SureTel
Communication solutions for distributed teams
Communication Solutions for Remote and Hybrid Teams
Keep business calls consistent wherever your people work.
Cloud PBX from R60 per extension/month excl. VAT
- Licensed South African ISP
- ICASA licence: 0009/CECS/AUG/09
- Operating since 2010
- South African business focus
In short
Central business calling wherever your people work
Remote and hybrid team communication solutions help businesses keep company extensions, call routing and business calling consistent while staff work from the office, home or the field. SureTel combines Cloud PBX, VoIP and, where appropriate, managed home connectivity options, then assesses users, call flows, work locations and service feasibility to recommend a SureTel-supplied solution within that scope. Request a quote for a practical remote-work setup.
- Cloud PBX from R60 per extension/month excl. VAT
- Mobile-app access from R20 per extension/month excl. VAT
- SureTel FTTH from R599/month excl. VAT where available for selected home workers
- LTE/5G connectivity from R379/month excl. VAT where suitable for a scoped primary or backup role
- Central call rules for office, home-based and mobile staff
Indicative starting-price guide
Indicative starting prices for remote and hybrid team communications
A remote-work setup is assembled from the voice, user-access and connectivity components each business and employee location needs. The figures below are approved starting points, not a fixed package or a confirmation of home-service availability.
- Cloud PBX extensions
From R60 per extension/month
Applies to 1–20 extensions; approved pricing scales down to R40 per extension for 300+ extensions. Final design depends on user counts, call flows and selected add-ons.
- Cloud PBX mobile app
R20 per extension/month
Optional mobile-app access for relevant users. Confirm device compatibility, user requirements and selected configuration in the quote.
- Business VoIP calls
From 30c/min
Per-second billing applies. Voice usage and the right minute-bundle level depend on the business's calling pattern.
- Voice minute bundles
From R300/month
Available from 750 minutes upward; choose around expected calling volumes rather than assuming one bundle fits all users.
- SureTel FTTH
From R599/month
May be considered as a managed primary home connection for selected employees where the address is serviceable. Availability, final access type and installation timing are address-specific.
- LTE/5G connectivity
From R379/month
May be scoped as a managed primary or backup connection for selected home-based employees where suitable. Coverage, equipment, data requirements and actual behaviour depend on the agreed service design.
- Number porting
R40 per number once-off
Eligible existing business numbers may be ported subject to the applicable process and checks.
All prices are shown excluding VAT unless stated otherwise. Final pricing can depend on extension counts, call usage, devices, employee addresses, serviceability, coverage, hardware, installation, number porting, contract terms, selected connection type and agreed support scope. Do not total these figures into a fixed "remote-work bundle" price.
Problems this solves
When hybrid work makes business calling harder to manage
The challenge is usually not that employees work in different places; it is that the business has no common way to route, answer and manage customer calls across those places. Use this section to make the operational problem visible before presenting the recommended components.
Operational problem — Customers call personal mobile numbers
Design response: Give relevant staff a business extension and configured business call path instead of relying on private numbers.
Operational problem — Calls are missed when people move between office and home
Design response: Set call-routing, ring groups, business hours and escalation paths around how the business wants calls handled.
Operational problem — A caller cannot reach the right person or department
Design response: Use menus, queues or transfer rules where included in the scoped Cloud PBX configuration.
Operational problem — Remote staff use disconnected phone tools
Design response: Bring relevant users into one Cloud PBX and VoIP operating model rather than maintaining isolated phone arrangements.
Operational problem — Home-based employees have inconsistent internet options
Design response: Consider an address-specific FTTH or LTE/5G role for selected employees alongside the business calling setup.
Operational problem — Home Wi-Fi or VPN settings affect voice quality
Design response: Make network readiness part of the planning discussion; local Wi-Fi, latency, packet loss, bandwidth and routing can affect real-time voice.
Operational problem — Managers need changes made centrally
Design response: Use central extension, user and call-rule administration instead of reconfiguring a separate phone setup for every home worker.
