VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is a system of sending voice information across the internet, instead of using traditional telephone lines. However, there are some things you need to consider before you switch your business over to VoIP phone services. Here are some FAQs about these types of products for businesses. If you want to learn more about how VoIP works read our next article.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of VoIP Services Against Traditional Telephony?
Telephone systems are a big part of the office environment. The sound of a ringing phone, or someone answering it, is something that you’ll hear on an average day in any office space. But with VoIP (Voice over IP) technology becoming more and more popular, what does this mean for old-fashioned telephones?
Traditional Phone Services
While most offices have gone entirely digital, there are still some who rely on traditional phone services. With more and more companies going fully remote, it becomes difficult to stay connected with the office when you can’t answer their calls.
At one point in time, traditional telephone services were the only option for businesses to communicate with clients and customers. Traditional phone systems are made up of a combination of hardware, software, and network equipment that connects you to another individual or business through a standard telephone line.
Traditional telephones connect to analog lines and are usually connected to an outside line that goes through the telephone poles into the office building itself.
The traditional landlines have advantages over their digital counterparts in terms of sound quality and connection stability. They also offer better security than VoIP services as they’re more difficult to hack or otherwise compromise due to their physical locations, and aren’t reliant on IP addresses for connectivity. Trading safety for mobility is often worth it though, especially for businesses with remote workers and tight deadlines.
These days, businesses have a variety of choices when it comes to how they connect their employees to potential clients and customers. They can use traditional telephones or VoIP phones which operate over the internet.
VoIP Phone Systems
VOIP phone systems are the future of business communications and you can get your hands on them today. Whether it’s for a single office or an entire enterprise, VoIP technology is disrupting the traditional phone system market by offering much cheaper rates and more features. The office world has changed with time. Over the last decade, we have seen more businesses transitioning to using VoIP phones as opposed to traditional landlines. With so many benefits that come along with a VoIP system in place, it’s no wonder why they are taking over.
A VoIP phone system is a way to make calls over the internet. If you have an office, there are many benefits to using VoIP as your business telephone system. You can reduce costs by up to 50% and it’s easy for employees to take their phones from home or work! VoIP phones come with a range of features and capabilities that you may have never even known existed for your phone. If you are currently using an older-style business telephone system, VoIP will provide you with much more functionality than what you are used to.
A VoIP (Voice over IP) system is the future of all business communications. The popularity of these systems is increasing by the day and they are now being recognized as an essential component in maintaining efficient collaboration between partners, organizations, and clients. With constant changes happening around the world, the demands on companies increase at a rapid rate leading to a greater need for effective communication solutions. As such, businesses should look into adopting a network platform that facilitates connectivity through Voice over IP phones rather than traditional telephone lines.
Next, read our detailed guide on how to setup up your VoIP phone service.
What are the Benefits of VoIP Phone Systems?
VoIP phone systems are a great option for any business that wants to save money or has limited physical office space. VoIP phone systems boast many benefits, including low installation costs and the ability to use your existing internet connection. If you’re interested in learning more about these features or other advantages of VoIP phones, then keep reading.
Low cost of VoIP Phone Systems
The monthly service fee for a typical VoIP phone system is typically lower than the cost of traditional telephone lines. Not only will you save money on your monthly expenses, but you’ll also enjoy other features that would normally have an extra fee attached to them, such as call forwarding and voicemail access.
Low Cost of Equipment
Purchasing a VoIP phone system does not require a large upfront investment. If you already have internet connectivity, then all you will need are the phones in order to start using this type of service. Most businesses can expect to pay under $150 per employee for their phones alone. This means that even if your business is large enough to employ 100 people, you would only be looking at equipment costs totaling $15,000 maximum.
Mobility of a VoIP Phone System
When you switch your phone service to a VoIP system, you are able to benefit from being able to take your phones wherever you go. While this is not a feature available with traditional phone lines, it is possible when using internet-based services.
Businesses can further take advantage of these benefits by having IP PBX systems installed in their offices. This type of system provides businesses with even greater control over how the phones are used within their business. With IP PBX systems, users are able to report which employees have answered calls and for how long they were on the call. It also allows businesses to block access to certain networks or websites if desired.
Scalability of VoIP Phone Systems
While traditional phone lines are hard-wired to the building they are installed in, internet-based phone systems can be accessed from any location with an internet connection. This means that if a business has other locations or offices where their employees need to make and receive calls from then it is possible for the same system to be used.
If departments within the company start getting more use out of these services then it becomes easy to upgrade them as necessary. The flexibility provided by IP PBX systems also allows companies to scale back their usage and save money when needed. This does not mean that the service needs to suffer though; since businesses have full control over these features they can choose exactly what features will be restricted while saving money.
Integration with Unified Communication Systems using VoIP Phone Systems
Businesses should make sure that they evaluate their current communication systems. The technology that is currently being used in the company will have an impact on the types of features and functionalities that are available for users.
For example; a VoIP system might not integrate seamlessly with other voice-over IP services if it does not support SIP2SIP communications. In this case, there are two options available for companies to consider: upgrading their existing system or adding new hardware into the network. Since most small businesses do not need complex IVR systems then upgrading software should be considered first. In addition, if the phone system is only being used for local calls then replacing the software can help reduce costs at a later date as well. In case you face issues read our guide on tips for VOIP troubleshooting.
FAQs About VoIP Phone Services for Businesses
If you’re looking for a reliable VoIP phone service to use in your office, there are many things you should consider and countless questions to have answered. Here are the most popular questions that businesses are asking before making the switch to VoIP phone systems.
What is the best VoIP phone service?
The best VoIP phone service is a VoIP service that works for your business. This means any VoIP service provider could be the best depending on how it will address your individual needs. What you should do when trying to decide which VoIP option is right for you, is look at the features and benefits of each plan in comparison to what currently meets your needs as well as future expectations.
How much does VoIP service cost a business?
Cost is a factor in selecting the right VoIP service for your business. The service that you choose should work within the budget of your company. Just like any enterprise, small or large scale, there are options with various costs and features that may be suitable to your needs and will not go overboard on price.
Before looking into the costs of different VoIP phone systems, your business needs to decide what kind of phone they need? From there, costs can be determined. How many employees do I have? What kind of phones are they using today? Do we have an existing phone system already in place that needs to be replaced or upgraded? Do I have a compatible network at hand to support VoIP phone systems? These questions will help narrow down the price for VoIP phone systems.
What is the best VoIP service for home-based and telecommuting employees?
Today, with companies having telecommuting employees all across the country and indeed the world, it is important to know what kind of VoIP service will be best for them. A home-based employee that must work together with a central office could use many different kinds of VoIP services. However, it is better to decide on a single protocol that can be used throughout the entire business rather than multiple protocols.
For instance, if you are using Vonage as your VoIP service provider then you should probably stick with them because they only provide one protocol that makes things easier for everyone involved.
Does a VoIP phone system require a service provider?
The answer is yes and no. You can get phone service without a VoIP provider, but the best thing about a VoIP system is that you can save money because of the design of the system. The nice part about using your own infrastructure for VoIP services is that there are fewer chances of problems occurring when you have to rely on other networks to communicate with one another.
Is there a free VoIP service offered for businesses?
Do you need a VoIP service for your company? If so, there are some free options that exist. There is Google Voice, Skype, and some other services as well. Choosing which one to use can be difficult with all the different features they have. You will want to look at what type of system you currently have in place and whether or not it is compatible with these types of systems before making a decision on which one to choose.