Business Telephone Systems

Frequently Asked Questions

What Makes Avalon Telecom Different?

We are a traditional telecoms company based in Somerset that has been trading since 1998 and has embraced and adapted digital voice services for a number of years.

We do not believe in selling over the phone, long-term contracts, pressured sales techniques or scare tactics in persuading customers to make quick reactive decisions.

We would always prefer to visit a potential customer’s businesses (located in our area) so we can get a feel of the business, listen to requirements and concerns are then help and advise accordingly.

This also allows for us to survey the premisses for cabling etc as VoIP telephones require the same cabling as computers, which is different to traditional telephones connected to legacy telephone cabling.

We will also physically install the telephones and tailor the system to suit your needs.

To find out more why not call our friendly and knowledgeable team on 01278 228228.

Do I have to sign and commit to a long-term contract?

In a word no, not with us. Our contracts are typically 12 months then 30 days rolling. Our customers stay with us because we offer an excellent local service at a fair price and not because they legally have to, due to the legalities of a contract.

What Does ‘Digital Voice’, ‘Cloud’, ‘Hosted’ and ‘VoIP’ mean?

Essentially all the above names are used to broadly describe the same service, telephone numbers and lines held in the cloud and delivered over a data connection, like broadband for example.

For business users, this means a local onsite telephone system is no longer required as each telephone extension (which has its own ‘line’) is hosted in the cloud and is mostly charged on a monthly subscription basis.

What should a be aware of when discussing moving to Digital Voice?

We would not recommend you agree to any pressured sales techniques especially those which are telesales based. We would not recommend agreeing to long-term contracts of more than 2 years. Always take the time to check the proposed agreement carefully before committing.

Check if you own the hardware (telephones) at the end of the contract and if the telephones are not locked to the service provider’s system so can they be used again should you wish to move the provider at the end of the contract?

Does the person selling to you take responsibility for the planning and implementation of the telephones after you sign, or will you have to deal with another department? This is often the case with larger sales-based organisations and can be very frustrating,

We would recommend going with a telecoms company that has a local presence and employs its own local engineers, especially if good quality after-sales service is a priority.

What are the main things I need to consider before moving to ‘Digital Voice’?

Probably the most important factor for a reliable VoIP service is the data connection (broadband) you have or can get.

Ideally, if you can have a ‘full fibre connection’ often known as ‘FTTP’ (Fibre to the Premises) then one connection should be robust enough for both telephones and IT.

If FTTP is not available then there are a few factors to consider, the number of telephones and how often they are used at any one time and the number of PC users and how often they are uploading and downloading from the internet.

Telephones and calls don’t take up much bandwidth so for a small business with a few telephones then a single fibre-based (Not ADSL) broadband, ‘Fibre To The Cabinet’ (FTTC) or SoGEA (broadband without a telephone number or voice line) should be okay.

If there are a large number of telephones and PC users then you may want to consider two broadband connections preferably from two separate service providers using different networks.

For cabling, see the FAQ below.

Will my existing telephone sockets and cabling work for VoIP telephones?

If your existing business phones plug into a traditional-looking telephone socket via a lead with a traditional white BT plug, then the answer is probably no.

VoIP telephones require an RJ45 outlet and CAT cabling to work, in simple terms this is the same as a PC. VoIP telephones need to be powered so you will need a POE (Power Over Ethernet) data switch or a local power supply unit or POE injector (one of each per phone).

In most cases, you only need one RJ45 wall socket for both a VoIP phone and a PC. This is because the phone can be plugged into the wall socket (via Ethernet lead) and has a separate socket allowing for a PC Ethernet cable to be plugged into it, so allow both devices to use one wall socket.

Some VoIP telephones have the option for Wi-Fi connectivity, which should be okay for smaller systems of just a few users, however, we always recommend a hardwired ethernet connection for a reliable service.

What are the expected costs when moving from PSTN to ‘Digital Voice’?

We can't give exact costs as each customer has different requirements; however, the following should be considered

Migrating/porting existing telephone numbers to digital voice

Cabling as VoIP telephones requires an RJ45 ethernet connection (same as a PC).

Wi-Fi can be an option for smaller systems.

POE (Power over Ethernet) data switch to connect and drive (power) the physical VoIP telephones.

 A local PSU (Power Supply Unit) can be used for each phone, but a POE switch is recommended.

For physical VoIP Telephones, there may be upfront charges or the cost is included in the ongoing rental.

Installation of the telephones and the setup of the system to suit your needs.

Beware some providers simply send you the phones in the post and you will have to physically install yourself and programming the system via a web-based admin portal. We will do all this for you.

Ongoing rental charges per user (extension), cost depends on what features are included. 

Are telephone calls completely free on Digital Voice?

In a word no, not with our Digital Voice services, however, we can offer 'inclusive minute' deals for those who make a lot of calls or would like to fix their monthly telephone bills.

There is an exception for internal calls to other users/extensions on your system even if they are working in another office or at home, these calls will not be charged. 

What is the lead time to move to Digital Voice services?

This largely depends on the contract with your current Service Provider as you will need to confirm if you are in contact and what the 'notice period' is for you to migrate your services to another provider.

For existing Avalon customers then expect around a 3 - 4 week lead time to allow for number porting (around 10 working days) and an installation appointment to be booked.

What if my broadband goes down?

If you have a single broadband connection, then in short you will lose both your telephone and internet services. Calls can be diverted to another number as a means of providing temporary service,

You may consider taking precautions, examples are; having two separate broadband connections from two different service providers on separate networks. A 4 or 5G router with a DATA SIM, however, there are some drawbacks to this as connections are subject to location and signal strength and throughput on the local mast. 

Alternatively, you may consider installing a ‘lease line’ (a private broadband connection) with an SLA instead of a broadband connection, however, these are more expensive.

Need further assistance?

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