Communications · March 2026 · 7 min read

Why NI Businesses Are Switching to VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol — VoIP — has fundamentally changed how businesses communicate. Instead of relying on traditional copper phone lines with their monthly rental charges and expensive call rates, VoIP routes your calls over your existing broadband connection. For Northern Ireland businesses, the savings are significant: most of our clients see their phone bills drop by 40–60% after switching.

But it's not just about cost. VoIP gives you features that traditional phone lines simply can't match — call forwarding to mobiles, voicemail to email, auto-attendant menus, call recording and the ability to keep your number if you move premises. With BT phasing out the old PSTN network by 2027, the switch to VoIP isn't just sensible — it's inevitable.

Yealink T-Series Desk Phones

Yealink is the world's leading SIP phone manufacturer, and their T-Series desk phones are the workhorses of modern business communications. We supply and install three main models across Northern Ireland:

T33G — Entry Level — A compact, reliable desk phone with a colour screen, HD voice and PoE support. It handles two SIP lines, which is plenty for most staff members. We deploy these in offices across Belfast, reception desks in Lisburn and staff rooms in Armagh. At this price point, there's nothing that comes close to the T33G's build quality and call clarity.

T46U — Mid-Range — The T46U is our most popular model. Its large 4.3-inch colour display, 16 SIP line capacity and dual USB ports make it ideal for managers, sales teams and anyone who handles a high volume of calls. Optionally, you can add an expansion module with programmable speed-dial buttons — perfect for busy reception desks at medical practices in Omagh or solicitors' offices in Derry.

T58W — Premium with Video — Yealink's flagship desk phone features a 7-inch adjustable touchscreen, built-in Bluetooth and WiFi, and an optional USB camera for video calls. It's designed for executives and meeting rooms where video conferencing is a regular requirement. We've installed T58W phones in boardrooms across Belfast's business district and at professional services firms in Newry.

W-Series DECT Cordless Phones

Not every workplace suits a desk phone. Warehouses in Larne, retail floors in Ballymena, workshops in Cookstown — these environments need cordless phones that staff can carry with them. Yealink's W-Series DECT phones deliver exactly that.

The W73P system includes a base station and cordless handset with a range of up to 300 metres outdoors and 50 metres indoors. You can register up to eight handsets to a single base station, and the handsets support HD voice, speakerphone and a long-lasting battery. For larger premises, the W80 multi-cell system extends coverage across entire buildings using additional base stations — ideal for hotels, care homes and large retail units across Northern Ireland.

We've fitted DECT systems in agricultural merchants where staff move between the shop floor, warehouse and yard. The ability to answer calls anywhere on the premises means no more missed enquiries and no more running back to the office to pick up the phone.

Meeting Room Solutions

Yealink's meeting room products have become increasingly popular since remote and hybrid working became the norm. The CP965 conference phone delivers crystal-clear audio for boardroom meetings, while the MeetingBar A20 combines camera, microphone and speaker into a single device for video conferencing via Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

For NI businesses with staff working from home or clients based across the water, these solutions make remote meetings feel natural and professional. No more huddling around a laptop speaker or struggling with poor audio quality.

SIP Trunking: The Basics

SIP trunking is the service that connects your Yealink phones to the telephone network. Think of it as a virtual phone line delivered over your broadband. Each SIP trunk can handle one simultaneous call, and you can add as many trunks as you need. Most small businesses in Northern Ireland need two to four trunks, while larger operations might require ten or more.

The beauty of SIP trunking is flexibility. You can port your existing phone numbers across, add new numbers instantly, and scale up or down as your business changes. There are no long-term contracts with most providers, and call rates — particularly for local and national calls — are substantially lower than traditional lines.

Integration with Business Broadband

VoIP phones share your broadband connection, which raises a fair question: will my calls suffer if someone's downloading large files? The answer, with proper network configuration, is no. Using Quality of Service (QoS) settings on your router — something we configure as standard with TP-Link Omada equipment — voice traffic is prioritised over data traffic. Your calls remain crystal clear even when the network is busy.

We recommend a minimum broadband speed of 10Mbps for a small VoIP installation, though most NI businesses now have access to significantly faster connections. For sites with unreliable broadband, a 4G failover connection ensures your phones keep working even during an outage.

Complete Business Solutions with Drakos Systems

Through our partnership with Drakos Systems, we offer complete business communication solutions that combine Yealink phones with professional installation, SIP trunk provisioning and ongoing support. Whether you're a two-person office in Enniskillen or a fifty-seat call centre in Belfast, we design phone systems that match your workflow and budget. The combination of CCTV, networking and communications from a single provider means one point of contact for all your technology needs.