How to Migrate from Landline to VOIP in Australia: Complete Guide (2026)

Migrating an Australian business from a traditional landline to VoIP is a structured process. A simple migration often takes several weeks, and parallel running can minimise disruption, but a brief period of number unreachability may occur during the port cutover; zero downtime is not guaranteed. This guide is built on Australian deployment realities: NBN connection types, ACMA number porting rules, and the specific steps that differ here from generic international migration guides. By the end, you will have a clear migration plan, know what to expect on cutover day, and understand what to do if something goes wrong.

Why Migrate Now? The Case Is Already Closed

The short answer: most legacy copper phone services within the NBN fixed-line footprint have been replaced, though copper PSTN services can remain in Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster areas, and some alternative-network, business and special-service lines may still exist. If your business phone has been migrated, it is running over NBN infrastructure, one way or another; check your specific service if you are unsure. The question is no longer whether to migrate. The question is whether you are getting a proper business VOIP service or still running on an ISP-controlled adapter that was never designed for business use.

For most small businesses, the answer is a cloud phone system managed by a specialist phone company. Maxotel, Aussie Broadband Business, and Telstra Business are common options. This is a separate service from your internet connection. You sign up with the phone company, they take over your numbers, and Calls can use your existing internet connection, but additional network cabling, power equipment or analogue wiring may be required depending on the handsets and premises..

There are three reasons businesses delay migration and all three cost money. First, the feature gap. The number of concurrent calls and the treatment of a second incoming call depend on the ISP voice service, plan and enabled features. That lead is gone permanently. Second, the professionalism gap. Hosted business phone systems may offer hold music, auto-attendants, after-hours routing and voicemail-to-email, but inclusions vary by provider and plan. Third, the cost gap. Business phone system pricing, billing models and included features vary by provider, plan and configuration. Every month on the ISP adapter is a month of paying for less and losing leads.

The NBN Silent Migration: You May Already Be on VOIP

When Australia rolled out the NBN, migration to NBN-delivered voice was not automatic or universal, affected customers generally had to order a replacement service and were subject to notification and information processes. For many businesses, that replacement service ended up being VOIP delivered via the ATA port on their supplied modem. ATA stands for Analog Telephone Adapter. It is the green port on the back of your NBN modem that your old analog handset plugs into. In practice, many businesses report little training or explanation of alternatives at the time, even where formal notification occurred.A phone connected to a modem's phone port is using the modem's built-in ATA, but control of the SIP configuration and access to credentials depend on the ISP; some ISPs provide customer-accessible SIP credentials and BYO-device settings. You cannot move that number to a different provider without going through a proper number port. An ISP-supplied modem voice service may be limited compared with a hosted PBX, but the number of lines and available features depend on the provider and plan. Check the current service rather than inferring its features from the modem port.This is fundamentally different from a business VOIP service. Depending on the provider and plan, a business VOIP setup may give you customer-managed SIP credentials, a cloud phone system that handles call routing and features, and a provider relationship with actual business support. The migration described in this guide is about moving from the ISP ATA service to a real business VOIP system, not about switching from analog copper to digital. For many businesses that ordered an NBN replacement service, the copper-to-IP transition occurred during their NBN migration; verify your current service because this was not automatic or universal.

Pre-Migration Assessment: What to Check Before You Start

A successful migration starts with a clear picture of your current setup. Work through this checklist before contacting any provider.

A compatible ATA may allow existing analogue handsets to be retained, but confirm the handset, ATA model and receiving provider's SIP and provisioning support before purchase. See our guide to ATA adapters for analogue phones for Australian options and pricing.

For businesses on Telstra DOT, T-Biz Voice, Telstra Calling for Microsoft 365, or Telstra Business SIP, specific retirement dates add urgency to any migration decision, though not all of these products have a confirmed shutdown date yet. Our dedicated guide covers exactly which Telstra products are retiring and when, and the exact steps to migrate before your specific deadline.

Telstra Business phone customers switching to a cloud VOIP platform follow a similar migration path to landline-to-VOIP moves, with a few Telstra-specific considerations around 1300 numbers and contract exit. For a full breakdown of the alternatives and how to switch, see our guide to Telstra business phone alternatives for small business.

Optus Business phone customers switching to a specialist business phone company follow a standard migration process, number porting, hardware setup, and parallel running during transition. Our guide to Optus business phone alternatives covers the alternatives landscape, porting your numbers, and how to switch without touching your internet connection.

