Cloud PBX. No on-site hardware. No drama.
Hosted PBX phone system delivered as a cloud service. No server in your comms cabinet, no maintenance contracts, no end-of-life upgrades. Just business-grade telephony with all the features, configured through a web admin interface, supported by UK engineers.
What is a Cloud PBX?
A cloud PBX is a business phone system run from secure data centres rather than hardware on your premises. Calls travel over your internet connection, and you manage users, numbers and routing through a web portal — no on-site box, no big upfront cost, and instant scaling.
How Cloud PBX compares
vs Traditional PBX
No physical box or ISDN lines — instant changes and no maintenance visits.
vs Hosted VoIP
Hosted VoIP is the calling; Cloud PBX is the routing brain — we deliver both as one system.
vs Microsoft Teams
Teams adds calling to Teams; Cloud PBX is a full phone system with handsets, queues and IVR.
vs 3CX / on-premise
Self-hosted systems you patch and maintain; our Cloud PBX is fully managed for you.
Cloud PBX and the PSTN switch-off
The PSTN and ISDN network is switched off by 2027, retiring traditional phone lines. A Cloud PBX already runs over the internet, so moving now future-proofs you and usually cuts your bill — we handle the migration and port your numbers.
Cloud PBX for multi-site businesses
Tie every location together under one number plan, with free internal calls between sites and the same extensions wherever staff work. Opening a new site just means adding users.
From £5 per user, per month.
No PBX hardware to buy and no big upfront cost — cloud phone systems that scale with your team. And because it’s all cloud-delivered, we can have you set up and live within 60 minutes.
What cloud PBX actually is.
PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange — the central call-routing system that handles all the phone lines and extensions inside a business. A traditional PBX is an on-site server (literally a physical box in your office). A cloud PBX puts that same function in the cloud.
From your team's perspective, it works the same: dial extensions, transfer calls, put callers on hold, set up IVR menus, record calls. The difference is what's behind it: instead of a server in your comms cabinet that you maintain (or pay someone to maintain), the PBX runs on a cloud platform managed by your provider. No hardware to buy, no maintenance contracts, no painful upgrades every 5-7 years.
Cloud PBX is the standard 2026 UK business phone system. Most UK SMEs migrating from old PSTN/ISDN (forced by the 2027 BT switch-off) are moving to cloud PBX. Most replacement projects from legacy on-premise PBX (Avaya, Mitel, Panasonic, Samsung, NEC) move to cloud PBX. It's not the exotic option anymore — it's the default.
The honest comparison.
Both work. Different operational profiles. Most UK SMEs in 2026 should choose cloud PBX; specific scenarios still justify on-premise.
Cloud PBX (recommended for most UK SMEs)
- Upfront cost: low — typically just setup config + handsets if wanted
- Monthly cost: per-user predictable
- Maintenance: managed by provider, no on-site engineer needed
- Scaling: add/remove users via admin interface, takes minutes
- Upgrades: automatic, no end-of-life cliff
- Failure mode: depends on internet; cellular failover available
- Best for: 95%+ of UK SMEs, multi-site businesses, anyone who hates server rooms
On-premise PBX (specific use cases only)
- Upfront cost: high — PBX server typically £8,000-50,000+ depending on size
- Monthly cost: SIP trunk lines + maintenance contract
- Maintenance: requires on-site engineer or maintenance contract
- Scaling: hardware-dependent; large changes need engineer visit
- Upgrades: every 5-7 years, painful, often forced by end-of-life
- Failure mode: works during internet outages but fails if PBX hardware fails
- Best for: specific regulated industries, very large user counts (500+), legacy investment protection
What's actually included.
Apps + handsets
Desktop apps (Windows, Mac), mobile apps (iOS, Android), optional desk handsets. Use any combination per user.
Call recording
GDPR-compliant call recording with retention policies, search, access controls. Critical for regulated sectors.
IVR menus
"Press 1 for sales..." with time-of-day routing, skills routing, voicemail-to-email, failover paths.
Hunt groups
Inbound call rings multiple users simultaneously or in sequence until answered. Configurable by team.
Call analytics
Volume reports, missed calls, peak times, user metrics, wait times, abandoned calls. Daily/weekly digests.
