IP telephony business solutions provide an excellent means to reduce cost and boost communication efficiency. Unlike traditional lines, with VoIP technology you can communicate with more than two people on the same connection. The software and hardware are cheaper on the user end than traditional phone lines as well. However, to implement and maximize this technology successfully, your company needs proper VoIP solutions education and training.

As with any other technology, to make VoIP solutions for business a success, an education of the basics of the product is required. Once you feel comfortable with business VoIP basics, it's time to enroll in training courses. After the general training are the certification level classes that require a serious time commitment. All three VoIP business solutions educational levels each have their own merits. However, before you begin the educational process there are items which can help:

1. Review the essential elements of IP telephony solutions.

2. Examine the VoIP phone system training courses available.

3. Take the VoIP service certification courses available online.

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Study the basics of the technology behind any VoIP solution

Understanding just how and why any technology works will provide you with a sound educational foundation on which to build product knowledge. It's like with any topic, the better you know the nuts and bolts, the more you can comprehend the entire structure and all of its intricacies. This same is true for VoIP technology.

I recommend: Evaluate the VoIP learning from TechTarget for a thorough tutorial on the technology. For more information on VoIP technology, you can use the guide at the Javvin website.

Assess the viability of the integrated VoIP solutions training course

Once you learn the essentials of VoIP technology, it's time to review training courses. Spending company time and resources on training courses is serious commitment. Therefore, you need to be certain that you want to implement and use the product.

I recommend: Research the list of IP communications training courses available at Cisco Systems. Teracom Training Institute is another resource that offers VoIP technology training for your business.

Register for VoIP services certification classes

If you or your company want to train your workforce in the VoIP technology, it's best to have at least one member of your tech team become certified in the product. This can also save the time and money of having to hire outside contractors to work on your VoIP equipment.

I recommend: Research the VoIP certification courses at VOIP-News and Nortel Networks for the latest industry information. If you just want to certify your sales force on the VoIP technology, review the certification courses at the VoIP Business Executive.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you register for any VoIP solutions education and training course be certain that the classes have a certification from Cisco or some other widely recognized organization or business.

The perfect telecommunications solution for your company is sitting right on your desk. A computer with a broadband Internet connection can be used to set up IP telephony business solutions, enabling you to make telephone calls anywhere in the world at a fraction of the cost of using a conventional telephone carrier.

More and more companies have adapted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications to make phone calls because:

1. They have found that VoIP solutions for business offer many convenient features without being tethered to a phone line.
2. They save tons of money on communications costs, offering unlimited long distance service for less than $30 per month.
3. There's no extra charge for conference calls using IP telephony solutions.
4. Integrated VoIP solutions can route calls to employees even if they're on the road, eliminating the need for the caller to hang up and dial a cell phone number.
5. IP telephony solutions can be fully integrated with fax or email software on your computer.

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Choose your VoIP services

VoIP service providers offer a wide array of features, including voicemail, web integration, mobile phone service and conference calling.

I recommend: Know what you want before you sign up. Free VoIP services such as Skype may not give you everything you need. Skype charges for extra features. Other companies offering VoIP business solutions include Ring Central, Vonage and Velocity.

Choose the right VoIP system hardware

Some VoIP solutions providers may require that you upgrade your phones and other devices to take full advantage of your new IP telephony business solutions. You can replace everything from your telephones to your PBX switchboards to provide up-to-date and efficient VoIP solutions for business.

I recommend: Check out the hardware and features available in systems provided by companies such as The VoIP Connection, VoIP Hardware, and VoIP Supply.

Check your cable company's VoIP solution

Most cable companies offer limited VoIP business solutions and calling plans for small businesses.

I recommend: Major cable companies such as Comcast, Time-Warner and Charter provide an integrated VoIP service where you can use your existing phone lines and equipment. Although they don't offer all of the services dedicated VoIP companies provide, they're a great option for small businesses on a limited budget.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When choosing a VoIP telephone, consider the options and its quality. Does it need to be connected to your computer? How's the voice quality? Do you need to hit it with a hammer to activate it?
• •  Check the track record of the VoIP service provider before signing up.
• •  Make sure you aren't being provided with residential services renamed 'business services' and being charged a higher fee.
• •  Can your VoIP hardware be used with other VoIP service providers? Make sure your service is Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) enabled, or your phones and other hardware may become useless doorstops.
• •  Make sure you can use any SIP compliant phone anywhere to get service. Some providers require that you carry your phone with you and plug it in when you arrive at your destination.