Current Setup Audit

List every phone number your business uses. Include your main number, any direct-dial numbers, 1300 or 1800 numbers, fax lines, and any numbers used by alarm systems, EFTPOS terminals, or lifts. Each of these will need a decision made about it during migration. Numbers you want to keep will need to be ported. Numbers no longer in use can be cancelled. Special-purpose lines (fax, alarms, EFTPOS) need separate handling as described below.For each number, note who the current carrier is, whether there is a contract or minimum term still active, and what the number is used for. This information will be required by your new business phone company when they initiate the porting process.

Internet Connection Assessment

Your NBN connection will carry your voice calls. Before migrating, confirm your connection type and test its quality. For high-quality voice, engineering guidance recommends end-to-end one-way latency of no more than 150 ms and packet loss of no more than 1%; jitter also matters. Confirm whether a test reports one-way or round-trip latency. Per-call bandwidth depends on the codec, packetisation, encryption and platform. Obtain the provider's planning figure and allow capacity for all concurrent calls and other network traffic. Latency and packet loss are what matter. Run a quality test during your busiest business hours. A standard speed test is not sufficient. Use a tool that measures latency and packet loss. Your prospective business phone company should be able to recommend a test or run a quality check during their sales process. See the VoIP call quality guide for full diagnostic steps.

Feature Requirements

Before choosing a provider, document what you actually need. Common business requirements include: number of staff who need to take calls simultaneously, whether you need a 1300 or 1800 number, call recording (the rules are state based and privacy obligations apply on top, so see our guide to call recording laws in Australia before enabling it), auto-attendant or IVR for call routing, voicemail to email, after-hours routing to mobile, ring groups, and CRM integration. A clear requirements list makes provider comparison straightforward and prevents scope creep during setup. For broader context on phone system choices, see the business VOIP phone systems guide.

Step 1: Choose a business phone company

Your business phone company is the most important decision in the migration. The provider supplies your SIP trunks (the voice channels your calls travel over), your cloud phone system (the call routing system), and ongoing support when things need adjusting. Choosing on price alone can be a costly mistake. A provider that is $10 AUD cheaper per month but takes 48 hours to respond to a support request will cost far more when something goes wrong on the day of your cutover.Key criteria for Australian businesses: Does the provider have Australian-based support staff who can handle the business? Do they have experience with number porting in Australia, including ACMA-compliant porting processes and realistic timelines? Do they supply pre-configured handsets to reduce setup complexity? What is their SLA for porting and provisioning? Can they demonstrate successful migrations of businesses similar in size and setup to yours?The contrast with ISP-supplied services is significant. Your current ISP almost certainly cannot tell you what SIP credentials power your green port phone line, cannot advise on the right feature set for your business, and cannot migrate you to a better service without you initiating a complete exit. A specialist business phone company's job is to ask how your business actually works and then configure a system around that. That consultative approach is not a luxury feature. It is the standard expectation. For a comparison of the hosted versus on-premise decision, see the cloud phone system vs on-premise guide.

Step 2: Initiate Number Porting

Number porting is the process of transferring your existing phone numbers from your current carrier to your new business phone company. In Australia, number porting is governed by ACMA rules and administered through the industry porting framework. Your new provider initiates the port on your behalf. You do not deal with your outgoing carrier directly in most cases.Standard number porting in Australia generally takes 8 to 15 business days for geographic numbers (02, 03, 07, 08 area codes) under ACMA's Local Number Portability Code; complex ports can take up to 30 business days. Individual local-number ports are generally completed within 8 to 15 business days, but those service-level targets do not prohibit a provider from completing a valid port sooner. Mobile number ports are much faster and regulated to strict service levels: 90% complete within 3 hours, 99% within 2 business days. 1300 and 1800 numbers follow a separate transfer process and typically take several business days to two weeks end to end. For a full breakdown of what can go wrong and how to avoid it, see the number porting guide for Australian businesses.To initiate a port, your new provider will require: the exact number to be ported, the current carrier name, the account holder name and address as registered with the current carrier, and the account number. Incorrect or incomplete porting information can cause rejection or delay. Required information and validation differ by port category, so obtain the service account number and other details requested by the gaining provider. Get these details directly from your current carrier's billing portal or by calling their account team before submitting the port request.

