PBX Help Hub
Service · repair, upgrade or replace

Keep it, upgrade it, or replace it?

Answer six questions for an instant, fair recommendation. If you want it checked, we turn it into a written plan that compares every option, 3CX included, without pushing one.

How old is the system?
Is it still supported by the maker?
How often do faults come back?
How many sites?
Any big change coming?
Do you need the phones to work with other software?

The options we compare.

Every written assessment covers all of them, with costs from real quotes, not list prices.

OptionGood whenWatch out for
Keep and repairSupported, stable, faults are one-offsHidden end-of-support dates
Upgrade in placeHardware is fine, software is behindLicence costs and handset compatibility
3CXYou want ownership and flexible hostingSized by simultaneous calls, with edition limits
Microsoft Teams PhoneStaff already live in TeamsPer-user licences, reception and queue features
Hosted (8x8, RingCentral and others)You want no on-site kitContract length and number porting

Features and licensing change, so check each vendor's current terms.

Where is your system in its life?

Most on-site systems follow the same pattern. The right move depends on where the marker sits.

Loop A marker moves along a phone system's life: supported, end of sale, then end of support, with the advice changing from keep, to plan, to replace. InstalledEnd of saleEnd of support Supported · keep it, fix faults, back up End of sale · plan the next step End of support · replace before it fails Illustrative. Real dates vary by maker and model.
Calculator

What does an hour without phones cost you?

Move the sliders. Your numbers, your estimate. Nothing is sent anywhere.

25 people
£22 / hour
3 hours
Staff time per outage
£1,650
If it happens once a quarter£6,600

Doesn't include lost sales, missed calls or reputation. Compare it with the cost of support or replacement.

Get a costed assessment →
Free infographic

Keep, upgrade or replace? The 60-second decision tree.

Three questions that settle most phone-system decisions. Save it for your next board meeting or contract renewal.

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Keep, upgrade or replace? The 60-second decision treeIf the system is out of support, assess replacement. If faults recur monthly, plan an upgrade or replacement. If a big change is coming, price both first. Otherwise keep it. PBX HELP HUB · FREE GUIDE Keep, upgradeor replace? The 60-second decision tree for business phones. Still supported bythe maker? No Assessreplacement now Yes Faults coming backevery month? Yes Plan upgradeor replacement No Move, new site orrenewal coming up? Yes Price bothbefore then No Keep it. Fix today's fault, keep a currentbackup, and review again in a year. If you replace, compare all of them: KeepUpgrade3CXTeams PhoneHosted A guide, not advice · independent, not affiliated with any maker
Infographic: a three-question decision tree for keeping, upgrading or replacing a business phone system.
See it happen

Keep, upgrade or replace?

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Written assessment

Get a plan you can take to the board.

Your answers above come with the request.

  • Every option costed side by side
  • Risks, timings and number porting
  • A staged migration plan if you replace

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