How’s VoIP Doing in South Africa These Days?

By Evan Damon, Wholesale Channel Manager at Wanatel

In short? It’s doing well. Really well.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant uptick in businesses across South Africa adopting VoIP and cloud PBX solutions. What used to be considered a niche or “budget-friendly” alternative to traditional phone systems is now a mainstream business decision, and for good reason.

The shift isn’t just about making cheaper calls anymore. It’s about flexibility, mobility, and integration and the ability to work from anywhere, scale as needed, and bring voice, video, messaging, and CRM together in one seamless platform.

What’s driving the uptake?

A few key factors are accelerating the adoption of VoIP and cloud communication services across the country:

1. Better internet infrastructure
It’s no secret that South Africa’s internet landscape has improved dramatically. With fibre and fixed LTE available across most urban and peri-urban areas, businesses now have the bandwidth to support high-quality VoIP calls and video conferencing without the jitter and lag that plagued earlier deployments.

2. The rise of remote and hybrid work
The pandemic taught us that work isn’t necessarily a place. It’s what you do. Even as things return to “normal,” many businesses have stuck with hybrid or remote models. VoIP and cloud PBX are a natural fit here, letting teams stay connected no matter where they are, with features like call forwarding, mobile apps, softphones, and video conferencing all built in.

3. The demand for integrated platforms
Businesses are looking for smarter ways to connect with customers and collaborate internally. That means bringing together voice, video, messaging, and customer data into a single platform. Modern VoIP solutions do just that, offering CRM integrations, call analytics, reporting tools, and automation that help businesses work smarter and serve customers better.

4. Load shedding isn’t the blocker it used to be
A few years ago, frequent load shedding made some businesses wary of cloud-based systems. But today, most office and home setups include some form of backup power, whether it’s an inverter, UPS, or generator. At the same time, ISPs and networks have become far more resilient, with better failover and redundancy in place. That’s helped remove one of the last major objections to going fully cloud-based.

Changing perceptions around VoIP

Despite all the progress, there’s still a lingering perception in the market that VoIP is mainly about “cheap calls.” And while cost savings are definitely a big plus (especially for SMEs watching the bottom line), there’s a much bigger story to tell.

Modern VoIP platforms are incredibly powerful tools for business transformation. We’re talking about:

• Advanced call reporting and analytics

• Automated call routing and IVRs

• Real-time dashboards for sales and support teams

• CRM and helpdesk integrations

• Mobile apps that let teams work on the go

• Omnichannel contact centres with voice, WhatsApp, web chat, and email in one place

This is no longer just a telecoms solution. It’s a core part of a business’s productivity and customer service stack.

For partners and resellers: the opportunity is now

If you’re in the ICT space, whether you’re a managed service provider, ISP, or systems integrator, there’s a massive opportunity to add value by guiding clients through this shift.

Businesses don’t just want dial tones anymore. They want insights, automation, and tools that support how their teams work today. That’s where we come in. We don’t just sell VoIP. We deliver fully integrated communication solutions that help clients grow and thrive.

At Wanatel, we’re seeing this firsthand. Our partners are building recurring revenue streams and deepening customer relationships by offering white-labeled cloud PBX, unified communications, and value-added services on top of rock-solid infrastructure.

We’ve come a long way, but there’s still plenty of room for education, collaboration, and innovation in this space. I’d love to hear from others in the industry. What trends are you seeing? Where are clients getting stuck? And what’s working well when it comes to rolling out modern communication solutions? Reach out to me at Wanatel and let’s chat.

The VoIP space in South Africa is evolving fast. And whether you’re a service provider, a business owner, or somewhere in between, there’s never been a better time to get on board.