
  3. You can also port your existing phone numbers, and we’ll take care of that for you.
  4. Need to order more numbers? Once your account is ready, go to your dashboard. Go to Phone Numbers, then choose the Add Number option.
infrastructure. Plus you only pay for what you use, not a cent more. 
Additionally, hosted PBX usually offers other capabilities for better business communications. RingCentral, for example, is more than just a regular business phone system. We also integrate the features of team messaging, HD video calling, business SMS, eFaxing, IT and line of business analytics, embedded apps, and APIs to give you an all-in-one communications solution that works according to your business needs.
When choosing the best cloud communications solution for your company, you need to consider reliability and SLAs,  pricing, advanced telephony features you may need in the future, the cloud vendor’s security practices, the depth and breadth of their integration ecosystem, and the overall value it can add to your business. Here are some points to look for:
 
  • Costs – One of the main reasons you are switching from traditional phones to business VoIP systems is for the savings. Be sure to find a plan that can help your company lessen equipment procurement, maintenance, and upgrade costs. A good virtual phone system, like RingCentral, can be up and running in minutes—meaning no downtime for your business! According to a 2022 survey, RingCentral customers saw a 23% decrease in average telecommunication costs, a 20% decrease in hardware costs, and a 16% decrease in overall IT spend when they migrated to RingCentral MVP.
  • Productivity – While the primary purpose of your IP telephony is to manage voice calls, it can also do so much more. With RingCentral, for example, you get unlimited calling, PBX functionality as well as the following unified communications features:
    • Audio conferencing
    • Business SMS 
    • Device switching and call to video in 1 click
    • Call logs and history
    • Call screening and blocking
    • Caller ID
    • Multi-site management
    • Hot desking
    • Internet faxing
    • Paging and intercom
    • Video meetings
    • Virtual receptionist
              
See an in depth view of our RingCentral features here.
 
  • Reliability – This is a common concern among business owners, and it is completely understandable. That’s why it is crucial to set up secure business phone lines that are always reachable. At RingCentral, we have strong, financially backed 99.999% SLAs, and a 15+ quarter proven track record of reliability. With less than 6 mins of downtime every year, we deliver on our reliability promises and maintain the highest uptime among industry leaders.
  • Security – With RingCentral, you can breathe easy knowing that multiple layers of redundancy, failover technology, physical and biometric security, encryption, system hardening, and 24/7 monitoring safeguard your data. Your valuable company data and communications are protected by enterprise-grade security.
  • Continuity – Scalability is no longer a nice-to-have feature; it is a must. Make it a point to get a business phone system that grows as your business grows. With RingCentral, for instance, you can easily purchase, activate, and assign business phone numbers and virtual extensions to new users or departments. This can quickly be done on your computers or smartphones, too, so there’s no need for additional help or training to complete your expansion.
  • Cloud VoIP
    • More than a business phone service, cloud VoIP is a reliable communications platform that eliminates the need for on-premise hardware. RingCentral provides reliable, high-quality phone service anywhere you have internet access.
  • Virtual PBX
    • Advance your communications with the industry leader in hosted PBX. RingCentral features a virtual PBX that has all the benefits of a traditional PBX system—auto-attendant, advanced call routing, virtual extensions, etc.—without the expensive landlines and limitations of hardware such as physical boxes, trunks, and switches.
  • Calling & Mobility
    • Our calling features have been designed to give you a flexible, mobile, and powerful cloud phone system. Choose from a variety of available phone numbers including local and toll-free numbers, install our apps on your desktop computer, smartphone, or tablet, and improve communications with call forwarding, call flip, device switching, enhanced business SMS and more.
  • Phone System Administration
    • Provision, manage, and gain insights anywhere with advanced administrative and analytics tools. Initiate instant employee moves, adds, and changes, even when you’re on the go. Simplify multi-site and number management and get a visual view of your IVR for easier editing.
  • International Phone System
    • RingCentral offers extensive coverage with full service in over 45 countries and inbound virtual numbers in 105+ countries. Eliminate the cost and complexity of managing multiple disparate phone systems and benefit from simplified number management and international device shipping.
  • International Phone Services
    • From our product design to the operations of our business, we employ rigorous security and data best-practices in everything we do. We provide our customers with a robust security platform by integrating security principles into the development process from the get-go. 
  • Secure Communications
    • From our product design to the operations of our business, we employ rigorous security and data best-practices in everything we do. We provide our customers with a robust security platform by integrating security principles into the development process from the get-go. 
  • Analytics & Reporting
    • Gain in-depth insights in real time with our advanced call management system, IT and line of business analytics. Customize your own dashboards with 30+ pre-built KPIs and pull in-depth QoS reports for a complete view of system-wide quality and instant troubleshooting