Step 3: Set Up Your Hardware

While your number port is processing, set up your new VOIP hardware. Most businesses migrating from a basic landline setup will need: one or more SIP desk phones (or softphone apps installed on computers or mobiles), a router with QoS support to prioritise voice traffic, and in some cases a dedicated VOIP adapter if keeping existing analog handsets.Many business phone companies offer pre-configured phones. The phone arrives with your SIP credentials already loaded. You connect it to your network, it registers with the cloud phone system, and calls work immediately. This is the simplest path for most small businesses. If you order unpreconfigured phones, your provider will supply provisioning instructions. Follow these exactly. Manual SIP configuration errors are a common source of setup problems.QoS (Quality of Service) router configuration ensures your voice calls are prioritised over other network traffic. Without QoS, a large file download or video stream from another device can degrade call audio. Most business-grade routers support QoS. Consumer-grade routers vary. If your current router does not support QoS, your provider may recommend an upgrade. This is worth doing before cutover day rather than troubleshooting call quality under pressure after you have gone live.

Step 4: Parallel Running. Zero Downtime Migration

Parallel running means operating your old and new systems simultaneously for a period before cutting over. Parallel running reduces migration risk and keeps the old service handling calls before cutover, but it does not guarantee zero downtime during the number-port cutover. During parallel running, your new VOIP system is configured and tested using temporary numbers or your new provider's test numbers. Your existing landline service continues to handle live calls. When you are confident the new system is working correctly, you cut over.Parallel-running duration should be agreed with the provider and should allow enough time to complete the required handset, routing, quality and staff tests before the scheduled port. This gives you time to: confirm all phones are registering correctly with the cloud phone system, test inbound and outbound call quality, verify call routing rules are working as expected, test your auto-attendant script and ring groups, and train staff on any new features or the new handsets.Parallel running is particularly valuable when you have multiple staff or complex call routing. For a sole trader with a single phone number, the parallel phase may be as short as one day. The key principle is: do not cut over until you have made real test calls on the new system and confirmed everything works.

Step 5: Cutover Day. What to Expect

Cutover day is the moment your number port completes and all incoming calls to your ported number route to your new VOIP system. For most migrations, this happens automatically when the port is processed. Your provider should notify you in advance of the scheduled port completion time.On cutover day, make an inbound test call to your main number as soon as the port is confirmed. Verify it rings on the correct devices with the correct ring group configuration. Make an outbound test call and confirm caller ID is displaying correctly. If anything is not working, your provider's support team should be your first call. Have their direct number ready. Do not rely on a ticketing system on cutover day.Cutover-day issues can include configuration errors, porting or carrier-routing problems, so test promptly and escalate unexplained failures to the gaining provider. Common examples: a ring group that was not updated to include the ported number, outbound caller ID set to the wrong number, or a call routing rule pointing to an old extension. These are quick fixes when you have a responsive support team. They become significant problems if you are waiting hours for a response while customers call and nothing rings.After confirming the port, ask the losing provider what services remain active and cancel only the superseded voice component after verifying that this will not disconnect bundled internet or other linked services. Do not let it linger. You will be paying for a service you are no longer using. Check whether there are any contract exit obligations. Once the minimum term has ended, cancellation rights, notice and any remaining charges depend on the contract. Separate Australian Consumer Law remedies may apply if the service breaches a consumer guarantee. If you are still in a term contract, check whether early termination applies and factor this into your migration timing.

Post-Migration: Testing Checklist and First-Week Issues

In the first week after migration, work through this testing checklist and be prepared for a small number of configuration adjustments. These are normal and your provider should handle them quickly.Inbound call testing: call your main number and confirm it rings as expected. Call during and outside business hours to verify after-hours routing. If you have ring groups, confirm all members are receiving calls. If you have an auto-attendant, test each option to verify routing is correct.Outbound call testing: make outbound calls and verify your caller ID displays correctly. If your business uses a 1300 number publicly, configure an eligible geographic or mobile return-call number for outbound caller ID; 13, 1300 and 1800 numbers cannot be used for CLI overstamping. Test calls to mobile and landline numbers.Voicemail and notification testing: leave a voicemail and confirm it delivers to email correctly. Check that the transcription is enabled if your plan includes it. Verify that all staff who should receive voicemail notifications are receiving them.Staff training: brief all staff on any new features they now have access to. If you have added hold music, call recording, or a new transfer process, show them how to use it. Staff may need guidance on how to transfer calls using the new system. A 15-minute walkthrough before go-live prevents this.

Special Cases: Fax, Alarm Systems, and EFTPOS Lines

Some legacy fax machines, alarms, EFTPOS terminals and lift phones use analogue lines, while others use Ethernet, Wi-Fi, IP or cellular connections. Identify each device's actual connection method and confirm migration requirements with its provider. These devices cannot connect directly to a SIP service without additional equipment.

