Best Multi-Line Phone Systems for Small Businesses

With the UK still struggling with the cost of living crisis, now isn’t the time for your business to spend unwisely on the wrong setup. The last thing business owners want to do is waste time and energy on a multi-line phone system that isn’t right for their firm or their finances.

Based on our in-depth research, the best multi-line phone system for small businesses is the VTech CM18245. Vtech is an established, reputable player in the telephone systems game, and its CM18245 model is a feature-packed, quick-to-install handset with an easy-to-use interface that makes it an ideal part of a modern business phone setup.

But is it the best choice for your business’s specific needs and budget? That question is more important than ever in the current economic climate.

The most important thing is to find a phone service that’s the right value for your business needs. When you find the right fit, multi-line phone systems work regardless of whether someone is physically in the office or working remotely – they’re ideal as flexible working becomes the new norm post-pandemic.

Read on for our review of the best multi-line phone systems, or, try using the comparison tool, below, to compare free quotes from top providers.

Best multi-line phone systems: an overview

According to our expert research, the top multi-line phone systems for small UK businesses are:

1. VTech CM18245
2. Polycom VVX 250
3. AT&T 1070
4. BT Versatility
5. AT&T TL88102

There are many competitors offering great multi-line phone systems to small businesses. It’s hard to separate the quality from the not-so-quality, which is why we used our phone systems expertise to review these five phone systems to help you make an informed decision moving forward.

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OUR TOP CHOICE
Phone system VTech CM18245	Phone system Polycom VVX 250	Phone system AT&T 1070	Phone system BT Versatility	Phone system AT&T TL88102
Best for Small businesses requiring a PBX auto attendant phone system with lots of useful additional features	Best for Small businesses regularly communicating via phone who need high-quality audio calls	Best for Businesses wanting the flexibility to grow or scale back operations	Best for Small businesses who have the potential to grow and scale up fast, who need extra line capacity	Best for Micro-businesses whose employees could benefit from an affordable, hands-free, long-range handset phone
Pricing from £141	Pricing from £112	Pricing from £159	Pricing from £299	Pricing from £95
No. of lines Four	No. of lines Four	No. of lines Four	No. of lines Four/Eight	No. of lines Two

Use our free comparison tool to compare prices from the best multi-line phone providers Compare Costs

VTech CM18245

Cost estimate: £141

VTech CM18245

What’s great about this system is that only the main console needs to be connected to analog lines, as it uses DECT 6.0 technology to wirelessly connect all other handsets, meaning installation takes minutes rather than days - great for startups wanting to get started instantly.

VTech CM18245: feature breakdown

As the CM18245 is PBX enabled, it also comes with an auto attendant for each line, which can answer outside calls and route them to the appropriate extension. The main console also digitally records up to 180 minutes of incoming messages and outgoing announcements, which is very handy. It also comes with:

✔ Dect 6.0 technology

✔ Auto attendant

✔ Customised on-hold music

Polycom VVX 250

Cost estimate: £112

Polycom VVX 250

With echo cancellation and Polycom's own ‘Poly Acoustic Clarity' to tackle background noise, this multi-line system is perfect for employees wanting to prioritise customer service, such as those selling over the phone.

Polycom VVX 250: feature breakdown

On top of excellent audio quality, another handy feature of the VVX 250 is that the LCD display is colourised, much easier on the eyes, and far simpler to read than a lot of competitors on this list. It’s also compatible with more than 60 industry-leading call control platforms, including RingCentral and 8×8. It also boasts:

✔ Web-based configuration

✔ 2.8-inch color display

✔ Poly acoustic clarity

AT&T 1070

Cost estimate: £159

AT&T 1070

If you need to regularly contact multiple clients, the 32-number programmable speed dial system on the AT&T 1070 is perfect. That's why we recommend it for call centres.

AT&T 1070: feature breakdown

The 1070’s three-party conferencing functionality lets you collaborate as a wider team using three handsets on three lines, and the speakerphone is one of the strongest available on our list.

