Virtual Phone System Terms of Service

Version 1.1 • Last updated: 1 March 2026

These terms apply specifically to the Virtual Phone System services provided by AJ Consulting ("we", "us", "our"). By subscribing to our Virtual Phone System, you ("the Client") agree to these terms in addition to our General Terms of Service.

1. Service Description

Our Virtual Phone System provides professional call handling for small businesses and sole traders. The service includes:

Dedicated Phone Number: A UK geographic or non-geographic number allocated exclusively to your business.
Professional Greeting: Customised recorded greeting played to callers.
Call Forwarding: Calls forwarded to your mobile, landline, or VoIP device.
Voicemail: Professional voicemail with email notification and audio file delivery.
Call Management: Online portal to manage settings, view call history, and access voicemails.

2. Service Packages

Package	Monthly Price	Included Minutes	Features
Starter	£19.99/month	100 minutes	UK local number, greeting, 1 forwarding number, voicemail
Professional	£49.99/month	250 minutes	UK 0800 number, 2 forwarding numbers, business hours routing
Business	£89.99/month	500 minutes	0800 number, 4 departments, IVR menu, call recording, analytics

Overage charges apply beyond included minutes. See Section 5 for details.

3. Contract Terms and Commitment

Contract Type	Setup Fee	Commitment	Early Termination
Rolling Monthly	£49-99*	None - cancel anytime with 30 days notice	N/A
12-Month Fixed	FREE	12 months minimum	Remaining months at 50%
24-Month Fixed	FREE	24 months minimum	Remaining months at 50%

*Setup fee varies by package: Starter £49, Professional £79, Business £99. Setup includes number allocation, greeting recording, and initial configuration.

Free Setup Offer: Choose a 12 or 24-month contract and we waive the setup fee entirely. This represents a saving of up to £99.

4. Payment Terms

Billing Cycle: Services are billed monthly in advance on the same date as your initial subscription.
Payment Methods: We accept bank transfer (BACS/Faster Payments), Direct Debit, and major credit/debit cards.
Payment Due: Payment is due immediately upon invoice. Direct Debit payments are collected automatically.
Late Payment: If payment is more than 7 days overdue, we may restrict outbound features. If payment is more than 14 days overdue, we may suspend call forwarding (calls will go to voicemail only). If payment is more than 30 days overdue, we may terminate your account and release your number.
Price Changes: We will give at least 60 days notice of any price changes. You may cancel without penalty if you do not accept the new pricing.

5. Overage Charges

If you exceed your included minutes, additional minutes are charged as follows:

Package	Overage Rate
Starter	15p per minute
Professional	15p per minute
Business	12p per minute

Overage charges are billed monthly in arrears alongside your next subscription payment. We will notify you when you reach 80% and 100% of your included minutes.

6. Bundle Discounts

20% Bundle Discount: Clients with an existing AJ Consulting Business Support Package qualify for 20% off their Virtual Phone System subscription. This discount applies for as long as both services remain active.

The bundle discount applies to the base subscription only, not to overage charges or add-ons. To claim this discount, both services must be invoiced to the same billing entity.

7. Number Ownership and Portability

You can keep your number. Although we provision and manage your virtual phone number, you have the right to port (transfer) the number to another provider if you leave our service.

Number Allocation: We allocate a new UK number from our available ranges, or you may port an existing number to our service (porting-in takes 5-10 business days).
Porting Out: Upon termination, you may request a PAC (Porting Authorisation Code) to transfer your number to another provider. We will provide this within 2 business days of request.
Number Release: If you do not request a PAC within 30 days of termination, the number will be released back to our pool and may be reallocated.
Porting Restrictions: Numbers cannot be ported while the account has outstanding balances. Please ensure your account is settled before requesting a PAC.

8. Fair Use Policy

The "Unlimited" minutes on the Business package are subject to fair use:

Designed for typical business call volumes and patterns
Not for use as a call centre, telemarketing operation, or auto-dialler
Calls should be to/from humans for genuine business purposes
We reserve the right to contact you if usage exceeds 2,000 minutes per month to discuss your needs
Persistent excessive usage may result in a request to upgrade or change package

9. Service Level Commitment

Package	Uptime Target	Support Response
Starter	99.5%	Within 24 hours
Professional	99.7%	Within 12 hours
Business	99.9%	Within 4 business hours

Support response times are targets during UK business hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, excluding bank holidays). Critical issues affecting call delivery are prioritised regardless of package.

9.1 Service Credits

If we fail to meet our uptime commitment in any calendar month, you may request a service credit:

99.0% - 99.5% uptime: 10% credit on that month's subscription
98.0% - 99.0% uptime: 25% credit on that month's subscription
Below 98.0% uptime: 50% credit on that month's subscription

Service credits must be requested within 30 days of the affected month. Credits are applied to future invoices and are not refundable as cash.

10. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree to use the Virtual Phone System only for lawful business purposes. Prohibited uses include:

Spam or Unsolicited Calls: Making bulk unsolicited calls, telemarketing without proper consent, or auto-dialler campaigns
Illegal Activity: Any calls in connection with illegal activity, fraud, or harassment
Misrepresentation: Pretending to be a government agency, emergency service, or other entity you are not
Premium Rate Fraud: Artificially inflating call volumes to premium rate numbers or engaging in toll fraud
Network Abuse: Actions that disrupt our network or degrade service for other users

Immediate Suspension: We reserve the right to suspend your service immediately and without notice if we reasonably believe you are violating this policy. Serious violations may result in permanent termination with no refund.

11. Data Protection and Privacy

Call Records: We maintain call detail records (CDRs) showing caller ID, time, duration, and destination. These are retained for 12 months for billing and service purposes.
Voicemail Storage: Voicemail recordings are stored for 30 days by default. Business package clients may request extended retention.
Caller ID: We display your allocated number as caller ID on outbound calls. We do not support caller ID spoofing.
Data Location: Call processing and voicemail storage occurs on UK-based infrastructure.
GDPR Compliance: We process call data as a data processor on your behalf. You remain the data controller for any personal data in calls. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

12. Call Recording (Business Package)

Call recording is available on the Business package only. If you enable call recording, the following terms apply:

12.1 Caller Notification Requirement

Legal Requirement: You must notify callers that their call may be recorded. We provide an automated announcement that plays at the start of recorded calls: "This call may be recorded for training and quality purposes."

The recording announcement is mandatory and cannot be disabled while recording is active
You may customise the announcement wording (subject to our approval)
Callers who do not wish to be recorded should be given an alternative contact method

12.2 Recording Storage and Retention

Storage Location: Recordings are stored encrypted on UK-based servers
Retention Period: Recordings are automatically deleted after 90 days
Extended Retention: Available on request for an additional fee (regulatory or compliance purposes)
Early Deletion: You may delete recordings at any time via your portal

12.3 Access to Recordings

Recordings are accessible via your online portal within 1 hour of call completion
Download recordings in MP3 format for offline storage
Access is logged for security and compliance purposes

12.4 Prohibited Recording Practices

Do not record calls without the announcement playing (illegal interception)
Do not record payment card details (PCI-DSS compliance)
Do not use recordings for purposes beyond those stated in the announcement
Do not share recordings with third parties without caller consent

13. Voicemail Services

Storage: Voicemails are stored for 30 days (90 days on Business package)
Notification: Email notification with audio attachment sent immediately
Access: Listen via portal, email, or dial-in retrieval
Transcription: AI-powered voicemail-to-text available on Professional and Business packages
Capacity: Up to 50 voicemails stored at any time (oldest deleted when limit reached)

14. Greeting Customisation

Initial Setup: We record your custom greeting during onboarding (included in setup)
Changes: One greeting change per month included; additional changes £15 each
Self-Service: Business package includes portal-based greeting upload
Content Guidelines: Greetings must be professional and not contain offensive, misleading, or illegal content
Approval: We reserve the right to reject greetings that violate our acceptable use policy

15. 0800/Freephone Numbers

If your package includes an 0800 (freephone) number:

Ofcom Requirement: Calls to 0800 numbers must be free to the caller from all UK landlines and mobiles. We ensure compliance with this regulation.

Caller Charges: Callers are never charged for calling your 0800 number
Your Charges: Inbound 0800 minutes count towards your included minutes
Number Format: 0800 or 0808 prefix numbers available
Porting: Existing 0800 numbers can be ported in (subject to releasing provider)

16. Planned Maintenance

Maintenance Window: Routine maintenance is performed between 02:00-05:00 UK time
Advance Notice: At least 48 hours notice for planned maintenance affecting service
Emergency Maintenance: May occur without notice if required for security or stability
Impact Minimisation: We use redundant systems to minimise call disruption
Status Page: Check service status at status.aj-consulting.uk

17. Service Suspension

We may suspend (rather than terminate) your service without prior notice if:

Payment is overdue by more than 14 days
We reasonably suspect violation of the Acceptable Use Policy
We receive a valid legal complaint or law enforcement request
Your account shows signs of compromise or unauthorised access
A third-party provider (telephony carrier) suspends your number

During suspension, inbound calls will receive a generic message or go to voicemail. We will notify you of the suspension and steps to restore service. If the issue is not resolved within 30 days, we may terminate your account.

18. Termination and Cancellation

18.1 Cancellation by You

Rolling Monthly: Cancel anytime with 30 days written notice. No termination fee.
Fixed Term (12/24 month): Early termination incurs a fee of 50% of the remaining monthly subscription payments.
Notice: Cancellation must be requested via email to [email protected] or through your account portal.

