Methodology

How We Test and Review

Everything we publish on Need to Know Comms is based on structured research and, where possible, hands-on testing. This page explains how we approach our reviews and guides.

Buying Guides

Our buying guides evaluate products and services against criteria chosen specifically for Australian small business users. We assess:

For phone systems and VoIP services:

• Call quality on Australian NBN connections (FTTP, FTTN, FTTC, HFC)
• Setup complexity and support quality
• Pricing in AUD including any port fees, number fees, or call rates
• Feature completeness for common SMB use cases: auto attendant, hold music, call recording, ring groups
• Number porting support from Australian carriers (Telstra, Optus, etc.)
• Contract terms and cancellation conditions

For SIP phones and hardware:

• Compatibility with common Australian-hosted PBX platforms
• Build quality and expected lifespan
• Audio quality for typical office environments
• Power over Ethernet support (standard in AU commercial deployments)
• Screen size and programmable button count

How We Handle Products We Have Not Personally Tested

Not every product we cover can be physically tested in our environment. Where we have not tested a product directly, we rely on verified technical specifications from the manufacturer, cross-reference multiple independent sources, note clearly in the article where our assessment is based on research rather than direct testing, and do not make specific performance claims we cannot substantiate.

How Often We Update Articles

We review all buying guides and product pages at minimum once per year. The "Last updated" date shown on each article reflects the date of our most recent review.

Sources We Rely On

• Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for regulatory information
• NBN Co technical documentation for connectivity standards
• Manufacturer technical specifications and provisioning guides
• Australian reseller and carrier documentation
• User communities and forums specific to the Australian market