SureTel
Cloud PBX cost guide
Cloud PBX Pricing in South Africa: A Business Cost Guide
Understand the cost building blocks before requesting a Cloud PBX quote.
- Licensed ISP
- Operating since 2010
- ICASA licence 0009/CECS/AUG/09
- South African business focus
Answer first
What shapes a Cloud PBX cost in South Africa
Cloud PBX cost is usually made up of a per-extension platform rate, selected add-ons, calling and any eligible number-porting work. SureTel publishes extension tiers from R60 to R40 per extension per month excluding VAT, while recording, mobile apps, DIDs and call use may change the amount relevant to your business. SureTel assesses those inputs, then recommends the appropriate pricing path — see /pricing/cloud-pbx for a configuration-specific total.
- Published extension tiers from R60 to R40 per extension/month excl. VAT
- Call recording, mobile apps and DIDs are selected cost inputs
- Calling and minute bundles are separate from the extension rate
- Eligible number porting is a conditional once-off cost item
- Use the pricing page for a configuration-specific quote
Published cost snapshot
What does Cloud PBX cost in South Africa?
SureTel's published Cloud PBX platform price is tiered by extension count. The figures below show the recurring extension rate only; selected add-ons, calling and implementation requirements can change an exact quote.
All prices are shown excluding VAT unless stated otherwise.
Extension-price overview
1–20 extensions
R60per extension/month excl. VAT
10 extensions = R600/month
Illustrative extension-only calculation, not a quote.
Excludes calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, handsets, implementation and eligible porting work.
21–50 extensions
R55per extension/month excl. VAT
25 extensions = R1,375/month
Illustrative extension-only calculation, not a quote.
Excludes calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, handsets, implementation and eligible porting work.
51–100 extensions
R50per extension/month excl. VAT
75 extensions = R3,750/month
Illustrative extension-only calculation, not a quote.
Excludes calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, handsets, implementation and eligible porting work.
101–300 extensions
R45per extension/month excl. VAT
150 extensions = R6,750/month
Illustrative extension-only calculation, not a quote.
Excludes calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, handsets, implementation and eligible porting work.
301+ extensions
R40per extension/month excl. VAT
350 extensions = R14,000/month
Illustrative extension-only calculation, not a quote.
Excludes calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, handsets, implementation and eligible porting work.
See configuration-specific Cloud PBX pricing.
Selected add-ons and cost inputs
| Item | Approved public price | How to describe it |
|---|---|---|
| Call recording retention | 1 year: R9 · 2 years: R17 · 3 years: R26 · 4 years: R34 · 5 years: R42 per extension/month | Optional. Priced per extension/month when selected; not included in the base extension rate. |
| Mobile app | R20 per extension/month | Optional. Apply only to extensions that require mobile-app access. |
| DID | R10 per DID/month | Apply where a business requires a DID; not every configuration needs one. |
| Eligible number porting | R40 once-off per number | Conditional. Eligibility and migration requirements must be confirmed before it is included in a quote. |
| Minute bundles | From R300/month | Separate from extension pricing. Actual bundle choice depends on business use. |
| Call rates | From 30c/min, per-second billing | Separate from extension pricing. Usage and destination mix affect actual monthly calling cost. |
How to read these figures: the extension rate is a recurring platform-cost input. Add-ons apply only where selected or required. Calling, usage, migration, hardware and implementation requirements must be confirmed for an exact total.
A practical Cloud PBX budget usually has four layers
Extensions
Per-extension platform tier based on the extension range.
Selected add-ons
Recording retention · mobile-app extensions · DIDs.
Calling
Per-second calling and/or a selected minute bundle.
One-off or requirements-led
Eligible number porting · hardware · implementation requirements where applicable.
Not every business needs every layer. The purpose is to prevent a single published "from" figure being mistaken for a complete monthly or implementation quote.
Cost factors
What can change a Cloud PBX monthly cost?
