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VoIP installation checklist

Thousands of businesses are switching from traditional business phone lines to VoIP to cut costs and improve workflows.

While VoIP installations are typically carried out by IT professionals or third-party providers, it’s essential for business managers to understand what the process involves.

This checklist covers the entire VoIP installation process, helping ensure a smooth transition for your business.

What’s included:

1. Assessing business needs for VoIP
2. Preparing your network for VoIP
3. Installing and configuring your VoIP system
4. Transferring business phone numbers to VoIP
5. Securing your VoIP phone system
6. Training your team on the new VoIP system
7. Regular maintenance and system monitoring

Step 1: Assessing business needs for VoIP

Before installing a business VoIP phone system, evaluating your specific requirements is essential.

Key considerations

• Number of users: How many employees need VoIP access? This affects provider choice, licensing costs, and infrastructure.
• Call volume: High call volumes require more bandwidth and a robust system to maintain call quality and reliability.
• Remote working: Will staff need to make and receive calls from home or on the move? Look for remote VoIP solutions.
• VoIP integrations: Check compatibility with tools like CRM platforms, Microsoft Teams, and helpdesk systems.

Choosing the right VoIP provider

Pick a business VoIP phone provider that aligns with your needs. Book a free call with our experts to help compare options based on:

• Reliability and uptime: Look for a proven track record of minimal downtime and consistent VoIP call quality.
• Security and compliance: Ensure the provider can meet your industry’s data protection and cybersecurity standards.
• Pricing: Understand the full cost, including call rates, licenses, and any hidden fees. Review our guide to business VoIP costs.
• Support and SLAs: Responsive customer support and clear Service Level Agreements are essential for business continuity.

Planning for scalability

VoIP systems must be scalable to ensure future growth is not hampered, considering where your business is heading.

Assessing future needs

• Business growth: Will you add users, departments, or locations over the next 1 to 2 years?
• Feature expansion: Even if you start with voice-only, plan for the potential use of video calls, analytics, or AI-based tools.

Scalable solutions

Ensure your VoIP system is scalable by including:

• Flexible plans: Opt for providers with modular pricing that lets you add users or features as needed.
• Modular hardware: Use phones and accessories that support plug-and-play upgrades.
• Cloud-based platforms: Cloud VoIP solutions simplify scaling across remote or hybrid teams.

Step 2: Preparing your network for VoIP

A successful VoIP installation relies heavily on having an adequate network foundation. You can’t achieve reliable, high call quality VoIP without the appropriate network to support it.

This includes the appropriate LAN setup, broadband connection, VoIP-specific hardware and WAN technologies for integrating your VoIP provider. Here is what you need to look at:

Preparing your broadband connection

Your broadband connection is the foundation of your VoIP system. Without sufficient bandwidth and reliability, call quality will suffer.

• Dedicated leased lines: The gold standard for VoIP. Leased lines broadband provides uncontended bandwidth, which is ideal for medium to large businesses or smaller firms that can afford the premium leased line prices.
• Business-grade broadband: Full fibre business broadband offers solid performance for small businesses. Where fibre isn’t available, SoGEA, with built-in redundancy, can still support VoIP reliably.
• Symmetrical broadband: VoIP calls rely on both data uploads and downloads. For this reason, symmetrical broadband is preferable to maintain consistent call quality.

💡 Use our business broadband comparison service to find the best deal on a broadband connection that supports your VoIP setup.

Preparing your LAN

Your Local Area Network (LAN) should not be a bottleneck for your VoIP traffic. It must handle voice data efficiently and prioritise it without compromising network security.

• Routers: Use business-grade broadband routers with sufficient bandwidth, Quality of Service (QoS), load balancing, and VPN support.
• Firewalls: Look for VoIP-friendly features like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), DDoS protection, port forwarding, NAT traversal, and Session Border Controller (SBC) functionality.
• Network Switches: Managed switches with VLAN and QoS support help isolate VoIP traffic and prioritise it across the network.
• Mesh networks: Ensure strong and consistent Wi-Fi coverage, especially if using cordless or remote VoIP devices.
• Guest WiFi: Isolate guest access from your VoIP network to reduce congestion and limit security risks.

