What to know about business phones in Tempe
VoIP phones depend on your internet line
A VoIP system sends calls over your internet connection, so the line you have matters. Cox advertises a 4-hour service level agreement and 24/7 dedicated IT support with its Tempe business internet, and Quantum Fiber offers business internet in select Tempe locations only. We check what you have before choosing phones, and add a failover connection if the phones are the way customers reach you.
Power outages take desk phones down too
SRP runs a 24/7 outage line at (602) 236-8888 and an outage map showing affected areas and expected restoration. SRP also says monsoon storms can bring high winds, torrential rain and lightning that affect its electric system. PoE phones draw power from the network switch, so a small battery backup on the switch keeps them working through a short outage.
Source: SRP, Business Outage Preparation
Phone wiring follows the current codes
Tempe adopted the 2024 I-Codes and the 2023 NEC, effective July 1, 2026. A permit application can use either the 2018 or the 2024 codes through December 31, 2026. The city's electrical permit exemption covers Class 2 and Class 3 circuits not essential to human life, but doesn't say which phone systems qualify. We confirm with the Permit Center at 480-350-4311.
Source: City of Tempe Building Safety
Street work can cut your line
Tempe's street bond projects will keep repaving and rebuilding streets citywide through 2028, and providers are building fiber under a city license. A cut or an outage on a street takes VoIP phones with it. A cellular or satellite backup line keeps calls coming in.
Traditional and VoIP systems
Traditional phone systems use copper lines from the phone company and a box on your wall. VoIP systems send calls as data over your network, either through a service in the cloud or through a local server. Cloud systems are the most common for new installs: the provider runs the system, you pay monthly, and phones plug into your network.
Which is right depends on how many people you have, how many locations, whether you want to keep your phone number and what your internet line can carry. We lay out both and recommend one.
What goes in with the phones
- Desk phones on cables, or cordless handsets with base stations for kitchens, warehouses and floors.
- Cabling and a network switch that powers the phones (PoE), with voice traffic given priority.
- Lines or a cloud service connected, with your existing numbers moved over.
- An auto attendant that answers and routes calls: press 1 for reservations, press 2 for the office.
- Voicemail, hold music, ring groups and after-hours routing.
Desk phones, cordless and mobile
Front desks and offices usually use desk phones. Restaurants, shops and warehouses benefit from cordless handsets that cover the whole floor. Many systems also include an app, so your business number rings on a cell phone. That puts your business line on your cell phone without a second device, and outgoing calls show your business number.
What drives the cost
Cost depends on the number of users, the type of handsets, the cabling needed, whether you choose a hosted or on-site system and the monthly service. We give a written quote for the installation and the equipment, and the monthly service fee comes from the provider you choose, so you see it before you commit.
Keeping calls working when something fails
Phone systems fail in a few predictable ways: internet down, power out, a provider outage. We plan for each. A battery backup keeps the switch and phones powered. A failover rule sends calls to a cell phone if the system goes offline. A second internet connection keeps the system up through a line cut. See backup internet.
Often paired with
Phones need good cabling and a reliable network, so many jobs include structured data cabling and business WiFi. A door intercom can tie into door access control. More of our Tempe work is on the Enzo in Tempe page.