CRM integration
Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics, Zoho via API. Customer record popup on inbound call, click-to-dial from CRM.
AI Receptionist (add-on)
24/7 AI call handling integrated into your PBX. Books appointments, qualifies leads, escalates urgent calls.
Teams integration
Use Microsoft Teams as your softphone. Direct Routing or Operator Connect deployment.
Failover & resilience
Mobile-app failover during outages, optional 4G/5G failover on office router for full continuity.
What businesses gain by switching to Telexico.
How we differ from the big providers — written plainly, no sales spin.
Send us your current renewal. We'll review what you have, what you pay, and where we can simplify — no fixed-package pressure, no obligation.
What you actually get from Telexico.
Honest about scope. No aggressive sales tactics, no surprise renewal jumps, no tier-1 call-centre triage. Real UK engineers, transparent pricing, one provider relationship across the stack.
UK-based provider
Wolverhampton-headquartered. Engineers cover the West Midlands daily; UK-wide install via our partner network. Real UK engineer support, UK data residency, UK contractual relationship — not US-routed SaaS.
Real engineer support
When you call Telexico, you reach someone who can actually fix things. Response SLA backed by real engineering capacity rather than call-centre headcount. Named account manager for ongoing customers.
Free infrastructure review
Every engagement starts with a no-obligation audit of your current setup. Honest recommendation — sometimes that's "stay with your current provider after negotiation." We'd rather be honest than oversell.
Transparent pricing
What you sign for is what you pay — including renewal. No teaser pricing that jumps 30-100% at year two. No mid-contract CPI shock. Predictable multi-year cost from day one.
One provider, one platform
Broadband, hosted VoIP, business WiFi, AI Receptionist, 4G/5G failover, CCTV consolidated onto one Telexico relationship. Single bill, single support number, single engineer when something needs attention.
Migration project-managed
Switching to Telexico isn't DIY. We handle contract audit, notice timing, ordering, parallel running, cutover, old-provider close-out. Customer-visible disruption typically measured in minutes.
Simpler telecoms. Fewer suppliers. Real support.
Send us your current setup. We'll show you where we can simplify, consolidate or reduce cost — no rigid pricing, no hard sell.
AI receptionist answers 24/7, captures the lead and sends it straight to your team.
Broadband, phones, AI, WiFi, failover and CCTV — one bill, one UK team.
We design around your team, your hours and your customers — not a generic package.
⚡ 30 seconds to share your details · 💬 We respond promptly · 🔒 No hard sell
Review my current setup.
Not ready to switch yet? Send us your current contracts, bills, or photos of your existing equipment. We'll review what you have, what you're paying, and where you could simplify, consolidate or improve — without any pressure to buy anything from us.
We benchmark your existing broadband, phones, mobile and IT against current UK market pricing and what your business actually needs.
Real engineer review of your current connectivity, voice setup, WiFi, security and continuity — strengths, gaps, and where you're overpaying or underprotected.
We tell you honestly what's available at your postcode — FTTP, leased line, alt-net carriers — and which makes commercial sense for your operation.
For businesses still on ISDN or aging on-premises PBX — an honest cost-and-feature comparison before the 2027 BT switch-off forces a rushed decision.
No hard sell. No fixed package pressure. If we're not a better fit, we'll tell you straight — and recommend what is.
Call-flow design: where a cloud PBX earns its keep
The features list tells you what a cloud PBX has. What matters is how those pieces are arranged around your business — the call flow. Here's a real-world example of the kind of flow we design, written out so you can see the thinking:
A call hits your main number. During opening hours, a two-option auto attendant answers instantly: "1 for sales, 2 for support." Sales rings three people at once; if nobody picks up within 20 seconds, it overflows to the sales manager's mobile. Support drops into a queue with position announcements; if the wait passes two minutes, the caller is offered a callback instead of hold music. At 5:30pm the whole flow switches automatically: calls route to the on-call engineer's mobile for emergencies, or the AI receptionist takes bookings and messages. On bank holidays, the holiday greeting plays without anyone remembering to set it.
Every branch of that flow is a decision about how your business treats a caller — and every one is adjustable in minutes when reality changes. That's the honest difference between a cloud PBX and basic VoIP: not more features, but the ability to encode how you want to run. We design the first version of your flow with you as part of setup, then you own it — or we keep tuning it, whichever you prefer.
