Many VoIP systems can accommodate as little as five users or as many as 10, without having to make any changes or upgrades to your system. This means your phone system will function flawlessly every step of the way even as your business grows and changes. VoIP systems offer a wide range of features that you may not get with a traditional phone system such as video calling, SMS messaging, audio conferencing, video conferencing, and more. This makes VoIP an incredibly versatile solution that offers a range of services.
A VoIP system is easy to deploy and effortless to manage. Along with traditional phone calls, VoIP allows you to send documents, images, and videos all while simultaneously engaging in a conversation. So you can seamlessly hold more integrated meetings with clients or staff from other corners of the globe. Despite the name, softphones are not hardware devices.
Instead, they are programs installed on a computer or other smart devices like a tablet or smartphone. A good example is Skype, although enterprise VoIP providers like Nextiva have their applications tailored particularly for business. More than that, softphones allow you to be flexible. They give you access to features that support your remote work style.
Most people don't care to spend more time than it's worth to think about the security of their phone system. Phone system security is a big deal, especially for businesses. Demand for personally identifiable information PII has never been higher. A typical entry point is to trick staff through fraudulent phone calls, typically known as social engineering.
VoIP can mitigate such security threats by leveraging the advancements made in IP technology including encryption and improved identity management. Hosted VoIP providers work around the clock to protect their networks, so you don't have to. Securing your VoIP system means you should work with a trustworthy VoIP provider that undergoes independent security audits, ensure staff practices healthy password habits, and configure automated alerts for questionable calling behavior.
Additionally, it is always advised to complete operating system updates consistently to ensure your business isn't at risk through newer vulnerabilities. Everything that has an advantage has its disadvantages. VoIP telephony is not exempt from this rule. For starters, your VoIP service is only as good as your internet connection. If your network bandwidth is low, the service is bound to suffer.
VoIP doesn't use as much bandwidth as you might expect. It's essential that VoIP devices receive low latency on your network. Each device should have at least kbps upload speed available. A good connection has less than 70ms ping and jitter, which measures the latency and stability of your internet connection.
The bandwidth your business needs will depend on the number of concurrent calls you plan on making. The best way to determine this is to run a bandwidth test on your current network. Aside from speed, there are other connection issues any internet-based technology can face: latency and jitter. Latency and jitter are when these data packets either hit delays in transmission or get improperly re-assembled. These issues might not even be with your network; major internet backbones modify data routes to deliver traffic reliably, fastest path to a destination.
These changes happen automatically with no involvement on your part. Give it a spin here. Location tracking is the final con of VoIP. You can do this through any of the following three ways:. The best business phone systems also function as a team project management tool via a unified communications platform.
Users can share screens during a call and walk clients through a project using whiteboard features. With cloud storage, business users can store files and documents in a central location. VoIP services support real-time collaboration between internal and external teams or clients. Furthermore, providers, such as RingCentral , offer built-in task management and a searchable archive. Learn more about its multichannel business communication features by reading our RingCentral review. Standard business phone systems handle phone calls.
Other users share phone lines during calls or dial extensions to talk with other team members. However, its sole purpose is limited to inbound and outbound calling. Winner: If you want to use your phone system to share documents or screens, chat during meetings, or collaborate with clients, then VoIP is your best option. Although most companies benefit from a VoIP system, those without high-speed internet services may prefer a landline.
However, small businesses, solopreneurs, and freelancers may choose alternatives to fit their unique needs. Two options include:. For most businesses, VoIP is a better option.
Plus, with a VoIP system, you can make and receive calls using any internet-connected device. Voice-over-internet-protocol sends voice data over cable, fiber, or digital subscriber lines DSL. It requires an internet connection and electrical power.
In contrast, an analog telephone system relies on copper lines. Yes, VoIP phones work for analog and internet-based calling. As long as your current phones can be plugged into your telephone port, then you use them for both service types. VoIP technology has gone mainstream. Although some organizations prefer a landline due to their physical location or weather conditions, most companies benefit from a VoIP phone system.
Service providers will also often bundle preferred models of handsets with their solutions, in which case you may be able to save by purchasing or renting such equipment as part of an overall package. All costs you may or may not incur when choosing a VoIP or traditional landline phone system will depend on your existing network infrastructure and phone equipment. Traditional landlines hold the ace when it comes to sound quality. While they may not offer the large suite of features available with VoIP, the technology has been honed over decades to ensure that voice calls are as clear as possible, rarely suffering from interference, dropped calls or poor quality.
Instead, it was intended to carry data. The good news is that in recent years the technology has come on in leaps and bounds. While there may be the occasional blip here and there, VoIP sound quality has been highly polished, and if you opt for a reliable VoIP provider , it should be indistinguishable from an actual landline.
You likely don't need every bell and whistle, but a few core features to expect include:. These features can be attained through a landline system, but many of them require specialized equipment, compared to the VoIP system's one-stop shop. Know which are the features that are essential or could add massive value to your business, and which are appealing but not absolutely essential.
If a key feature on your wants list is not included as standard, see if the provider can add it, and there are features included that you know are of limited value to you, see if they can be removed to reduce the overall cost. Modern VoIP phone solutions have never been so flexible and customizable, so take advantage of this. Security is also an issue when it comes to internet-based services, so VoIP faces a greater security risk than landlines.
All the typical internet protocols will come in useful when ensuring your VoIP phone lines stay secured. Safety is a related concern. Traditional landlines have proven to be dependable over the years, and can continue to operate in situations such as power outages.
While they are not infallible, they are notoriously stable most of the time. Every facet of VoIP is entirely dependent on being able to get online. If your internet goes down, so does VoIP. Ditto your power connection. Scalability is another apect to consider, as you'll want invest in a phone system that can grow with your business.
Ensure that the system you choose can be easily upgraded to handle greater volumes of incoming and outgoing calls, without having to go through the process again of getting a whole new system. If you opt for either a landline or an on-premises VoIP system, you'll need to factor in the cost and time required for installation.
A VoIP hosted over the cloud is far more simple to set up, with just a software installation and a training session on how the features work.
In any case, you'll want to check with your prospective service providers whether training for your employees and phone system users is included, if this training is also applicable for new employees who join the business after the phone system is set up, and in what form the training comes — a video series or in-person live workshops are the most common forms.
Keeping everything running smoothly is an ongoing process, so you'll want to budget for unexpected maintenance. It can be difficult to account for all the possible costs and overheads associated with a new phone system installation, so just keep a contingency fund available if possible for those unexpected fixes and bumps in the first few months of getting the system up and running.
Landline phones are best for smaller companie s with no plans to expand their employee base. A static staff count ensures no need for the extra trouble of installing additional physical lines down the road.
They're also a fit for a location with no access to reliable internet , as this is the potential downside to relying on VoIP system. VoIP phones are best for a wider range of companies: Small and medium sized businesses are best for cloud-based VoIP, due to the low upfront costs and high flexibility, while large businesses might want to consider an on-site VoIP system installation. Expanding companies will want a VoIP setup, provided they also have a solid internet connection. In most cases, you should get VoIP over landline phones.
VoIP is an excellent and inexpensive way to grow your business and ensure that you are responding to your customers needs effectively.
The benefits over a traditional landline are many, as the thousands of companies that have already made the switch to VoIP will attest. Ready to make the modernize your business and make the move to VoIP? Our online comparison tool will get you there, generating bespoke quotes for your company. No, VoIP uses the internet to deliver phone calls, while a landline uses physical copper lines.
As a result, VoIP can include more features and functionality, and additional lines can be more easily added. What are the disadvantages of using VoIP?
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