VoIP Services for Internet Phone Systems
Internet phone systems have been taking over the communication industry, quickly becoming the most popular alternative to traditional landline phones. New technologies and advancements have brought VoIP to the forefront, and in reviewing its main advantages, it is easy to see how this has affected businesses. Many organizations have discovered that when they switch to a VoIP network, call quality is significantly better than with traditional phones. The quality of voice calls made with VoIP is so good that some offices use it exclusively, rather than using their landline system at all. Even with the addition of VoIP phones to business phone plans, analog phones remain popular as many people still prefer the convenience of the handset over the cell phone. In this article, we take a look at some of the advantages of VoIP and why it may be a good idea to consider a switch to VoIP.
Voice over internet phone systems allow users to make cheap international long distance calls at rates far below those charged by regular phone services. This allows small businesses to receive and make calls to customers even when the office is closed. Businesses using internet phone systems also find it easier to increase productivity since employees are free to attend to other duties while the phone is ringing. This can be particularly important for companies with a small number of employees who need urgent or temporary phone calls.
While there are many ways that businesses can use internet phone systems to increase productivity and save money, one of the main attractions of VoIP is that it can reduce costs associated with long-distance and international calling. These two categories are expensive to deal with because they involve more than simply the cost of the calls, but the cost of travelling that distance. Businesses have traditionally had to pay significant overhead costs to receive phone calls and route them to various customers. The overhead costs can include high telephone bills, a need to hire receptionists and designers, and other costs associated with maintaining a call centre. Many businesses that rely heavily on long distance and international calling now save significant money with internet phone systems.
Many businesses will benefit from the use of internet phone systems in this way. One of the most popular features is video conferencing. Video conferencing allows businesses to send presentations or conduct seminars to international branches without having to travel. Instead, the conference can be held right from the office, saving businesses time and money. Some internet phone systems even feature voicemail for receiving messages during business hours.
Another major benefit for businesses that use internet phones is the ability to manage voice and video calls through call forwarding. By allowing calls to be directed to specific employees through the use of a toll-free number, the cost of these calls can be greatly reduced. Call forwarding can be used with VoIP or standard phones. For businesses that are large enough to require call forwarding, voice and video conferencing can be used as a means of communicating internally and externally with clients and international branches.
The cost savings experienced by businesses using internet phone systems far outweigh the cost of maintaining their own PBX. Many businesses have discovered that by using an internet phone line they are able to decrease overhead and increase productivity. Calls made from an internet phone line are much less expensive than those made from a traditional telephone line. Voice over IP services also allow businesses to expand their geographic reach. International branch offices can be reached through a voice over internet phone line instead of the more common call forwarding.
There are several different types of internet phone systems that businesses can use. Businesses can use hosted VoIP services, where all calls are made through a dedicated server or a dedicated IP address. Hosted services usually offer higher quality rates and free extras like call waiting and voicemail.
Businesses that prefer to maintain their own IP address can use a third-party provider that provides extra security. With the added security and convenience of a dedicated IP service, callers can dial an auto attendant that plays caller id and greets the caller with a prerecorded greeting. Some IP based internet phone systems offer advanced caller id features that allow callers to see who is calling before dialing the number.