A Business VoIP Buyer’s Checklist

February 14th, 2010

Now that you have decided to investigate the purchase of a new phone system, many a criteria needs to be addressed. Being able to ask the right questions of a system and hardware supplier will allow better information to be supplied and you can get the companies to quote on similar systems which will make the process of selection easier.

Here is a Step by Step Checklist that will assist you.
This handy process can help in the decision making and planning process, and also get you thinking carefully about how the system can best help your business prosper.

Decide if your VoIP system will be located on premises or hosted. Will the hardware be purchased or leased, installed, and maintained on your premises or will a hosted solution make better technical and economic sense?

Decide what business phone features and benefits are needed. Unnecessary features are expensive however missing features can lead to lost productivity.

Determine how you currently use your phone system, especially how many minutes are currently being used, what you anticipate the rate of growth to be, do you make overseas calls, and will you need a toll free number.

Determine how many phone lines the business will need and where they need to be located. This is often determined by call volume and can easily be calculated.

How easy is the system to maintain, is there relevant technical assistance, say 24/7? Once choices are narrowed down this becomes a critical element.

How scalable is the system? The system should grow easily as the business grows and expands. Do you have representatives who work “out of the office?”

Is after hours’ security an issue that needs to be addressed?

Ensure you can get a short term contract. Pricing is constantly going down, so get the shortest contract possible.

Compare service plans and costing from multiple providers.

Determine if you could utilize used equipment. This offers a great saving.

Work out a realistic budget, and talk to providers about time frames.

Prepare equipment list and costs, which typically include:

The Primary Key Service Unit (PKSU), the PBX business phone system.

Expansion modules for adding phone lines to system.

Accessories and Voice mail, caller ID, message bells, on hold music, paging.

Phones Type and Style. The varieties are endless and many users have preferences

Headsets and gadgetry

Uninterruptible power supplies

Surge preventing devices

Wire

Software

Tools & test equipment

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Choosing the Right VoIP Provider

February 1st, 2010

The VoIP offerings continue to progress, especially in the form of hosted VoIP technology. The technology is being perfected, and as has been discussed earlier, Quality of Service rates are now so high to be seen as perfect.

However, some business owners are having a difficult time sifting through the providers to find a efficient service which is cost effective. With this in mind, I have decided to create an easy checklist to assist you to choose the right hosted VoIP provider, and to know what to look for from a provider.

1. Ensure Voice Quality, is “Business Voice Quality.”

Before committing to a hosted service, make sure you confirm that the call quality is up to an acceptable industry standard. The best way to do this is to take a test call using their service or to ask a current customer about their experience with the product. Do not be afraid to ask for customer testimonials.

2. Feature Offering to be Inclusive

One of VoIP’s major benefits is the range of features offered. Here are some features that should come standard with your system:

  • 3-Way and Conference Calling    
  • Off-Hook Call Placement  
  • Call Transfer
  • Hold Advertising or Music
  • Do Not Disturb Button
  • Speed Dialling and Extensive  Address Book
  • Speakerphone
  • Call Mute
  • Distinctive Rings

3. Additional Features Considered Standard.

Many hosted VoIP plans have additional features that usually come in the form of accessories and services, which, depending on the provider, come at no extra cost to you.

