Comparing Plexatalk and Phonely? Look beyond the headline monthly price.

Plexatalk and Phonely are both UK digital landline providers that let you make and receive calls over an internet connection rather than a traditional copper telephone line.

But there are some significant differences in how the two services are structured.

Phonely places a strong emphasis on its CallGuard call-protection features and provides a relatively packaged home-phone experience.

Plexatalk takes a more traditional SIP/VoIP approach, with rolling residential plans, optional hardware, support for different types of VoIP equipment and the ability to run your home phone independently of your broadband provider.

That distinction matters if you’re comparing more than just monthly minutes.

In this guide, we’ll compare:

• monthly prices and inclusive minutes
• minimum contract lengths
• setup and activation costs
• using your existing telephone
• bringing your own VoIP equipment
• SIP phones and mobile VoIP apps
• number porting
• Starlink compatibility
• Three 4G/5G Home Broadband compatibility
• other broadband providers
• TLS and VoIP security
• international calling
• call forwarding and voicemail
• power cuts and broadband outages
• advantages and disadvantages of each service

Last checked: October 2026.

Plexatalk vs Phonely: quick comparison

Feature	Plexatalk	Phonely
Type of service	Independent SIP/VoIP provider	Independent digital landline/VoIP provider
Residential price	From £4/month	From £9.97/month
Entry allowance	100 UK minutes	1,600 UK minutes
500-minute option	£10/month	Not currently offered
Unlimited option	£12.50/month	CallGuard plans include unlimited calls
Unlimited fair-use policy	2,000 minutes/month	Fair-use policy applies
Residential minimum term	Rolling monthly; 30 days’ notice	18 months currently advertised
Entry-plan setup fee	£15 on Micro and Basic	Check current plan/order terms
Number porting	Included	Available
Existing analogue handset	Yes, with ATA	Yes, with compatible adapter
Plexatalk ATA	Optional, £50 one-off	—
Phonely adapter	—	Included on some plans/payment options
Bring your own SIP hardware	Supported on Plexatalk SIP services	Phonely says it cannot guarantee or support third-party equipment
SIP credentials / softphones	Supported; authentication details can be requested	Not prominently advertised as a residential feature
Call forwarding	Included	Check current plan/features
Voicemail	Included	Included
Caller ID	Included	Included
141 number withholding	Yes	Yes
Works independently of ISP	Yes	Yes
Starlink	Yes	Yes
Three 4G/5G broadband	Yes	Phonely states it works across broadband providers; check your particular setup
Fibre/FTTP	Yes	Yes
Mobile VoIP apps	Supported using SIP credentials	Not prominently marketed for residential service
TLS documented publicly	Yes, where configured	We could not find equivalent public residential technical documentation
CallGuard-style protection	No equivalent product	Available on CallGuard plans
UK-based support	Yes	Yes

Prices and product details can change, so always check the provider’s current pricing and terms before ordering.

The biggest difference: Plexatalk is closer to a conventional VoIP service

The easiest way to understand the difference isn’t actually price.

It’s how much control you want over your telephone service.

Phonely is designed to make digital voice feel like a packaged replacement for a traditional home telephone. You select a plan, use compatible equipment and Phonely handles the telephone service.

Its higher-tier CallGuard offering adds a substantial collection of call screening, recording, notification and trusted-person features.

Plexatalk comes from the other direction.

We operate a SIP-based VoIP service. That means you can take the straightforward route and use a preconfigured adapter with your existing telephone, but you’re not necessarily limited to that setup.

Depending on your requirements, Plexatalk can be used with:

• your existing analogue telephone through an ATA
• SIP-compatible VoIP desk phones
• compatible cordless IP telephone systems
• third-party VoIP applications such as Zoiper
• call forwarding to another telephone
• your own compatible SIP hardware

For someone who simply wants their old telephone to ring, most of this technology can remain invisible.

For someone who understands VoIP—or wants more control later—it can make a considerable difference.

Plexatalk residential pricing

Plexatalk currently offers four main residential packages.

