Fixed Lines vs Mobile Phones for Small Business phone Systems

The 'death of the fixed line phone' has been anticipated for some years now, as mobile phone plans become more affordable, numbers can be easily ported and coverage improves. If you've ever tried to survive without a fixed line phone, though, you'll quickly realise that they offer unique advantages! How should you design the mix between fixed line and mobile services for the optimal small business telephone system? There are several considerations:

Call Times

What is the average length of a phone call on your small business phone system? What is the median length, and what length is most frequently seen?

Mobile small business phone systems:
Are generally better for businesses that mostly make calls under 3 minutes in length.

Fixed line small business phone systems:
Are generally better for businesses that mostly make calls over 5 minutes in length.

Call Destinations

Does your business operate remotely from most clients and business partners? Do you make mostly mobile phone calls, STD calls or local phone calls?

Mobile small business phone systems:
Are generally better if your business makes many calls to mobile phones. Significant discounts and free calls are often available for phones on the same network.

Fixed line small business phone systems:
Are generally better if your business makes mostly local calls or mostly STD calls.

Service Coverage

While mobile service coverage is now quite reliable, there can still be call quality issues.

Mobile small business phone systems:
Will be suitable for short calls and as a backup small business telephone system.

Fixed line small business phone systems:
Offer the call quality and reliability required for a professional image for your business.

Incoming Call Sources

Where do most of your customer calls come from? While most businesses will have both fixed line and mobile small business telephone systems in place, which should you promote as your main method of contact?

Mobile small business phone systems:
Will be more cost-effective for your customers to call from their own mobile phones.

Fixed line small business phone systems:
Will be more cost effective for customers to call from fixed-line phones.

Feature Mix

Do you need features such as Messages on Hold (MOH), call queuing, fax transmission capability or an auto attendant? A fixed line phone system offers more feature-set flexibility.

It is advisable to have both mobile and fixed line services in every small business. Promote both numbers alongside each other, and utilise your mobile for short calls to current partners while reserving your fixed line service for contact with new customers and in other situations where formality and professionalism is a must.