Operational problem — Several suppliers create unclear handoffs
Design response: Keep the SureTel-supplied voice and scoped connectivity components clear, with practical communication within that solution scope.
Core benefits / when it fits
A better fit when work locations change but customer calling cannot
The value is operational consistency: people can work from different locations while the business retains a defined calling structure. The benefit grid focuses on practical outcomes, not generic remote-work claims.
A business identity for calls
Relevant employees work through configured business extensions and call rules rather than a patchwork of personal numbers.
Consistent call handling
Business-hours rules, ring groups, transfers and escalation paths can be applied around the way the team operates.
Flexible user locations
Users can be set up for office, home and mobile work patterns without treating every location as a separate telephone system.
Central administration
User, extension and call-routing changes can be handled through the central Cloud PBX setup within the agreed solution scope.
Employee connection options
Selected home workers may be considered for SureTel FTTH as a primary connection or LTE/5G in a scoped primary or backup role.
Clearer supplier accountability
SureTel provides a clear point of contact for the voice and connectivity components it supplies, with practical coordination and updates within that scope.
This solution is most useful when a business wants a repeatable communications model for employees who regularly work across office, home and mobile locations. It is not a promise that every employee home will have the same access technology or call-quality outcome.
Recommended service mix
Build the right remote-work communication stack
Four focused components. Each card links to its canonical service page so the solution supports product discovery rather than replacing it.
Cloud PBX
Central extensions, call-routing rules, ring groups, business-hours handling, transfers and administration for the configured business calling setup.
Explore Cloud PBX →Business VoIP
The business voice layer for calls, number management and approved call-rate or bundle options.
Explore Business VoIP →SureTel FTTH for selected home workers
A managed primary connection option where the employee address is serviceable and the business wants the home link included in its solution plan.
Explore SureTel FTTH for selected home workers →LTE/5G connectivity for selected home workers
A scoped primary or backup connectivity option where coverage, equipment and the agreed service design make it suitable.
Explore LTE/5G connectivity for selected home workers →
Configuration details to surface in the scope
- Extension allocation and department structure
- Business-hours and after-hours call handling
- Ring groups, transfers and escalation rules
- Appropriate device choice: desk phone, softphone or mobile app
- Employee addresses requiring managed primary or backup connectivity consideration
- Home Wi-Fi, VPN and device-readiness responsibilities
- Number-porting requirements for existing business numbers
The mobile-app, FTTH and LTE/5G components are not automatically included with every Cloud PBX extension. Each element is selected and quoted according to the user and location requirement.
Use cases
Where this approach is most useful
Professional services teams
Advisers, consultants and support staff can receive business calls through a defined extension and routing setup while moving between client work, office time and home work.
Sales teams on the move
Configure business calling for staff who work from home, travel between customer meetings and need customers to reach a consistent business number.
Customer-service staff working from home
Set clear call-handling paths and consider managed home connectivity for employees whose role depends on reliable access to the company calling environment.
Medical and practice administration
Route caller enquiries around practice hours, reception roles and remote administrative staff without relying only on personal mobile numbers.
Legal, finance and insurance offices
Keep a defined business calling structure when teams split time between office, home and client work.
Growing SMEs formalising hybrid work
Replace informal personal-number arrangements with an organised Cloud PBX, VoIP and employee connectivity plan.
Decision guidance
Choose the right setup for each employee role and location
Not every employee needs the same device or connection type. The right choice depends on whether the person handles customer calls regularly, where they work, the local connection options and how much of the home setup the business wants included in its managed scope.
