Business Phone Systems and VoIP for Northern Ireland

What Drakos Systems Provides

Drakos Systems installs and supports business phone systems for established and growing businesses across Northern Ireland, with direct support, number porting, desk phones, mobile and desktop apps and ongoing management. You deal with one person who knows your system, not a call centre.

Whether you are replacing an ageing PBX, preparing for the PSTN and ISDN switch off, moving office, adding remote workers, or just tired of a phone system that does not do what you need, we can help you move to a cloud-hosted system that works properly from day one.

A modern system covers the everyday things a business actually uses: desk phones and cordless handsets, mobile and desktop apps, call queues, ring groups, IVR menus, out-of-hours routing, voicemail to email, call recording where configured, reporting, and CRM or Microsoft Teams integration where supported. Existing 028 numbers and DDI ranges can usually be ported, and one system can run across multiple sites and remote staff under a single business identity.

VoIP Contract Coming to an End? Check Your Options Before Renewing

If your business phone contract is approaching renewal, this is a good time to check what you are paying for, the support you actually receive and whether the system still suits the business. Talk to us before you renew. We can review your needs, existing numbers and equipment, and prepare a proposal for a managed alternative.

Before you sign another agreement, it helps to gather:

• the contract end date, the notice period and how notice has to be given
• what the contract covers: users, call bundles, numbers, support and any minimum term
• whether your handsets are owned, rented, or on a separate lease or finance agreement
• your numbers and DDI ranges, including any numbers still forwarded from an older supplier
• the call features you really use, such as hunt groups, call menus, call recording or mobile apps
• known problems, such as dropped calls, poor audio or changes that take weeks
• how many calls you need at the same time, and how reliable your broadband is

We use this to check porting readiness, which handsets can be reused and what a staged move would involve. Early termination charges, handset agreements and number transfers depend on your signed agreements and the providers involved, so we check them before recommending anything. Do not cancel the old service before the move, because cancelling first can lose the numbers: we agree a porting date, test calls on each number and only then confirm the old service can end. Contract protections also depend on the size of your business and the type of contract; Ofcom summarises the rules for business customers.

If the system itself is fine and the problem is the support, see VoIP support for existing systems.

Request a VoIP Contract & System Review

What Is Included

Replace an older business telephone system

Still using an Avaya, Panasonic, NEC, Mitel or another traditional office telephone system? Drakos Systems helps Northern Ireland businesses review existing PBX equipment, understand the replacement options and move to modern business calling where it makes sense. Whether you have analogue exchange lines, ISDN2e, ISDN30 or an existing SIP-connected PBX, we assess what you have today before recommending the next step. In some cases an existing system can be retained or adapted; in others, a cloud-hosted or modern IP system is the better long-term option.

Two approaches are common:

• SIP trunk migration: replace the ISDN lines with SIP trunks while keeping the existing PBX. This works on some systems where the hardware supports SIP and is in good condition.
• Full cloud VoIP replacement: replace the PBX entirely with a hosted cloud system. Simpler to manage, no on-site maintenance, and it works from any location.

Systems we can review for replacement

Businesses frequently ask us about Avaya IP Office, Panasonic KX-series, NEC SL and SV systems, Mitel, Siemens/Unify, Samsung OfficeServ, Toshiba, Alcatel-Lucent and older BT office telephone systems. These are examples of systems a business may wish to replace, not a claim of manufacturer-authorised support for every model. Compatibility, retention and migration options depend on the specific installation and any existing contracts. For a detailed walk-through, see our PBX replacement guide for Northern Ireland.

Keep your existing business numbers where possible

Changing phone systems does not necessarily mean changing your numbers. We can check whether your existing geographic numbers and DDIs can be ported and plan the sequence of any transfer. Porting is often included for standard ports, while complex ports may incur a charge. It depends on the current provider, number range, account details and eligibility, so we confirm the position before any cutover date is agreed.

A choice of business telephony platforms

Drakos Systems can supply and advise on different business telephone platforms rather than pushing one product:

• Drakos One, our own hosted business phone system, covering desk phones, desktop and mobile apps, call routing, auto-attendant, hunt groups, voicemail and multi-site working.
• Telavox cloud communications, a feature-rich hosted platform with strong reporting and integrations.
• Yeastar PBX solutions, for businesses that want more control over configuration, on-premises, cloud or hybrid.

We supply and support the full Yealink range of desk phones, cordless and DECT handsets, conference phones and headsets. The right combination depends on the number of users, your existing numbers, mobile working, locations, call handling and support requirements, so we recommend a platform after understanding how your business actually handles calls.

For warehouses, factories and yards, DECT cordless handsets are usually the safer choice because they use their own base stations rather than the Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi handsets can work well too, but only where the Wi-Fi has been designed for voice, with strong coverage and smooth roaming between access points. We check which suits the building before recommending either.