18.2 Termination by Us

We may terminate your service immediately if:

You seriously violate the Acceptable Use Policy
You fail to pay after 30 days overdue and one formal warning
You provide false information during sign-up
Continuing service would expose us to legal liability

18.3 Effect of Termination

Call forwarding will cease on the termination date
Voicemails will be deleted 7 days after termination (download before cancelling)
You have 30 days to request a PAC for number portability
No refunds for partial months on rolling contracts; pro-rata refund for unused full months on annual prepayment

19. Liability Limitations

Our liability is limited to the fees paid for the affected service in the 3 months preceding the claim.
We are not liable for:
- Missed calls, failed connections, or call quality issues caused by third-party networks
- Loss of business, revenue, contracts, or profits arising from service issues
- Consequences of providing incorrect forwarding numbers
- Third-party carrier outages beyond our control
- Actions taken in response to suspected Acceptable Use Policy violations

Emergency Services: This is not a replacement for a traditional phone line. You should not rely on this service as your sole means of contacting emergency services (999). We do not guarantee availability for emergency calls.

20. Third-Party Services

Our Virtual Phone System relies on third-party telephony providers for call routing and number management. These include:

Telephony Carrier: UK-regulated telecoms providers for call termination
Number Ranges: Allocated from Ofcom-regulated ranges via our carrier partners
Voicemail Transcription: May use AI-powered transcription services (audio remains in UK/EEA)

We are not responsible for outages, policy changes, or service modifications by these third parties. We will notify you of any changes that materially affect your service.

21. Force Majeure

Neither party shall be liable for failure or delay in performing obligations due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including:

Natural disasters, severe weather, or acts of God
Acts of war, terrorism, or civil unrest
Government actions, regulations, or embargoes
Widespread telecommunications network failures
Cyberattacks on national infrastructure
Pandemics or public health emergencies

If a force majeure event continues for more than 30 days, either party may terminate this agreement without penalty by giving written notice.

22. Complaints Procedure

We are committed to resolving complaints quickly and fairly, in line with Ofcom's guidance for communications providers.

22.1 How to Complain

Step 1 - Contact Support: Email [email protected] or call our support line. Most issues are resolved at this stage within 2 business days.
Step 2 - Formal Complaint: If unsatisfied, submit a formal complaint to [email protected]. Include your account details and a clear description of the issue.
Step 3 - Management Review: Formal complaints are escalated to management. We will respond within 10 business days with a resolution or explanation.
Step 4 - Deadlock Letter: If we cannot resolve your complaint after 8 weeks (or earlier if we reach deadlock), we will issue a "deadlock letter" explaining the situation.

22.2 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving a deadlock letter (or after 8 weeks), you may refer your complaint to an Ofcom-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) scheme. ADR is free for consumers and provides an independent assessment.

Details of the approved ADR scheme will be provided in your deadlock letter.

22.3 Complaint Records

We maintain records of all complaints for regulatory purposes. You may request a copy of your complaint history at any time.

23. Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer, you may also have additional rights under the consumer protection laws of your country of residence.

24. Regulatory Compliance (Ofcom)

Our telephony services are provided in compliance with UK telecommunications regulations administered by Ofcom:

24.1 Number Allocation

All numbers are allocated from Ofcom-regulated ranges via authorised providers
Geographic numbers (01/02) are allocated based on genuine business presence requirements
Non-geographic numbers (03, 0800) comply with Ofcom numbering conditions

24.2 Calling Line Identification (CLI)

We present valid CLI on all outbound calls (your allocated number)
CLI spoofing (presenting a number you do not own) is prohibited and illegal
You may request CLI withholding for outbound calls (subject to restrictions)

24.3 Call Recording Requirements

Pre-call announcement is mandatory for recorded calls (we enforce this automatically)
While the Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice) Regulations 2000 permits some unannounced recording in specific business contexts, our mandatory pre-call announcement policy exceeds minimum legal requirements and reflects industry best practice for transparency
You are responsible for complying with data protection law regarding recorded data

24.4 TPS/CTPS Compliance

If making outbound marketing calls, you must screen against the Telephone Preference Service (TPS)
For business-to-business calls, screen against the Corporate Telephone Preference Service (CTPS)
We do not screen calls on your behalf - this is your responsibility

24.5 Emergency Calls

Important: Our Virtual Phone System is not designed for emergency calls (999/112). You must maintain an alternative means of contacting emergency services. We cannot guarantee that emergency calls made through our service will connect.

25. Changes to Terms

We may update these terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes at least 30 days before they take effect. Continued use of our services after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the new terms. If you do not accept material changes, you may terminate without penalty before the changes take effect.

26. Severability

If any provision of these terms is found invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court, the remaining provisions continue in full force and effect. The invalid provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid while preserving the original intent.

27. Entire Agreement

These Virtual Phone System Terms of Service, together with our General Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and AJ Consulting regarding the virtual phone services. They supersede all prior agreements, representations, and understandings.

28. Contact

For questions about these terms or our Virtual Phone System:

Email: [email protected]
General enquiries: [email protected]
Website: aj-consulting.uk

29. Version History

Version	Date	Changes
1.1	1 March 2026	Added: Call recording terms, voicemail details, greeting customisation, 0800 regulations, planned maintenance, expanded Ofcom compliance, complaints procedure
1.0	1 March 2026	Initial version

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