VOIP Phone Service

VOIP, or voice-over Internet protocol, means the end of waiting days or weeks for your local phone company to arrive at your home to install phone jacks and equipment. It uses the Internet rather than telephone lines to send and receive calls, making it both portable and efficient for its users. Whether you are looking to install a single phone in your home or a full-fledged phone system in your business, VOIP companies offer plans and equipment to suit a variety of needs. There are some drawbacks to this type of service, particularly in the area of emergency service calling. If you live in a very rural area or have a chronic medical condition, you should carefully investigate VOIP services before signing on.

Benefits

VOIP phone services have the potential to revolutionize the way businesses verbally communicate, and they will likely come to replace traditional telephone systems entirely.

All-in-One

VOIP services do not use a standard telephone jack to place calls. Instead, VOIPs use your Internet connection to place calls, including local, long-distance, and even international calls in some cases. Internet speeds have come a long way since VOIP was first introduced in the mid-1990s and are now more than capable of handling VOIP operations over a broadband connection. This means that you can consolidate your business’ utilities by eliminating traditional telephone services entirely in favor of a single merged network. When only one network is used for voice and information technology, the costs of maintenance and support are reduced.

Different VOIP Services for Different Needs

Numerous VOIP services are available. Some of these are geared primarily toward the average consumer. Others, though, specialize in business-grade VOIP hosting. The type of business that you operate will determine the right package and amount of support that you may need. Small- to mid-sized businesses should look to a hosted VOIP service, called either a VOIP PBX or virtual PBX, for their needs. These services maintain the hardware and switches on their end, while the business provides its own ISP service and IP phones. These are unique phones that contain an Ethernet jack instead of a traditional phone connection. Medium- to large-sized businesses may opt to purchase their own hardware to keep onsite, eliminating the need for a hosted VOIP service.

Increase Your Business’ Technological Capabilities

Integrating your business’ voice and data systems can result in the most efficient and cost-effective implementation of your IT infrastructure. This has the potential to greatly improve employee productivity as a result of the applications provided by the hosting service. VOIP services allow voicemail and faxes to be forwarded to company e-mail inboxes. One receptionist will now be able to receive calls from multiple offices. After-hours calls can be rerouted to cell phones. Call billing is as easy as the click of a single button.

Reduced Cost

Plans differ between providers, and each service should always be evaluated for its merits as they pertain to your business. The real savings most businesses encounter after the switch to a VOIP phone service come with time. Your business will no longer have to maintain separate networks for both its phone and IT services. This allows IT personnel to take over VOIP phone services too. The increase in employee productivity will also net a return in capital, as your employees will be able to multitask numerous events and situations from within and outside the office.

Pitfalls

A VOIP phone service can be beneficial, but it does have its downsides. Emergency calls are rarely allowed, the quality of your calls can be less than that of a normal telephone system, and your security may be at risk.

911 Calls

It is never known when you will have to use emergency services, but with VoIP you may not get the chance. Some VoIP carriers such as Vonage do allow for 911 call routing; however, you have to activate this feature before it will work. Additionally, if you run out of call credits, VoIP systems will not allow any calls to be made, even in an emergency. This is unlike prepaid or postpaid services such as landline telephones or cell phones. 

Normal telephone lines such as the traditional landline will work in power outages. A VoIP service will not, since your Internet service will go out. This is a major downfall of this system.

Quality

The integrity of your VoIP call is largely influenced by the Internet speed and the connection you maintain. The quality of your calls may not be as clear as if you were using a traditional phone system. You also run the risk of losing the connection if your Internet fails for any reason. This could include weather, power outages, modem repairs, and more. Essentially, without the Internet, your communications would be effectively cut off. Your system can also be affected by the amount of usage; if your employees all download large files, your Internet VoIP calls could be slower, and of lower quality, than usual.

Security

Encryption, or the lack of it, is an issue with VoIP calling. Without encryption, your calls may be monitored, downloaded, recorded, or rerouted by someone who is hacking your system. Because the system works with the Internet, it is susceptible to viruses or maintenance issues associated with upgrades to the system.

Pricing

The Cost of VOIP

As of 2011, the average monthly cost of business-class VOIP phone service was $30 per month. Some VOIP companies provided a lower cost if the business also subscribed to a second service, like VOIP Internet. A company should also consider the cost of VOIP equipment and the Internet connection to run the service. A company may be able to get free equipment from its VOIP provider, purchase used equipment, or buy new equipment.

Other Considerations

Besides cost, you should also take the company’s service practices into consideration. For example, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) advises consumers in the state to ask potential VOIP providers how they handle things like billing disputes, disconnection, and repairs, as PUCO and the FCC have not yet decided how these providers should be regulated. Currently VoIP providers in Ohio are not required to follow the same rules and regulations that traditional telephone companies must follow, like billing requirements, disconnection and complaint procedures, or service and repair standards. Even so, some VOIP providers may already follow some or all of these rules voluntarily.

Conclusion

Although VOIP is not for everyone in every circumstance, most people will find it a low-cost way to keep in touch. When it comes to use in the home, VOIP can have significant savings in monthly service charges and installation, maintenance and repair. While most VOIP companies offer high-quality service to businesses, it is something you should investigate thoroughly before signing a contract, as the quality of your phone service will be dependent on the speed of your Internet connection. When you do sign on, make sure that the company you choose is responsive to its customers, particularly when it comes to upgrading and servicing your system.