There are still a substantial number of existing small businesses and new business start ups that have really never looked into VoIP as an alternative to their local, legacy telecom company. The reasons are varied, but many just don't understand what VoIP technology is, and what it can do for them. Others may have heard more of the negative aspects of VoIP technology that don't necessarily hold true today, such as poor call quality, lower reliability, and the possibility of losing phone service when the power goes out.
With the right network infrastructure, use of high quality VoIP service providers, and a reputable installer, VoIP telephony systems can meet and exceed the quality and reliability found by using the more traditional PSTN telecom companies. In addition, the use of VoIP can result in substantial cost savings in the communications budget, while providing feature sets that greatly improve the perception of professionalism within a company. Every business should at least consider the possibility of using VoIP for their communications needs, and a quick call to a local VoIP consultant can help you to better understand the technology, while highlighting the particular features and available functions your business could benefit from.
So what does VoIP have to offer that should encourage every business to at least consider the technology when it comes time to think about changing current phone service, or installing new phone service in a start up business? Although, there are a great deal of money saving methods, and feature enhancements that a VoIP system can provide, we will focus on a few of the more popular, and frequently used options here.
Stop Paying for Multiple POTS Lines
Many companies are paying for multiple analog or digital phone lines (numbers) from a traditional telecom provider or ISP to handle their incoming or outgoing call volume. Many times, these multiple lines are placed in a hunt group, and only a single number is given to the public. This is a big waste, as VoIP can handle multiple incoming or outgoing calls on a single line.
Reduce Your Outgoing Long Distance Rates
If your business makes a lot of outgoing long distance calls, you can usually reduce your monthly costs significantly by using VoIP over traditional POTS lines. Monthly unlimited fixed rate plans are available, as well as pay as you go plans, where the per minute charges are much less than traditional telecoms. If you don't use much outgoing long distance, consider a pay as you go plan where you pay nothing except for minutes actually used.
Set Up a Toll Free Incoming Number at Incredibly Low Rates
Traditional telecoms charge as much as $10 per month and up to 10 cents per minute for an incoming toll free number. With VoIP, you can choose from many different providers and pay as little as 99 cents per month, and 2.4 cents per minute. Unlike a traditional line, you can handle multiple incoming calls with just a single VoIP line.
Set Up Remote Extensions for Off site Locations or Telecommuting
Using an IP Phone, soft-phone on a laptop, or an analog telephone adapter (ATA), you can hook into an internet connection anywhere in the world and instantly register with your VoIP phone server. This allows you to remotely use your phone in exactly the same manner, with all the same features you would normally have when sitting back at the office.
Reduce Your Monthly Business Related Cell Phone Minutes
You can set up an incoming number on your VoIP phone server that gives you an outgoing dial tone when you phone in. By adding this number to your cell phone's "Friends and Family" list, or Pick 5, Pick X list, you can make outgoing calls using your cell phone for free. By taking advantage of this feature, you can possibly reduce your cellular bill by lowering your outgoing plan minutes.
Use Your Cell Phone to Make VoIP Calls When Wi-Fi is Available
Many of today's smart-phones can utilize available SIP (session initiation protocol) software that will allow your cell phone to register with your phone server whenever there is Wi-Fi available. Once your phone registers with your server, you can use it just like any other remote extension on your system. You'll use the internet to make calls vs using cellular minutes. Once WiMAX and LTE phones start to make an appearance, you can do this all over town, instead of trying to find a hotspot in order to use this feature.
Take Advantage of Several FREE Calling Methods
If you list your VoIP telephone number with ENUM, you can make and receive calls from other VoIP users that are registered utilizing only the internet. You will completely bypass both your VoIP provider, and traditional PSTN telcos when making or receiving a call. In addition, the open source VoIP community is constantly coming up with ways to utilize free calling methods. For instance, there is currently a method of using Google Voice to make and receive free calls. You can also place a Google Voice widget on your website (seen on our home page), which allows web visitors to click and make a free call to your business. This call is also free for you.
Get Cheap, Virtual Numbers Anywhere in The World
Do you do business in one or more distant cities or countries? Depending on your incoming call volume, you might benefit from acquiring a local number in that city or country. These virtual numbers will allow your customers to call a local number, which is then routed to your server. You can get domestic virtual numbers for as little as $2.95 a month, and international numbers for as little as $8.95 per month. This could be a better option than using incoming toll free minutes. You could justify a domestic virtual number if you receive as few as two hours of incoming toll free minutes from a particular area code.
Save Big on New Installations
If you decide that VoIP might be right for your new business, you can save a few bucks by not installing the traditional copper line outlets (RJ11) throughout the office. VoIP phone service requires only ethernet connections (RJ45), even if you decide to use traditional analog phones. You can also hook up multiple phones (as well as computers) in one room or office by adding a switch to that location. You can even use a bridged wif-fi router to provide network connection to locations without a wired outlet.
These were just a few examples of some of the more popular cost saving measures and business enhancing features that can be used to convince a company that VoIP really is a better alternative to other methods of telephone service. With the right installation, and selection of stable, quality service providers, all of the inherent issues that have surrounded VoIP phone systems in the past can easily be overcome, providing exceptional value and quality for all your telecommunications needs. Give your local VoIP consultant a call, and give them the chance to provide you with an affordable, feature rich, solution to your communications requirements.
