Your boss wants to know: "How long will this take?" Here is a realistic timeline based on your situation. Most small businesses are fully switched within 2-4 weeks. This planner builds a week-by-week breakdown you can print and hand over.
They will scope your setup, confirm the porting timeline, and give you a specific go-live date. Free, no obligation.
Get your personalised transition planMost Australian SMBs complete a VOIP switch in 2-4 weeks. The three things that slow a switch down are number porting, hardware delivery, and office network preparation. If none of these apply to you, it is possible to be on a new system within a few days.
Number porting is the biggest variable. Transferring your existing business number to a new provider takes 5-10 business days for a single number, and up to 20 business days if you are moving multiple numbers. During this time, your old number still works - you are just waiting for the cutover date.
Hardware delivery adds 2-5 business days if you are ordering new desk phones. Some providers ship from Australian warehouses. If you are using softphones only (apps on computers or mobiles), there is no hardware delay at all.
Office network preparation is only relevant if your current network does not support VOIP - for example, if you need PoE switches for the phones, cable runs to new desks, or a router upgrade. If your office is already wired for data and your internet connection is solid, this step is zero.
Related tools: Can I Keep My Business Number? | Is Your Office Ready?
Yes. Most providers can set up your new system with a temporary number while your port processes. You can test everything before the real number cuts over. This means there is no pressure on go-live day - you have already verified the system works before the old number transfers.
Your provider's support team handles this. Good providers (like Maxotel) schedule cutover during business hours and have a rollback plan if anything fails. In most cases, if a port fails, your old number simply keeps working until the issue is resolved - you do not go dark.
Number ports are processed on business days. Most SMBs switch mid-week and are fully live within hours. Weekend cutover is possible but takes longer because porting only processes Monday-Friday. If you are planning a weekend move, confirm with your provider that they can support it.
For basic calling, the phones work like any other phone. A 15-30 minute walkthrough covering transfer, hold, voicemail, and the softphone app is usually enough for most teams. For larger businesses or teams with complex call routing, a short recorded training video or written guide goes a long way.