An easy-to-use multi-line phone system

One of the best things about VoIP is that technically, you can turn any handset or smart device into a multi-line phone for free.

As long as you have a VoIP adapter, you can easily turn your original desk phone into a functioning IP phone. Similarly, any smart device can be turned into a softphone by simply downloading your provider’s app, meaning that you can give your smartphone all the business features of a multi-line phone.

If you do want to buy dedicated VoIP desk phones or cordless handsets for your office phone system, you can do that too, but those prices vary pretty widely depending on your warranty preferences and other business needs, so it’s worth checking out what some of the main providers offer.

VTech, Polycom, and Panasonic are some of the main players still bringing out corded and cordless phones, so that’s an easy place to start.

Dialpad supports budget-friendly VoIP desk phones and cordless phone systems, too, as well as headsets, microphones, and adapters. Of course, you could go completely hardware-free and just use the softphone app!

It's much more flexible and cost-effective than traditional phone service providers like AT&T and CenturyLink, and with VoIP, all you need to pay for is your service plan and the IP phones you’ll be using. Most people just invest in IP desk phones and use their personal cell phone as a softphone to cut costs even further. It's kind of like a build-your-own-telephone-system situation, with easy cancellations.

There are two main types: traditional and cloud-based.

Traditional analog multi-line systems (like your basic landline or traditional PBX system) have been steadily growing obsolete. They use pre-existing wires to offer users a limited number of lines, and have only basic switching, holding, and speakerphone capabilities. They also have very limited voicemail capabilities when connected to a digital answering system.

Cloud-based multi-line phone systems use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to allow users to make voice calls, hold video conference calls, send texts, and share content over an internet connection. There’s no expensive hardware, no complex wiring, and hardly any of the device and line restrictions that come with traditional systems.

In fact, as long as you have a stable Internet connection, you can have as many lines as your business requires.

Cloud-based phone systems come with a lot—and we really do mean a lot—of advanced features to streamline your communications. Along with standard features like call transferring, call waiting, and speed dial functionalities, there are a few key features that even the most affordable small business phone systems should have.

Well, it depends—on exactly how small your business is, as well as how heavily you rely on business phone communications.

If you’re going for the more traditional option and using VoIP desk phones, they often come with a predefined number of lines:

2-line phone system: This is a better solution for home offices or small businesses that have predictable incoming call volumes or outbound call patterns. For example, a restaurant might have two lines to help with call volume control during peak hours, or have one line reserved for incoming calls, and another for management duties.

4-line phone system: You might go with four phone lines if you’re a small, collaborative team working from different locations, a small customer service team, or a receptionist who needs to perform multiple transfers, holds, and other call functions.

Six or more lines: This is an option for team members who manage a high volume of calls; for example, a supervisor who oversees the calls of other agents, or a growing sales team that handles many calls simultaneously.

The problem with predefined phone lines like these is that they’re difficult to scale, which can seriously hinder your growth in the long run. This is why going for a VoIP provider that offers expandable phone lines is better, even for small businesses that only initially require a couple of lines.

(One of the best things about Dialpad is that you can add or remove users whenever you like from the online portal.)

Essentially, unified communications or UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platforms just refer to apps that integrate different communication channels into one app or software. Most often, it's three main channels: phone calls, video conferencing, and instant + SMS/MMS messaging.

Dialpad is essentially a unified communications platform with a built-in cloud business phone system.

UCaaS is actually a very affordable option for small businesses (though it's also a popular enterprise communications option).

To use your existing phone number when switching to a new business phone service provider, you’ll need to port your number.

Dialpad handles your number porting requests for you, so it’s a really easy process. To initiate it, all you need to do is log onto your online dashboard and go to Admin Settings > Office > Number Porting > New Port Request.

After that, just enter the numbers you want to port and specify where you want them assigned. Dialpad will handle the rest from there.

This service is free if you’re porting a local number in the US or Canada!

Yes! Dialpad fully supports toll-free and 800 numbers. You can add those phone numbers from your online dashboard.

A good multi-line phone system should! For example, even Dialpad's most basic plan comes with unlimited calls within your country, the US, and Canada!

If you’re struggling to manage multiple phone lines or even just the thought is putting you off making the switch, then one of the best things about investing in a cloud-based phone platform is that it's designed to help you with exactly that.

For example, there's the auto attendant feature, which transfers incoming calls to specific extensions depending on the caller’s self-directed inputs.

One thing to note: With some phone systems, you have to contact the support team to make call routing changes, which can take hours or days. If it's important to you, make sure you choose a provider that lets you implement changes on your own quickly.

Today, many startups and small businesses go with VoIP phone systems, mainly because they're inexpensive, scalable, and flexible.

Traditional PBX phone systems tend to require a ton of hardware, are harder to maintain, and aren't as flexible. (Meaning you can't just add 20 new phone numbers or onboard new people around the world quickly.)

It's also typically harder to get things like call analytics with PBX systems. The tricky thing is that many PBX phone system providers that have been around for a while have tried to evolve their technology a bit and become "cloud PBX," and others have even started calling themselves VoIP phone systems. If you want to learn more about the differences and what to look for, check out this guide.