Frequently Asked Questions

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 A Hosted VoIP phone system is a cloud-based business phone service. Instead of maintaining physical hardware on-site, your phone system runs on servers in a provider's data center. You manage everything through a web portal, and calls are made over your internet connection. 

 Traditional systems require on-premise PBX hardware, dedicated phone lines, and specialized technicians for maintenance. Hosted VoIP requires no major hardware investment (beyond phones), uses your internet connection, and is managed entirely by your provider with monthly subscription pricing. 

 It means the core technology that powers your phone system—the call routing, voicemail, auto-attendant, and features—is hosted and maintained by your provider in secure data centers. You access it over the internet. There's no bulky PBX box in your office closet. 

 Yes, absolutely. The process is called "number porting," and any reputable provider will facilitate porting your existing local, toll-free, and fax numbers to your new service. This is a standard industry practice. 

1.  Reliable High-Speed Internet: A stable business-grade broadband connection (cable, fiber, or dedicated ethernet) is the most critical requirement.
2. VoIP Phones: You can use dedicated IP phones (desk phones), or softphone apps on computers and mobile devices.
3. Adequate Network Router: A modern, business-class router that can handle voice traffic is recommended. Your provider may offer a pre-configured router.

 As a general rule, you need about 100 Kbps (0.1 Mbps) per simultaneous call. For example, if 10 people might be on calls at the same time, you'd need a dedicated 1 Mbps upload/download for voice. Your provider can do a precise assessment based on your call volume and internet plan. 

Utel  have built-in redundancy. Common failover options include:

• Automatic Call Forwarding: Calls can be instantly rerouted to cell phones or another location.
• Mobile Apps: Employees can use the provider's app on their smartphones over cellular data.
• Provider Redundancy: Utel have multiple data centres, so if one fails, your service automatically switches to another server.

 Yes, often better. VoIP call quality (clarity, reliability) depends primarily on your internet connection. With a stable, high-speed business internet connection and proper network setup, call quality is typically excellent—often in high-definition (HD Voice). 

 Sometimes. If you have recent IP phones (not traditional analog phones), they may be compatible. Your provider can check the models. Most often, businesses use phones provided or recommended by the VoIP provider, as they are pre-configured for plug-and-play setup. 

 A robust Hosted VoIP system includes dozens of features, often in a standard package:

• Core: Auto-attendant (digital receptionist), IVR menus, call forwarding/transferring, hold music, conference calling, voicemail-to-email.
• Mobility: Softphone apps (for computer/mobile), find me/follow me, SMS/MMS texting from business numbers.
• Management: Web admin portal, call analytics/reporting, call recording (with consent), user presence status.

 This is one of VoIP's biggest strengths. Employees can work from anywhere with an internet connection. They can use:

• A desk phone at home (connected to their home internet).
• A computer softphone app (with a headset).
• A mobile app on their smartphone, which uses their business number.

To callers, it appears the employee is in the office.

 You record a professional greeting (e.g., "Thank you for calling ABC Company. For Sales, press 1. For Support, press 2."). Callers press a key on their phone and are automatically routed to the correct person, department, or voicemail box. You design the menu structure yourself via the web portal. 

 Pricing is typically a simple monthly subscription per user/line per month, depending on features and provider. This can includes unlimited domestic calling, all features, and support. There are usually no long-term contracts required. 

At Utel please call us for the following:

• One-time setup/activation fees (sometimes waived).
• Cost of physical phones (if you need them). Phones can be purchased outright or often rented monthly.
• International calling rates (if applicable).
• Number porting fees (sometimes free).

 Almost always, yes. You eliminate:

• Costly PBX hardware purchases and maintenance.
• Separate phone line charges (PRI, POTS lines).
• Expensive long-distance and international calling fees.
• On-site technician visits for adds, moves, and changes (you do these yourself via the web portal).

 Enterprise-grade Hosted VoIP providers guarantee 99.99% to 99.999% uptime ("five nines") through redundant data centers, power supplies, and internet connections. This often exceeds the reliability of a single on-premise system. 

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