£14/month covers both hardware and VoIP service. The phone becomes yours; the service is the ongoing subscription. You could source a VoIP phone separately (Yealink T31W retails £50-80) and find your own provider, but you'd lose the pre-configured 4-digit speed dial, group calling bridge, and managed setup. Virgin/BT offer VoIP if you have an existing landline number with them, but without the family-specific features. The old copper network shuts down 31 January 2027, making VoIP the only landline option regardless.

VoIP uses TLS encryption for call signalling and SRTP for voice traffic – same security architecture as FaceTime or WhatsApp calls. More secure than traditional copper landlines which had zero encryption. The service runs on Yealink T31W phones (WiFi-capable desk phones) via the Statcom/NebulaCloud platform. Other SIP-compatible phones can work but require manual configuration and lose auto-provisioning.

Calls are free to 01, 02, 03 and mobile numbers. There is a Fair Usage Policy of 500 mins each per month, so 500 for landlines and 500 for UK mobile numbers. 500 mins = 8 hrs, which should be plenty for talking to friends and family.

£40 + VAT per user licence. For a single-phone household, that's £48. For three phones, £144. This applies if you cancel before the 36-month minimum term completes. The fee covers the provider's early exit from their upstream commitments and subsidised hardware cost recovery.

No calls. The Yealink T31W connects via WiFi to the VoIP server. No WiFi = no phone service. This is the same limitation as any internet-dependent communication (WhatsApp, FaceTime, etc.). Mitigation options: Most UK households have reliable broadband. Phone can connect via Ethernet cable (more stable than WiFi) if router is accessible. Mobile phone remains available for emergencies. If your internet connection is unreliable, factor this into your decision.

Potentially yes. Number porting to VoIP is standard procedure. Contact Kite Phone with your existing number; they'll check portability with the underlying provider. Standard porting timeline is 7-14 working days. There may be a one-time porting fee. Note: if your existing landline is with Virgin or BT and you want to keep that specific number, verify porting eligibility before committing.

Minimum 1 Mbps upload speed. VoIP calls use approximately 100 Kbps per call direction. Most UK broadband connections easily exceed this requirement. The phone can also connect via Ethernet for more stable performance if needed.