When your business uses a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system, your calls rely on your internet connection rather than traditional phone lines. So, if your internet goes down, your phone system will also stop working until the connection is restored. This can mean missed calls, disrupted communication with customers, and delays in day-to-day operations.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses in the UK, phone communication is often critical for sales, customer service, and supplier coordination. An internet outage can lead to downtime where calls can't be made or received, impacting staff productivity and customer trust. Additionally, if you handle personal data during calls, you must consider compliance with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, ensuring your phone system and any temporary solutions maintain data security and privacy.
A typical scenario
Imagine a UK-based SME with around 50 staff using a hosted VoIP system. One afternoon, their broadband provider experiences a local outage. Without a backup plan, all calls to their main business number fail, and staff cannot reach customers or suppliers. This causes frustration and lost business opportunities. A proactive IT partner would have prepared for this by setting up call forwarding to mobile phones or an alternative number, ensuring continuity. They might also have tested failover internet connections or cloud-based phone apps that work on mobile data networks.
Practical steps to prepare and respond
- Ask your IT provider: How does the VoIP system handle internet outages? Is there automatic call forwarding or failover to mobiles or landlines?
- Check your Service Level Agreement (SLA): Does it include uptime guarantees for your internet and phone systems? What support is offered during outages?
- Test your failover options: Regularly verify that calls can be rerouted to mobiles or alternative numbers without delay.
- Consider backup internet: Could a secondary broadband or 4G/5G connection provide failover for critical communications?
- Review security controls: Ensure multi-factor authentication (MFA) protects your VoIP accounts, and access permissions are up to date to prevent unauthorised use during outages.
- Document incident response: Have a clear plan for staff to follow during internet or phone outages, including who to contact and how to communicate with customers.
Common pitfalls to avoid
Some businesses assume their VoIP system will keep working offline or that mobile phones alone are enough backup. Without proper configuration, calls may fail silently or customers may hear confusing messages. Also, relying solely on a single broadband provider can increase risk. Finally, neglecting to test failover arrangements regularly means problems only become apparent during an outage.
In summary, understanding how your VoIP system depends on your internet connection and preparing for outages is essential for maintaining communication and protecting your business reputation. Speak with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor who can assess your current setup, recommend practical failover solutions, and help you implement security and compliance best practices tailored to your business needs.