Question 1

How does a cloud phone system work?

Accepted Answer

The engine behind a cloud-based phone system is VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. Instead of relying on underground copper wires like traditional landlines, VoIP services use the Internet to transmit voice data. This means you don’t need any bulky hardware or complicated installations—just an Internet connection. Cloud phone system providers run everything through secure data centers, so businesses can make and receive calls, send texts, and even handle faxes from virtually any device.

Question 2

What are the benefits of a cloud phone system over regular desk phones?

Accepted Answer

A cloud phone system or virtual phone system has a few advantages over regular desk phones beyond the fact that you don’t need to buy expensive hardware to get set up. With a regular desk phone, you can only make phone calls and that’s it.  If you're looking at a cloud phone system, take a closer look to see if it's actually a unified communications platform—this would be good because it would let you also do video conferencing and send texts and SMS/MMS messages using your computer or mobile device. (Some even work with IP phones and desk phones to make calls over the Internet.)

Question 3

What makes Dialpad’s cloud phone system technology unique?

Accepted Answer

Business VoIP providers all have data centers located around the world to help them transmit calls for their customers—and some of them will tell you that “the more data centers you have, the better.” But that’s not always the case. The more efficient the data centers you have, the better. For example, Dialpad’s data centers are designed to be uniquely scalable according to demand.  For instance, other companies might need over 50 data centers to handle a certain number of calls, whereas Dialpad would only need 10 to match that capacity. (Super rough estimate here, but that’s the gist of it.) As an example, we’ve helped one customer scale from 0 to thousands of contact center agents in just a few weeks.  Most cloud phone system providers couldn’t have handled that—it would’ve taken them months. Even the more “evolved” version of PBX phone systems (“IP PBX,” “hosted PBX,” or “cloud PBX” don’t quite measure up to pure, born-in-the-cloud counterparts.)

Question 4

What’s call quality like with a cloud phone system?

Accepted Answer

Some companies run their telephony through a third party, which leaves them at the mercy of their vendors and leaves the customer experience open to poor call quality, expensive routing paths, and an inconsistent experience when trying to make a phone call. Dialpad’s cloud-based business phone system is designed to provide HD audio with high availability and low latency on phone calls.  Using a network of data centers across the globe, we’re able to provide least-cost routing that not only provides cost efficiency but also ensures crystal clear voice communication by keeping traffic local.

Question 5

How do cloud phone systems and traditional PBX business phone systems compare on price?

Accepted Answer

Setting up a PBX system for small business can get pretty pricey. Namely, because companies would have to overbuy to make sure they had enough coverage. Even if somehow you did estimate correctly, you still have to spend money on implementation, software, and upgrades. Because of this, the cost of installing a PBX system is often prohibitive to small businesses. With a cloud based phone system for small businesses, you can get more functionality (call recording, call forwarding, faxing from your desktop, call routing, and more)—at a fraction of the cost. Beyond the initial cheaper cloud phone price tag, you also have to factor in long-term costs with PBX systems. Take maintenance, for example. PBX phones will all need maintenance at some point, which usually requires the expertise of a telephony engineer. And each of your office locations will require separate hardware, software, maintenance, and labor. You can get away from all of that with a cloud business phone service.

Question 6

Which is easier to set up, a PBX or cloud phone system?

Accepted Answer

Cloud-hosted phone systems take the cake on this one. PBX setup involves service units, circuit cards, telephone lines, wall outlets, installing desk phones, and employee training, just to name a few. Cloud phone systems are much faster and easier to install compared to a traditional PBX system. You don’t have to deal with any third-party providers, and with Dialpad, you can even connect directly with the support team if you need any help. (Not all cloud-based phone services are easy to set up though, so make sure you try the free trials!) With the right provider, you can often be up and running in minutes instead of weeks. Plus, all updates and new features are rolled out automatically—so your system gets all the latest features without extra work from your team.

Question 7

How does a cloud phone system compare with PBX in terms of accessibility and mobility?

Accepted Answer

With a traditional PBX phone system, you’re tied to your desk (and desk phone) all day, every day. With a cloud-based phone system, on the other hand, you can be at your desk all day if you really want, or you can be at home, or at the airport on the way to a business meeting, or at the beach…  With Dialpad, you also get phone calls and SMS messaging in one app. That means whether you need to send texts to team members or external third parties like clients, you can do it all in one place. On top of that, some cloud phone systems let you switch between devices seamlessly, so you can start a call on your laptop and finish it on your mobile without interrupting the call. This kind of flexibility makes it much easier for remote and hybrid teams to stay connected, no matter where they work.

Question 8

Is a cloud phone system the right fit for my business?

Accepted Answer

Generally, a cloud-based business phone system is the right fit for a wide range of industries and organizational needs. Whether you’re running a small business or a large enterprise with offices all around the world, a cloud phone service can help you cut costs, hire and get set up more efficiently, and much more. For example, Dialpad’s cloud phone services are used by a wide range of companies, from startups to global organizations with tens of thousands of employees. The key is to find a provider that lets you add and remove user licenses as you need to. This will help you flexibility as you scale up or down, and keep your costs in check.

Question 9

What do I need to know about using a business phone system’s mobile app or other software?

Accepted Answer

Typically, the cloud phone system provider you go with should have its own mobile app or desktop software. This is what you and your team will use to make calls and send messages over the internet—you shouldn’t be using your own phone’s calling feature!  This app is also often called a “softphone,” and it’s one of the most overlooked areas when businesses go shopping for cloud phone systems. Make sure you try it out first and look for things like whether it’s well-designed and easy to use, how long it takes to make a call, and so on. Once you’ve signed up for one of your phone provider’s pricing plans and downloaded the softphone app, you’re ready to go with your business phone system. No hardware or other setup fees should be needed.

Question 10

What operating systems are compatible with Dialpad apps?

Accepted Answer

The Dialpad desktop and mobile apps are available on all major operating systems across iOS, Android, PC, and Mac. You can also use the Chrome web app on laptops and desktops running Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, and Google ChromeOS. Not only that, Dialpad is also fully browser-based, which means you can just log into your Dialpad account instead of downloading the app to use it (and clients and people outside your company can join video meetings through their web browsers too).

Cloud phone system

Try it free for 14 days.

What is a cloud-based phone system?

Cloud phone system features

Cloud phone system features and a whole lot more:

Keep your business number

Truly unified communications

Set up in minutes

Fully integrated UCaaS + CCaaS

Use your own devices

A range of integrations

Call forwarding to your cell phone

Easy call routing and transfer

3-(or more) way calling

Advanced analytics and reporting

Need a VoIP cloud phone system that gives you more than phone calls?

Robust security

Real-time call transcripts

Visual voicemail

Customizable caller ID

How to get started with a cloud phone system

Take Dialpad for a test drive

Cloud phone system FAQs