In this article
The cost of an IP phone system for businesses is not just a price per extension: it always breaks down into five components — the PBX, handsets, installation, call traffic and maintenance. Anyone who understands this structure can compare proposals that at first sight seem incomparable, and choose between an on-premises and a cloud solution based on the cumulative cost over three or five years, not the first month.
Four conclusions before reading proposals
- There is no price per extension And proposals rarely separate the five components.
- Comparing over one year is misleading On-premises and cloud typically cross over between the third and fifth year.
- The per-user model grows on its own Every new hire increases the bill without a new decision.
- The most common waste Too many simultaneous channels.
Breaking down the bill: the five components
| Component | What it includes |
|---|---|
| PBX | Licensing or subscription, per extension or per simultaneous call |
| Handsets | IP phones, headsets, desktop and mobile apps |
| Installation | Configuration, numbering plan, messages, schedules, number porting |
| Traffic | Calls and SIP trunk paid to the operator |
| Maintenance | Updates, support and changes over time |
Many proposals show only two or three of these lines. Always ask for all five separately: a single monthly figure may be excellent or terrible, and there is no way of knowing without a breakdown. A supplier that resists separating them is already giving you an answer.
On-premises: upfront investment
- Licensing Scales with extensions; what surprises people are the extra modules (recording, call queues, CRM integration, reports), almost always charged separately.
- Phones The most underestimated component: the difference between a basic model and one with a display and busy-lamp keys seems small until it is multiplied by thirty workstations.
- Installation Quick for a simple reception setup; laborious with queues per department, different schedules and overflow to mobiles.
- Annual maintenance The item that most often disappears from proposals, and the one that guarantees security updates.
DataRoad IT Unlimited
Talk to DataRoad. We assess your operation and propose the right plan.
Cloud: gentle start, constant cost
The monthly per-user fee dominates everything: it makes the solution affordable in the first year and expensive by the fifth, especially if the team grows.
- Channels per user — how many simultaneous calls are included?
- National calls — included or extra?
- Recording — a paid option?
- Devices — how many per person at the same time?
- Number porting and supplier lock-in — one-off costs and terms where the differences hide.
Comparing over three and five years
Build a table with the cumulative cost of each option after one, three and five years, assuming the expected headcount at each point. The result often runs counter to intuition.
| Profile | Trend |
|---|---|
| Stable company, one office, 20 to 40 workstations | On-premises tends to work out cheaper from the fourth year |
| Growing company, several locations or high mobility | Cloud buys flexibility that offsets the extra cost |
Costs no proposal shows
- Too many simultaneous channels Outside intensive call handling, thirty people rarely need more than eight to ten channels; sizing by headcount rather than actual traffic costs money every month.
- Network infrastructure not adapted If the network does not prioritise voice, the new PBX will have poor calls and the real bill includes work on structured cabling and switching.
- Backup power IP phones depend on switches, which depend on mains power; without a UPS, a power cut leaves the company unreachable.
- Toll fraud A PBX exposed to the internet can generate thousands of euros in international calls over a weekend; this is prevented with managed firewalls and destination limits.
Next step: a proposal broken down component by component
DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting installs and manages IP PBX phone systems, on-premises or in the cloud, integrated into the network and security it already manages, with proposals split into the five components so that comparison is possible. No-commitment proposal on request.
More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and telephone support.
Call +351 211 459 950* or write to sales@dataroad.pt.
*Call to a Portuguese landline.
