A 10-employee Toronto business with a traditional PBX phone system typically spends $800–$1,500/month on phone infrastructure, maintenance contracts, and long-distance charges. The same business on a cloud VoIP system typically pays $200–$400/month — with more features and better call quality. That's not a small difference. That's $7,200–$13,200 per year back in your pocket.
What Exactly Is VoIP?
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) routes your phone calls over your internet connection instead of traditional copper phone lines. Your phones can be hardware desk phones (that look identical to regular phones), computer softphones, or a mobile app on your cell — all ringing the same number.
What You're Actually Paying for with a Traditional System
- PBX hardware: The on-site switching box costs $5,000–$20,000 to purchase and requires regular maintenance
- Per-line charges: Bell and Rogers charge $35–$60/line/month — a 10-person office can have 8–15 lines
- Long-distance charges: Still billed per minute for many traditional plans
- Hardware replacement: Phones break, PBX boards fail — each service call is expensive
- Moves and changes: Adding a new employee or moving desks requires a technician visit
What VoIP Costs Instead
- Typically $20–$40/user/month — all inclusive
- Unlimited local and long-distance calling to Canada and the US included
- No PBX hardware to purchase or maintain
- New users added in minutes from an online portal
- Phones work anywhere with internet — office, home, or mobile
VoIP Features Your Old System Doesn't Have
- Auto-attendant: "Press 1 for billing, 2 for support" without paying for a receptionist — included free
- Call recording: Automatic recording stored in the cloud for compliance or training
- Voicemail to email: Missed calls arrive as MP3 attachments in your inbox
- Find-me/follow-me: Ring your desk phone and cell simultaneously so you never miss a call
- Video conferencing: Most VoIP platforms include video meetings at no extra cost
- Call analytics: See wait times, missed calls, and call volume dashboards
For dental offices specifically, VoIP integrates with patient management software, allows staff to see patient caller ID with appointment history, and keeps all communication logs for compliance purposes.
Is VoIP Reliable Enough for Business?
The most common concern we hear is: "What if my internet goes down?" It's a fair question. Here's the honest answer: most modern VoIP systems have built-in failover that automatically routes calls to a cell phone if your internet fails. With a quality business-grade internet connection (which you should have regardless), VoIP is typically more reliable than POTS lines.
How to Make the Switch
The transition is simpler than most businesses expect. Starcomm handles everything: we port your existing phone numbers (so clients reach the same numbers), configure your call routing and auto-attendant, ship or install compatible phones, and provide staff training. Most businesses are fully live within 5–10 business days with zero downtime on their phone lines.