Each line has a distinct light indicator, and you have the option to set up different ringtones for each to help pinpoint the source of incoming calls. Other features include auto redial, caller ID, and the ability to expand up to 16 handsets if needed (including the AT&T models 1040 and 1080). It also boasts:

✔ 32-Number speed dial

✔ Memory loss protection

✔ Expandable up to 16 handsets

BT Versatility

Cost estimate: £299

BT Versatility

The BT Versatility multi-line phone offering is is great for small businesses looking to grow fast, as it's a system that is uniquely designed for handling large volumes of calls. This is particularly useful for IT Support firms or companies with a large help desk.

BT Versatility: feature breakdown

BT Versatility is unique in that you are able to add expansion equipment to the system, meaning the four lines that come as standard can be increased to eight, with up to 16 handsets.

What’s even more convenient is that the DDI (Direct Dialling In) can improve call routing and management, by providing more numbers that can be dialled into the organisation than there are lines.

✔ Expandable up to eight lines and 16 handsets

✔ Direct dialling in

✔ Integrated help desk facility

AT&T TL88102

Cost estimate: £95

AT&T TL88102

The TL88102’s best feature is undoubtedly its hands-free ability, and with a long connection range between deck and handsets, it’s perfect for small business owners who are constantly on the move.

AT&T TL88102: feature breakdown

The handset clearly displays the name, number, and time of incoming calls – and includes a lighted keypad allowing for easy dialling in low light conditions. The answering machine is digital with a mailbox for each line, and with dual caller ID functionality, you’ll be able to see both caller numbers at the same time.

✔ Four-party conferencing

✔ Long range between deck and handsets

✔ Can add up to 12 handsets

What types of businesses are multi-line phone systems suitable for?

Multi-line phone systems are suitable for a variety of businesses, particularly those that handle a high volume of calls or require multiple phone lines for efficient communication.

They are commonly used in customer service centres, call centres, sales departments, and businesses that rely heavily on phone communication. Healthcare clinics, law firms, real estate agencies, and professional services providers can benefit from multi-line phone systems to manage client inquiries and appointments.

Businesses with multiple departments or locations are another example of a business that may benefit from multi-line systems, to streamline internal communication and improve collaboration.

Are multi-line phones a good investment?

As a small business owner, you might not think your business big enough to warrant investing in a multi-line phone system. But there are many reasons why even small start-ups would benefit massively from having one.

The ability to communicate efficiently with clients is essential to getting the customer to trust your business. This will help your business to grow, as greater customer satisfaction leads to better customer retention.

As Alan Andrews – marketing manager of KIS Finance – points out:

Even the very smallest of businesses can benefit from having two phone lines rather than one. New enquiries won’t come in on their own and are usually quickly followed by another caller.

In a nutshell, one caller can become callers very quickly, so it is vital that your business is prepared for multiple calls at any given time.

Which type of phone system is right for your small business?

Offering improved communication and enhanced productivity, today’s systems include a range of functions that allow you to connect and engage with customers and team members, in a way that works for you.

There is a wide range of simple and more complex phone systems available, and the model that is right for you will depend on your individual business needs and expectations.

Basically, the available functions of the model you choose will determine how it works.

There are two main types of multi-line phone systems used in office environments – multi-line and private branch exchange (PBX).

Benefits of a multi-line phone system

Multi-line phones work differently depending on the option you go for, however, they all allow you to receive multiple calls at the same time. For example, if you have three incoming calls at once, they will go through to different lines.

Other universal features that you can expect to enjoy include a convenient voicemail system and call transfer, as well as a speaker system that allows receptionists or customer-facing staff to alert team members of any incoming calls.

On the other hand, a PBX system performs all of the same tasks but without human interaction. Instead, all incoming calls are received through an electronic receiving area.