Fax Lines

Fax over VOIP (T.38 fax protocol) works on many cloud phone system systems but reliability varies by connection quality and provider implementation. For businesses that use fax regularly, a dedicated cloud fax service can be a simpler, more consistent option than running a physical fax machine over VOIP, since it avoids T.38 dependency entirely. Cloud fax services receive faxes to a number and deliver them to your email. Outbound faxes are sent from a web portal or email client. No physical fax machine required. Cost varies by provider and volume, roughly $10 to $30 per month AUD for low-volume use -- compare current plans before committing.If you must keep a physical fax machine, an ATA adapter between your fax machine and your VOIP service can work. Ask your provider whether they support T.38 and what the expected reliability is before committing to this path.

Alarm Systems

Alarm systems that use a phone line to call monitoring companies are a significant migration consideration. Many older alarm systems use PSTN-specific signalling that is not compatible with VOIP. Contact your alarm monitoring company before migration to determine whether your alarm communicator will work over VOIP, whether an ATA adapter is suitable, or whether the alarm needs to be upgraded to a cellular communicator. Most alarm monitoring companies have handled this transition many times and will have a clear recommendation. Do not assume the alarm will continue working after cutover without confirming this.

EFTPOS Terminals

EFTPOS terminals use a range of connectivity methods, including dial-up phone lines, mobile networks, Wi-Fi and Ethernet; check the actual terminal and its provider's requirements. If your EFTPOS terminal has an RJ11 phone jack, contact your payment provider before migration. They will advise whether the terminal requires a dedicated analog line, can be connected via an ATA adapter, or whether it should be upgraded to a cellular or IP-connected model. Running EFTPOS over a VOIP-connected ATA can work in some cases but is not recommended for high-volume payment environments without testing.

Australian Businesses: What You Need to Know

Several aspects of VOIP migration are specific to the Australian regulatory and infrastructure environment.

PSTN Copper Is Already Gone

Most legacy copper services in the NBN fixed-line footprint have been replaced, but copper landlines can remain in Fixed Wireless and Sky Muster areas, and alternative-network, business and special-service exceptions exist. Confirm the technology and carrier for the specific service before planning the migration. The migration described in this guide is about upgrading from an ISP-controlled VOIP service to a business-grade VOIP platform. This context matters because some providers still market migration services as if copper is the starting point. It is not. Your starting point is an NBN-delivered voice service of some kind.

Number Porting Rules in Australia

Number porting in Australia is regulated under the Telecommunications Numbering Plan 2025 and applicable registered industry codes. The losing telco must port an active portable number when properly requested and cannot refuse or delay it because money is owed. The gaining telco may decline to accept the port, and requests remain subject to the applicable validation process. If your current carrier is obstructing a port without good reason, you can lodge a complaint with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO). Your new provider should be familiar with this escalation path and willing to assist.You do not own a geographic number, but while it remains active you generally hold the right to use it and can usually port it to a new telco that accepts the request. Out-of-area portability depends on the gaining telco. 1300 and 1800 numbers are also portable but have a separate administration process. Mobile numbers port independently of geographic number ports.

000 Emergency Calling on VOIP

For VoIP calls, the service address stored in the IPND is passed to emergency services, but it may not reflect the caller's current physical location. The operator will ask for the town and state, so keep the service address current and state the actual location during the call. Most Australian cloud phone system companies are required to register a service address for emergency calling under the ACMA emergency call service rules. When you set up your VOIP service, you must register a service address. Tell the provider where each number or service is normally used and ask how the corresponding IPND service addresses and alternate-address flags will be recorded for fixed, shared or nomadic endpoints. Ask the provider to confirm that 000 access and the relevant IPND address data are configured. Do not place an uncoordinated test call to 000; any testing should be arranged by the provider under the applicable emergency-call test procedure.

Power Outage Considerations

VOIP phones require power and internet connectivity to function. Traditional PSTN phones could draw power from the phone line and work during a power outage. VOIP does not. If your business needs phone access during a power outage, consider: an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for your router and VOIP phones, call forwarding rules that automatically route to a mobile number when the main system is unreachable, or a mobile softphone app that staff can use as a fallback when the office internet is down.

