VoIP phone systems can significantly reduce your business operational cost by at least 50%. Regardless of the type of business you own or the industry you belong to, you need an effective phone system to communicate and engage with your customers and stakeholders. No matter how advanced a 2020 business is in its IT and infrastructural development, it cannot operate smoothly without a unified telecommunication infrastructure in place, i.e., VoIP telecommunication.
What is a VoIP Phone System?
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol system is the most modern and flexible technique to deliver audio and video communication. The method uses internet technology that converts analog signals of the sound to digital signals using communication data. VoIP can be deployed on any device that relies on data, such as PCs, smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
As businesses start to shift their operations by keeping in par with rapid technological evolution, it is inevitable for organizations to let go of the traditional analog phone system (POTS) and implement a cloud-powered VoIP phone system Hosted PBX.
Features of VoIP Systems
If you have heard a lot about VoIP telecommunication, it is because Voice over Internet Protocol system proves to be cost-effective as they cut down rental cost and call charges that traditional phone incurs.
What you don’t know about VoIP is that besides saving cost, it provides several other call management benefits. Most comprehensive VoIP services come with features like auto attendance to streamline internal and external calls, unlimited free calls, customized menus with a single application for both mobile and desktop, team collaboration with audio/video meetings up to 300 members, multi-level IVR, virtual receptionist, audit trail, Encrypted Device Management (EDM), call performance reporting and analytics, encrypted data, and unhindered, high-quality long-distance calls. Furthermore, if your company largely depends upon smartphone communication, VoIPs can also be configured into smartphones, allowing you to provide high-quality service to your national and international clients wherever you go.
Choosing the Right VoIP Service for Business Communication
Switching from the traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) to a virtual telecommunication system can seem intimidating in the beginning, but besides minor teething problems, any business environment can smoothly adapt to a VoIP setting.
VoIP phone systems are categorized into two services: On-Premise and Hosted or Cloud.
On-Premise PBX
On-premise VoIP is similar to the traditional phone system installed in a location or office space, like in a phone compartment or computer system room. It gives you better control over your users and empowers you with advanced features as opposed to traditional phones. It is because the IP routing is processed using modern technology. Here a LAN server is used for IP signaling, where the calls are connected either through a local phone company or a VoIP using SIP trunking. Gateway cards are engaged for connecting the local phone company provider with the calling system. Choosing an Asterisk-based system (open-source platform) for building IP-PBX telecommunication will prove cost-effective, for it offers development flexibility.
The downside of on-premise IP-PBX is that it’s quite expensive to set up and maintain. You need a knowledgeable in-house IT team to keep the systems running without technical glitches.
Hosted PBX
Hosted PBX or Cloud VoIP is an internet-based, Cloud-powered IP-PBX system that a communication and network provider installs using cloud technology. The provider also takes care of the managing and maintenance aspects. Since the Cloud handles the communication data, the installation space is minimized to just the mobile device you are using. The plugged-in router and the IP-PBX server will take care of the calls, signals, and other communication features from a remote location, i.e., the provider’s desk.
Hosted PBX is quick to set up and much more secure than on-premise PBX – you don’t have to establish an infrastructure from scratch, need not hire and train an expert IT team to maintain, and do not have to purchase equipment for making calls. Everything will be monitored, maintained, and upgraded by the Hosted PBX service provider against a competitive monthly rental.
Charges of hosted PBX vary based on the service provider. The feature listing you select includes voice calls only, Webex meetings, screen share, video conferencing features, and mobile and desktop app integration. When it comes to your organization, make sure you choose a VoIP hosting provider that allows both capabilities, On-premise PBX and Cloud PBX, besides pricing flexibilities and additional features like plug and play, comprehensive call management solutions, boosted security, call analytics, single app, and easy migration.