Preparing your WAN

While small business VoIP setups don’t need to worry about their wide area network (WAN), medium and large organisations should ensure their WAN is properly integrated with their VoIP provider’s data centre to maintain call quality, reliability and service availability.

Here are the key networking technologies to consider:

• Business Ethernet: Provides dedicated, high-performance connectivity between business sites and VoIP data centres, using the provider’s core fibre network.
• MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching): Offers low-latency, prioritised connectivity, making it ideal for large enterprises that require high voice quality between multiple sites. However, it can be expensive and less suited to remote or mobile workers.
• SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN): A more flexible and less costly alternative to MPLS and Ethernet. SD-WAN dynamically routes VoIP traffic across any available connection (e.g., standard broadband, Starlink, 5G) to optimise performance and ensure uptime It’s well-suited to hybrid workforces and multi-site businesses.
• VPNs: A VPN over Ethernet provides a secure, low-cost method for connecting branch offices or remote workers to the VoIP network while keeping voice traffic segregated and encrypted.

Selecting VoIP hardware

The right hardware ensures your VoIP system meets current and future needs.

• VoIP phones: Choose from desk phones, conference units, cordless handsets, or mobile VoIP phones. High-end models offer HD voice, touchscreens, and built-in conferencing.
• Softphones and mobile apps: Staff can use VoIP software on laptops, tablets, or mobiles, reducing reliance on physical phones. This is ideal for hybrid or remote teams.
• Headsets and accessories: Wired or wireless headsets with noise cancellation are essential in call centres or open-plan offices to boost clarity and productivity.
• Analogue Telephone Adaptors (ATAs): Allow legacy phones to work with VoIP but limit functionality. Modern VoIP hardware is usually a better long-term investment.

Step 3: Installing and configuring your VoIP system

With your network ready, your IT team or managed service provider can install, configure, and test your VoIP system.

The technical installation (i.e., setting up and testing VoIP phones, features and integrations) is usually quick. For small to mid-sized businesses, the process usually takes 1 to 3 days, depending on network readiness, user count, and system complexity.

Setting up VoIP phones

Most modern VoIP desk phones and softphones are plug-and-play, pre-configured by your provider. Once connected to the internet, they automatically register to the network.

Larger or more complex deployments may require manual configuration, including:

• Entering SIP credentials
• Assigning extensions
• Adjusting network settings
• Setting up VLANs for segmentation

These tasks are handled by in-house IT teams or external managed IT services.

Configuring VoIP features and integrations

During installation, your provider or IT team will collaborate with department leads to set up key features and ensure seamless integration with existing tools.

See our articles on VoIP features and VoIP integrations for more details. Here is a summary list of each:

VoIP features:

• Call handling and forwarding
• Auto attendant (IVR) and call menus
• Voicemail to email or messaging
• Caller ID and privacy settings
• Call recording and monitoring
• Ring groups and call queues

VoIP integrations:

• CRMs: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho
• Collaboration tools: Microsoft Teams, Slack
• Helpdesk systems: Zendesk, Freshdesk, ServiceNow
• Email and calendars: Outlook, Google Workspace
• Marketing tools: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign
• VoIP analytic dashboards: Real-time call data and reports
• ERP and back-office systems: SAP, NetSuite

💡 These configurations are best addressed during setup, so it’s important to define requirements early and involve the right teams.

Step 4: Transferring business phone numbers to VoIP

With the PSTN switch-off underway, many UK businesses are moving away from traditional phone lines and switching to VoIP. A key part of this transition is porting your existing business numbers.

If you don’t need to retain current numbers, your VoIP provider can assign new local, national, or non-geographic numbers to suit your business.

