What Is VoIP? How AI Is Changing Business Calling

Plenty of office phone systems still look the way they did fifteen years ago. There’s a phone on the desk and a number that doesn’t change. Next to it, a laptop runs video calls and messaging without anyone thinking twice. Across the South East, the phone is often the one thing in the office that hasn’t kept up. 

That’s starting to change. Cloud phone systems have improved a lot, and the old analogue network that has carried UK phone calls for decades is being switched off. Every business still using a traditional line will need to move to something else at some point. Some newer cloud systems also do more than carry a call over the internet. A few can write up a call automatically. Some can send an incoming call straight to the right person without anyone touching a switchboard. 

What Changes When You Move to VoIP 

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. A call travels over your internet connection as data, the same way an email or a video call does. It doesn’t need a dedicated copper line. Staff can still use a phone handset if they want one. Most cloud phone systems also let people make and take calls from a laptop or a mobile app, using the same business number wherever they are. 

Day to day, this changes how a business runs its phones. Adding a new starter, or moving someone to a different desk, becomes a case of updating a setting online. Routine changes can often be handled without booking an engineer visit. Staff working from home or a second office can be reached on the same number as everyone else in the building. VoIP isn’t automatically cheaper. Whether it saves money depends on your existing setup, call volumes and how many lines you currently pay for. What it consistently offers is more flexibility over how calls are handled and who answers them. 

Why the Move Is Becoming Harder to Postpone 

Flexibility isn’t the only reason this shift is picking up pace. The UK’s old analogue phone network is being withdrawn for good. The House of Commons Library reports that the number of UK landline customers on that network fell from 5.2 million in July 2024 to 3.2 million in July 2025. BT plans to retire its old landline network by January 2027, with the wider industry also moving away from traditional analogue services. Ofcom expects most people to notice minimal disruption during the move. It isn’t only phones. Alarms and card machines often run over the same copper line, and any business relying on it will need a digital alternative at some point. 

Where AI Fits into Modern Phone Systems 

This is where cloud phone systems go furthest beyond replacing a phone line. Some modern platforms now include AI directly within their calling features. What’s included varies a good deal from one provider to another, so check what a feature does before assuming every system has it. 

AI call transcription turns a phone call into a written record automatically. This helps anyone who relies on notes or memory after a call ends. Gamma is the telecoms partner behind Redinet’s own connectivity services, and its Horizon platform now includes real-time transcription and smart call routing. 

Call summaries work in a similar way. They condense a longer discussion into its key points automatically. Microsoft offers this through Teams Premium, using AI to generate meeting notes so people who missed a call don’t have to sit through a full recording to catch up. 

Smart call routing uses information about who is calling or what they’ve picked from a menu to send the call straight to the right person or team. This cuts out unnecessary transfers. Virtual attendants go further and handle the first part of an incoming call. RingCentral’s AI Receptionist can answer routine questions and book appointments before a caller reaches a person at all. 

Any feature that records or transcribes a call comes with a data protection responsibility. The Information Commissioner’s Office says businesses recording or monitoring calls must tell staff and callers this is happening and explain why in their privacy information. 

Common Questions Before Switching 

Will call quality change? 

Call quality depends heavily on the quality and stability of the internet connection, so the existing connection should be assessed before switching. 

What happens if the internet goes down? 

This depends on the platform. Many systems can redirect calls automatically to mobiles or another site during an outage, so a lost connection doesn’t automatically mean lost calls. Ask a provider exactly how this works before signing anything. 

Can we keep our existing number? 

Usually. Existing business numbers can often be ported to a new provider, but this should be confirmed before the migration is planned. 

Will switching interrupt normal business? 

A well-planned move shouldn’t cause much disruption. Providers can usually run the new system alongside the old one briefly, testing call flows and training staff before the final switch. 

Do we need to replace every desk phone? 

Not necessarily. Many existing IP-enabled handsets work with a new system, and plenty of staff are happy making calls from a laptop or mobile app without a desk phone at all. 

Getting the Switch Right 

Look first at how a business uses its phones day to day. Then decide which features from a new platform are genuinely needed. Call transcription earns its place when client calls are long and detailed and a written record helps. It’s less useful when most calls are short and routine. Pick the features that solve a real problem, and skip the ones that don’t, even if a platform offers them by default. 

Redinet can help with this. We’ve supported businesses across London and the South East for almost 30 years. We look at a business’s existing phone setup and plan a move to a cloud platform around the features that genuinely apply, including AI functionality where it makes sense. If you’re considering VoIP in the South East, speak to an expert about switching to VoIP.