Providers are compared on what each publishes: list prices and the conditions attached to them, minimum terms and mid-contract rises, what the price includes (calls, set-up, porting, support hours), UK-based support, and whether failover is offered. Telexico’s own entries are our list prices. Where a provider has changed its terms since the date shown, the published source wins; tell us and we will correct it.
Compiled and reviewed by Mickey Mall, Director, Telexico Communications Ltd, Wolverhampton. Updated October 2026.
| Feature | Business Phone System | Just Using Mobiles |
|---|---|---|
| Main business number | One professional number, routed anywhere. | Personal mobiles; no single identity. |
| Missed calls | Ring groups, queues, voicemail-to-email, AI answering. | Engaged or unanswered = lost enquiry. |
| Professional feel | Greetings, menus, hold music, departments. | Straight to a personal voicemail. |
| When staff leave | The number stays with the business. | Their number — and your customers — leave with them. |
| Visibility | Call reporting: what's answered, missed, by whom. | None. |
| Cost | Low per-user monthly. | 'Free' until you count missed business. |
| Mobility | Apps mean the system IS on your mobile. | Mobile-only by definition. |
Choose Business Phone System if…
- Missed calls are costing you jobs
- You want one business number customers trust
- More than one person answers the phone
Choose Just Using Mobiles if…
- You're a one-person business with light call volume
- Almost all your work arrives by other channels
- You're testing an idea before committing
Our verdict
The trick is that this isn't either/or: a modern phone system runs as an app on the mobiles you already have. You keep the mobility, and gain a real business number, call routing, voicemail-to-email and the option of AI answering so no enquiry dies in a personal voicemail. For anything beyond a one-person operation, the first missed job usually costs more than a year of the system. We'll set it up around how you already work.
Frequently asked questions
Can a phone system work on our existing mobiles?
Yes — the system runs as an app, so your business number rings on the mobiles you already carry. No desk phones required unless you want them.
What happens when someone leaves the business?
With a phone system, the number and call history stay with you — you just reassign the user. On personal mobiles, their number walks out the door.
Is it expensive for a small team?
No — per-user monthly pricing starts low, and features like ring groups and voicemail-to-email are included rather than extras.
Can calls still go to voicemail after hours?
Yes — with proper out-of-hours routing, professional greetings, voicemail-to-email, or an AI receptionist that answers and takes bookings 24/7.
Not sure which is right for you?
Tell us how your business works and we'll recommend the best fit — no hard sell, honest UK advice.