A call from an important client comes in on a personal cell phone; the assistant can't take it, and when working from home, it's not clear who is currently available. Disruptions like these waste time and come across as unprofessional. Cloud Telephony Brings landline, mobile, and collaboration onto a single communications platform—with clear rules, centralized management, and the phone number your customers already know.
For Swiss companies, this is more than just a technology shift. It’s about making availability predictable, better connecting locations, and no longer operating telephony as an isolated infrastructure. When configured correctly, a cloud PBX adapts to your organization—not the other way around.
What Cloud Telephony Offers Businesses
With cloud telephony, the phone system no longer runs in the company’s own server room but as a hosted solution within a professionally managed infrastructure. Calls are made over IP networks. Employees make calls using IP desk phones, softphones, a web browser, or an app—depending on their workstation, role, and security requirements.
The benefits are evident in everyday use: A central business number can be routed to the front desk during business hours, distributed to a team when call volume is high, and play an automated message with a callback option outside of business hours. New employees receive an extension, a phone, and access permissions without requiring any modifications to the local system. If a team relocates, the number remains reachable.
However, the cloud doesn’t mean that everything automatically becomes easier. The quality of a call still depends on the network. Bandwidth, QoS prioritization, Wi-Fi coverage, firewall rules, and site connectivity all play a role in determining whether voice remains clear and stable. A good telephony solution therefore always considers the phone system, internet access, and security as a unified whole.
Cloud Telephony or On-Premises PBX: Asking the Right Question
A hosted phone system is particularly well-suited for companies that are growing flexibly, connecting multiple locations, or seeking to standardize remote work. Instead of purchasing hardware to accommodate the maximum future number of users, extensions and features are licensed as needed. Updates, operation, and maintenance are largely handled by the provider. This reduces internal workload and makes costs easier to plan.
A local PBX can still be a good option. This is true, for example, in cases involving highly specialized integrations, strict internal requirements, or when an existing system can still be operated cost-effectively. Hybrid scenarios are also possible: Existing infrastructure remains in place for the time being, while individual teams, locations, or applications already operate via the cloud.
The key issue isn’t whether the cloud is fundamentally better. What matters is which communication channels are currently in use, which systems need to be integrated, and how your company will evolve over the next three to five years. A solution that merely reflects the current state will trigger another project the next time a change occurs.
Using Microsoft Teams as a telephony channel
Many companies work with Microsoft Teams, but they still use a separate system for external calls. This results in multiple interfaces, different presence statuses, and unnecessary media breaks. With the right integration, Teams becomes a fully-fledged telephony workstation: Employees can call external numbers, be reached at their business number, and forward calls or take them from queues.
Technically, this requires a suitable SIP or Microsoft Teams trunk, a clearly defined numbering logic, and—depending on the architecture—a session border controller. The SBC protects the connection between the corporate network, the telephony platform, and the Microsoft environment; it manages signaling and enforces security rules. It is not an end in itself, but rather a key component for controlled communication.
With native integration, users no longer need to switch between the phone system and the collaboration tool. For IT, however, a powerful PBX remains in the background—complete with IVR, groups, time controls, call forwarding, LDAP connectivity, and CTI functions. Winet connects its Ayrix PBX directly to Microsoft Teams without requiring a separate Teams add-on or additional licensed SBC components for integration. This simplifies the architecture and establishes clear operational responsibilities.
These features should fit into your daily work routine
A long list of features is not an indicator of quality. What’s more important is that the features improve specific workflows. A service-oriented business with a reception desk requires different rules than a sales team with many off-site appointments or a support team with multiple specialized groups.
Pay particular attention to how calls are routed, logged, and escalated. An IVR system directs callers to the correct department. Call queues indicate where capacity is lacking. Busy light panels and presence information facilitate internal call transfers. Time-based profiles prevent calls from being routed uncontrollably to personal numbers in the evening. For mobile teams, simultaneous ringing, controlled call forwarding, and softphones are often more important than an additional desk phone.
If you’re using CRM or ERP systems, it’s worth looking into CTI. When an incoming call is received, the customer record can be opened while dialing directly from the system. This saves just a few seconds per call, but with a large number of contacts, it results in a noticeable increase in efficiency. This requires seamless integration and clarification of which data may actually be displayed or stored.
Plan Phone Numbers, Number Porting, and Availability Carefully
The existing main phone number is often an important part of a company's identity. When switching to cloud-based phone service, there's no need to lose it. Swiss and International phone numbers can be ported in many cases. However, the porting process should be planned well in advance, as contract terms, notice periods, subscriber information, and coordinating the switchover date can affect the timeline.
A best practice is to set up the new solution in parallel. First, users, extensions, groups, voice prompts, and end devices are configured. This is followed by testing of incoming and outgoing calls, emergency call procedures, call forwarding, and the Teams or CRM integration. Only after the day-to-day operations have been tested is the main number switched over to the new line.
Contingency scenarios should also be included in this planning. What happens if there’s a disruption at the main location? Can calls be redirected to cell phones or a secondary location? Are emergency contact locations for mobile employees correctly configured? Questions like these are rarely asked on the first day of a project, but at the critical moment, they’re more important than any additional feature.
Security and voice quality are part of the same architecture
IP telephony is a network service and must be protected accordingly. Open SIP ports, weak passwords, or misconfigured firewalls can lead to misuse and unwanted costs. It is advisable to use segmented networks for voice devices, encrypted connections, access restrictions, ongoing monitoring, and clearly defined policies for the use of administrator privileges.
At the same time, voice traffic needs to be prioritized on the network. Especially at locations with a lot of video conferences, cloud backups, or guest Wi-Fi, available bandwidth can become limited under heavy load. QoS prioritizes voice data, a suitable firewall protects the data traffic, and a Professionally planned site networking ensures that extensions work reliably even across multiple offices.
The appropriate scope depends on the environment. A small office with just a few workstations doesn’t need overly complex architecture. A company with branch offices, remote work, call routing, and Teams telephony, on the other hand, should evaluate internet, SBC, firewall, and managed services as a cohesive package. Those who only compare license prices often overlook the operational risks that arise later on.
Compare costs realistically instead of just monthly prices
Cloud telephony provides transparent, recurring costs per user, line, or feature package. Depending on the model, this is supplemented by call rates, flat rates, phone numbers, end devices, Internet access, and operational or support services. For many companies, this structure is precisely what makes it an advantage: expenses can be tailored to actual needs, rather than having to pre-finance large investments in hardware.
When comparing options, however, you shouldn’t just look at the price per extension. Other important factors include the features included, costs for international calls, contract terms, number portability, setup costs, and support in the event of a service outage. A low-cost solution without a contact person available can end up being expensive if a routing error or network outage disrupts operations.
Before making a decision, therefore, ask for a clear vision of the end goal: Which phone numbers will be carried over? What does the call plan look like? Which teams will use which features? Who will manage the solution after go-live? A clear answer to these questions prevents surprises and makes the telephony system equally manageable for departments such as IT.
The best next step isn't to rush to replace individual phones. First, have your availability, network capacity, and existing collaboration processes assessed. This will result in a cloud-based telephony solution that directs customers directly to the right contact person and actually makes your IT department's job easier.
Current
Teams, phone service, or VoIP—which one is right for you?
IP Phones in the Office for Modern Businesses
Choosing a Video Conferencing Solution for Businesses
Choosing the Right Phone System for Remote Teams
Configuring the Session Border Controller Correctly
