There is an average price for each type of business telephone system generally, but additional features, services and requirements can cause the overall costs to fluctuate quite a bit. For example – wiring, installation, the actual telephones themselves, the telephone system (cabinet), optional accessories such as CTI, on-hold music and your monthly service fees can be all included in the costs of a office telephone system.
Typical costs of different phone systems
We have outlined the standard costs per employee for each telephone system below.
- Key systems range from $350 to $1,000 per employee depending on what features your business needs.
- PBX telephone systems can run anywhere from $800 to $1,000 per employee with the average price the latter. If you have more than 100 employees the costs per employee are generally less with PBX systems.
- KSU-less systems are the least expensive choice because you have to manually setup and install in your business. Cost for this system ranges from $100 to $250 per user without considering additional wiring you need for this type of phone system.
- VOIP phone systems are similar in cost with KSU-less systems and on average cost between $100 and $250; however, internet phone systems require a router which may increase your cost up-front one time only.
Additional costs to consider when choosing a phone system There are other factors you will want to consider that affect the costs of your office phones.
- Installation – Installation and wiring costs are not cheap, but key systems and PBX phone systems are complex setups that typically require professional installation. If your office is not wired for a particular phone system, you’ll incur additional costs beyond the general price of the office phone system set up.
- Cabinet – The cabinet is the head of operations for your entire telephone system. Depending on the size and complexity of the system that you need, the cabinet alone can run anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 or more in some cases. While the cabinet is included in your telephone system’s cost – this is a somewhat significant part of your expense.
- Telephones – Telephone range in price and will affect the overall costs. Panasonic phone systems may cost more, or less, than other systems from AT&T, NEC, Linksys, or Samsung. In some cases, especially if you are buying in bulk or just looking for cheap phones for your phone system, you can purchase telephones for less than $100 each.
- Optional features –On-hold music, voicemail and a CTI are not usually a part of standard phone system packages and will increase your costs if needed.