4Com vs Telexico, honestly.
Both supply managed business phone systems and install them for you. Where they differ is contract structure, the proprietary HiHi handset, transparency and total cost over the term. Here's a fair comparison — including when 4Com is genuinely the better choice.
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.
Both are managed, installed phone systems.
4Com and Telexico both sell fully managed business phone systems — they're not pile-it-high online portals. Both will install on-site, configure your call routing, port your numbers and support the system afterwards. Both run calls over the internet (VoIP), so both are valid answers to the 2027 PSTN switch-off.
4Com, headquartered in Bournemouth, is best known for its proprietary HiHi touchscreen desk phone (HiHi Ltd is wholly owned by 4Com Group). It's a polished, well-built device with a loyal customer base, and many 4Com reviews praise individual engineers and installers.
So the question isn't really “who has phones” — both do. It's how the deal is structured, what you're locked into, and what it costs over the full term. That's where the difference shows up.
Six things that aren't the same.
Both install and support phones. The contract structure, hardware model and total cost are where they diverge.
Contract length & lock-in
4Com: Independent reviews and a 2025 BBC investigation report long fixed terms, with the HiHi handset frequently financed on a separate lease (commonly reported as up to seven years) through a finance company — so the handset and the service can run on different contracts with different exit terms.
Telexico: Plain, reasonable contract terms with no separate multi-year handset finance lease. You're told the term and exit clearly before you sign.
Hardware model
4Com: Built around the proprietary HiHi handset. It's a capable device, but it's a closed ecosystem — the system is designed around 4Com's own hardware.
Telexico: Standard SIP handsets (Yealink and compatible) you aren't locked to — or app-only with no desk phone at all. Your numbers and system aren't tied to one proprietary device.
Pricing transparency
4Com: HiHi pricing isn't publicly listed; reviews commonly report heavily-discounted headline rates that later rise, and bundled service-plus-finance packages. A 2025 BBC investigation cited independent experts who considered some charges high relative to the market.
Telexico: Transparent per-user pricing with no mid-contract rises — the figure you sign for is the figure you pay for the term.
Sales approach
4Com: Some reviewers report high-pressure field sales and signing on the spot (business contracts generally have no cooling-off period). Others report positive, helpful experiences — it varies.
Telexico: Consultative. We give you an honest written review first, including when staying where you are is the better call. No sign-on-the-spot pressure.
Where support sits
4Com: National provider operating from Bournemouth. Support is generally well-reviewed but centralised.
Telexico: Wolverhampton-based engineers with a named contact. The person who quotes the job supports it, and can attend on-site locally.
Beyond phones
4Com: Primarily a phone-system specialist, with some broadband and mobile add-ons.
Telexico: Full stack under one roof — broadband, leased lines, VoIP, WiFi, CCTV, AI Receptionist and SMS, on one bill if you want it.
What each typically costs in 2026.
Indicative figures only. 4Com / HiHi pricing is not publicly listed and is quoted case-by-case, so the figures below reflect what independent reviews and comparison sites commonly report at the time of writing (2026). Always get a full written breakdown — including any separate handset finance term — before signing.
Phone system (per user / handset)
- 4Com / HiHi: not publicly listed. Reviews commonly report bundled service-plus-handset-lease packages, with the handset often financed separately over a long term. Ask for the service term and the handset finance term as two separate figures.
- Telexico Hosted VoIP: from £12.99/user/month all-in, with standard features included. Handsets bought outright or spread — no separate multi-year lease.
Contract term
- 4Com / HiHi: reviewers commonly report multi-year terms, with handset leases reported up to seven years and exit requiring settlement of the remaining balance.
- Telexico: clear, reasonable terms stated upfront, no silent auto-renewal, exit terms explained before you sign.
Adding broadband / WiFi / CCTV / AI
- 4Com: primarily phones; other services are add-ons or separate.
- Telexico: one provider across the whole stack, one bill, one support relationship.
