Businesses are starting to realize just how many benefits VoIP services offer. The advantages of switching to VoIP (Voice over IP) are easy to accept because there are so many, but before your business jumps on the bandwagon of switching, there are a few things you should consider.

Current and future bandwidth needs

Voice over Internet Protocol, more commonly known as VoIP, means voice traffic is routed over the Internet. Not only will you need to consider your data bandwidth needs, you’ll also need to consider voice traffic when you figure out how much speed is needed. Now, instead of worrying about how many voice lines your business will need, you should consider the number of simultaneous talk sessions are going to be taking place.

When switching to VoIP, you will no longer have to buy a set of voice lines and a separate Internet connection because all traffic will be carried over one single connection. The bandwidth is transferred to increase data speed when there are no talk sessions. This ensures that every bit of bandwidth paid for is being used for something: either data or voice.

The VoIP system you’re considering is business-grade

Two types of VoIP systems are being offered today: systems using public Internet and systems requiring a special Internet connection. As with any other decision you make for your business, this one also takes careful consideration. Keep these factors in mind when making this decision:

 

• Is the service serving a critical need?

 

• Is your Internet connection reliable? If voice service is serving a critical need to your business, a business-grade Internet service is recommended that comes will a great SLA (service level agreement).

 

• How important is voice quality to you?

 

• Using the public Internet puts you at risk for voice quality; it will not be prioritized over data. If you decide to use a dedicated connection, you get real-time Quality of Service (QoS) which will prioritize your voice traffic over data and give you the best quality.

 

• How important is voice call security?

 

• Your Internet security should be crucial; hacking, phishing, security breaches, etc. are rising concerns on the Internet and if you don’t have the right security, you could lose your most valuable company information. Security should be an even bigger concern with business voice traffic being transmitted over the Internet.

Phone Number

It is possible for you to keep your current company phone number when you switch to a VoIP system.

Know what you’re paying for

You’ll be able to save money if you know exactly what you are paying for. How can you do this? Start with your current phone bill: review how many phone lines your business is already using to determine how many SIP trunks you should get. (A SIP trunk is a VoIP phone line.). If you are paying for 20 lines, you will most likely need 20 SIP trunks. Now would also be a good time to check the services you are paying for. If you’re no longer using any, get rid of them so you’re not spending money on things you don’t need or use. You will more than likely save money on phone numbers (known as a DID, or Direct Inward Dial) if you switch to VoIP service. If your business makes frequent long distance calls, you’ll be more likely to save money by switching to VoIP.

SecurCom has many solutions that we can implement for you, from standard Digital Systems up to an IP system. We can even mix these two systems to allow for better functioning while keeping your budget in mind. Our systems can be networked to multiple facilities allowing you to save on the number of phone lines you require at secondary facilities. Contact SecurCom Today to find out which Phone System is right for you.