Who cloud phone systems are right for
Most growing Connecticut businesses we work with end up on cloud. The reasons are usually some combination of:
- Headcount changes often. Adding or removing a user is a few clicks instead of a service call.
- Multiple locations or remote workers. One system covers everyone, no matter where they sit.
- No interest in owning hardware. No server in a closet to age out, no capital expense every 7 years.
- Predictable monthly costs. Per-user-per-month pricing is easy to budget against headcount.
- Decent business internet. If your internet is solid, cloud just works.
Who it's not right for
Cloud isn't always the answer. We'll tell you that during the assessment instead of selling you something that won't work. On-premise still makes sense when:
- Your internet is flaky and improving it isn't on the table.
- You recently bought hardware that has years of useful life left.
- You have strict on-site data or compliance requirements.
- You're a heavy call-center user with very specific feature needs that on-premise handles better.
If any of that's you, look at on-premise systems or a hybrid deployment first.
What we sell
We're vendor-neutral on cloud. We work with five major UCaaS platforms and pick the one that fits your business, not the one we get paid the most to push:
- RingCentral — broad feature set, large catalog of integrations, best fit for businesses already standardized on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
- Zoom Phone — clean UX, native Zoom Meetings integration, strong for organizations that live in Zoom video already.
- Intermedia Unite — solid all-in-one phone, video, and chat, with a generous SLA and strong service.
- 8x8 — strong on contact center features for sales and support teams.
- Star2Star — hybrid-capable, useful when you want cloud features but need some on-site reliability.
What it typically costs
Service is usually $20–$30 per user per month for a standard business phone plan. Phones are $150–$250 each at install (or use compatible IP phones you already own). Add-ons like contact center seats, call recording, or international calling are extra.
A 10-user cloud rollout typically lands in the $4,000–$6,000 range for first-year all-in cost, and around $3,000/year ongoing after that. Real numbers depend on phone model, contract length, and integrations.
The honest pitch: Cloud phone is genuinely a commodity now — most platforms do most of what most businesses need. What you're actually buying when you work with us is the design, install, training, and someone to call when it breaks. The platform is the easy part.
What our cloud install actually includes
- Site survey. We look at your internet, network, and existing phone setup, and flag anything that needs to be fixed before cutover.
- Number porting. Your existing phone numbers come with you. We handle the carrier coordination.
- Phone provisioning. Phones arrive pre-configured. You plug them in, they work.
- User training. 30–60 minutes on-site or remote, covering desk phones, mobile app, and basic admin.
- Cutover. Usually a Friday evening or weekend so you don't lose business hours.
- Post-cutover support. We're on call the first week to fix the inevitable small issues.
What happens during a power or internet outage
This is the #1 concern we hear, and it's a fair one. Cloud phone systems need internet to work. We design around that with some combination of:
- Cellular failover. A 4G/5G modem kicks in when your primary internet drops.
- SD-WAN (BigLeaf). Aggregates multiple internet connections so an outage on one doesn't take you down. See Carrier Services.
- Mobile call forwarding. Calls auto-forward to staff cell phones when the system can't be reached.
- Battery backup. For the network gear itself, so a 30-minute power blip doesn't kill the phones.
For organizations where downtime really costs (medical, legal, manufacturing taking critical orders), we layer more than one of these. Talk to us about your risk tolerance during the assessment.