4Com vs Better UK Business Telecoms Alternatives

What to Compare, Not Just Who to Compare

If you have landed on this page, you are probably doing the research every UK business should do before signing a multi-year telecoms agreement — comparing providers. Good. The single biggest mistake Trustpilot reviewers describe making is not comparing before signing with 4Com.

This article does two things. First, it sets out the criteria you should use to evaluate any UK business telecoms provider — not just 4Com. Second, it positions 4Com against the realistic alternatives (direct networks, direct VoIP, and broker-routed deals) so you can make a side-by-side decision.

We are Compare The Networks — an independent, OFCOM-regulated business telecoms comparison service since 2008. We are not here to defame 4Com. We report what public Trustpilot reviewers describe on uk.trustpilot.com/review/4com.co.uk and what the wider UK market looks like in 2026.

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The Seven Criteria for Choosing a Business Telecoms Provider

Forget brand names for a moment. Here is what actually matters.

1. Contract Length — End to End

The single most important question: how long is the total commitment, across every agreement you are signing?

In UK business telecoms in 2026, the standard for the service contract is 24 months (36 months for handset-subsidised deals). Anything meaningfully longer — 60 months, 7 years — is an outlier and should trigger a slower conversation.

The trap is the separate equipment finance agreement. Trustpilot reviewers describe 4Com's headline service as 2 years or 5 years, but with handsets (Hihi) financed over 7 years via a separate lease with Propel Finance or BNP Paribas Leasing. That 7-year finance is the dominant commitment, not the 2 or 5-year service.

Ask every provider: "What is the longest single agreement length, across all the contracts I will sign, in months?"

See our 4Com 7-year contracts and 4Com finance agreement trap articles for the full context.

2. Pricing Transparency

The headline price matters less than the full-term cost. Ask:

• Is there an introductory discount?
• When does it end?
• What is the rate after it ends?
• What is the annual increase, in £ and pence (Ofcom's 2025 rule)?

If a provider will not put the full-term monthly breakdown in writing, walk away. Trustpilot reviewers repeatedly describe 4Com's discount cliff as the defining surprise of the contract — see our 4Com price increases article.

3. Exit Terms

Before you sign, ask what it costs to leave. Reputable providers should be able to tell you the early termination formula. Trustpilot reviewers describe being told £27,000 to £28,000 to leave 4Com once a few years into a multi-contract commitment. A good provider's exit should be foreseeable and proportionate.

See our 4Com early termination fee article.

4. Regulatory Coverage

Any UK telecoms provider should be a member of an Ofcom-approved alternative dispute resolution scheme — typically CISAS. That means if the relationship breaks down, an independent adjudicator can step in. Free for you. Binding on them.

If the provider hesitates on this question, that is your sign to look elsewhere.

5. Network Transparency

For mobile: which of the four UK networks (EE, Vodafone, O2, Three) are you actually on? Coverage differs by postcode. 4Com resells network airtime rather than being a network itself. Same airtime is available direct or via any broker. There is no unique 4Com mobile network.

See our 4Com business mobile alternatives article.

6. Service Levels

• What are the in-hours and out-of-hours support windows?
• What is the guaranteed response time on a fault?
• What is the SLA on an outage?

Trustpilot reviewers of 4Com describe slow, unresponsive customer service post-sale. Ask for SLA commitments in writing.

7. Flexibility

Can you downsize? If your headcount drops from 25 to 10, can you reduce lines? Many B2B contracts lock the seat count — you cannot downsize even if your business shrinks. Trustpilot reviewers describe this with 4Com. Ask explicitly.

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4Com: Summary Profile

What 4Com is: A Bournemouth-based UK business telecoms reseller trading since around 1999 (formerly known as Hi-Com per several long-standing Trustpilot reviews). Corporate family includes 4Com, Hihi (the handset brand) and Campfire.

What they sell: Business mobile, VoIP, broadband, and Hihi-branded desk handsets financed via third-party lease.

Typical service contract: Trustpilot reviewers describe 24 to 60-month service agreements.

Typical equipment finance: Reviewers describe 7-year separate finance agreements via Propel Finance or BNP Paribas Leasing.

Headline complaints on Trustpilot:

• Hidden 7-year equipment leases customers say they believed to be 2 years
• Rates "trebling" after the introductory 18-24 month discount
• £27,000 to £28,000 exit quotes
• Aggressive same-day signing
• Verbal promises not honoured in writing

What 4Com do well (per positive reviews): Installation is generally prompt, Hihi handsets function as advertised when working, some account managers are responsive. We are an independent service — good reviews exist alongside the 1-star pattern.

Read the reviews yourself at uk.trustpilot.com/review/4com.co.uk.

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Alternative 1: Direct-Network Business Mobile

If 4Com's mobile element is what you are signing for, the alternative is simply going direct to the network — EE, Vodafone, O2 or Three — or via a broker to the same networks.

What You Get Direct

• 24-month SIM-only or 36-month handset plans
• Transparent per-line pricing, typically £8 to £20 SIM-only, £30 to £55 with a modern iPhone or Galaxy
• Ofcom-regulated £2.50 + VAT per month annual increase (£3.00 on some)
• No separate equipment finance agreement on top (handsets are part of the network plan)
• O2's Roam at Home includes 25GB EU data + UK inclusive mins/texts at no extra cost — unique among the four

See our 4Com business mobile alternatives article for the detailed network comparison.