We’ve compared the features of both systems below:

More about how PBX phone systems work

Incoming customer calls go to a central receiving area, where customers are presented with a set of options for which area of the business they wish to contact. For example: “Press one for sales, two for customer services, three for invoices.”

However, should the caller dial one of the extension lines directly, they can bypass this automated central system completely and connect to the extension. For example, if a central number is 020-7180, direct extension numbers can be numbers such as 020-7181 and 020-7182.

Should employees wish to contact other departments or employees internally, they can then can just dial the extension number (e.g 182) without using the outside line.

What about VoIP phone systems?

Multi-line and PBX systems are not the only options available to small businesses.

Lots of companies are installing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) office phone systems to fulfill their business needs.

VoIP office telephones are the most modern, and popular office phone systems on the market.

Using your business’s internet connection to host calls rather than through traditional analog signals, VoIP allows for both video and voice chat. As a result, VoIP systems require very little hardware, with a desktop VoIP phone being able to connect to the internet via an ethernet cable.

Your VoIP office telephone system will be managed via an app from your provider, so you will simply need a VoIP desktop phone for each user.

A big benefit for your business: calls are essentially free, even international ones, once your broadband or mobile data plans are paid for.

How we test business telephone (VoIP) systems

We tested eight VoIP systems to evaluate them in terms of functionality, usability, security options, cost, and more so we can make the most useful recommendations to small UK-based businesses.

Our rigorous testing process means these products have been scored and rated in seven main categories of investigation and 16 subcategories – in fact, we covered 78 areas of investigation in total. We then gave each category score a ‘relevance weighting' to ensure the product's final score perfectly reflects the needs of our Startups.co.uk readers.

Our main testing categories for VoIP systems are:

Customer Score: external customer opinion as to their satisfaction; the feedback and ratings given by customers who have used a particular VoIP product. Also, the market position and reputation a VoIP software holds.

Cost: the pricing structure associated with the VoIP service, such as monthly subscription fees, call rates, and setup fees.

Features: the functionalities and capabilities offered by the VoIP service, e.g. call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting, and caller ID.

External Connections: the VoIP service's ability to connect and integrate with external systems or devices, including compatibility with existing phone systems and integration with mobile devices.

Customer Support: the assistance and resources provided by the VoIP service provider to customers, such as technical support, documentation, and online resources.

Security Options: the measures and features implemented by the VoIP service to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and protection of voice communications and data.

Scalability: the ability of the VoIP service to accommodate the growth and changing needs of an organization, such as the capacity to handle a growing number of users or support multiple locations.

The Startups product testing process

Next steps: comparing the best multi-line phone systems

For us at Startups, the best multi-line phone system for small businesses is the VTech CM18245. It’s abundant in features, including auto attendant, customisable hold music, and DECT 6.0 technology to wirelessly connect all of your handsets seamlessly.

It does everything you need a multi-line phone system to do, and all for an affordable, fair price compared to other systems like BT Versatility.

Don’t get us wrong – the other providers on this list do offer great benefits, like Polycom VVX 250’s amazing sound quality and echo cancellation, and the AT&T TL88102’s four-party conferencing and long handset to deck range.

The BT Versatility is perfect for scalability, with an expansion capability of up to four lines, but the cost is a real negative. And the AT&T 1070 is great for businesses requiring flexibility, with 16 expandable handsets and programming of up to 32-number speed dial options. But it still lacks enough features to be as good as the VTech CM18245.

Regardless of our opinion, you should always compare multi-line phone system providers before signing on the dotted line. The last thing you want is to be stuck in a contract with a service that doesn’t fulfil the needs of your business, even if it is, generally speaking, a great product.

This is where our custom-built comparison tool comes in. We’ve partnered with some of the best multi-line phone system suppliers to help you get the best service for your business.

Simply provide us with a few basic details, and providers will be in touch with bespoke personalised quotes for you to compare, along with further details about why the service they offer would best suit the needs of your business.