Micro – £4/month

Includes 100 UK landline and mobile minutes.

There is currently a £15 connection and activation fee.

Basic – £6/month

Includes 250 UK landline and mobile minutes.

There is currently a £15 connection and activation fee.

Standard – £10/month

Includes 500 UK landline and mobile minutes with no connection fee.

Unlimited – £12.50/month

Includes UK landline and mobile calling subject to a 2,000-minute monthly fair-use policy.

There is currently no connection fee.

Plexatalk also publishes out-of-bundle rates of 2p/minute for UK landlines and 5p/minute for UK mobiles.

An optional preconfigured Grandstream VoIP adapter is £50 one-off if you want to continue using a conventional telephone.

Phonely pricing

Phonely’s entry Digital Landline plan is currently advertised at £9.97/month, increasing to £11.97 on 1 April 2027, and includes 1,600 UK minutes.

Its CallGuard plan is currently advertised at £14.98/month, increasing to £16.98 on 1 April 2027, with unlimited UK calls subject to its fair-use terms.

CallGuard+ is currently advertised at £29/month, increasing to £31 from 1 April 2027.

CallGuard plans include additional services such as call screening, automatic blocking, recording, alerts, transcription and trusted-person functionality.

Those features may be valuable to some households. But if you’re primarily looking for a telephone service rather than a monitoring/protection platform, it’s worth comparing the underlying phone functionality separately.

Contract length: Plexatalk vs Phonely

This is one of the largest practical differences between the two providers.

Plexatalk residential contracts

Plexatalk’s current Home VoIP packages are rolling monthly.

There is no minimum residential contract term and customers are asked to provide 30 days’ notice.

That’s particularly useful if you’re trying VoIP for the first time or don’t want your telephone tied to a long-term agreement.

It’s important not to confuse these residential packages with other Plexatalk products.

Some business call packages have 12-month minimum terms, and promotional hardware bundles can have longer commitments. Always compare the contract attached to the particular product you’re buying.

Phonely contracts

Phonely’s current residential pricing pages advertise an 18-month contract.

Its terms also state that services may have a minimum period of up to 18 months and that cancelling during that minimum period can result in the remaining amount becoming payable.

So if flexibility is important, contract length deserves as much attention as the monthly charge.

Can I keep my existing telephone?

Yes—with either provider, an ordinary analogue telephone can generally continue to be used with the appropriate VoIP adapter.

With Plexatalk, an optional preconfigured Grandstream ATA is currently available for £50.

The adapter sits between your broadband router and telephone:

Internet → Router → VoIP adapter → Existing telephone

Your phone can then behave much as it did on a conventional landline.

Phonely similarly supplies compatible VoIP adapter equipment depending on the package/payment arrangement.

There’s therefore no need to replace a perfectly good DECT cordless phone simply because the underlying telephone network has changed.

Can I use my own VoIP hardware?

This is an area where the services differ more significantly.

Plexatalk

Plexatalk’s wider VoIP service explicitly supports bring-your-own SIP hardware, provided the equipment supports the necessary SIP configuration.

Plexatalk also publishes connection information for third-party VoIP applications and discusses providing configuration details for customers’ own equipment.

That potentially gives technically confident customers considerably more choice.

You might use:

• a Yealink SIP telephone
• a compatible Gigaset IP/DECT system
• another SIP desk phone
• a third-party ATA
• a software SIP client
• a suitable PBX in more advanced configurations

Compatibility should still be confirmed before buying equipment.

Phonely

Phonely’s terms take a different approach.

They state that Phonely is responsible for and supports equipment it supplies, and that it cannot guarantee its services will work with other equipment.

That’s not necessarily a disadvantage for somebody who wants a completely managed home-phone replacement.

But technically confident users wanting to select and configure their own SIP equipment should establish exactly what Phonely permits and supports before signing up.

What about the phone socket built into my broadband router?

This catches a lot of people out.

A router having a telephone socket does not automatically mean that socket can be used with an independent VoIP provider.