The honest takeaway: 4Com's HiHi is a genuinely nice device and many customers are happy. The thing to check before signing is total cost over the full term — particularly whether the handset is on a separate long finance lease — and whether you actually need a proprietary device versus a standard handset you're not locked to.
What it might cost — 5 vs 10 users.
Illustrative monthly figures to show the shape of the difference, not a quote. Confirm current prices with each provider — competitor pricing changes and some isn't publicly listed. Telexico figures are typical all-in ranges; your quote depends on users, features and term.
| Scenario | Competitor (illustrative) | Telexico (illustrative, all-in) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 users | Quote-based; not publicly listed. Reviews report bundled service + handset-lease totals commonly in the hundreds/month, with the handset on a separate long finance term. | from £90/month all-in, handsets owned or spread — no separate lease |
| 10 users | Quote-based; ask for the service term and handset finance term as two separate figures before signing. | from £170/month all-in, standard handsets you're not locked to |
4Com / HiHi pricing isn't published and is quoted case-by-case, so we won't invent a precise figure. The point of the example is the structure: with Telexico there's no separate multi-year handset lease, and the monthly figure is all-in and transparent.
When 4Com is genuinely the right answer.
Plenty of businesses are happy with 4Com. Here's where it's genuinely the better choice.
You specifically want the HiHi device. If you've seen the HiHi touchscreen handset and you want that exact product and user experience, 4Com is the provider for it — it's their proprietary hardware and no one else supplies it.
You value a single heavily-managed package and don't mind a longer commitment. 4Com's model is high-touch and all-in-one. If that hand-holding suits you and a multi-year term doesn't bother you, it can be a comfortable fit.
You've had a good local 4Com engineer. Many 4Com reviews praise specific installers and support staff. If you've had that experience and you're happy with the terms, there may be no reason to move.
If you're a typical Wolverhampton SME who wants transparent pricing, no long handset lease, standard handsets you aren't locked to, and a local engineer you can actually reach — that's the profile Telexico is built around.
Moving from 4Com to Telexico.
We project-manage the whole switch. Here's exactly how the four things people worry about are handled.
Number porting
We port your existing numbers across to Telexico — they stay exactly the same. We submit the porting request, manage the dates, and keep your 4Com service live until the port completes.
Downtime
None, done properly. We build and test your new system alongside your existing 4Com service and only cut over once it's proven. Most switches complete in 7–14 working days.
Existing handsets
4Com's HiHi is a proprietary handset and generally can't be reused on another system — but you're often better off without a proprietary device anyway. We supply standard SIP handsets (or app-only) you're not locked to. If your HiHi is on a separate finance lease, we'll factor that into the timing.
Contract exit
4Com terms are commonly long, with the handset sometimes on a separate finance lease that must be settled to exit. We check your end date first and tell you honestly whether to move now or wait — we won't push an exit that costs more than it saves.
Businesses switching to Telexico near you.
We're Wolverhampton-based with engineers across the West Midlands — and we serve businesses nationwide. Switching is the same wherever you are: numbers kept, a clean cutover, a named UK contact after.
The services behind the comparison.
Everything we'd put in front of you instead — designed, installed and supported by a UK team.
Phone systems
Connectivity
AI & more
Compare it properly, with no hard sell.
Send us your current setup and bill. We'll review what you have, what you pay, and where we can simplify or improve it — and tell you honestly if you're better off where you are.
What 4Com’s published terms say.
Quoted or closely paraphrased from 4Com’s own terms, prices and published pages on the dates shown, with a link under each point. Clauses change: read the version attached to your own order before relying on anything here.
Who owns it
4Com Technologies Ltd was bought by Daisy Group in September 2024 for £215m and its registered office moved to Virgin Media O2’s Reading address in August 2025; 4Com and HiHi now sit within O2 Business. The support team is in Bournemouth.
SourceRenewal and notice
Under the Master Service Agreement (v7.0) the contract “shall automatically renew for an additional 12 months” unless written notice is given “no later than 90 days before the expiry” of the minimum term; micro and small businesses are capped at 24 months and then need 30 days’ notice.
