---
title: "How do I get my team to receive calls from our business phone system on their personal phones?"
topic: "Business & Teams"
updated: 2026-07-09
canonical: https://acrobits.net/resources/knowledge-base/how-do-i-get-my-team-to-receive-calls-from-our-business-phon/
summary: "Create a SIP extension in your PBX for each team member, then have them install Groundwire ($9.99, one-time purchase) and enter the extension credentials. Each personal phone then registers as a full business extension, with push notifications so calls ring even when the app is closed."
---

# How do I get my team to receive calls from our business phone system on their personal phones?

> Create a SIP extension in your PBX for each team member, then have them install Groundwire ($9.99, one-time purchase) and enter the extension credentials. Each personal phone then registers as a full business extension, with push notifications so calls ring even when the app is closed.

Create a SIP extension in your PBX for each team member, then have them install **[Groundwire](https://acrobits.net/sip-client-ios-android/)** ($9.99, one-time purchase) and enter the extension credentials. Each personal phone then registers as a full business extension, with push notifications so calls ring even when the app is closed.

## How SIP registration works

Your PBX uses **[SIP](/voip-glossary/sip/)** (Session Initiation Protocol) to register extensions and handle calls. A SIP softphone app on a smartphone registers with your PBX the same way a desk phone does: same extension number, same dial plan, same voicemail. **Groundwire** is a native iOS and Android app for registering a personal phone as a business extension.

## How business caller ID protects employee privacy

When a team member makes or receives a call through Groundwire, the other party sees the business phone number, **not the employee's personal number**. Employees never hand out their personal number. Your business retains full control of the extension and the caller ID. When someone leaves the company, you simply remove the extension; the employee's personal phone is untouched.

## Set up Groundwire in four steps

StepWho Does ItWhat Happens

1. Create SIP extensionsIT admin / ownerAdd one extension per employee in your PBX (FreePBX, 3CX, Asterisk, or hosted VoIP portal). Note the SIP username, password, and server address for each.
2. Install GroundwireEach employeeDownload Groundwire from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android). One-time purchase: **$9.99 per device**.
3. Enter SIP credentialsEach employeeOpen Groundwire → Add Account → enter the SIP server, username, and password provided by IT. The extension registers in seconds.
4. Enable push notificationsEach employeeAllow notifications when prompted. Groundwire uses **[push notifications](/voip-glossary/push-notifications/)** so the phone rings even when the app is closed, with no need to keep it open in the foreground.

## What your team gets

Once configured, Groundwire behaves like a desk phone because your PBX treats it as one. Your team gets the full feature set your PBX supports:

- **Incoming and outgoing calls** on their business extension, from any network (Wi-Fi or mobile data)

- **Call transfer and hold**: attended transfers, putting callers on hold, picking up parked calls

- **Voicemail**: routed through your PBX like any other extension

- **Do Not Disturb**: employees can set DND schedules so work calls stop ringing after hours

- **Multiple SIP accounts**: power users can register more than one account if needed

## Groundwire cost versus UCaaS licensing

Per-seat UCaaS licenses often run around **$20–$30 per user per month**. If you already have a PBX (on-premise or hosted), adding Groundwire costs a one-time **$9.99 per device**, with no recurring per-seat fees. For a team of ten, that's roughly $100 total versus $2,400–$3,600 per year for a comparable UCaaS plan.

## Why push notifications matter

The biggest friction point with mobile softphones is missed calls: if the app isn't running, the call doesn't ring. Groundwire solves this with **push notifications powered by Acrobits' [SIPIS](/voip-glossary/sipis/) infrastructure**. SIPIS maintains a lightweight SIP registration on behalf of the backgrounded app. When a call arrives, SIPIS wakes the app via Apple Push Notification Service (iOS) or Firebase Cloud Messaging (Android) before the call arrives. The result is that the phone can ring full-screen even when Groundwire is closed.

One requirement on your end: if your PBX sits behind a firewall, allowlist the SIPIS server IP ranges so push delivery can reach it.

## Works with SIP PBXs

Groundwire is PBX-agnostic. If your system supports SIP (and virtually all modern business phone systems do), it works. This includes self-hosted systems like **FreePBX**, **Asterisk**, and **[3CX](/resources/knowledge-base/can-i-use-a-third-party-softphone-with-3cx/)**, as well as hosted VoIP providers that give you SIP extension credentials. Use standard SIP account details to register the extension.

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