What is VoIP?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol so as the name suggests instead of sending voice signals using telephone lines, your voice is converted to a digital signal and the data is sent over your Internet connection. So, in plain English, it’s a phone service that uses the Internet rather than a traditional telephone line.
There are many benefits of making the switch to VoIP, from reducing costs to increasing efficiency and productivity within your business. Below are just some of the benefits.
Benefits of VoIP
- Reduce Costs – A limitation with a traditional phone line is that a line is taken up by a single call and this limits how many simultaneous calls can be made. The more concurrent calls you need the more lines you need. With VoIP, you can make multiple calls at the same time without needing additional physical lines and the additional expense that involves. In addition, landline calls can be expensive on traditional telephone lines and ISDN. Not so with VoIP. Using the Internet for your calls reduces the costs spent on call traffic and some may even be free with great call bundles available!
- Mobility – VoIP services are of benefit as you will have them with you wherever you go. A traditional phone system is a static line that runs to a business or home. Any attempts to get a number transferred or redirected can be time consuming. No physical limitations with VoIP. The ease of use from any location has been a feature that has come into its own over the past year with COVID restrictions meaning that many are working productively from home. This technology means calls can be made and answered using a VoIP phone on your desk or directly from your computer or mobile device.
- Reliable – If the Internet stops, does the ability to make calls stop? This is a common question and concern for many. The beauty of VoIP is its flexibility along with its reliability. Disaster Recovery is often part of the solution, so you have a back-up plan! Automatic call forwarding features mean that if your office loses power, for example, causing the broadband to go down, calls can be directed to your mobile or alternative number ensuring no loss in connectivity to your voice service.
- Flexibility & Scalability – VoIP telephone systems are very flexible in their setup and can be tailored to your business. As mentioned previously, a traditional phone system is limited by the number of lines that can be installed to your premises. VoIP theoretically would allow you to add thousands of users, the only limitation being your bandwidth. This means it is also easy to grow your phone system with your business. No provisioning of new lines is required. Just add another phone and license.
- Efficiency – You don’t have the worry of missing client calls if you are unavailable. You can easily set and alter the ring groups. For example, if you are unable to take a call after a couple of rings you may set the call to re-direct to a second or third device for your colleagues to answer.
- Secure – VoIP phone systems have standardised encryption protocols making this modern phone system much more secure than a traditional analogue phone system.
- Simple Conference Calls – Conference calls can be done on a traditional phone system, but you will have to pay for an additional service to host multiple callers for the conference and need the line capacity. With VoIP it’s not an extra, it’s standard. And not only are audio conferences easier and more manageable, but video conferencing is as well.
- Higher Call Quality – VoIP telephone systems offer HD voice quality.
- Future Proof – With ISDN technology fast becoming outdated BT has announced it will be turning off its ISDN network in 2025. With this date looming ever nearer, now is the time to be considering switching over. Make sure your business is ready.
PS Tech are here to help
With all the above in mind, using VoIP as your business telephone system is a no brainer. To make the switch give PS Tech get in touch. And if you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to ask. We are here to help.
