What is 9dash9 and how does it work?

9dash9 is a Canadian cloud PBX (Private Branch Exchange) service built for small businesses. Your phone system lives in the cloud — no hardware to buy, no IT department needed. You get business phone numbers, an auto-attendant, voicemail, and mobile and desktop apps. Calls route over the internet, so your team can answer from anywhere.

How long does setup take?

Most customers are live within one business day. Our integrations team handles the full configuration — auto-attendant, voicemail, call routing, and app setup. You just approve the setup and start taking calls.

Do I need special hardware or equipment?

No hardware required. 9dash9 works on your existing smartphone (iOS or Android) and computer via our desktop app. If you prefer a physical desk phone, ask your integrations specialist and we can accommodate that.

Can I keep my existing phone number?

Yes. We can port (transfer) your existing Canadian business number to 9dash9 at no charge. And because we use a zero-downtime porting process — where both your existing number and a temporary number are active in your call flow simultaneously — you never miss a single call during the transfer. Learn how zero-downtime porting works →

What does the $65.95/month Starter Package include?

The Starter Package includes 2 Business Voice Seats, 1 Canadian local DID (phone number), approximately 500 minutes per seat per month, auto-attendant (IVR), voicemail-to-email, mobile and desktop apps, and Canadian billing and support. Everything included — no upsells.

Are there contracts or cancellation fees?

No contracts. 9dash9 is month-to-month. Cancel anytime with 30 days’ notice. No cancellation fees.

What is the fair use policy for minutes?

Each seat includes approximately 500 minutes per month of outbound calling. This fair use policy keeps service reliable and costs predictable for all customers.

What is Service Shield?

Service Shield is a one-time $65.95 protection fee. Because 9dash9 is month-to-month, a billing error — such as a declined card — could cause a service interruption or, in the worst case, your service and phone number could be suspended before you have a chance to resolve it. Service Shield acts as a buffer: if a payment issue occurs, it buys you time within that billing cycle to fix it without losing your service or your number. Think of it as insurance for your business continuity.

How does billing work?

Billing is monthly in Canadian dollars (CAD) via credit card through our secure Stripe-powered payment system. Invoices are emailed automatically each billing cycle. GST/HST applies where required.

What is an auto-attendant (IVR)?

An auto-attendant is an automated greeting that answers calls and routes them to the right extension or department. Example: “Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support.” 9dash9 configures this for you during onboarding.

Can I have multiple extensions?

Yes. Each Business Voice Seat ($23.99/month) gets its own extension. You can add as many seats as your team needs — and remove them just as easily when things slow down. Extensions can have individual voicemail, call routing rules, and business hours.

Can I add or remove seats anytime?

Yes — that’s one of the core benefits of 9dash9. Add a seat the morning you hire someone. Remove one when your slow season hits. A landscaper might run 5 seats in summer and 2 in winter. A tax preparer might scale up in February and back down in June. You pay only for what you use, with no penalty for adjusting.

Does 9dash9 support toll-free numbers?

Yes. We offer Canadian toll-free numbers (1-800, 1-888, etc.) for $9.99/month.

Does voicemail-to-email work on mobile?

Yes. When a caller leaves a voicemail, you receive an email with an audio attachment (MP3) and a text transcription. Works on any device that receives email.

What uptime can I expect?

9dash9 targets 99.9% uptime. Our platform runs on enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure with redundant data centres to ensure your calls keep going even if one node has an issue.

What internet speed do I need for VoIP?

A minimum of 1 Mbps upload/download per concurrent call is recommended. Most business internet connections handle this easily. A stable connection matters more than raw speed — a wired Ethernet connection gives you the best call quality.

How do I reach support?

Email us at support@9dash9.com or call +1 289 203 4778. Our team is based in Canada and responds within one business day — typically much faster.

Where can I check system status?

Real-time system status for all 9dash9 services is available at 9dash9.statuspage.io.

Is 9dash9 CRTC registered?

Yes. 9dash9 Communication Corp. is a registered Canadian carrier under CRTC confirmation #201290, incorporated under the Canada Business Corporations Act (Corp. #1698519-0, BN 797362639RC0001).