How to port your business numbers to VoIP

Here’s how the number porting process typically works:

1. Filling in Letter of Authorisation (LOA): Your VoIP provider will ask you to complete an LOA form, authorising them to manage the number transfer on your behalf.
2. Provide details: Supply accurate account details, including the registered business name, billing address, and list of numbers to be ported, exactly as they appear on your current provider’s records.
3. Porting process: Transfers usually take 3–10 working days, depending on provider cooperation and account complexity. Some providers offer temporary numbers to prevent downtime during the transition.
4. Test and confirm: Once porting is complete, test each number to confirm proper routing through your new VoIP system. Notify internal teams when the switchover takes place.

Common issues with number porting

While number porting is generally smooth, some issues can arise. These may include:

Step 5: Securing your VoIP phone system

VoIP systems handle sensitive business and customer data, so VoIP security is critical. Most protections are implemented by your provider and IT team during setup, but it’s important to understand the key measures involved.

Essential VoIP security measures

In addition to the firewall, encryption, VPNs, and network segmentation put in place during network preparation, the following safeguards should also be implemented:

• Use strong, unique passwords: Default passwords should be changed immediately. Enforce strong password policies for admin panels, user portals, and devices.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Where possible, enable MFA on VoIP dashboards, portals, and admin systems to protect against unauthorised access.
• Network monitoring: To protect against VoIP fraud and hacking, monitor for unusual activity such as high call volumes, international calls from unknown users, or unauthorised logins.
• Phishing awareness: Train staff regularly to recognise and report phishing attempts that could compromise VoIP credentials or access.

Ensuring compliance

If your business operates in a regulated sector or handles personal data, ensure your VoIP setup aligns with all applicable legal and industry requirements.

• Check provider compliance packages: Ask your VoIP provider if they offer Data Protection Act compliant call recording, secure data centres, and region-specific data hosting.
• Review your data retention settings: Configure how long call recordings and voicemails are stored and ensure they can be deleted or exported on request.
• Request compliance documentation: Get certificates or statements of compliance for data protection, PCI DSS, or ISO 27001 if relevant to your industry or for insurance purposes.
• Include VoIP in your audits: Make sure your IT team includes VoIP in ongoing cybersecurity compliance reviews.
• Follow industry-specific rules: Ensure you meet any extra finance, healthcare, legal or card payments obligations.

Step 6: Training your team on the new VoIP system

Many businesses invest in a powerful VoIP setup but only use a fraction of its features due to limited training. To get the most out of your system, training should be structured, ongoing, and tailored to your team’s needs.

The importance of employee training

Effective training helps your team:

• Use key features confidently from day one.
• Reduce support tickets by solving basic issues themselves.
• Understand tools like voicemail-to-email, softphone apps, or call forwarding.
• Maximise integrations with CRMs, calendars, and helpdesk tools.
• Stay secure by recognising phishing attempts and using strong passwords.

Common VoIP training pitfalls to avoid

Avoid these missteps to ensure your training programme is effective:

• Skipping VoIP onboarding for new hires.
• Training only IT staff or admins, leaving actual users underprepared.
• Delivering generic training that does not match team roles.

VoIP training methods

VoIP training is very similar to what you see in other systems or software. Expect the following as part of the training:

• Onboarding call and quick live demo when first joining the department team.
• Simple user guides or how-to videos from your provider.
• Department-specific tips for sales, support, reception, call centre, etc.

Step 7: Regular maintenance and system monitoring

VoIP is not a set-and-forget solution. Like any part of your business network, it needs proactive upkeep to ensure long-term performance, security, and value.

While it is lower maintenance compared to legacy phone systems and other systems, without regular checkups you risk:

• Declining call quality due to unnoticed network issues
• Security vulnerabilities from outdated firmware
• User confusion from unused or misconfigured features

A typical VoIP system maintenance timeline looks something like this:

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