Juliet Moran from TelephoneSystems.Cloud says current regulation doesn’t go far enough, leaving businesses falling victim to deals which aren’t as good as they seem and pushy sales people.
She claims they need overhauling to increase transparency and give business customers peace of mind when taking out a new contact with a telecoms provider.
Juliet claims the move from analogue phone systems to digital allows for a more flexible approach to business phone contracts meaning customers will only pay for what they use.
She says being tied into a lengthy phone contact is no longer necessary but regulations need to reflect this to protect business owners.
And Juliet hopes pricing for those on a contract will fall in line with the protection offered to consumers.
From January 2025, consumers will see prices written into contract, in pounds and pence and with clarity on when those increases will happen.
Up until now, consumers and business customers have seen price rises linked to inflation, meaning there’s little clarity on the prices they will pay.
Telecoms expert Juliet Moran said: “It’s been common practice for years for phone companies to ask businesses to sign up to a lengthy contract. The old analogue system lent itself well to that as the upfront costs were high. But with the new digital systems, contracts become unnecessary.
“The danger with lengthy contracts is that pricing will increase, meaning the great deal to lure you in, becomes pricey as the supplier ups the monthly charge.
“Fees can be hidden in the terms and conditions and unless you check thoroughly, it can be tricky, sometimes impossible to identify them. Contracts could also be hard to get out of - they could be rolling contracts for your business telecoms and have unusual notice periods.
Juliet continues: “The shift to cloud technology and digital systems means this is no longer a necessity. There is no need for a contract. Instead businesses can simply pay for the services they use each month, adding or removing elements when they need to.
“This is something we’ve been doing at TelephoneSystems.Cloud for some time and it works well for our customers. Our pricing is completely transparent meaning there are never any hidden surprises.
“And with no contract, there are no additional fees or extras tucked away in terms and conditions.”
Juliet concludes: “Small businesses are always looking for ways to cut costs and increase efficiency - this is a very quick change they can make giving them complete flexibility.
“While ethical pricing is something we’re practiced for years, that’s not the case industry wide. Tighter regulation needs to be in place to protect business customers and provide them with a better service without the risk of added cost.”
Written on 07/01/2025 by Juliet Moran
As the Technical Director at TelephoneSystems.cloud and an MSc in Computing, I bring over 27 years of extensive experience in cloud technology. As a woman in the tech industry, I am committed to paving the way for the next generation, demonstrating that innovation in technology should be inclusive of both women and men. My goal is to inspire and empower future generations to actively contribute to the advancement of technology regardless of gender. About Juliet
