Hosted voice migration readiness
Moving to hosted voice is easier when you know what you have today and how you want calls to work tomorrow. This guide covers what to prepare before a migration review.
What hosted voice means
Hosted voice is a business phone system that runs in the cloud and reaches your team over an internet connection, rather than relying on phone hardware installed at your office. People can make and receive business calls from desk phones, computers or mobile apps, depending on how the service is set up.
Count your users and how they work
Start with a simple list of everyone who makes or takes business calls. For each person or role, note whether they mainly work at a desk, move around the office, work from home or are often on the road. Include shared phones too, such as reception, meeting rooms or a warehouse handset. This shapes which devices and features are worth reviewing.
Document your existing setup
Many businesses still use an on-site phone system, sometimes called a PBX (private branch exchange): a box in a cupboard that routes calls between lines and extensions. Note what you have, roughly how old it is, who supports it and when any related contracts end. List the features people actually use, such as voicemail, call transfer, ring groups or a recorded greeting.
List your numbers
Write down your main number, any direct lines and numbers printed on vehicles, signage or marketing material. Mark which ones you want to keep. Whether existing numbers can move to a new service depends on the numbers themselves, your current provider arrangements and the relevant checks, so this is confirmed during review. It is sensible to plan for either outcome rather than assume.
Gather provider and account details
Have your current provider’s name, the account holder’s name, account numbers and a recent invoice to hand, along with the person authorised to make changes on the account. Missing account details are a common reason for delays, so collecting them early is one of the most useful things you can do.
Note your preferred timing
Think about when a change would suit the business and when it would not, such as month-end, seasonal peaks or an office move. Share these constraints in the review. Actual timing is confirmed once the requirements and any number checks are understood, so avoid committing staff or customers to a fixed changeover date in advance.
Sketch your call flows
A call flow is what happens when someone phones your business. Sketch it on paper: the greeting, any menu options, which people or groups ring, what happens if nobody answers and how after-hours calls are handled. Agreeing this before setup avoids surprises for customers.
Decide on devices: desk, mobile and web
Some roles suit a desk phone; others may prefer a mobile app or a browser-based softphone (software that turns a computer into a phone). If desk phones are part of the plan, check where they will be used and whether network points, power and Wi-Fi in those areas are suitable.
Plan testing and handover
Before relying on a new service, test inbound and outbound calls, transfers, voicemail, menus and after-hours routing. Where appropriate, plan the changeover so existing arrangements are not ended until the new setup has been tested. Agree how users will be shown the basics and who they contact if something does not work as expected.
Questions to bring to your review
- Which users and roles need desk phones, mobile apps or web access?
- Which features from our current system do we genuinely use?
- What needs to be checked about keeping our existing numbers?
- Which account details should we gather from our current provider?
- Which periods should we avoid when planning the changeover?
- How should our call flows and after-hours routing work?
- How will testing, user guidance and handover be handled?
Final service options, availability and delivery steps are confirmed during the relevant address and requirements reviews.