Let’s be honest: the internet is enough to power our everyday communications nowadays. But we cannot rule out that a business phone service is still very important for companies to reliably and professionally communicate with their customers. Not only is a phone service more reliable but it’s also a more cost-effective and productive option for business communications.
However, as business phone systems consist of different types, and tailor to different needs, finding the right one can be tricky. In this article, we’ll review and compare the top business phone providers in 2023 and take a deep look at their standout features. Let’s dive in.
Best Business Phone Service Providers
Here we’ll look into the key features of the most appealing business phone services in 2023.
1. Community Phone
Packing a great blend of an innovative phone system, reliability, and affordability, Community Phone is the best business phone service for most users.
Community Phone is different from average landline-based phone service providers as it uses cell phone towers as the transmission medium. This leads to two main benefits – it doesn’t require a wired internet or copper connection, plus, you can set everything up on your own.
Other than that, Community Phone’s business service solution is perfect for areas that lack internet or traditional landline coverage but have cell phone towers nearby.
The provider offers a landline base device that automatically finds and connects to the nearest cell phone tower. Your existing telephone system connects to the landline base to enable communications. Moreover, the base device offers a 12-hour battery backup to let you communicate round-the-clock, even during power outages.
Key Features
- Unlimited calling across the US
- No internet connection or copper wire needed
- Call routing for productive customer service
- Customizable professionally-recorded dial menu
- Supports voice-to-email
- Transfer live calls to your colleagues
- Ring a second line, if line 1 is busy
- Simultaneous ring allows you to ring several phones with one call
Benefits
- Easy to set up – no technician needed
- Enables communications even when power runs out
- You can choose a custom phone number
- Support for simultaneous ringing, call forwarding, etc.
Pricing:
Choose a package that fits your needs and budget:
1. Basic Business Landline Service - $39/month, per line
This allows you to switch landline or cellphone service without the internet. You get unlimited nationwide calling, outbound caller ID, voicemail, temporary call forwarding, and call waiting.
2. Premium Business Landline Service - $69/month, per line
This package allows you to keep your same phone service and gain dynamic features such as call routing, dial menu and call greeting, rollover, and simultaneous ringing, live call transfer, voicemail to email, and ringing to a second line if the first line is busy. You get unlimited nationwide calling in the US, virtual call management, all the basic communication, one provider with one bill, no internet, and onboarding specialists.
2. Nextiva
Nextiva is yet another popular business phone system across the US. The provider combines advanced business communication features with affordability to suit businesses at their best. Nextiva allows teams to collaborate together and communicate with their customers from a single place.
Another powerful feature of Nextiva is its intelligent analytics that helps make effective decisions for the improvement of your customer service. For instance, you can track the calls in queue, abandoned calls, average call time, average idle time, and much more.
Key Features
- Easy to use
- Lots of sales & service tools are included
- Decent customer communication analytics
- Intelligent follow-up reminders
Pricing:
- Essential Plan – $25.95/month per user
- Professional Plan – $30.95/month per user
- Enterprise Plan – $40.95/month per user
3. Ooma
Ooma is one of the best telephone services for businesses as its features are decently optimized for professional needs. The company lets you either keep your existing phone number or choose a new one at no extra cost.
Moreover, signing up for Ooma’s business service opens up many benefits to you, like a free toll-free number, free local phone numbers, a native mobile app, and virtual fax. Other than that, each plan at Ooma offers 50+ calling features for productive communications and collaboration.
Key Features
- 50+ business calling features
- Free local and toll-free numbers
- New phone number is available for free
- Supports a virtual fax system and messaging
Pricing:
- Office Essentials Plan – $19.95 per user/month
- Office Pro Plan – $24.95 per user/month
- Office Pro Plus Plan – $29.95 per user/month
4. RingCentral
RingCentral offers all-in-one communication solutions for businesses. It supports everything from voice calls and messages to fax, all using one app. RingCentral’s app allows setting up your business phone system within minutes for flexible collaboration with other team members and smooth communications with customers.