Business continuity: your phones should be the last thing standing
Here's the scenario worth planning for: a burst pipe, a power cut, a broadband dig-through, a snow day, or the genuinely bad one — you can't use the building at all. With an on-premise PBX, your phone system is a casualty of whatever hit the office. With a cloud PBX, the system was never in the office to begin with. The platform keeps answering with your greetings and menus; calls simply route to wherever your people are — mobiles, home laptops, another site.
In practice, continuity looks like this. Automatic: if a desk phone loses connection, its calls follow the failover path you've already set (mobile app, colleague, voicemail-to-email) with no action needed. One tap: an emergency-close switch flips the whole company to closed-mode routing from the app — snowed in at 7am, sorted by 7:01. Structural: multi-site businesses fail over between offices, so Birmingham answers when Wolverhampton can't. Pair it with 4G/5G failover on the connectivity side and there's no single event that silences the business. Most firms discover the value of this exactly once — and then never go back to a box on the wall.
Migrating from an on-premise PBX: the calm version
Step 1 — audit what exists. Extensions, DDIs, hunt groups, the call flows everyone's forgotten the reasons for, which handsets can be reused, what the old system actually costs per year in maintenance and licences. This usually surprises people in both directions.
Step 2 — build in parallel. Your cloud PBX is configured and tested alongside the old system — greetings recorded, flows built, apps installed — while the old PBX carries on working. Nothing is bet on a big-bang switch.
Step 3 — port and cut over. Numbers port to the cloud platform on an agreed date; the changeover is minutes, and the old system stays racked (and reversible) until you're satisfied. Staff switch from a system they tolerated to apps they've already tried.
Step 4 — decommission with dignity. The old PBX and its maintenance contract retire; anything with residual value is dealt with sensibly. One honest note: if you've recently spent heavily on on-premise kit, we'll tell you if sweating it another year is the smarter move — see our cloud vs on-premise comparison for how to weigh it. The wrong time to migrate is never "before the next maintenance renewal", though — that invoice is usually what pays for the whole project.
Quick check: see what switching could save you with our 30-second savings calculator — no email needed to see the number.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cloud PBX?
PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange — the central call-routing system that handles all the phone lines and extensions inside a business. A traditional PBX is an on-site server: a physical box in your office that routes calls. A cloud PBX (also called hosted PBX) puts that same function in the cloud. Calls route through a cloud platform, your team uses desk handsets or mobile/desktop apps, and there's no on-site hardware to maintain. All the features (call recording, IVR, voicemail, transfers, hunt groups) are configured through a web admin interface.
What's the difference between cloud PBX, hosted PBX, and VoIP?
Cloud PBX and hosted PBX are the same thing — different names for the same product. Some providers use 'cloud PBX', others 'hosted PBX'. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is the underlying technology that makes cloud/hosted PBX possible — calls travel over internet rather than copper. So: VoIP is the technology, cloud/hosted PBX is the product category, business phone system is the customer-facing term most UK businesses search for. All three refer to overlapping things; cloud PBX is the technically-correct term, business phone system is what most buyers ask for.
How much does cloud PBX cost in the UK in 2026?
Typical 2026 UK cloud PBX pricing: £8-25 per user per month for the platform itself, including hosted PBX, mobile apps, basic call recording, web admin. Add-ons vary: AI Receptionist £150+/month, Microsoft Teams integration +£3-8/user, advanced analytics +£4-8/user. Hardware (handsets) is optional and typically £80-200 per phone if you want them. Telexico starts at £12/user/month all-inclusive. The free no-obligation quote gives you the definitive number against your operation.
Do I need handsets or do my team just use apps?
Often no handsets needed. Modern cloud PBX delivers calls via desktop apps (Windows, Mac), mobile apps (iOS, Android), and optional desk handsets if your team prefers physical phones. Many UK SMEs in 2026 work entirely from apps and skip handsets — restaurants, retail, mobile field teams especially. If you want desk handsets, expect £80-200 per phone for a standard model, £300-500 for premium with colour screen and key expansion. We recommend honestly based on your operation — many businesses don't need any handsets.