VoIP solutions are those which address issues and concerns with relation to the Voice over Internet Protocol industry and technologies. The most common VoIP solutions are generally based in transmission technologies. Due to the popularity of such audio technologies for personal and professional use, businesses and individuals may find it beneficial to familiarize themselves with some of the basic key terms that are used in the world of VoIP and VoIP solutions.

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Session initiation protocol (SIP)

Session initiation protocol is the full written version of the acronym, SIP. It is one of the less complex IP telephony protocol options available to those who are interested in such technological capabilities.

I recommend: SIP trunks, which offer VoIP benefits co-existing with PBX and Internet connections, are discussed in detail at VelocityNetworks.com.

Codec

VoIP technologies employ compressor-decompressor processes. Such processes are also referred to as the encoder-decoder processes, from which the term codec comes. Codecs assist in converting or transforming streams of data. With a successful codec package in place, VoIP technologies can easily transmit information. A problem with the codec is that it can be very detrimental to VoIP capabilities.

I recommend: Intel discusses its implementation of wideband codecs as a part of VoIP solutions at Intel.com.

Jitter

In some instances, VoIP technologies will experience a momentary fluctuation when it comes to the technology's transmission signal. This is referred to as a jitter. In most instances, it is temporary and occurs when information is transmitted ahead or behind schedule. Some causes for jitters include abrupt variations in the technology's signal characteristics.

I recommend: A detailed explanation of jitters, including their causes and potential solutions, can be found at VoIPForo.com.

Asynchronous communication

When a clock signal is not used for synchronization, the data communications method is referred to as an asynchronous communication process. Each character of information in asynchronous communications is transmitted with a start and stop bit. These bits note both the start and the ending points of the information.

I recommend: Asynchronous, as well as synchronous, communication tools are compared at ASAeCenter.org.

Real time

Real time communication, also known as synchronous communication, is ideal when it comes to VoIP communications. Most businesses are interested in VoIP technologies where there are real time abilities put in place. This is because the delays that occur between the receiver and the sender are minimal. If a business has invested in a VoIP technology that is supposed to offer real time capabilities, but does not, VoIP solutions can assist in the matter.

I recommend: Real time communication on the iPhone, as a result of GIPS, is discussed at VoIPmonitor.net.

Packet

Units of data that are transmitted over networks, such as VoIP systems, are known as packets. A packet is made up of a header, data area, information and trailer. The trailer is designed to contain information that prevents errors during transmission. Problems with a packet can lead to errors during transmission.

I recommend: Packet loss solutions with respect to VoIP communications are explored at VoIP-News.com.

IP telephony solutions and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) refers to two possible business phone solutions. VoIP is an alternate to a landline service, where calls go out over the Internet instead of the phone lines. You can use this instead of or in addition to land-based phone service, depending on your needs. IP telephony can also refer to a business phone system that handles calls within an office, whether or not the actual outside calls go over the Internet or phone lines.

There are many issues which arise when you switch to VoIP, some of which you can avoid by planning ahead before switching. Tips for VoIP solutions installation and maintenance include the following things:

1. Consider keeping your fax machine's landline if you rely on quality fax transmissions for your business, especially if you frequently send faxes longer than four pages.

2. Be careful when choosing a VoIP phone line if you have a credit card verifying machine or alarm system that uses the phone system.

3. Set up a non-VoIP backup number that can forward your calls if the broadband connection is down.

4. Adjust the settings for bandwidth usage to find the best balance between voice quality and network bandwidth.

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Learn how to install VoIP business solutions yourself

When you sign up for a VoIP phone line, installation is fairly simple and easy to do yourself. If you are someone who is comfortable taking a new computer out of the box and hooking up the cables, you can install a VoIP device yourself. An IP PBX system for a business has more components, making it more complicated, so you might want technical help unless you have experience with PBX phone systems.

I recommend: At VoIP Mechanic, you can read information discussing the installation of VoIP with your cable modem or with your DSL connection. It also gives tips on installing VoIP on a business network. See information on VoIP installation, including a diagram of hardware setup, at 8x8.

Get professional installation of VoIP solutions

Many providers of VoIP solutions for business also provide professional installation. There are also many certified third party providers of installation and maintenance services that work on specific brands of equipment.

I recommend: Find out how to arrange for professional installation of Vonage business VoIP services at Vonage Marketing. Contact DrVoIP.com to find out about installation of many brands of VoIP equipment.

Look into options for maintenance of IP telephony solutions

Maintenance often involves troubleshooting problems with your VoIP service. You can find information online to help you do this yourself, or you can find a company willing to do it for you, either on a per-incident basis or as part of a maintenance contract.

I recommend: Find out about Cross Telecom maintenance and support services, a partner with Avaya communications systems. Download guides that cover maintenance issues for specific Cisco Systems products.