A price per extension is useful for planning, but it does not answer every budget question. A business should separate recurring platform costs, optional recurring additions, call use and once-off migration requirements before comparing suppliers.
Extension count
Business question: How many people, devices or functional extensions need to be provisioned?
Pricing implication: Determines the published tier used for the recurring platform subtotal.
Recording retention
Business question: Which extensions need recordings, and for how long?
Pricing implication: Adds a selected recurring price per relevant extension.
Mobile-app access
Business question: Which users need to handle business calls from a mobile app?
Pricing implication: Adds R20/month only to selected extensions.
DIDs
Business question: Does the business need additional direct inward dial numbers?
Pricing implication: Adds R10/month for each DID where required.
Calling pattern
Business question: Are calls light, predictable, high-volume or spread across several destinations?
Pricing implication: May affect whether a minute bundle or standard per-second usage is appropriate.
Existing numbers
Business question: Are familiar customer-facing numbers being moved?
Pricing implication: Eligible porting is R40 once-off per number, subject to confirmation.
Connectivity and local network
Business question: Is the internet connection, local network and endpoint environment suitable for the intended voice use?
Pricing implication: May affect the wider decision and solution design, rather than being an automatic Cloud PBX extension cost.
Existing phone environment
Business question: Is there an existing PBX, handset estate or routing requirement?
Pricing implication: May affect implementation, migration or an alternative phone-system path.
Worked examples
What could an extension-only Cloud PBX estimate look like?
The examples below show how published extension tiers can be used for early budgeting. They do not include calls, minute bundles, selected add-ons, DIDs, hardware, implementation or eligible number-porting work unless an item is specifically shown.
Example A — A 10-person professional office
A small office with 10 extensions starts with 10 × R60 = R600/month excl. VAT for the extension platform subtotal. If eight users select mobile-app access, that adds 8 × R20 = R160/month; the example still excludes calls, any DIDs, recording, handsets and implementation requirements.
Illustrative · excludes VAT · not a quote.
Example B — A 25-extension retail or branch operation
A business planning for 25 extensions starts with 25 × R55 = R1,375/month excl. VAT for the extension platform subtotal. It may then decide whether selected managers need mobile-app access, whether departments need DIDs and whether call use warrants a minute-bundle discussion.
Illustrative · excludes VAT · not a quote.
Example C — A 75-extension customer-service team
A 75-extension environment starts with 75 × R50 = R3,750/month excl. VAT for extension pricing only. When some extensions require recordings, the retention period is a separate decision; call usage and any existing-number migration are also considered independently.
Illustrative · excludes VAT · not a quote.
Example D — A 150-extension multi-site organisation
A 150-extension organisation starts with 150 × R45 = R6,750/month excl. VAT for the platform subtotal. Its real budget conversation should also identify which sites have compatible connectivity, how calls are routed, which users need mobile access and whether separate suppliers are creating an unclear support path.
Illustrative · excludes VAT · not a quote.
Practical scenarios
How can businesses use the guide in a real phone-system decision?
Cost planning works best when it is tied to the way people answer, route and make calls. These scenarios show what a business may need to clarify before treating an extension figure as its likely monthly budget.
Scenario A — A legal or professional-services office with familiar numbers
A firm has a receptionist, partners and support staff using a handful of customer-facing business numbers. Its budget questions include extension count, whether particular users need mobile-app access, the number of DIDs required and whether existing numbers are eligible to move. Link to the porting guide for process detail rather than explaining the entire process here.
Scenario B — A multi-branch retailer with several suppliers
A retailer has internet at one site, PBX support from another provider and voice billing elsewhere. When a branch reports poor call quality or slow internet, suppliers may point to each other and provide limited incident feedback. The cost conversation should capture extension needs and call use, but it should also identify which voice, connectivity and local-network components are involved so the business can discuss a clearer support route; no outcome is guaranteed.