Routers supplied by broadband companies such as BT, Sky, EE and Virgin Media may have telephone ports provisioned specifically for that provider’s own Digital Voice service.

The SIP configuration may not be available to the customer.

In that situation, an independent ATA or SIP phone is normally the cleaner solution.

Instead of:

Telephone → ISP’s locked phone socket

you can have:

Telephone → Plexatalk ATA → Router → Internet

Your telephone provider and broadband provider are then separate.

Does Plexatalk work with Three 4G and 5G Home Broadband?

Yes.

This is one of the useful applications for an independent VoIP service.

Three Home Broadband provides the internet connection while Plexatalk provides the telephone service separately.

Your setup can therefore look like:

Three 4G/5G → Three router → Plexatalk ATA/SIP phone → Home telephone

Or you can use compatible VoIP software over the connection.

This means moving away from traditional broadband doesn’t automatically mean abandoning your existing landline number.

Plexatalk specifically publishes information for customers moving to Three and other 4G/5G broadband services.

As with any mobile broadband connection, call performance ultimately depends on the quality and stability of the underlying 4G/5G connection.

Does Plexatalk work with Starlink?

Yes.

Plexatalk specifically supports using VoIP over Starlink.

Starlink provides internet access but does not provide a conventional UK landline service.

Plexatalk can sit independently on top of that connection.

You can therefore use:

Starlink → Router/network → Plexatalk ATA → Existing telephone

or connect a compatible SIP telephone or VoIP application.

This can be particularly useful in rural properties where Starlink replaces an older broadband and landline package.

Your telephone number isn’t tied to Starlink either.

If you later move from Starlink to fibre, 5G or another broadband service, the Plexatalk account can continue independently.

Phonely also specifically advertises Starlink-compatible VoIP, so Starlink compatibility isn’t unique to Plexatalk.

Which other broadband providers does Plexatalk work with?

Because Plexatalk is an independent internet telephone service, it isn’t normally tied to one broadband company.

Plexatalk publishes information about using the service when moving between providers and technologies including:

• BT
• EE
• Sky
• Virgin Media
• TalkTalk
• Vodafone
• Plusnet
• Three 4G/5G
• EE 5G
• Starlink
• Hyperoptic
• CityFibre-based connections
• Cuckoo
• other FTTP and broadband providers

The important requirement isn’t the logo on the router.

It’s having a sufficiently stable internet connection and a network configuration that allows the VoIP equipment to communicate correctly.

Phonely similarly markets its service as working independently of your broadband supplier.

So both providers have an advantage over ISP-specific Digital Voice services if you want to change broadband without automatically changing telephone provider.

What happens if I change broadband provider?

With an independent VoIP provider, usually very little.

Suppose you have Plexatalk running over Three 5G today and decide to install full fibre next year.

Your number remains with Plexatalk.

You reconnect the ATA or SIP telephone to the new internet connection and continue using the telephone service.

You don’t need to port the number again simply because your internet supplier changed.

That’s one of the less obvious benefits of separating internet access from telephone service.

TLS: what does each provider say about VoIP security?

Technical comparisons should be careful here because terms such as “encrypted VoIP” can refer to several different parts of a call.

There are two technologies commonly discussed:

TLS (Transport Layer Security) can protect SIP signalling between compatible endpoints and the VoIP platform.

SRTP (Secure Real-time Transport Protocol) can encrypt the audio/media portion of a compatible VoIP call.

They are not the same thing.

Plexatalk and TLS

Plexatalk publicly documents TLS in its technical guides.

Our connection documentation describes UDP, TCP and TLS transport options and states that TLS can be selected where the service has been configured for secure SIP over TLS.

We also discuss using TLS as one method of avoiding problematic SIP ALG behaviour, and pairing TLS with SRTP where supported.

That doesn’t mean every Plexatalk residential call should be assumed to use end-to-end encryption.

The precise configuration depends on the service, endpoint and route involved.

If encrypted signalling or media is important to you, ask us about your particular configuration.

