XO Communications telephone system is one of the leading providers of telecommunications and related services in the United States, serving 50% of Fortune 500 companies. XO Networking can effectively connect your office and allow your employees to use phone systems much more efficiently. The XO communications phone system provides a variety of plans and technologies, that'll fit a wide array of business needs.

XO communications phone plans offer a unique pricing alternative. Your company can opt to pay for that amount of voice data bandwidth used, rather than the typical minute-by-minute plan. In addition to these flexible phone plans, there's also the phone anywhere program that can create a virtual office anywhere that has an Internet connection. However, before you make the decision to purchase an XO phone system, there are a few items you need to consider, such as:

1. Learn the basics of the XO communications telephone and the voice over IP system.

2. Evaluate the XO Communications phone plans and additional features.

3. Speak to a salesperson about XO Communications telephone system and other available technologies.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Understand the essential elements of the voice over IP XO phone system

Most everyone realizes how a basic landline telephone systems works. However, that's usually not the case with voice over Internet Protocol, or VOIP technology. Instead of using phone line to make call, VOIP uses the Internet to transfer the voice data. In addition to knowing how VOIP works, it's important to remember the basic terms of the technology. That way when you're speaking to a salesperson you won't get lost in the technology jargon.

I recommend: Examine the tech tutorial from VOIP Review. Register and use the tools at the XO Learning Center to become comfortable with the technology. Study the VOIP Glossary for the terms that may come up during a call to XO Communications representative.

Review all of the XO phone products and services available

Depending on the size and wealth of your business, some services may be more valuable than others may. For instance, if your company has a decentralized office with most of your employees on the road or spread throughout the country, then the XO phone anywhere service may greatly benefit your company more so than other services. However, your business may only require traditional voice services.

I recommend: Visit the Voice Services overview for a look at the basic XO phone offerings. Examine the XO Phone Anywhere product description and use the Phone Anywhere Demonstration to take the application for a test drive. Review the Voice over IP summary to evaluate this suite of products.

Contact a XO telephone system representative

Before you talk to a salesperson, you should also understand that XO communications phone systems have a different pricing structure. While the exact dollar amount of each XO communication phone plan is only available through a sales contact, you can get an idea of how bandwidth pricing works.

I recommend: Visit the article explaining the basics of bandwidth pricing from Network World. To obtain a firm price quote you can either go to a local XO Communications sales office or submit a Contact Sales Form for more information.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to read all the pricing information of a XO telephone system contract before you sign it. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions about anything regarding the contract or the technology that you don't understand.