In short: A cloud phone system for a small business gives a team of roughly one to 25 people business numbers on their mobiles and laptops, greetings, hunt groups and voicemail to email, without hardware to maintain. Forever UC suits app-first teams, Teams Phone suits Microsoft 365 users, and 3CX SMB Free or Basic suits very small teams wanting 3CX.
What small teams actually need
Small businesses rarely need a full contact centre. What they do need is to sound professional, never miss a customer and keep things simple to run. The features that matter most are:
- Business numbers on mobiles and laptops, so staff can answer from anywhere without giving out personal numbers
- A greeting and simple menu, with different messages for opening hours, lunch and holidays
- Hunt groups, so a sales or office number rings several people at once or in turn
- Voicemail to email, so messages are never lost on a phone in an empty office
- Simple billing that is easy to predict and easy to scale as you hire
- Easy changes you can make yourself in a web portal or app
Our phone system features glossary explains any of these terms in more detail.
Which platform suits a small business?
We supply several platforms that work well for small teams. This is how they usually match up:
| If your team... | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Works mainly on mobiles and laptops, in and out of the office | Forever UC or another hosted VoIP service | App-first, with menus, department groups, a call queue and voicemail to email in the Standard tier |
| Already lives in Microsoft 365 and Teams | Microsoft Teams Phone or Forever Teams | Calls in the same app as chat and meetings, added to existing Microsoft licences |
| Is very small and wants 3CX | 3CX SMB Free or Basic (3CX editions) | SMB Free is free for up to 10 users with hosting included; Basic covers core telephony, routing and apps |
| Wants BT for lines, broadband and phones | BT Cloud Voice (cloudvoice.cloud) | One supplier for connectivity and calls |
If you are weighing these up, our cloud phone systems compared page puts them side by side.
Forever UC and hosted VoIP for app-first teams
Forever UC is Forever Group's own hosted phone system. It is designed to be used through apps on iOS, Android, Windows and Mac, with desk phones as an option rather than a requirement. It runs on Cisco BroadSoft technology and is hosted on the BT Wholesale network in the UK.
The Standard tier covers what most small teams need: VoIP calling, switchboard-style transfers, menus and department groups, a call queue, video calling between devices and voicemail to email. If you need to record calls or see reports, Forever UC Plus adds call recording and call reporting. Contracts start from 12 months, and Forever Group can support teams as small as four users.
Teams Phone if you already use Microsoft 365
If your team already uses Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard or Premium, Microsoft Teams Phone adds business calling to the Teams app you already have open all day. Microsoft also lists Teams Essentials (with Microsoft Entra ID) as a qualifying base licence, and Teams Essentials with Teams Phone bundles are available for very small businesses that do not use the wider Microsoft 365 suite.
You then choose how Teams connects to the phone network: a Microsoft Calling Plan, Operator Connect, or Direct Routing through a provider such as Forever Teams, which keeps your existing numbers. Our Teams Phone licensing page explains the options. Remember that each Teams auto attendant or call queue uses a resource account, which needs its own (Teams Phone Resource Account) licence.
3CX for very small teams
3CX is licensed differently from the per-user platforms: commercial editions are one annual licence per system, sized by the number of simultaneous calls, with hosting by 3CX as a separate annual charge. For the smallest teams, 3CX SMB Free is free for up to 10 users, with hosting included.
As you grow, 3CX Basic covers core telephony, call routing, apps and essential reporting, while PRO adds call queues, CRM and Microsoft 365 integrations. See hosted 3CX and 3CX pricing for how the licensing works.
Keeping your number and switching over
Most small businesses want to keep the number on their website, vans and invoices. In most cases you can: your new provider requests a port from your current provider, and on the agreed date your number starts ringing on the new system. Until then, you can use a temporary number or a divert so nothing is missed. Our number porting guide explains the process.
If your current number is on an analogue line, remember the PSTN switch-off on 31 January 2027; our PSTN switch-off checklist covers the other devices that may use that line.
For an idea of what affects the price, read cloud phone system cost. Then contact us with your team size and we will suggest the simplest option that fits.
Why choose your cloud phone system with Forever Systems
We are vendor-neutral. Forever Group supplies and supports several cloud phone platforms, so we recommend the one that fits how your organisation works rather than the one we happen to sell.
- 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 call quality is right from day one
- UK support for moves, adds, changes and faults
- For BT Cloud Voice, see our BT Business Partner site cloudvoice.cloud
We work with businesses, schools, charities and public sector organisations. We do not sell consumer phone services.
Want a vendor-neutral cloud phone system comparison and quote?
Tell Forever Systems what you need and we will come back to you by email with options, not a hard sell.
Contact usFrequently asked questions
What is the best phone system for a small business?
There is no single best option. App-first teams often suit Forever UC or hosted VoIP, teams already in Microsoft 365 often suit Teams Phone, and very small teams wanting 3CX can start on SMB Free. The right one depends on how your team works and what you already use.
How much does a small business cloud phone system cost?
Most small business platforms are charged per user per month, while 3CX is licensed per system per year and SMB Free is free for up to 10 users. Calls, numbers and handsets add to the total. Ask us for a quote based on your team.
Can I keep my business number when I move to a cloud phone system?
Usually, yes. Geographic and non-geographic numbers can normally be ported from your current provider. We request the port, agree a date and set up a temporary divert if needed so you do not miss calls.
Can my staff use their own mobiles for business calls?
Yes. Forever UC, Teams Phone, 3CX and Webex Calling all have mobile apps, so staff can make and take calls on the business number from their own mobile while keeping their personal number private.
Do small businesses need desk phones?
Not necessarily. Many small teams use mobile and desktop apps with a good headset. Desk phones are useful for a reception or anyone who spends a lot of time on the phone, and cordless handsets suit people who move around a site.