In short
A cloud phone system, also called a cloud based phone system, is a business phone system that runs in a data centre rather than in a box in your office, with calls carried over the internet to desk phones, mobile apps and Microsoft Teams. Forever Systems supplies hosted 3CX, Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams, Webex Calling and SIP trunks, and recommends by fit.
Not sure where to start?
Tell us what you need to achieve and we will point you to the right option.
What is a cloud phone system?
A cloud phone system replaces the phone system (PBX) on your wall with one run by a provider in a data centre. Your users make and take calls over the internet on desk phones, laptop softphones, mobile apps or Microsoft Teams, and you manage numbers, menus and users from a web portal instead of calling out an engineer.
Because it needs only an internet connection, a cloud based phone system is also a straightforward answer to the PSTN and ISDN switch-off. For the full explanation, see what is a cloud phone system?, and for the vocabulary, our phone system features glossary.
Vendors we supply
The platforms we supply
We are vendor-neutral. These are the platforms Forever Group supplies, sets up and supports:
- Hosted 3CX: the 3CX phone system, hosted and managed for you, with web, Windows, iOS and Android apps, a wide choice of IP desk phones and strong call centre and CRM options in the higher editions
- Microsoft Teams Phone: calling inside Teams, connected to the phone network with a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing
- Forever Teams: Forever Group's own Teams calling service over Direct Routing, keeping your existing numbers
- Forever UC: Forever Group's app-first hosted phone system, built on Cisco BroadSoft technology and hosted on the BT Wholesale network in the UK
- Webex Calling: Cisco's cloud calling service inside the Webex App
- SIP trunks: keep the phone system you already own and replace its ISDN or analogue lines
- BT Cloud Voice: see where BT Cloud Voice fits, or go straight to cloudvoice.cloud, run by our sister company Forever Communications
Not sure whether you need a hosted system at all? Our hosted phone system and hosted PBX pages explain what moves to the provider and what stays with you. Forever Group's main site covers its wider range of telephone systems, including its BT Wholesale cloud phone system.
Choose by fit
There is no single best cloud phone system for business. The right one depends on how your people work, what you already use and how much call handling you need. This is how we usually match them:
| Platform | How it is licensed | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| Hosted 3CX | One annual licence per system, sized by edition and simultaneous calls | Teams with busy reception or queues, many desk phones, or CRM integration needs |
| Microsoft Teams Phone | Per-user add-on to Microsoft 365, plus a PSTN option | Organisations that already work in Teams all day |
| Forever Teams | Teams Phone licensing plus Forever Group's Direct Routing service | Teams users who want to keep their numbers and have one supplier for calls and licences |
| Forever UC | Per user, in Standard, Plus and Contact tiers | App-first teams, mobile and hybrid workers, small contact teams |
| Webex Calling | Per-user Professional or Standard licences, plus Workspace licences for shared devices | Cisco networking estates and Webex meetings users |
| BT Cloud Voice | BT service, per user | Organisations that want BT as one supplier for lines, broadband and phones |
| SIP trunks | Per channel or per call capacity | Organisations with a supported PBX system they want to keep |
For the detail, read cloud phone system providers compared, Teams Phone vs 3CX and Webex Calling vs Teams.
Not sure which edition fits? Ask us
Tell us what you need and we will help you choose the right edition.
Guides for buyers
- Business phone systems: a buyer's guide: on-premise, hosted, Teams or SIP, and the questions to ask suppliers
- How much does a cloud phone system cost?: what drives the price, with no hidden surprises
- Hosted phone system for small business: options for teams of roughly one to 25 people
- Multi-site phone systems: one system across offices, branches or a trust
- School phone systems: absence lines, term-time schedules and cordless handsets
- Cloud contact centre and call centre phone systems for teams that live on the phone
- Number porting: how to keep your numbers when you move
The PSTN switch-off and your phones
Openreach stopped selling new analogue (PSTN) and ISDN lines nationally on 5 September 2023, and the PSTN and ISDN networks are due to switch off on 31 January 2027, the date BT Group set in May 2024 after moving it back from 2025. Any phone system that still depends on those lines, along with alarms, lift lines, door entry and card terminals, needs a plan before then. Forever Group can also move the lines themselves to digital business phone lines.
Our PSTN switch-off checklist turns that into numbered steps, and ISDN replacement options compares the routes side by side. For the full background, read the PSTN switch-off 2027 guide on cloudvoice.cloud.
Need help choosing?
We will recommend what fits your organisation and explain why, in plain English.