Australian Consumer Law and Telco Contracts

Australian Consumer Law remedies may apply where the business qualifies as a consumer and a telecommunications service breaches an applicable consumer guarantee. The remedy, including whether cancellation is available, depends on the circumstances and whether the failure is major or is not remedied within a reasonable time. Australian Consumer Law may provide remedies where applicable consumer guarantees are breached. Separate telco rules cover matters such as complaints, sales, billing and switching, while the Customer Service Guarantee sets specified connection and repair timeframes for covered standard landline services. If your current provider is providing an inadequate service, document the faults and contact the TIO if the provider does not resolve the issue within a reasonable timeframe. You are not necessarily locked in simply because a contract exists.

Migration Timeline Expectations

An individual local-number port is generally completed within 8 to 15 business days once initiated, with different service metrics and exceptions for more complex ports. Total migration and configuration time varies with the provider, port category, hardware, number count, legacy equipment, testing and scheduling. Use the gaining provider's written project plan and port estimate rather than assuming a fixed total duration. Set expectations with your staff accordingly and plan cutover timing around your business cycle. Avoid scheduling a cutover during your busiest period. See the VoIP vs traditional phone comparison if you are still weighing up the benefits.

Common Mistakes When Migrating to VOIP

These are the mistakes that cause migrations to go wrong or take longer than necessary.Mistake 1: Cancelling the old service before the port completes. This is the most damaging mistake. If you cancel your existing phone line before the number port is finalised, your number will be released and cannot be ported. It may be permanently lost. Your existing number must remain active until your new provider confirms the port is complete; do not cancel it beforehand. Outstanding debts or contractual charges remain payable but do not allow the losing telco to refuse or delay a valid port.Mistake 2: Providing incorrect account details for the port request. Number porting requires exact match on the account holder name and address as registered with the outgoing carrier. If these details do not match, the porting authority will reject the request and the process starts again. This adds days to the migration. Before lodging a port request, verify your exact account details with your current carrier.Mistake 3: Not testing the new system before cutover. Parallel running exists for a reason. Running a real test call on the new system before cutting over is the single most effective way to catch configuration problems without business impact. Businesses that skip this step and go live without testing are the ones that call their provider in a panic on cutover day.Mistake 4: Forgetting about special-purpose lines. Some legacy fax machines, alarm diallers, EFTPOS terminals and lift phones use analogue phone lines, while others use IP, Ethernet, Wi-Fi or cellular connections. Identify and verify each device before migration. Identify every analog line in your business before starting the migration and determine the correct approach for each one.Mistake 5: Choosing a provider on price alone. A $5 AUD per month saving on a plan is irrelevant if the provider takes 2 days to respond to a support request. Migration is a period of elevated risk. You want a provider with responsive, local support and demonstrated experience with Australian business migrations. This is not the time to optimise for the cheapest plan.

Your Next Steps

Use this checklist to move from reading to action.This week: Audit every phone number your business uses and document the carrier for each. Check the back of your modem to determine whether you are on an ISP ATA or an existing VOIP service. Run a latency and packet loss test on your NBN connection during business hours. Document your feature requirements: how many simultaneous callers, what routing you need, what integrations matter.Before contacting providers: Gather your current carrier account details (account number, registered name and address) for each number you want to port. Check whether any of your numbers are still in a minimum contract term and when that term ends. Identify any special-purpose lines (fax, alarm, EFTPOS) and confirm compatibility requirements with those service providers.When evaluating providers: Ask specifically about their porting experience with AU geographic numbers and 1300 numbers. Ask how they handle pre-configured handset provisioning. Ask what their support hours are and how to reach them on cutover day. Ask for references or case studies from businesses of a similar size. For guidance on the hardware side of the setup, see the NBN VOIP setup guide.After signing up: Confirm your port lodgement date and the expected completion date. Treat the confirmed port cutover date as go-live for the number. Have the new system fully configured and tested before that date, and agree any contingency routing with the provider. Brief your staff before cutover day. Have your provider's direct support number saved, not just their ticketing portal.Not sure which VOIP system is right for your business? Tell us about your setup and we will point you in the right direction. The Get a Recommendation page takes 2 minutes and gives you a personalised starting point.

One of the first decisions in any landline-to-VoIP migration is whether to keep existing phones, buy IP handsets, or go softphone-only. Our Phone Compatibility Checker assesses whether your existing hardware, including desk phones and ATA adapters, will work with your new provider.

A network readiness assessment should happen before you commit to a migration date, not after problems appear post-cutover. Our Office Phone Readiness Check takes 5 minutes and produces a score with specific items to address before you switch.

A migration timeline that accounts for your specific setup, number count, hardware, staff size, and porting requirements, is more useful than a generic checklist. Our Phone System Switch Planner generates a personalised step-by-step migration plan in under 2 minutes.