Furthermore, RingCentral is optimized for separating your business contacts from your personal contacts for productive communications. Other than that, you get real-time analytics of system activity and usage for efficient decision-making.
Key Features
- Lets you integrate essential work apps
- Guarantees a 99.9% service availability
- Provides end-to-end encryption for messages
- 24/7 customer support for your assistance
Pricing:
- Essentials Plan – $14.99/user/mo
- Standard Plan – $20.99//user/mo
- Premium Plan – $26.24/user/mo
- Ultimate Plan – $37.49/user/mo
5. 8x8
Here we’ve got another advanced business phone provider powered by innovative cloud servers. The provider allows for integrating your project management tools like Microsoft Teams easily, allowing for quick & effective management of tasks and communications.
Another attractive feature of 8x8’s business phone system is it allows easy transitioning from a phone call to chat to a share screen. So, you can collaborate in any way you find comfortable.
Key Features
- Unlimited calling, SMS, and Fax
- Supports call recordings and visual voicemail
- Additional business calling features
- Easy call queues management
Pricing:
- Small business phone system – $15/user/mo
- Voice, video, and chat for teams – $24/user/mo
- Advanced call handling and analytics – $44/user/mo
6. Aircall
Aircall is yet another option for business phone solutions. It allows seamless business communications while giving you the freedom to integrate your business's sales CRM and project management tools. This way, your employees will be able to track professional conversations and alter their to-do lists accordingly, without much back and forth.
The provider lets you set up a business phone system in different ways across 100+ countries. You can customize your phone systems and manage business communications by using either of Aircall’s web, desktop, or smartphone apps.
Key Features
- Gives detailed call metrics
- Supports toll-free numbers
- Lets you forward calls to your mobile devices
- You can easily share contacts with your team
Pricing:
- Essentials Plan – $30/user/mo
- Professional Plan – 50/user/mo
- Custom Plan – N/A (requires contacting the sales team)
7. Grasshopper
Grasshopper is a modern-day solution for business communications. Its innovative app integrates a business line and a virtual phone system into your phone, allowing flexible communications from anywhere.
Though Grasshopper offers a virtual business calling service, you can still access all numbers – be it toll-free, vanity, or local phone numbers. Other than that, each plan at Grasshopper packs 24/7 US-based support for your convenience.
Key Features
- Supports auto-text to answer each customer
- Professional-sounding call greeting
- Offers vanity phone numbers
- Lets you keep your personal and business contacts separate
Pricing:
- Solo Plan – $26/user/mo
- Partner Plan – $44/user/mo
- Small Business Plan – $80/user/mo
8. Spectrum
Though Spectrum’s business voice service is not the most affordable one on the market, it’s an effective one. The phone service includes unlimited short and long-distance calling so you don’t have to pay anything extra but your monthly subscription charges.
Moreover, the inclusion of 35+ business calling features is another significant addition – allowing you to deal with customers in the best way possible. Other than that, you’re allowed to keep your existing phone number.
Key Features
- You’re free to use your existing phone number
- Free short and long-distance calling
- No hidden taxes or charges
- 35+ business calling features
Pricing:
- Business Voice Plan – $29/per line/mo
- Business Voice + 200Mbps Internet – $69.98/mo
- Business Voice + 200Mbps Internet + TV Essentials – $89/97/mo
9. AT&T
AT&T is also a decent phone service for professional communications. The company has been around for many decades and offers reliable phone services to small businesses. Though the pricing at AT&T is quite sharp, there’s a lot of value you get in return – like a fast 100Mbs internet.
Moreover, AT&T’s telephone service packs a range of calling features like voicemail-to-text notifications, call forwarding, simultaneous ringing, etc.
