The criteria for choosing a communication partner have shifted.
While the pressure of loadshedding has eased, businesses are now navigating a new set of infrastructure challenges – from water scarcity and freight bottlenecks to a surge in sophisticated, AI-driven cyber threats.
Choosing a provider in this environment is no longer just about basic connectivity, says Euphoria Telecom MD Warren Hawkins. “It is about finding a partner that offers the technical depth and flexibility to handle a more complex economic landscape.”
Here are the 10critical questions every business should ask a potential provider before signing a contract in 2026.
- Is there a long-term contract? In a challenging economy, flexibility is a key competitive advantage. Businesses should ask if they are being locked into a multi-year deal or if they have the freedom to scale services up or down as their headcount or operational needs change. Some local providers have successfully moved to 30-day notice periods to allow for this agility.
- How do you handle connectivity failures and localised outages? Even with a stable national grid, localised technical faults, cable theft and fires can disrupt service. A provider must offer automated failover to mobile apps or satellite backups to ensure that business continues even when the primary line is down.
- Is your AI strategy built for efficiency or just for show? By 2026, AI has moved from simple chatbots to agentic systems that can take autonomous actions. Ask how a provider is using or plans to use AI to solve real problems, such as self-healing networks that detect and fix technical issues before a customer even notices a fault.
- Where is my data stored and how is it secured? With South African organisations facing an average of nearly 1 900 cyber attacks per week, security must be a priority. Ask if the provider is POPIA compliant and whether they are using modern encryption to future-proof your data against emerging threats.
- Are your support teams based in South Africa? When a critical system fails, you need a partner who understands the local environment. Ask where the support team is located and if you will have access to human experts or just automated systems.
- Do you bill per second or per minute? Hidden costs can significantly inflate a monthly bill. Many providers still bill per minute, meaning a 20-second call is billed as a full minute. Demand pure per-second billing from the first second to ensure you only pay for what you use.
- Can I integrate this with my existing software? A phone system should not exist in a silo. Ask if the solution integrates with common business tools like CRM systems, Microsoft Teams or Slack to streamline workflows and improve productivity.
- What is your uptime record and redundancy plan? Do not settle for vague promises. Ask for a history of network performance and find out if the provider has geographically distributed data centres to ensure service stays live even if one site experiences a failure.
- Will I own my numbers? While number portability is a legal right in South Africa, some contracts make it difficult to leave with your established business numbers. Ensure the provider strictly follows ICASA regulations regarding number portability.
- Are there hidden fees for features? Ask for a full breakdown of costs. Some providers charge extra for call recording, analytics or mobile apps. A transparent provider should offer these as standard features of the platform rather than expensive add-ons.