What Does Migration Cost?

Upfront, recurring and porting costs vary by provider, pricing model and port category. Obtain a quote covering setup, installation, hardware, each port type, recurring licences or lines, usage and any contract-exit charges. If you want to keep existing analogue handsets, an ATA adapter costs $60-120 per device. The main financial consideration is any early termination fee from your current provider. Check your agreement before initiating the port. Whether a cloud plan costs less than a Telstra or Optus business line depends on the existing contract, call volumes, required licences and hardware, and the features included.

If your current business phone is with Telstra, the porting process has a few Telstra-specific steps. Our guide to porting your business number from Telstra to a cloud phone system covers the process step by step, including what account information you need, common rejection reasons, and how to manage your number through the transition without losing calls.

How long does it take to migrate from a landline to VOIP in Australia?

Migration time varies with the provider, port category, hardware, configuration and scheduling. ACMA says individual local-number ports are generally completed within 8 to 15 days, while complex ports and the surrounding setup may take longer; obtain a written estimate for the specific migration.

Can I keep my existing phone number when switching to VOIP?

Yes. Number porting allows you to transfer your existing geographic number (02, 03, 07, 08 area codes), 1300 number, or 1800 number to a new business phone company. Your new provider initiates the port on your behalf. You must keep the old number active until the port completes. Do not cancel it first; outstanding contractual or billing obligations remain separate from the right to port an active number. Do not cancel your existing service before receiving confirmation that the port is finished.

What happens if my internet goes down after I migrate to VOIP?

Office phones that depend on a failed internet connection will stop working, but the cloud service may remain usable through mobile-data softphones, mobile backup, another site or preconfigured carrier-side forwarding, depending on the provider and setup. To mitigate this, set up a call forwarding rule in your cloud phone system that automatically forwards calls to a mobile number when your VOIP system is unreachable. Some providers offer unreachable-destination or carrier-side failover routing, but availability and behaviour depend on the service and configuration; confirm and test the chosen contingency with the provider. You can also install a softphone app on your mobile to handle calls over mobile data when your office internet is down.

Do I need to buy new phones when migrating to VOIP?

Not necessarily. If you already have SIP desk phones they may be compatible with your new VOIP service. Check with your provider. If you have analog handsets currently plugged into a green port on your NBN modem, those cannot connect directly to a SIP service. You can either replace them with SIP phones (Yealink, Grandstream, and similar are common choices in Australia at around $80 to $250 AUD per handset) or use an ATA adapter to connect your existing handsets to the new service. Many providers offer pre-configured handsets as part of their onboarding package.

Will my fax machine work after migrating to VOIP?

Physical fax machines connected directly to a SIP service have variable reliability. Fax over VOIP uses the T.38 protocol and works on many cloud phone system systems, but it is sensitive to the quality of the connection. For businesses that use fax regularly, a cloud fax service can be a simpler, more consistent option since it avoids T.38 dependency entirely. These services provide a fax number, deliver received faxes to email, and allow outbound faxing from a web portal. Cost varies by provider and volume, roughly $10 to $30 per month AUD -- compare current plans before committing. If you must keep a physical fax machine, confirm T.38 support with your provider before committing.

Is my alarm system affected by a VOIP migration?

Potentially yes. Alarm systems that communicate via a phone line (PSTN or ATA) may not be compatible with a standard VOIP SIP connection. Contact your alarm monitoring company before migrating. Options typically include: connecting the alarm via an ATA adapter (works in some cases), upgrading the alarm communicator to a cellular (4G/5G) or IP module, or using a dual-path communicator that uses both cellular and IP. Most alarm companies have handled this transition many times since the NBN rollout and will have a clear recommendation for your specific system.

Do I need a contract to get a business VOIP service in Australia?

Australian business phone plan structures vary by provider, with month-to-month and contract options available in the market. Some providers offer month-to-month service, while others offer fixed terms with different pricing or hardware incentives. Compare the total cost, notice period, hardware obligations and early-exit terms for each offer. Australian Consumer Law remedies may apply when a covered service breaches a consumer guarantee; cancellation generally depends on a major failure or a failure not remedied within a reasonable time. Separate telco service standards apply only within their defined scope. If you are new to a provider, a shorter initial term or month-to-month arrangement reduces your risk while you evaluate service quality.

Related reading:

• PSTN copper shutdown
• ISDN to VoIP migration
• NBN VoIP setup