Shared vs dedicated business phone systems

The short answer

If you need 15 or fewer extensions and the normal features of a business phone system — numbers, extensions, an auto attendant, voicemail-to-email, apps — a shared plan is usually the better value at $69, $139, $199 per month depending on how many extensions you need (an effective $13.80, $13.90, $13.27 per extension at each package's full capacity; each package is billed as a flat monthly total). If you need more than 15 extensions, integrations or custom call flows, or want more control over configuration, choose a dedicated isolated instance, starting at $279 per month and quoted to your needs.

What a shared (multi-tenant) phone system is

A shared plan runs your company's phone system as its own tenant on a hosted PBX platform that serves several businesses. The platform's servers and software are common; your configuration is not. Each tenant has its own extensions, phone numbers, call routing, voicemail boxes, call history and contacts.

“Shared” describes the infrastructure, not your data. Other businesses on the platform cannot use your numbers, join or hear your calls, or see your contacts or call records. Our team manages the platform for you, so there is nothing for you to install, patch or maintain.

What a dedicated isolated instance is

A dedicated plan gives your company its own individual PBX instance instead of a tenant alongside others. Because the instance exists only for you, it can be configured more deeply: custom call flows, stronger admin control, private configuration settings, and integrations with CRMs, APIs or other vendors where they are compatible. Integration work is scoped and quoted for your setup — we don't promise compatibility with a specific product until we've confirmed it.

Logical separation vs a separate instance

It helps to be precise about what each option isolates:

• Shared: separation is logical. Your tenant's settings and data are kept apart from other tenants by the platform, while the underlying servers are common.
• Dedicated: your company runs on its own instance, so your system isn't sharing a PBX with other customers' tenants.
• Neither is a physically separate phone network. Both are hosted VoIP systems: calls travel over the internet, so call quality depends on your internet connection and network.

No phone system is risk-free, and we don't claim absolute security for either option. What a dedicated instance gives you is more separation and more control — useful when your policies or clients ask for it.

Tradeoffs at a glance

• Cost: shared is a fixed, lower monthly price. Dedicated starts higher and is quoted.
• Speed to start: shared tiers are standardized, so setup is simpler. Dedicated setups take more planning because they are built around your requirements.
• Flexibility: shared covers standard routing and an auto attendant. Dedicated adds custom call flows, integrations and private configuration.
• Scale: shared plans go up to 15 extensions. Dedicated has a custom extension count for larger and growing teams.
• Support: shared plans include remote support during business hours plus emergency outage assistance. Dedicated support is scoped with your quote.

How to choose: a quick decision guide

1. Do you need more than 15 extensions now, or expect to soon? → Dedicated.
2. Do you need your phones connected to a CRM, an API or another vendor's system? → Dedicated.
3. Do your policies, insurers or clients require your system to be separate from other organisations' tenants? → Dedicated.
4. Do you need complex call flows, deep admin control or custom configuration? → Dedicated.
5. None of the above, and you want a reliable professional phone system at a predictable price? → Shared.

What both plans have in common

Both are set up and managed by our team in Syracuse, New York. Both support porting your existing numbers, mobile and desktop apps, voicemail-to-email, call routing and internet fax. Both can add company-wide call recording and transcription for $20/month. On both, the setup fee is waived with an annual commitment, and nothing is charged until you've confirmed your order with us.