| Situation | Useful starting point | Key planning question | Important caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employee alternates between office and home | Cloud PBX extension + configured desk phone, softphone or mobile app | Does the employee need the same business call path in both places? | Device choice and access setup should suit the user's actual work pattern. |
| Employee handles frequent customer calls from home | Cloud PBX + VoIP + consider managed FTTH as a primary connection | Is the home address serviceable and is the business responsible for the connection? | FTTH availability and installation are confirmed per address. |
| Employee needs a managed mobile-data-based connection | Cloud PBX + VoIP + consider LTE/5G as a primary connection | Is coverage and the intended usage suitable for the selected employee? | Do not promise fibre-like performance or universal coverage. |
| Employee needs a planned secondary connection | Cloud PBX + VoIP + scope LTE/5G backup | What equipment and configuration are required for the intended continuity role? | Backup behaviour is not automatic unless explicitly designed, supplied and agreed. |
| Employee only occasionally answers calls away from the office | Cloud PBX extension + mobile app | Does the role need full desk-phone capability or simply business-call access? | Local Wi-Fi/mobile-data quality and device condition still affect the experience. |
| Team uses a VPN for other work systems | Confirm voice-traffic approach as part of the design | Will voice media travel efficiently, or does VPN routing add avoidable delay? | VPN configuration can affect real-time call quality; do not assume every VPN is suitable. |
Home connection availability and voice quality are not guaranteed by a Cloud PBX licence alone. A suitable connection, local Wi-Fi/device setup and agreed configuration are all relevant to the result at each employee location.
What makes a remote and hybrid business phone setup different?
The phone system, employee device and internet connection are separate layers
A remote-work communications setup is not simply "a phone at home". The business calling rules live in the Cloud PBX, while the employee connects through an approved device over the internet service available at that work location.
Business calling layer — Cloud PBX
extensions · business-hours rules · call routing / ring groups · transfers
Office user — desk phone or softphone
office connection under its own scoped design
Home-based user — mobile app, softphone or desk phone
FTTH where address is serviceable and scoped
Selected home-based user — mobile app, softphone or desk phone
LTE/5G in an agreed primary or backup role — coverage, equipment and configuration are confirmed per address
The Cloud PBX can hold the business calling rules centrally, but each work location still needs an appropriate device and connection. The diagram does not represent a guaranteed service path or automatic switching between connections.
Where do business extensions and call rules live?
In the central Cloud PBX configuration. An extension can be assigned to a user and linked to the configured calling rules without being permanently tied to one physical desk.
What does the employee use at home?
Depending on the scoped solution, the employee may use a desk phone, softphone or Cloud PBX mobile app. The chosen device must be compatible with the agreed configuration and work pattern.
What does FTTH contribute?
SureTel FTTH may be considered as a managed primary home connection where the address is serviceable and the employer wants the employee home connection included in the business communications plan.
What does LTE/5G contribute?
LTE/5G may be considered as a managed primary or backup connection where suitable. Its coverage, equipment, data requirements and actual behaviour are part of the agreed design rather than assumptions on this page.
Why does local network quality matter?
Real-time voice can be affected by available bandwidth, Wi-Fi design, packet loss, jitter, latency, device health and VPN routing. A Cloud PBX does not remove those local network variables.
Why SureTel
One practical partner for business calling and scoped connectivity
Licensed South African ISP
SureTel is a licensed South African ISP and communications provider.
Operating since 2010
Established experience supporting South African business communications needs.
ICASA licence
ICASA licence number: 0009/CECS/AUG/09.
One provider for voice and connectivity
Relevant voice, Cloud PBX and selected connectivity components can be planned through one provider rather than treated as unrelated purchases.
Practical support and clear scope
SureTel communicates and coordinates within the scope of the components it supplies, without promising control over unrelated third-party faults.
South African business focus
Designed around practical business needs, local availability checks and straightforward commercial guidance.
Point of presence (POP) at the NTT Johannesburg (JOH1) data centre.
Process
From hybrid-work requirements to a practical rollout plan
Share your workforce and call requirements
Identify how many users need business extensions, what call flows matter and which employees work from home, office or mobile locations.
Confirm employee location and connection requirements
Identify the addresses that need a company-managed primary or backup connection consideration, along with device and Wi-Fi/VPN dependencies.
Design the communication setup
Set out the Cloud PBX, VoIP, mobile-app, FTTH and LTE/5G components that are appropriate for the scoped requirement.