How a move to a cloud phone system works
- Audit: we list your users, numbers, lines, handsets, call flows and any special devices.
- Recommend: we compare the platforms that fit and explain the trade-offs in writing.
- Check connectivity: we look at your broadband or leased line and your network, so it is ready to carry voice well.
- Plan numbers: we arrange number porting and temporary diverts so the switch is smooth for your callers.
- Build and train: we set up users, menus, groups, queues and devices, and show your team how it all works.
- Support: we handle moves, adds, changes and faults.
To start, contact us with a rough user count and what you use today.
More cloud phone system guides
Forever UCForever Group's app-first hosted phone system, in three tiers.
Webex CallingCisco's cloud calling in the Webex App: licences and PSTN options.BT Cloud Voice alternativesWhere BT's cloud phone system fits, and where to find the detail.SIP trunksKeep your own phone system and replace ISDN and analogue lines.
Hosted 3CXThe 3CX phone system hosted, configured and supported for you.
Teams PhoneBusiness calling inside Microsoft Teams, with the PSTN option that suits you.Forever TeamsForever Group's Teams calling service: your numbers, in the Teams app.Cloud contact centreCCaaS: queues, IVR, wallboards, recording and digital channels.Call centre phone systemQueues, ring strategies, wallboards and recording for phone teams.Call recordingUK rules, retention and how each platform records calls.CRM integrationScreen pop, click to dial and automatic call logging.Number portingKeep your business numbers when you change phone system.PSTN checklistA step-by-step checklist to get every line ready for 31 January 2027.ISDN replacementFour ways to replace ISDN2 and ISDN30, compared side by side.VoIP phonesDesk, cordless, conference and Teams phones explained, without the model numbers.Teams Phone vs 3CXA fair side-by-side of 3CX and Microsoft Teams Phone, and the hybrid route.Hosted vs on-premiseCloud or your own PBX: cost profile, maintenance, resilience and when each fits.Webex Calling vs TeamsCisco or Microsoft calling: licences, PSTN, devices, contact centre and using both.Compare platformsHosted 3CX, Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams, Webex Calling and BT Cloud Voice.Why choose your cloud phone system with Forever Systems
We are vendor-neutral. Forever Group supplies and supports several cloud phone platforms, so we can recommend the one that fits how your organisation works.
- Side-by-side comparison of hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams and Webex Calling for your users
- Contact centre and call recording options matched to your call volumes and CRM
- Number porting, handsets and set-up handled for you, including the move off analogue and ISDN lines
- Connectivity checked so your connection is ready to carry voice well
- Support for moves, adds, changes and faults
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our sister site cloudvoice.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations.
Frequently asked questions
Are you tied to one phone system vendor?
No. Forever Group supplies hosted 3CX, Microsoft Teams Phone, Forever UC, Forever Teams, Webex Calling and SIP trunks, and our sister company supplies BT Cloud Voice. We recommend the one that fits how you work, and if keeping your current system on SIP trunks makes more sense, we can supply those too.
Do cloud phone systems need a phone line?
No. A cloud phone system runs over your internet connection, so it does not need analogue or ISDN lines. That makes it ready for the PSTN and ISDN switch-off on 31 January 2027. You do need a reliable connection and a network that prioritises voice traffic.
Can I keep my existing phone numbers?
Usually, yes. Geographic, non-geographic and many other numbers can normally be ported to a new provider. We manage the port and set up temporary diverts if needed. See our number porting guide for how the process works.
How much does a cloud phone system cost?
It depends on the platform, the number of users or simultaneous calls, call packages, handsets and contract term. Some platforms are licensed per user per month and 3CX is licensed per system per year. Ask us for a quote and we will compare the options for your team.
Can Microsoft Teams be our phone system?
Yes. With a Teams Phone licence and a way to connect to the phone network (a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect or Direct Routing, such as Forever Teams), users can make and take external calls in Teams on desktop, mobile or Teams-certified desk phones.
How does a cloud based phone system work?
Your desk phones, apps and Teams clients connect over the internet to a phone system (PBX) running in the provider's data centre. It applies your menus, groups and opening hours to each call, and the provider connects calls to the public phone network, usually over SIP trunks it runs for you.
Which cloud phone system is right for my business?
It depends on how your people work. Teams Phone suits organisations already in Microsoft 365, hosted 3CX suits teams needing queues and CRM integration, Forever UC suits app-first teams, Webex Calling suits Cisco estates and BT Cloud Voice suits those wanting BT as one supplier. Ask us for a side-by-side comparison.
Still have a question about a cloud phone system?
Ask us and a member of our team will reply by email.