Scenario C — A hybrid team that needs business calling on more than desk phones
A growing office has staff working from the office, home and client sites. The guide helps it separate the extension count from the number of people who genuinely need mobile-app access, instead of adding the optional mobile-app charge to every extension by default. It should also consider whether each user's connectivity environment is suitable for the intended calling pattern.
Scenario D — An organisation reviewing unreliable internet and voice concerns together
A business is researching Cloud PBX after recurring call-quality complaints, slow internet and uncertainty about the current supplier's updates. The price guide can explain cost inputs, but the business should not assume that a Cloud PBX change by itself resolves every voice or connectivity issue. Business Connectivity and the coverage checker are linked where an address-dependent connection review is relevant.
Scenario E — A company replacing an older PBX
A company comparing a hosted option with an onsite system needs to understand more than extension pricing. It may have existing handsets, PBX compatibility questions, local requirements or financing preferences that change the decision. The Business Phone Systems solution page helps with that broader decision before forcing a Cloud PBX quote.
Next-step decision guide
Where should you go after reading this cost guide?
| Your next question | Recommended route |
|---|---|
| “What would our exact Cloud PBX configuration cost?” | View Cloud PBX pricing → |
| “Is Cloud PBX suitable for our users, sites and current phone environment?” | Explore Cloud PBX → |
| “Can we retain a business number?” | Read the number-porting guide → |
| “We still do not know which phone-system model fits.” | Get help choosing a phone system → |
| “We need to discuss voice and address-dependent internet together.” | Check coverage → |
Only published routes are listed. For an exact monthly total, go to /pricing/cloud-pbx.
Cost-model context
Is the lowest per-extension price always the lowest Cloud PBX cost?
Not necessarily. A useful comparison separates what is included in the extension rate from optional add-ons, call use, migration requirements, hardware and the support path a business needs to understand during an incident.
| Comparison question | Why it matters | What to document before comparing |
|---|---|---|
| What does the published extension rate cover? | A lower headline rate may not represent the same scope. | Included platform scope, excluded items and extension tier. |
| Which additions are selected? | Recording, mobile apps and DIDs may apply to some users but not all. | Exact count and retention choice for each selected item. |
| How are calls handled? | Calling is separate from the platform rate. | Estimated usage, destination mix and whether a bundle is relevant. |
| Are existing numbers moving? | Porting is a separate, conditional migration item. | Number list, current provider and eligibility confirmation. |
| What does the business need from support? | A low price does not answer who investigates voice, internet, endpoint or PBX issues. | Current provider map, escalation contacts and desired communication expectations. |
| Is the intended connection suitable? | Internet speed, reliability and local-network conditions can matter to internet-based calling. | Site addresses, existing service, local network and operating pattern. |
What "price per extension" means
How should a business interpret "per extension" pricing?
An extension is a business phone-system identity or function allocated for calling and routing. The published tier is a recurring platform-cost input based on the extension range, while selected additions and call use sit alongside it rather than disappearing into the same number.
Extension
A business calling identity that can be configured for a person, function or call-routing need.
Do not equate every extension automatically with a physical handset.
DID
A number that can direct inbound calls to a specific destination or route.
Charged at R10/DID/month where required, not described as automatically included.
Mobile app
An optional way for selected extensions to use business calling from a mobile app.
R20/selected extension/month, not an automatic inclusion for every user.
Call recording retention
A selected record-keeping option with a chosen retention period.
Optional and charged per extension/month according to the selected period.
Minute bundle / calls
The business's calling consumption layer.
Separate from the per-extension platform rate.
Number porting
A process for moving an eligible existing number.
Conditional and charged R40 once-off per eligible number.
Why SureTel
Why discuss the cost inputs before deciding?
A useful budget discussion should distinguish user count, optional additions, calling, existing numbers and connectivity context instead of forcing a generic package. SureTel brings business communications and connectivity conversations together for South African businesses.