What happens during a migration?

1. Identify the existing PBX model, lines, extensions, numbers and contracts.
2. Check connectivity, handsets, power resilience, alarm devices and any critical analogue services at each location.
3. Design a replacement or retention plan around the platform, numbers and user requirements.
4. Agree the number-porting approach, staged testing, communications and a rollback plan.
5. Configure, test, train users and hand over the support details.

Not sure what phone system you currently have? Send us an enquiry with your location, approximate number of users and the model name of the existing equipment, and we will advise on an appropriate next step.

Business numbers and calling across multiple countries

For businesses operating across Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and other countries, we can help assess options for international telephone numbers, SIP connectivity and routing calls to the right team. Availability varies by country, number type, provider, eligibility and local rules, so we confirm what is possible for each location before preparing a proposal. If you have staff or customers in several countries, tell us where you need numbers, where calls should be answered and whether you need local presentation, inbound calling, outbound calling or all three.

Opening a UK office from overseas? See UK mobiles, numbers and VoIP for companies setting up in the UK.

Suitable For

• Small offices across Belfast, Lisburn, Newry, Derry, Ballymena and the wider Northern Ireland area
• Businesses with remote workers or hybrid teams
• Farms and rural businesses needing a professional phone setup
• Businesses replacing ageing Avaya, Panasonic or NEC systems ahead of the ISDN switch-off
• Start-ups and growing businesses that need flexibility without capital outlay
• Multi-site businesses wanting one phone system across all locations

Why Choose Drakos Systems

We are based in the Greater Belfast and Lisburn area and work across Northern Ireland. When something goes wrong, you ring us directly. No call centre, no ticket queue, no being passed between departments. The person who sets up your phone system is the same person who supports it.

We handle the full installation, port your numbers, configure the call routing, train staff on how to use the system and stay available for questions after go-live.

Examples of Completed Work

Real projects, described by the task and the work completed. Customer details are left out.

Engineer's Notes: What Usually Decides VoIP Quality

When a business reports broken audio, one-way calls or phones dropping offline, the fault is often underneath the phone system rather than in the handset itself. We check the broadband path, firewall, switching and local network before blaming the hosted platform.

Common causes include SIP ALG rewriting traffic, NAT sessions expiring too quickly, registration keep-alives not matching the firewall timeout, voice sharing a busy data network without QoS, or deep packet inspection interfering with encrypted SIP and media. Where it is appropriate, we separate voice onto its own VLAN, preserve the correct DSCP markings and confirm that switches and routers are actually trusting and prioritising those packets.

Yealink, Avaya and other supported handsets can advertise or accept a voice VLAN through LLDP-MED or manual VLAN tagging. That only helps when the switch ports, DHCP options and upstream QoS policy have been designed properly. We also test failure paths, including 4G or 5G backup, call diversion and power protection, rather than assuming the cloud platform alone provides continuity.

Already have a VoIP system that is giving trouble? See VoIP support and fault-finding for existing systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep my 028 number when switching to VoIP?

Yes. Your existing 028 number can be ported to the new VoIP platform. The process typically takes 5 to 10 working days once the paperwork is submitted. During the transition, calls continue to route normally so you do not miss anything.

What happens to VoIP calls if the broadband goes down?

Calls can automatically divert to mobile numbers if the system detects the office is offline. Staff can also use the mobile app over 4G. We offer 4G backup routers that switch over automatically, usually within seconds to a minute depending on the router. A call in progress may drop, then desk phones reconnect over the backup connection.

How much does a VoIP phone system cost?

It depends on how many users you have, the features you need and whether you want desk phones, apps or both. Hosted VoIP is charged per user per month, so there is no large upfront cost as there would be with a traditional PBX. We price each system from your requirements and confirm it in a written quotation.

What is the ISDN switch-off and why does it matter?

Openreach is withdrawing its traditional PSTN-based services, including ISDN. Phone systems that rely on ISDN lines need to move to a digital service, and our PSTN switch-off page has the current date and what to check. Cloud VoIP runs over broadband and does not depend on those lines. Check your actual line provider and its migration arrangements, because not every legacy service follows an identical cutover process. Planning the migration now avoids last-minute pressure.

My phone contract ends in three months. When should I speak to you?

Now is a good time. Many business contracts need notice before the end date, often 30 days or more, and porting and handset decisions take time. Send us the contract end date and a recent bill, and we can review the options before you need to give notice.

Will there be an exit fee if we switch?

That depends on your signed agreement. Some contracts and separate handset finance agreements carry early termination or settlement charges. We check the terms you send us before recommending a switch date, and we do not promise a fee-free exit.

Can we keep the existing VoIP system and just change support?

Sometimes. It depends on the platform, whether the provider allows another company to manage it, and your contract. We check access and permissions first. If the platform is locked to one provider, we explain the options, including a planned migration.