Two Lower-Cost Ways to Replace Your HiPath System
If a full OpenScape upgrade is more than your business wants to spend right now, you don’t have to keep running an unsupported HiPath system while you save up. We offer two budget-friendly replacement paths — pick based on whether you want to keep a physical switchboard on-site or move to the cloud entirely.
Option 1: Hosted / Cloud VoIP
No PBX cabinet on your premises at all. Your phone system lives with the provider; you connect via VoIP handsets or a softphone app over your internet connection.
Best if:
– You want zero on-site hardware to maintain, power, or eventually replace again
– Your team is comfortable depending on internet uptime for phones
– You want the lowest possible ongoing maintenance overhead
– You have (or plan to have) multiple sites or remote/home-based staff
Trade-offs to know upfront:
– Call quality and uptime depend entirely on your internet connection —a fibre or reliable line matters more here than with an on-site box
– No physical switchboard means no local hardware fallback if your internet goes down, unless you add failover/backup connectivity
– Ongoing subscription cost rather than a one-off hardware purchase
Option 2: Budget On-Site PBX
A genuine physical switchboard still sits on your premises, just like your HiPath did — but on far more affordable hardware (Grandstream, Yeastar, Fanvil, Yealink, Dinstar class systems) instead of OpenScape. This is the closest match to “replace the box with a similar box, just cheaper.”
Best if:
– You want a local PBX you can point to, not a cloud subscription
– Your internet isn’t rock-solid and you want calls to keep working locally even if the internet drops (for internal extension-to-extension calling)
– You’re replacing a small-to-mid HiPath system (under ~30–50 users) and want the lowest hardware cost for a like-for-like on-site swap
Trade-offs to know upfront:
– Build quality, firmware support and longevity are a step below Unify’s enterprise-grade hardware — this is a genuine budget product, not a hidden-gem replacement for OpenScape
– Fewer advanced call centre / queuing features than OpenScape Business
– Smaller support and parts ecosystem in South Africa than the Unify range, though we stock and support the models we sell directly
Who should stick with OpenScape instead
– You run a call centre, ProCenter Agile-style queuing, or need advanced reporting
– You have more than 30–50 extensions with layered call-routing rules
– Feature-for-feature parity with your current setup matters more than price, and you want full Unify-grade support behind it
If that’s you, the OpenScape migration path is the better fit — we’ll say so honestly if you ask us to quote a budget option and it’s not right for your setup.
What both budget options give you either way
– Full replacement of your unsupported HiPath system
– Standard call features: hold, transfer, voicemail, call forwarding, auto-attendant
– VoIP calling with lower per-call costs than ISDN
– Significantly lower upfront cost than OpenScape Business hardware
How the switch works
1. Free assessment — same starting point as the OpenScape path: we look at your current line count, extensions, call patterns, and internet reliability (this decides whether hosted or on-site suits you better).
2. Multiple quotes, not one — OpenScape, hosted VoIP, and budget on-site PBX, so you can see exactly what each price point buys you.
3. Setup and number porting — your existing numbers move across, extensions are configured, and testing happens before cutover.
4. Go live — both budget paths are typically faster to install than a full OpenScape hardware deployment.
Get a budget quote — no pressure to upgrade
Tell us your line and extension count, your internet reliability, and your rough budget, and we’ll recommend hosted VoIP, on-site budget PBX, or OpenScape — honestly, based on what will actually work for your business, not just the cheapest number.
Call 011 206 2900 or request a free quote.
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*Want the full feature-for-feature replacement instead? See the OpenScape migration page. Not sure which option fits? Start with the end-of-life checklist