Phonely and TLS

At the time this comparison was checked, we couldn’t find an equivalent public-facing Phonely residential document clearly specifying customer-accessible SIP transport options such as UDP/TCP/TLS or SRTP configuration.

That doesn’t mean Phonely doesn’t use encryption internally.

It simply means we don’t think it would be fair to make assumptions where the technical specification isn’t publicly stated.

Customers for whom TLS/SRTP is an important requirement should ask either provider to confirm exactly what is supported.

SIP ALG, CGNAT and mobile broadband

Here’s another subject most consumer comparison pages completely ignore.

VoIP has to operate through your router’s NAT and firewall.

Some routers have a feature called SIP ALG, intended to help SIP traffic pass through NAT.

Unfortunately, implementations vary, and SIP ALG can sometimes cause problems including:

• failed SIP registration
• one-way audio
• incoming-call problems
• calls dropping unexpectedly
• incorrect SIP header rewriting

Plexatalk publishes technical guidance covering SIP ALG and troubleshooting.

TLS can sometimes also help because the router can no longer inspect and alter encrypted SIP signalling in the same way.

Mobile and satellite connections can additionally use technologies such as CGNAT.

That doesn’t automatically make VoIP unusable—Plexatalk specifically supports services such as Three 5G and Starlink—but it makes good NAT handling and correct VoIP configuration more important.

For most home users, we’ll handle the technical side.

For technical users, however, it’s worth knowing what’s happening underneath.

Can I use Plexatalk on my mobile?

Plexatalk supports third-party SIP applications such as Zoiper.

Authentication details can be requested where appropriate, allowing compatible software to register to the VoIP service.

That can mean your landline number isn’t necessarily confined to a telephone sitting in your hallway.

Depending on configuration, you can use a compatible VoIP client over Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Plexatalk does not currently rely on a proprietary Plexatalk-branded calling app; instead, it can work with compatible SIP software.

For some customers that’s less “all in one”.

For others it’s exactly the point: you’re using an open, established VoIP ecosystem rather than being tied to one manufacturer’s app.

Number porting: keeping your existing landline number

Both providers support transferring existing telephone numbers.

Plexatalk includes UK number porting with its residential plans.

After ordering, we’ll collect the information required for the transfer and provide the relevant Letter of Authority.

A straightforward port commonly takes around a week, while previously ported or more complicated numbers can take longer.

The most important advice is simple:

Don’t cancel your existing telephone service before arranging the number transfer.

Doing so can make recovering the number substantially more difficult.

Phonely also supports number porting.

International calls

Plexatalk’s residential packages are unusual in that inclusive minutes can also cover selected international destinations.

The current residential page states that inclusive minutes cover more than 60 international destinations, with examples including the USA, Canada and Australia.

Check the current destination list before assuming a particular country is included.

Phonely supports international calling too, with rates varying by destination.

If you regularly telephone another country, don’t compare providers using UK minutes alone—calculate the likely international cost as well.

What happens during a power cut?

Neither Plexatalk nor Phonely magically restores the old copper landline’s ability to operate independently of household broadband equipment.

VoIP needs:

• power
• working network equipment
• an internet connection
• functioning VoIP equipment

If your router and ATA lose power, the physical home telephone won’t operate through them.

Plexatalk offers some alternative approaches.

Calls can be forwarded to a mobile, and compatible SIP apps can potentially operate using mobile data if your home broadband is unavailable.

A UPS can also keep a router and ATA powered for a period during a local electricity outage.

Anyone who relies on a landline for a telecare device, medical alarm, lift phone, burglar alarm or other critical equipment should confirm compatibility with the equipment provider before switching.

Plexatalk: advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Rolling residential plans

The standard residential packages have no minimum contract period and require 30 days’ notice.

Plans from £4/month

Light users don’t have to buy hundreds or thousands of minutes they won’t use.

Independent of your broadband provider

You can move between fibre, cable, 4G/5G, Starlink and other internet providers without automatically moving the telephone service.