SourceEquipment on a separate lease
The same agreement says terminal equipment “may be supplied subject to a separate leasing agreement”, that the customer remains liable “for the remainder of the equipment leasing term”, and 4Com’s Code of Conduct describes it acting “as an introducer to financial intermediaries”. The lease length and funder are not published.
SourceThe annual rise
Clause 3.4 provides an annual increase each April in line with the Retail Prices Index; for small-business contracts from 1 January 2025 a fixed “Price Increase Sum” is written on the order instead.
SourcePublished prices and fees
None for the service: “our business phone systems have no fixed price”. The published charges are ancillary: £99 per number to migrate numbers away, late-payment fees of £40 to £100, router non-return £100 to £150.
SourceReviews and press
Trustpilot “4Com”: 3.7 out of 5 from 3,685 reviews; “HiHi Ltd” 4.6 from 3,185. In November 2025 the BBC reported two small businesses disputing the length and cost of their agreements; 4Com said it had “seen no evidence that they were misled”.
SourceThe notice window is the whole game.
Two documents matter: the service agreement (90 days’ written notice before the end of the minimum term, or it renews for 12 months) and any equipment lease, which may run to a different date with a different company. Ask 4Com in writing for both end dates and the settlement figure on the lease. Then tell us the dates; we plan the port for the service end date and the handsets are standard SIP phones you are not locked to.
Tell us your end date →Months away? The date goes into the director’s diary and we come back before the window closes, with a written quote to compare against the renewal.
Four things that are the same on every Telexico agreement.
Rolling 30-day terms, or 12 months where handsets are included; the term and the notice period are written on the first page of the proposal. There is no automatic renewal clause: when a term ends you stay on 30-day rolling, nothing re-ties you for another year.
The per-user price you sign is the price for the term. There is no April uplift clause in a Telexico agreement.
Numbers port across on an agreed date, the new system runs alongside the old one until it is tested, and nothing is switched off early.
A named engineer and account manager from Wolverhampton, a WhatsApp group for your team, and a UK phone line answered by people who know your sites.
Trustpilot score shown for 4Com: 3.7 out of 5 from 3,685 reviews on 14 October 2026 (Trustpilot). Telexico is a competitor; judge the points above on the documents linked, not on us.
Frequently asked questions
Is Telexico cheaper than 4Com?
It depends on the full deal, and 4Com's pricing isn't publicly listed so a like-for-like figure is hard to state. The key thing reviewers and a 2025 BBC investigation highlight with 4Com is total cost over a long term — particularly where the HiHi handset is on a separate multi-year finance lease. Telexico's per-user pricing is transparent with no mid-contract rises, so the comparison is usually clearest over the full term rather than on month one.
What is the HiHi handset and is it leased?
HiHi is 4Com's proprietary Android touchscreen desk phone (HiHi Ltd is owned by 4Com Group). Independent reviews commonly report that the handset is financed on a separate lease — frequently up to seven years — through a finance company, running alongside the telecoms service contract. Always ask 4Com for the handset finance term as a separate figure before signing.
Can Telexico replace my HiHi system?
Yes. We'd review your current 4Com setup and contract first and tell you honestly whether switching makes sense now or whether you should wait until your term is closer to ending to avoid settlement costs. If you switch, we port your numbers and set up standard handsets or apps, with no proprietary lock-in.
Is 4Com a bad company?
No — many customers are happy and reviews frequently praise individual engineers and the HiHi device. The recurring criticisms in independent reviews and a 2025 BBC investigation concern long contract structures, separate handset finance leases and total cost, plus some reports of high-pressure sales. Those are things to check carefully, not a verdict on the company.
I'm locked into a 4Com contract — can I still move?
Possibly, but it depends on your remaining term and any handset finance settlement. We'll review your paperwork and give you a straight answer on whether moving now pays off or whether it's better to wait. We won't push you into an exit that costs you more than it saves.
Is Telexico local to Wolverhampton?
Yes — our office is at 64 Chapel Ash, Wolverhampton WV3 0TT, with engineers working across the city daily. You get a named local contact rather than a national call centre.
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