Licensed South African ISP
ICASA licence
0009/CECS/AUG/09
Operating since 2010
Business communications and connectivity under one provider
Practical support conversation for South African businesses
These facts do not guarantee service availability, call quality, response time, compatibility, implementation date, uptime or a specific outcome. Coverage, configuration and requirements still need confirmation.
From cost research to a quote
What should a business prepare before requesting Cloud PBX pricing?
Bring the information that affects price, deployment and migration decisions. This makes the next conversation more useful than a request for a single headline rate.
List users and calling roles
Distinguish people, departments, reception, ring groups and other extension needs.
Identify selected additions
Note recording retention, mobile-app users and DIDs only where needed.
Describe calling and number requirements
Explain likely usage, existing numbers and whether porting is being explored.
Record current environment context
Existing PBX, handsets, sites, connection concerns and any multi-provider support confusion.
Request configuration-specific pricing
Use /pricing/cloud-pbx or the quote form so recurring and once-off items can be considered together.
Cloud PBX deployment can range from same day to 10 working days depending on requirements; this is guidance, not a promise, fixed SLA or universal lead time.
Cloud PBX pricing FAQs
Frequently asked questions about Cloud PBX pricing in South Africa
How much does Cloud PBX cost in South Africa?
SureTel Cloud PBX extension pricing is published from R60 to R40 per extension per month excluding VAT, depending on the extension range. An exact monthly total can also depend on selected recording, mobile-app access, DIDs, calling, minute bundles, existing numbers and implementation requirements.
What does SureTel Cloud PBX cost per extension?
SureTel's published extension tiers are R60 for 1–20 extensions, R55 for 21–50, R50 for 51–100, R45 for 101–300 and R40 for 301 or more extensions, all excluding VAT. The extension rate is only one part of an overall business phone-system budget.
Does Cloud PBX pricing reduce for larger businesses?
Yes. SureTel's published per-extension rate reduces as the extension tier increases, from R60 for 1–20 extensions to R40 for 301 or more extensions, excluding VAT. The final configuration can still depend on selected add-ons, calling and requirements.
Are calls included in the Cloud PBX extension rate?
No. Calling is separate from the recurring extension platform rate. SureTel offers call rates from 30c per minute with per-second billing and minute bundles from R300 per month, excluding VAT; the relevant option depends on business use.
Is call recording included in Cloud PBX pricing?
Call recording is an optional add-on, not an automatic inclusion in the extension rate. SureTel's published recording prices range from R9 to R42 per extension per month excluding VAT, depending on the selected retention period.
How much is the Cloud PBX mobile app?
SureTel's Cloud PBX mobile-app access is R20 per selected extension per month excluding VAT. It should be added only for extensions that need mobile-app access.
How much does a DID cost with Cloud PBX?
A DID is R10 per DID per month excluding VAT where it is required. The number of DIDs depends on how a business wants inbound calls to reach users, teams or call routes.
Is there a charge to port an existing business number?
Eligible number porting is R40 once-off per number excluding VAT. SureTel must confirm eligibility, current-provider details and migration requirements before treating this as part of a quote.
Can slow or unreliable internet affect a Cloud PBX decision?
It can be relevant because Cloud PBX uses internet-based calling. Slow or unreliable connectivity, local-network conditions, endpoints and how providers coordinate during faults can all be important discussion points; a Cloud PBX price guide cannot diagnose or guarantee an outcome for those conditions.
Where can I get an exact Cloud PBX price for my business?
Visit SureTel's Cloud PBX Pricing page or request a quote with your extension count, selected additions, existing-number requirements, calling needs and current phone environment. That allows the relevant recurring and once-off inputs to be considered together.
Next step
Ready to turn a Cloud PBX budget into a configuration?
Share your extension count, selected additions, calling needs and current phone-system context. SureTel can guide you to the relevant Cloud PBX pricing path. For published pricing now, see /pricing/cloud-pbx.
Your details are used to respond to this enquiry and are handled according to SureTel's Privacy Policy.