Receive a clear quote and implementation plan
Confirm pricing, connection availability, porting needs, equipment, implementation steps and responsibility boundaries before deployment.
Deploy and support the supplied solution
Configure approved users and call flows, coordinate the included components and provide practical communication within the SureTel-supplied scope.
Cloud PBX deployment may range from same day to 10 working days depending on requirements; home connectivity lead times and activation depend on address serviceability and the selected service. These are planning guides, not deployment promises.
FAQs
Remote and hybrid team communication FAQs
Can remote employees use their business extension from home?
Yes. A Cloud PBX can assign a business extension to a user rather than permanently tying it to one desk. Depending on the agreed setup, the employee may use a desk phone, softphone or mobile app to make and receive business calls through their configured extension. The device, local connection and routing rules still need to suit the employee's actual working pattern.
Do hybrid teams need Cloud PBX, VoIP or both?
They commonly work together but serve different roles. Cloud PBX provides the call-control layer, such as extensions, routing, ring groups and business-hours rules. VoIP provides the business voice service used for calls. This solution page explains the hybrid-work use case; see Cloud PBX (/services/cloud-pbx) and Business VoIP (/services/voip) for the canonical service detail.
Can SureTel provide fibre for employees working from home?
SureTel FTTH may be considered as a managed primary connection for selected home-based employees where the address is serviceable and the business wants that connection included in its communications plan. FTTH starts from R599/month excluding VAT, but final availability, installation timing, service type and pricing are confirmed per address. Use the relevant connectivity page (/services/business-connectivity) to begin a coverage discussion.
Can LTE or 5G be used for a home-based employee?
It can be considered as a managed primary or backup connection for selected employees where coverage, equipment, data requirements and the planned use make it suitable. LTE/5G connectivity starts from R379/month excluding VAT. It should not be assumed to deliver the same result at every home, and backup behaviour is not automatic unless it is specifically designed, supplied and agreed.
Will a Cloud PBX guarantee clear calls for every home worker?
No. Cloud PBX provides the business calling and routing layer, but call quality can still be affected by the employee's available bandwidth, Wi-Fi environment, packet loss, jitter, latency, VPN routing and device setup. A practical solution considers those local factors rather than promising a uniform result across every home.
Can employees use a mobile app instead of a desk phone?
Yes, where the selected Cloud PBX setup supports the employee's role and device. SureTel's approved mobile-app add-on is R20 per extension/month excluding VAT. The right choice depends on call volume, the employee's work environment, the need for transfers or call handling, and whether the employee needs a fixed desk-phone experience.
Can remote staff transfer calls to office-based staff or another department?
Yes, where the Cloud PBX is configured with the relevant extensions, transfer permissions, ring groups and call-routing rules. The exact experience depends on the selected device and the agreed configuration. This is one reason to plan the call flow before deployment rather than adding users one by one without a shared structure.
Can we keep our current business number when staff work remotely?
Eligible business numbers can usually be ported through the applicable porting process, subject to the required checks and documentation. SureTel's approved number-porting price is R40 per number once-off excluding VAT. Read the number-porting guide (/resources/number-porting-south-africa) for the educational process details.
How much does a remote and hybrid team phone setup cost?
The cost depends on the number of extensions, mobile-app users, expected call usage, number-porting needs, employee addresses and whether the business includes managed FTTH or LTE/5G connectivity for selected home workers. Starting points include Cloud PBX from R60 per extension/month, mobile app access at R20 per extension/month, FTTH from R599/month and LTE/5G connectivity from R379/month, all excluding VAT. Request a quote for a scoped view rather than treating these figures as a fixed bundle.
Remote and hybrid team enquiries
Give your hybrid team a clearer business calling setup
Request a quote from SureTel to plan Cloud PBX, VoIP and employee connectivity options around the way your people actually work.
We will confirm the relevant user, location and connectivity requirements before recommending the SureTel-supplied components that fit the scoped solution.
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