How to Route It

Either go direct to the network's business team, or use a broker like us that compares all four networks in one quote. Our service is free — the networks pay us. Get a free mobile quote.

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Alternative 2: Direct-Provider VoIP

If 4Com's VoIP or Hihi element is what you are signing for, the alternative is a standalone cloud VoIP provider on a 24-month term.

What You Get Direct

• Cloud-hosted VoIP at £10 to £20 per seat per month on a 24-month contract
• SIP desk handsets (Yealink, Cisco, Poly, Grandstream) either purchased outright for £200 to £450 per handset or rented at £8 to £15 per desk per month
• No separate 7-year finance agreement
• Number portability, full PBX features, app clients for mobile
• Ofcom-regulated £ and pence annual increases

How to Route It

Get a free VoIP quote. We compare reputable UK VoIP providers with transparent pricing.

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Alternative 3: Broker-Routed Comparison

A broker (like us) does the comparison across multiple direct-network and direct-VoIP options and presents you with side-by-side quotes. The key word is "independent" — a broker should be comparing across the market, not reselling a single provider's product.

How to Tell a Real Broker From a Reseller

• Real broker: shows you quotes from multiple providers with clearly identified per-line/per-seat pricing, contract lengths, and exit terms
• Reseller pretending to be a broker: only offers "their" deal, often with a single contract structure and separate equipment lease on top

Ask explicitly: "Which providers are you comparing across? Show me the quotes."

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Side-by-Side: 4Com vs Alternatives

The table below is based on typical public pricing in the UK market and what Trustpilot reviewers describe about 4Com.

We are not defaming 4Com. We are presenting what Trustpilot reviewers publicly describe alongside market-standard alternatives. Decide for yourself.

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Where Compare The Networks Fits In

We are a broker. We compare business mobile across EE, Vodafone, O2 and Three, and business VoIP across multiple reputable UK providers. We have been doing it since 2008. We are OFCOM-regulated. We are free to the customer — the networks and providers pay us.

What we will not do:

• Put you on a 7-year lease
• Pitch you a 60-month service contract as standard
• Charge you upfront to get a quote
• Pressure you to sign the same day
• Sell you equipment on a separate finance agreement you did not understand

Get a free VoIP quote or get a mobile quote and we will do the comparison for you.

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What If You Are Already With 4Com?

If you are a current 4Com customer comparing options for the end of your contract (or considering an early exit), here is the recommended reading:

• How to leave 4Com — the full step-by-step exit guide
• 4Com early termination fee — what leaving early actually costs
• 4Com complaints and CISAS — the formal complaint route if you have grounds
• 4Com finance agreement trap — the Propel / BNP lease mechanics
• 4Com price increases — the "rates trebled" pattern explained

Do not cancel anything until you have replacement services live and numbers ported. See the leave-4Com guide for timing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 4Com cheaper than the direct networks?

Trustpilot reviewers describe the headline introductory rate as attractive for the first 18-24 months. After that, reviewers describe the rate increasing (sometimes two to three times), and the separate Hihi equipment lease adds substantial per-month cost on top. When you price the full-term cost including all contracts, independent reviewers describe 4Com as significantly more expensive than equivalent direct-network or direct-VoIP alternatives.

Who are 4Com's main competitors?

At the reseller level: similar UK telecoms brokers and resellers including Onecom, Daisy, Hosted.co.uk and various smaller firms. At the direct level: the four UK mobile networks (EE, Vodafone, O2, Three) and cloud VoIP providers offering per-seat monthly plans.

Is 4Com the same as Hihi?

Hihi is the handset brand associated with 4Com's sales channel. Customers on Trustpilot frequently describe confusion about which entity they are dealing with — 4Com, Hihi and Campfire all appear in correspondence, together with a separate finance company (typically Propel Finance or BNP Paribas Leasing) that administers the equipment lease.

Can a broker actually be cheaper than going direct to a network?

Often yes — brokers have volume-driven pricing the individual business does not. A good broker should put the direct-network comparison price alongside the broker-negotiated price, show you both, and let you choose. That is how we operate.

Should I leave 4Com mid-contract?

Depends on the exit fee versus the savings. If your remaining 4Com commitment plus the Hihi finance agreement totals say £15,000 and an alternative saves you £10,000 over the same period, it may be worth paying the exit fee. If you believe you were mis-sold, the CISAS route may cancel the contract without penalty. See our complaints and leave guides.

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Explore Your Options

Get a free VoIP quote or get a mobile quote. Honest comparison across the UK market. Transparent pricing. 24-month terms.

Or read more:

• 4Com reviews and alternatives
• 4Com 7-year contracts
• 4Com misselling
• 4Com contract problems
• 4Com sales tactics
• 4Com early termination fee
• 4Com finance agreement trap
• 4Com complaints and CISAS
• 4Com Trustpilot reviews
• 4Com price increases
• 4Com Hihi handsets
• 4Com no cooling-off period
• 4Com business mobile alternatives
• How to leave 4Com
• Onecom vs 4Com
• Business VoIP, Virtual Landline, VoIP quote

Nearly 20 years helping UK businesses. Over 1,000 verified reviews on Trustpilot. OFCOM-regulated. Free.

Get your free comparison now.

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About this article. Claims reported here are attributed to public reviews on Trustpilot and similar platforms. They represent the opinions of the reviewers cited, not statements of fact by Compare The Networks. Brands named may dispute these claims. If you are a brand representative who believes any content requires correction, please contact us.