What to Ask Before Choosing a Phone Provider

Before choosing a phone provider, ask seven plain questions: is the price per user or per line and what does it include, what costs extra, can you keep your number, how long are you committed, do you need new phones, when is support open, and how soon can you be up and running. The answers tell you what you will really pay and how the switch will go.

Here is each question, what to listen for, and how Telonium answers it, so you have a fair example to compare against.

Is the Price per User or per Line, and What's Included?

Ask exactly what one unit of the price covers. Some providers charge per phone line, some per person, some per device. Then ask which features come with that price and which are only in a higher plan.

Telonium's answer: $24.95 per user per month, plus taxes and fees. That includes unlimited calling in the lower 48 states and parts of Canada and the core features: an auto attendant (the "press 1 for..." phone menu), call groups that ring everyone at once, call queues, voicemail to email, business hours and holiday hours on each number, call logs and analytics, and the app for computers and cell phones. One phone number is included for every two users. A user without a phone, for voicemail and forwarding only, is $14.95 a month.

What Costs Extra?

This is where bills grow. Ask for the full list of things that are billed separately, and ask to see a sample bill with taxes and fees.

Telonium's answer: call recording is an add-on. International calls and incoming toll-free minutes are extra. Each phone number beyond the included ones is $5 a month. Taxes, government fees and our Regulatory Recovery Fee ($1.50 a month per phone line) are added to every bill. Our post on fees on a business phone bill explains each one.

Can I Keep My Number, and What Does That Cost?

Your number is on your website, your truck and your customers' phones. Ask whether it can move, what it costs, how long it takes and whether your phones keep working in the meantime.

Telonium's answer: most numbers can move. Moving (porting) a number is $10 per number, one time. You sign the form online, your number keeps working with your current provider until the move is done, and it usually takes one to two weeks. We confirm the exact date with your current phone company, and you can start using Telonium before the move finishes. You can check your number on our keep your number page.

How Long Am I Committed?

Ask whether there is a term, what happens if you add or remove people, and whether there are fees to leave early. Get the answer in writing, from the provider's own terms.

Telonium's answer: service is month-to-month with no long-term contract, and you can add or remove users any time.

Do I Need New Phones?

Some providers require their own desk phones, sometimes leased. Ask whether you can use computers and cell phones instead, and if you want desk phones, whether you buy them or rent them.

Telonium's answer: desk phones are optional. The Telonium app runs on Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and calls from it show your business number. If you want desk phones, we offer Yealink models that arrive set up, usually shipping in 3 to 5 business days. There is no leasing. You can see them on our desk phones page.

Where Is Support, and When Is It Open?

When something goes wrong, you want a person who knows your account. Ask when support is open, how you reach it, and what happens after hours.

Telonium's answer: support is Monday through Friday, 9am to 6pm Eastern, at 404-566-8888, with 24/7 emergency support. We are in Atlanta, and we have been helping small businesses with their phones since 2011.

How Long Until We're Up and Running?

Ask how long sign-up takes, when you can start making calls, and what happens while your number is moving.

Telonium's answer: you can sign up online in about ten minutes, and accounts are usually approved within one business day. Your team can make calls on the app the same day, and you can set up your users, greeting and hours while your number moves.

A Few More Questions Worth Asking

• Does it work over Wi-Fi and the cell signal (4G or 5G), not only the office internet?
• What happens to calls if the office internet goes down? (Telonium lets you set a backup number.)
• Does 911 get our street address and suite or floor with the call?
• Are outgoing calls signed as really from us, so they are less likely to show as spam?
• Can we text from our business number?
• Can we keep receiving faxes without a fax machine?

Write the answers side by side for each provider you talk to. The cheapest headline price is not always the cheapest bill.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Most Important Question to Ask a Phone Provider?

What the full monthly bill will be for your team, including extras, taxes and fees. Ask for a sample bill.

Can I Try the System Before Moving My Number?

Yes. Your current number keeps working with your old provider while you set up and test your new system, until the move is done.

Does Telonium Charge for the App?

No. The app is included with every user at $24.95 per user per month, plus taxes and fees.