Will cloud PBX work if my internet goes down?
Cloud PBX depends on internet — same as your cloud apps, email, card payments. If broadband fails, you lose phones unless you have failover. Two options: (1) Mobile-app failover — when broadband drops, calls route to staff mobile apps using 4G/5G. Built into the system, no extra cost. (2) 4G/5G failover on your office router — when broadband fails, the office stays online (and so does cloud PBX) via cellular until broadband restores. This is the Telexico standard setup for businesses that genuinely can't afford phone outages. With proper failover, cloud PBX uptime is typically better than old PSTN/ISDN because failover happens automatically rather than waiting for an engineer.
Can I keep my existing UK phone numbers?
Yes. UK number portability is statutory — any UK number can be ported to a new cloud PBX provider in 5-15 working days. The porting process: we set up your new system in parallel with your existing one, test it, then port numbers on a scheduled cutover date. Zero downtime, no lost calls during the transition. This works whether you're switching from BT, 4Com, Virgin, Gamma, or migrating from old ISDN/PSTN.
Is cloud PBX secure?
Yes, when properly configured. Cloud PBX uses encrypted SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for call signalling and SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) for the voice content. Admin access is multi-factor authenticated. Call recordings are encrypted at rest. The two real security risks: (1) Toll fraud — if your PBX is set up with weak passwords, attackers can hijack it for premium-rate calling. We use strong default passwords and rate-limiting. (2) Phishing — staff getting tricked into giving login details. Standard staff training applies. Cloud PBX is no less secure than any other cloud business app; properly configured it's typically more secure than old on-premise PBX which often had years of unpatched vulnerabilities.
What about the 2027 PSTN switch-off?
BT/Openreach switches off the old PSTN/ISDN copper network in January 2027. Every UK business currently on PSTN/ISDN must migrate to a modern (cloud PBX) phone system before then. Cloud PBX is the standard migration target. We do this every week. The migration handles number porting, system setup, hardware (if needed), staff training, and the cutover. Sooner is better than later — UK telecom installers will get progressively busier as 2027 approaches.
What's the difference between a cloud PBX and hosted VoIP?
They overlap heavily — both deliver calling from the cloud. A cloud PBX is essentially hosted VoIP with the full phone-exchange toolkit: IVR menus, queues, hunt groups, wallboards and deep call routing. Small teams often start on hosted VoIP and grow into PBX features on the same platform, without changing systems.
How quickly can we add or remove users?
Minutes. A new starter gets an extension, apps and a place in the call flows the same morning they join; a leaver is reassigned just as fast. You pay for the users you have, not the capacity you guessed at when you signed.
Can multiple sites run on one cloud PBX?
Yes — that's one of its biggest strengths. All sites share one system: free internal calls between offices, one reception able to answer for anywhere, calls overflowing between sites when one is busy or closed, and one set of reporting across the lot.
Can we record our own IVR greetings?
Yes — record your own, use professional voiceover, or generate natural text-to-speech, and change any of it in minutes. Seasonal greetings and holiday messages can be scheduled in advance so nobody has to remember on the day.
What is a DDI?
A Direct Dial-In number — a phone number that rings a specific person or team directly, bypassing the main menu. A cloud PBX lets you attach as many DDIs as you need, in whatever area codes suit your business, all landing on the same system.
Does a cloud PBX integrate with our CRM?
Yes — popular CRMs connect for screen-pops, click-to-dial and automatic call logging, and most bespoke systems can integrate via API. Tell us what you run and we'll confirm the exact fit before you commit.
What uptime should we expect?
The platform runs across resilient UK data centres with automatic failover, and — unlike an on-premise PBX — a problem at your site doesn't take the system down: calls simply re-route. We'll talk you through the specific resilience and SLA terms for your setup rather than waving a vague percentage at you.
What happens to our old PBX hardware?
Once you're comfortably live on the cloud system, the old PBX and its maintenance contract retire. Reusable IP handsets are usually reprovisioned onto the new platform; genuinely obsolete kit is disposed of responsibly. Nothing is thrown away until the migration has proven itself.
Tailored around your business.
Send us your current setup. We'll review what you have, what you pay, and where we can simplify, consolidate or improve it — no hard sell, no fixed-package pressure.
