4Com
Business phone systems for the UK SME market
- Connectivity & Broadband: offered
- Telephony, VoIP & Mobile: offered
- Managed IT & Cyber Security: not offered
- Business Energy: not offered
Reviewed June 2026
4Com (4Com Technologies Ltd / 4Com Plc) is a Bournemouth-based telecoms provider founded in 1999. It sells business phone systems to UK SMEs, primarily through its own field sales force. The company is best known for its proprietary HiHi VoIP handset and platform, which comes bundled with broadband, leased lines and mobile connectivity. It has around 14,000–15,000 UK business customers.
Our verdict
4Com scores 56/100 (Fair) and ranks #10 overall. UK SMEs that want a fully managed, single-supplier hosted phone system with proprietary hardware, on-site UK installation and training. Worth considering if you're comfortable with a long-term lease and would rather have an all-in-one bundle than flexibility, transparent pricing or short contracts.
Strengths
- Proprietary HiHi handset/platform with an integrated, consumer-friendly UX (touchscreen, video, HiHi Connect mobile app) that differentiates it from generic VoIP resellers
- Strong, repeatedly award-winning employer culture (Sunday Times Best Companies, 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain) and over 20 years' trading history
- UK-based support with field engineers across the country for on-site installation, training and maintenance
- Bundles telephony with connectivity (fibre broadband, EAD/EFM leased lines, mobile SIMs) so SMEs can get voice plus internet from one supplier
- Large, established customer base of ~14,000-15,000 UK businesses
Watch-outs
- Frequent and well-documented complaints about long contracts, handsets commonly financed on up to 7-year third-party leases (Propel Finance / BNP Paribas) separate from the service agreement
- Reports of high early-termination fees, introductory rates that rise sharply after the discount period, and aggressive same-day sales pressure
- Locked into 4Com's proprietary HiHi hardware, limiting flexibility and portability if a customer leaves
- Quote-only, non-transparent pricing makes upfront comparison difficult
- No managed IT / cyber security (MSP) offering and no energy services, purely a telephony and supporting-connectivity provider
How it scores
Services
Telephony, VoIP & Mobile
- HiHi3 hosted VoIP phone system (proprietary handset)
- Cloud/hosted business phone systems
- Unified communications via HiHi Connect mobile app
- Business mobile SIMs and contracts
- Call recording
- Computer telephony integration (CTI)
- Call analytics / reporting
- Traditional analogue office phones (legacy)
Connectivity & Broadband
- Business broadband (fibre / FTTP)
- Ethernet leased lines - Ethernet Access Direct (EAD)
- Ethernet leased lines - Ethernet First Mile (EFM)
- Business internet / connectivity to underpin HiHi voice
Accreditations & partners
Accreditations
- The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For (No.1 mid-size company, 2017; on the list five years running)
- Best Companies 3-Star accreditation
- Listed among the 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain
- Dorset Business Awards / National Business Awards finalist
Key partners
- Propel Finance (third-party equipment leasing)
- BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions (third-party equipment leasing)
- Midshire Business Systems (acquired)