Telephone Systems Global

Understanding VoIP Telephone Systems

Voice over Internet is often called Voice over Internet is often called Voice over IP or VoIP; there isn’t a difference between any of the names. The difference between VoIP systems and traditional phone systems is that VoIP travels over IP networks (the same as your computer network systems) and can access common telephony features such as teleconferencing, hold, transfer and the like. VoIP is a legitimate system that can be considered by large enterprise firms down to sole proprietors. Depending on the size of the organization the infrastructure to support VoIP can be extensive (in the case of large enterprises) or as basic as a handset, computer and the Internet (for sole proprietors).

For small companies, a few people you can consider services like Vonage, which as good quality voice as well as functionality. Another option, such as Skype can be even less expensive, however the quality of voice may be too low for even the most patient and understanding user. Remember that whichever direction you go you will be using the phone every day, so feel comfortable with the quality you will receive. For more dynamic organizations companies such as Cisco, Avaya and others offer a full scale implementation for your enterprise needs.

The great thing about VoIP is it can be used in almost any situation, the technology isn’t hard to understand and on small levels the implementation can be done by most any person. Soft phone technology allows you to access your phone over the Internet or where ever you are. So you could be sitting in your office or in a bubble bath at a five star hotel and no one would know the difference (assuming video technology isn’t enabled). On a large scale enterprise level it’s no difference, the ability to take and go with your phone makes the phone much more usable than ever before.

The federal government and military were some of the early adopters with VoIP technology; they experienced difficulties in quality of service and uptime. The potential value and functionality outweighed the technical impact, although few ventured into full implementation. Today the technology is fully baked and ready for business of all size. However, quality of service on the very low end is still a major concern.

Making the decision to choose VoIP will be a rewarding choice, you will find the quality great and the features outstanding.

The difference between VoIP systems and traditional phone systems is that VoIP travels over IP networks (the same as your computer network systems) and can access common telephony features such as teleconferencing, hold, transfer and the like. VoIP is a legitimate system that can be considered by large enterprise firms down to sole proprietors. Depending on the size of the organization the infrastructure to support VoIP can be extensive (in the case of large enterprises) or as basic as a handset, computer and the Internet (for sole proprietors).

For small companies, a few people you can consider services like Vonage, which as good quality voice as well as functionality. Another option, such as Skype can be even less expensive, however the quality of voice may be too low for even the most patient and understanding user. Remember that whichever direction you go you will be using the phone every day, so feel comfortable with the quality you will receive. For more dynamic organizations companies such as Cisco, Avaya and others offer a full scale implementation for your enterprise needs.

The great thing about VoIP is it can be used in almost any situation, the technology isn’t hard to understand and on small levels the implementation can be done by most any person. Soft phone technology allows you to access your phone over the Internet or where ever you are. So you could be sitting in your office or in a bubble bath at a five star hotel and no one would know the difference (assuming video technology isn’t enabled). On a large scale enterprise level it’s no difference, the ability to take and go with your phone makes the phone much more usable than ever before.

The federal government and military were some of the early adopters with VoIP technology; they experienced difficulties in quality of service and uptime. The potential value and functionality outweighed the technical impact, although few ventured into full implementation. Today the technology is fully baked and ready for business of all size. However, quality of service on the very low end is still a major concern.

Making the decision to choose VoIP will be a rewarding choice, you will find the quality great and the features outstanding.

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Small Business Telephone Systems, PBX vs. VoIP

Many small business owners have no idea what they are up against when they chose a telephone system.  Most only know that when they pick up the handset they want to hear a ring tone, don’t want any down time and don’t want to pay too much.  But after that it’s anyone’s guess as to what value a phone system holds for them.  Let’s see if we can’t break this down a little bit and provide a little clarity on the subject.

First, some things are going to be constants no matter whether you choose a tradition PBX system or a new VoIP system. You need to consider whether your company is in growth mode or if employee size will stay pretty steady.  Some things like hold, transfer and conference call functionality are a given.  Voice mail, auto-attendant and hold are all givens too.  However, when you start to discuss multi language, ring groups, mode scheduling and many others a small business owner may not be able to assess whether it’s needed or not.  Be careful when choosing, many companies will do groupings and up charge you without your knowledge for services you will never use.

Makes sure you clearly understand the phone installation process and the expenses surrounding it, many times this alone can be an unknown and unpleasant experience.  It’s best to make sure your telephone provider clearly states the expected costs.

The main benefit of a VoIP system is that it charges differently for calling out of state and country.  The first thing small business owners see is the significant cost savings because the rates are just so much lower.  In a head to head comparison VoIP will come out ahead every time.   When you look at this it becomes clear quickly that your profits are being eaten up through a PBX system.

VoIP systems tend to have less installation needs, thus a reduction in installation cost and another financial win for you.  Since VoIP services connect through an Ethernet and you already have a connection that installation cost mostly goes away.   There is the possibility that with increased usage from the VoIP system you will have greater bandwidth needs, however that cost will still be less than a PBX phone system.

When considering a phone system look at what you need in the way of extensions and other applications it may be more difficult to get it through a VoIP system.  In this case you may want to consider sticking to a traditional PBX system.

The best thing to do is understand your needs, ask your employees which functionality they really need and learn from a reputable company that can help you weigh the pros and cons for your business.

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