Flexible hardware

Use an ATA and conventional phone, compatible SIP phone or—in supported configurations—your own SIP hardware.

Mobile/softphone support

SIP credentials can be used with compatible third-party applications where configured.

Published technical information

Plexatalk publishes information about SIP, TLS, SIP ALG and configuring third-party VoIP clients.

Free number porting on residential packages

You can transfer an eligible existing UK landline number.

Selected international destinations included

Current home packages include selected international destinations within the allowance.

Things to consider

Adapter isn’t automatically free

If you need Plexatalk’s preconfigured ATA, it currently costs £50 one-off.

£15 activation on the two cheapest plans

Micro and Basic currently carry a connection/activation charge.

Unlimited doesn’t literally mean infinite

The Unlimited residential package has a 2,000-minute monthly fair-use limit.

More flexibility can mean more technical choice

Customers who deliberately choose their own SIP equipment may need to configure it. Customers who don’t want that can simply order a preconfigured adapter.

No equivalent to Phonely CallGuard

If features such as trusted-person alerts, live call joining and Phonely’s specialist call-protection ecosystem are your main priority, CallGuard offers functionality Plexatalk’s standard home service isn’t designed to replicate.

Phonely: advantages and disadvantages

Advantages

Large entry-plan allowance

The £9.97 Digital Landline plan currently includes 1,600 UK minutes, which could suit households making substantially more calls than Plexatalk’s smaller plans.

Packaged setup

Phonely is strongly geared towards customers wanting a straightforward replacement home-phone service rather than configuring SIP equipment themselves.

CallGuard

Its specialist plans offer an extensive collection of call screening, recording, alerting and trusted-person functionality.

Independent of broadband supplier

Like Plexatalk, Phonely isn’t tied to one ISP.

Starlink support

Phonely specifically advertises compatibility with Starlink broadband.

Things to consider

18-month commitment

Current Phonely residential plans advertise an 18-month contract, compared with Plexatalk’s rolling residential service.

Less emphasis on customer-configurable SIP

Phonely’s terms say it cannot guarantee compatibility with third-party equipment and only supports equipment it supplies.

Technical SIP details aren’t as prominent

We couldn’t find comparable public residential documentation detailing customer SIP configuration and TLS/SRTP options.

Entry pricing can be less attractive for light users

Someone making only 50 or 100 minutes of calls each month may not need a 1,600-minute allowance.

Which service is cheaper?

It depends on how you use your telephone.

Someone making fewer than 100 minutes of calls could pay £4/month on Plexatalk Micro, although the £15 activation fee and any required hardware should be included when calculating the first-year cost.

Someone using 200 minutes could choose the £6 Basic package.

Someone making around 500 minutes could choose Standard for £10.

A heavier caller could choose Plexatalk Unlimited for £12.50, subject to its 2,000-minute fair-use limit.

Phonely’s £9.97 entry package includes substantially more minutes—1,600—so comparing £4 with £9.97 without comparing the allowances would be misleading.

The better calculation is:

monthly service + setup + hardware + expected calls + contract commitment

rather than monthly subscription alone.

Plexatalk or Phonely: which type of customer does each suit?

Plexatalk may suit you if:

You want your telephone service separate from your broadband.

You prefer a rolling monthly residential service.

You make relatively few calls and want a low-cost package.

You want to use Starlink, Three 4G/5G or another internet-only connection while keeping a landline number.

You want the option of using SIP-compatible equipment.

You want to use a third-party VoIP app.

You prefer a provider that publishes more information about the underlying VoIP technology.

Or you simply want an ordinary home telephone without paying for a larger feature package.

Phonely may suit you if:

You want a larger inclusive allowance on the entry package.

You prefer provider-supplied equipment and a more managed setup.

You specifically want CallGuard’s screening, recording, notification or trusted-person functionality.

You don’t mind an 18-month minimum commitment.

And you aren’t particularly interested in configuring your own SIP endpoints.

