TL;DR
VoIP downtime costs more than just calls. It hurts trust, sales, and reputation. This guide shows how to plan for outages, stay reachable, and use Voyced tools like Follow-Me to keep your business running smoothly.
Why VoIP Downtime Hurts So Much
A short outage can:
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Lose customer calls
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Interrupt sales
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Delay support
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Hurt your brand’s image
And it doesn’t take long. Just 30 minutes of missed calls can mean hours of follow-up and damage control.
What Causes VoIP Downtime?
You don’t need to be technical to understand the main risks:
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Internet issues – local outage, router faults, DNS failures
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Hardware failure – phones, switches, or power problems
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Provider outages – upstream carrier problems
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Configuration errors – broken settings after an update
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DDoS or security attacks – service disruption from outside
Even one of these can take your system offline.
What You Can Do to Prevent Downtime
Here’s a practical checklist for small businesses:
1. Use Wired Internet
Wi-Fi is fine for browsing. But for VoIP, use Ethernet wherever possible. It’s more stable.
2. Have Redundant Internet
Use a backup line. Many businesses now combine fibre with 4G/5G fallback routers.
3. Use a Reliable VoIP Provider
Don’t rely on free apps or budget solutions. Choose a provider that offers uptime guarantees.
4. Keep Your Hardware Updated
Old phones, routers and firmware can cause dropped calls or complete loss.
5. Know Your DNS Setup
Use fast and reliable DNS services (e.g. Cloudflare or Google DNS) instead of your default ISP.
Use Smart Routing with Voyced
Voyced gives you flexible failover features. These help you stay reachable even when your main line goes down.
Follow-Me Call Routing
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Set up multiple fallback options
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Forward to mobile, softphone, or another team member
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Create time-based rules (e.g. route to receptionist during office hours, mobile outside hours)
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Combine with voicemail or email alerts
Example:
If your main line fails:
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First, it rings your mobile for 20 seconds
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Then it tries your colleague’s extension
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Finally, it drops to a voicemail that’s emailed to you
This happens automatically. You stay in control.
The Cost of Not Planning
Let’s say your inbound line is down for 1 hour during business hours:
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7 – 10 calls lost
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2 – 3 of those were potential customers
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1 missed deal worth £500 – £2,000
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3 annoyed existing clients chasing answers
No one wants to apologise after the fact. A little prep avoids this.
What Your VoIP Disaster Plan Should Include
You don’t need an IT team. Just follow these steps:
1. Set Your Routing Rules
Use Voyced’s control panel to:
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Set your primary line
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Add fallback options
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Schedule time-based rules with Follow-Me
2. Test It
Run a test:
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Unplug your main phone
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Call your own number
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Watch the fallback system kick in
Fix any delays or wrong targets.
3. Prepare Your Team
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Let staff know who handles call rerouting
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Teach them how to use alternate lines or apps
4. Document Access Details
Keep login and routing credentials somewhere safe (offline and online)
Bonus: Local and Global Protection
If you operate in more than one country or city:
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Use Geographic numbers in multiple regions
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Use local fallback per number
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Choose separate routing per country, per time zone
Voyced supports all this, even for startups.
Don’t Wait for a Breakdown
If your VoIP goes down, you’ll know quickly, and so will your customers. Planning for it is simple, fast, and free with your Voyced account.
You don’t need to pay extra. Just:
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Log into your portal
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Set your fallback rules
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Test them today
Final Checklist
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Wired and backup internet ready
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VoIP hardware up-to-date
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Follow-Me setup with 2+ backup routes
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Time-based routing in place
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Staff knows emergency process
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Tested and working? ✅
Don’t let your business go silent.
Set up your Follow-Me plan with Voyced today
or contact us if you need help mapping out the best fallback routes for your setup.
