Business phone system with FreePBX

As a rule, yes. You need a SIP line (a phone line over the internet), which most Belgian providers offer to businesses, but not all of them guarantee it will work with an independent phone system like FreePBX: so before we start, I check with you that the chosen offer is suitable. If you change provider, the new one takes over your numbers (number porting); on the day of the transfer, Belgian law limits activation and any interruption to one working day. A landline number can only be kept within the same area code, though (081, 02…).

I install and test the new phone system alongside the old one, after checking your internet connection and your network: for voice, stability matters more than speed. The numbers are transferred on the date you choose, the team is trained beforehand, and any interruption is usually limited to that moment. If you are still on a copper line or ISDN, now is the right time: these technologies are gradually being phased out.

Recent IP phones (SIP) can often be reused, unless they are locked by their previous provider; the digital handsets of an old switchboard (PABX), on the other hand, only work with their own system and need replacing. Analogue phones connect through a small adapter box, and so does a fax, but fax works more or less well depending on the line: we test it first. Incoming faxes can also arrive straight in your e-mail, with no machine; sending faxes from the computer, however, requires a paid module.

Your choice. On a small server on your premises, everything stays with you, recordings included, apart from the backup copy, which we store wherever you like; on an online server, there is nothing to host, and if your office loses internet, calls can switch over to mobiles. Either way, it is a server that must be kept up to date and monitored, above all for security: I can take care of that remotely, or show the person who manages your IT how to do it.

FreePBX itself is open-source software: no licence per phone or per user. You pay for the SIP line subscription (to your provider), the hardware, any online server, and my work as a fixed fee or by the hour, quoted after a free first conversation. On top of that, only if you choose them, come paid modules or apps from the publisher (fax sending, advanced reports, official mobile app…) and online services billed by usage, such as transcription or AI: I only suggest them when they are worth it, along with the alternatives.

Often, yes. If it has an API (an entry point designed for other programs) or a database the publisher allows to be read, I can display the customer’s name, open their record and file the call history in it. Some software, such as Odoo, has its own telephony module: in that case, we test compatibility before committing. And if the link cannot be done cleanly, I tell you before we start.

In principle no, except in specific cases: with everyone’s consent, to keep proof of an order or an agreement, or for quality control in a call centre (kept for one month at most). Callers and staff must be informed beforehand: about the recording, its purpose, how long it is kept, their rights and where to find the full information. I set up the announcement and the automatic deletion, but I am not a lawyer: the exact framework should be confirmed with your legal adviser or your data protection officer (DPO).

They save time, but they remain an aid, not official minutes: a crackling line, a strong accent or a mix of French and Dutch can cause errors, and the original recording is still there to check. At present, according to its documentation, the FreePBX publisher’s paid module only summarises in English and has the audio transcribed in the United States. That is why I set up a custom solution, in French or Dutch, with processing in Europe or on a server of your own.

It is possible, but it is a custom project: the phone system passes the conversation to a speech recognition and AI service, which answers, takes a message or puts the call through to the right person. Quality, response time and cost per minute vary from one service to another, so we test before deciding, and the caller must know they are talking to an AI. For many businesses, a good menu and well-made announcements are enough.

Unlike the old copper lines, the phone system, the IP phones and the internet router need electricity: a UPS (a backup battery) keeps them running through a short outage, and calls can be forwarded to your mobiles if your provider allows it. I set up the emergency numbers (112, 101) so that they work from every phone. Please note: the emergency services receive the address registered with the provider, not the location of someone working from home; away from the office, it is better to call 112 from your mobile.