Plexatalk vs Phonely: the bottom line

Plexatalk and Phonely can both replace a traditional UK landline, let you retain an eligible existing number and operate independently of your broadband supplier.

But they approach digital voice differently.

Phonely offers a more packaged home-phone product, with its strongest differentiation coming from CallGuard.

Plexatalk is closer to a flexible, independent SIP telephone service.

Our residential plans start at £4/month and are rolling monthly. You can keep things simple with a preconfigured adapter and your existing telephone, or use compatible SIP hardware and software where appropriate.

Plexatalk also works particularly well when your internet connection doesn’t come with a traditional telephone service—whether that’s Starlink, Three 4G/5G, EE 5G, Plusnet Full Fibre, CityFibre, Hyperoptic or another FTTP provider.

And because the phone service isn’t tied to the broadband company, changing internet provider doesn’t mean changing your telephone provider again.

That’s the difference we think matters most.

Not simply who offers the cheapest headline price.

But who gives you the telephone system, contract and level of flexibility that actually fits the way you want to use your home phone.

Frequently asked questions

Is Plexatalk cheaper than Phonely?

Plexatalk residential packages currently start at £4/month for 100 minutes, while Phonely’s Digital Landline starts at £9.97/month with 1,600 UK minutes.

They’re therefore not directly equivalent packages. Compare the number of minutes you actually use, any setup or hardware costs and the minimum contract period.

Does Plexatalk have a contract?

Plexatalk’s current residential Home VoIP packages are rolling monthly with no minimum term and 30 days’ notice.

Other Plexatalk business products and hardware promotions can have minimum terms, so check the particular product you’re ordering.

How long is the Phonely contract?

Phonely’s current residential pricing page states an 18-month contract.

Can I use Plexatalk with Three 5G Home Broadband?

Yes. Plexatalk VoIP can operate over Three 4G/5G broadband, subject to having a sufficiently stable internet connection.

Can I use Plexatalk with Starlink?

Yes. Plexatalk specifically supports VoIP over Starlink and publishes guidance for Starlink customers who want to retain their landline number.

Does Phonely work with Starlink?

Yes. Phonely also specifically advertises a Starlink-compatible VoIP service.

Can I use Plexatalk with BT, Sky, Virgin Media or TalkTalk broadband?

Yes. Plexatalk’s telephone service is independent of your broadband provider.

Can I use my existing landline phone with Plexatalk?

Usually, yes. An analogue telephone can connect through an ATA. Plexatalk currently offers a preconfigured Grandstream adapter for £50 one-off.

Can I use my own VoIP phone with Plexatalk?

Plexatalk supports SIP-compatible equipment on applicable services. Check your particular device with us before purchasing equipment specifically for the service.

Can I use a VoIP app with Plexatalk?

Yes. Plexatalk publishes configuration instructions for third-party SIP applications including Zoiper, and authentication details can be requested where appropriate.

Does Plexatalk support TLS?

Plexatalk publicly documents SIP over TLS and describes TLS as available where a service is configured for it. Support should not be interpreted as meaning every endpoint or call automatically uses TLS/SRTP. Contact us if encrypted signalling or media is a specific requirement.

Does Phonely support TLS?

We couldn’t find a clear public residential specification detailing customer TLS/SRTP support when this article was checked. That doesn’t establish that Phonely doesn’t use these technologies; customers requiring them should ask Phonely for its current technical specification.

Can I keep my existing number?

Both providers offer number porting. Plexatalk currently includes porting with its residential Home VoIP plans.

Should I cancel my existing landline before porting?

No. Arrange the number transfer before cancelling the existing service. Cancelling first can make retaining or recovering the number more difficult.

Does Plexatalk work during a power cut?

The ATA/router setup requires electricity and a working internet connection. Options such as mobile call forwarding, a SIP app using mobile data or a UPS can provide additional resilience.

Can I use an alarm or telecare system with Plexatalk?

Some equipment can work over VoIP and some legacy devices cannot. Always ask the alarm, telecare or device provider to confirm compatibility and test critical equipment before relying on a digital phone service.