Key Features
- Blazing-fast 100mbs internet
- Round-the-clock customer support
- 20+ traditional calling features
- Versatile coverage across various US states
Pricing:
- Voice Plan — $89/mo (+ taxes)
10. Verizon
Last but not the least, Verizon is an advanced phone service for businesses offering lots of extra features like unlimited nationwide calling. Verizon’s phone service plans are based on VoIP (voice over internet protocol) – meaning they require active internet to enable communications.
Though Verizon’s VoIP service comes with limitations like round-the-clock internet availability, you also get some extra features like caller ID, voicemai, and call waiting. Other than that, the provider also supports speed dialing, intercom, and 3-way calling to allow for productive communications with customers.
Key Features
- Unlimited nationwide calling
- Directed call pick-up
- User-friendly call services
- Various productive calling features
Pricing:
- Starter Plan – $59.00/mo
How to Get Business Phone Line with Community Phone
Getting started with a business landline service at Community Phone is pretty easy compared to a traditional landline provider. First, you’ll need to replace your existing phone service (if any) with Community Phone.
Once you register at Community Phone, you’ll get a landline base device that will connect to a nearby cell phone tower. The device sets up automatically and uses wireless transmission, eliminating the need for a technician or wired network.
Next, you’ll need a custom phone number (unless you have one already). We, at Community Phone, let you choose from various available business numbers in your area. Once you’ve registered a phone number too, you can start using Community Phone’s telephone service for business communications.
How to Choose a Business Phone Service Provider
As business communication service providers are of all types, finding the right one for you can be challenging. Consider the factors below when deciding on a phone service for your business to get the best bang for your bucks:
1. Type of Phone System
Different types of phone systems are available nowadays with wireless landline and VoIP services being top-of-the-line. If you’re looking for top-notch reliability and voice quality, landline phone service is your best bet. But if you prefer advanced features more, you’re better off with a VoIP phone service. Community Phone offers the best of both worlds with it’s innovative phone service.
2. Provider
Which phone service provider you pick will directly impact your user experience. Before deciding on a business phone provider, ensure that it’s trustable, reliable, and user-friendly. You can also look through the official customer reviews of a company to make a satisfied and informed decision.
3. Plans & Pricing
As a rule of thumb, only invest in a business phone system if it suits your budget. Avoid companies that charge huge amounts of tax with each subscription. Also, keep away from providers whose plans don’t match your requirements. For instance, if you don’t need internet at the office, why pay extra for a VoIP-based phone service that requires an additional internet subscription?
4. Features
Features like call forwarding, simultaneous ring, caller ID, etc., are quite effective for productive business communications. If you care about these, make sure the phone service you consider includes them with the business telephone service package.
Business Phone Service FAQs
Do businesses need a landline?
Every business nowadays needs a landline service for communication. A landline phone service leads to better privacy as the employees don’t have to share their personal contacts with customers. It’s also more cost-effective for business communications as you only have to pay the subscription charges in most cases, rather than paying by the minute.
What is a small business phone system?
A small business phone system is a set of interconnected telephones used by a company. This phone system enables advanced telephone features like call forwarding, simultaneous ring, call metering, message boxes, and much more. This way, the business can handle its customer communications more productively.
Is Google Voice good for business?
Google Voice is a great phone service solution for small businesses seeking basic calling features for their business communications. However, it has certain limitations like the lack of support for toll-free numbers and restricted global coverage. So, depending upon their requirements, most businesses are better off with a traditional landline service compared to Google Voice’s VoIP service.
The Bottom Line
Finding the right phone service for your company doesn’t have to be hard. All you need to do is determine your requirements and opt for a phone service provider that fits them. The main things to consider when deciding on a telephone service are the type of phone system, pricing, and calling features.
Community Phone is among the finest business phone service providers across the US. We not only offer a cost-effective subscription cost but also offer an innovative solution that’s more reliable than what most of our alternatives have to offer. CLICK HERE to get started with CommunityPhone’s business phone service right away.
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