  • Unified Voice Communication and Fax Messaging: Ensure you have a single phone number for both voice and fax. Send all voicemails and fax messages as email attachments to the addresses of your choice and access everything through email or an online control panel? This is pretty much standard today, and at no extra charge.
  • Outlook Business Integration: Make sure your hosted VoIP service integrates with Outlook. This will save you time and you’ll love the easy to use click to dial feature.
  • Recorded Calls: Ensure your hosted service can record some or all of the calls you receive? With this feature you can cut down on taking notes, improve quality control, and review communication if you need to.
  • Advanced ACD & Call Queue: Advanced automatic call distribution allows you to choose how your calls are forwarded, including round-robin, simultaneous, and skills-based distributions, while advanced call queue lets you better control calls during peak hours. Some services offer these capabilities, allowing you to better manage call volume and get calls in the appropriate peoples’ hands. You and other staff do not have to always be in the office.
  • Utilising an Internet Control Panel: The hosted service runs over the internet, so ensure you have the benefit of an Internet control panel to manage things like call routing features, voice and fax messages, call reports, account information, and other control features. Make sure your hosted provider gives you this level of access, you and your employees will enjoy being able to easily manage their calls, voicemail etc.
  • Visual Communication Reports: Clearly see everything taking place on your business phone system at anytime. With this enhancement you’ll be able to generate, filter, and export detailed call reports online with easy-to-read spreadsheets and graphs.
  • Voicemail Transcription: Convert your voicemail messages to text and deliver them to your email or mobile phone. This is a great feature, especially if you spend a lot of time out of the office.

4. Is the Service Compatible with the Right Phone?

Choosing the right phone is easy once you work out exactly what features of VOiP you really need and want. Usually, the provider will have a preferred supplier.

5. Customer Service must be of Highest Order.

The only way to check this is to talk to the potential providers’ customer. As usual talk is cheap, but you need immediate response from someone not onsite.

6. Efficient and Cost Effective Price.

Again, this will be made obvious by talking to hosting providers’ customers and making sure they always deliver on claimed quality of service. Remember, if you can not measure the service, you can not manage it!

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Why Switch Today

December 6th, 2009

I really like this topic. You should realise by now I get a little excited when talking about VoIP. I firmly believe you should be using VoIP for some of your calls at the very least, and there are so many providers available now, many have impeccable standards and QoS (Quality of Service). So here are some of the reasons I think you should use VoIP.

VoIP phone services are always lower in cost than traditional phone services, and with a little creative management should be much lower. For example, say you have a relative, friend, customer or supplier in Australia that you often call, why not have a service provider in Australia to terminate your calls there at a local cost.

You can offer employees the ability to work at home, and providing they have a broadband connection, the cost of telecommunications would be virtually zero. Productivity increases as office costs fall. Obviously data can also be transmitted on the network. Similarly all voicemail, emails and faxes can be routed to your mailbox so that no communication will be lost.

Using a web management control interface which comes with most networks, management is easy and efficient, and you have complete control over all features.

One of the greatest features of a VoIP system is that complete mobility is possible. All calls can be automatically redirected to a mobile, voicemail or workmate so no more missed calls.

It is simple to set up an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system to channel incoming callers to the correct destination, and this interface can easily be updated.

New equipment and updated features become available often, and with predominantly software based systems is easy to update. Most providers will do this at no cost.

Quality of service rates are extremely high, and downtime  is virtually zero.

Of course there are many more reasons to change, but I think these cover the most important aspects.

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Equipment Requirements

September 20th, 2009

Obviously every installation will vary, dependent upon consumer requirements, and business installations become quite complex. Some need to be able to handle hundreds of stations, some even more. Private networks really are quite simple with possibly and a phone and a computer connected to the network, as follows:

Simple Home / Office Instalation

Simple Home / Office Installation

The equipment is often provided free of charge by the Voice over IP service provider. Such equipment is usually to be returned in the event you cancel the plan. Some providers also give you the option of keeping the equipment by letting you purchase it during sign-up. If you are interested to own your own equipment, you should advise your provider when signing up, and they will have a list of required equipment that would fit your needs.

The average DSL or cable connection is usually sufficient. A few providers offer service to dial-up internet customers. Vo/IP service with dial-up is not advised due to common complaints of poor voice quality and reliability due to data packets not being delivered in order. We recommend you check your connection speed to determine the quality of your connection.

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Time for VoIP?

June 6th, 2009
VoIP Calls are Easy!

VoIP Calls are Easy!

 

Is VoIP for Me?

Now is the time to get a little more technical as obviously Voice over IP telephony is an advanced technology. However, do not be put off by this as it is relatively simple to understand, and there are methods you can use to try it out for low cost or even free. For example, Skype and similar programs offer all Vo/IP principles to be used at no cost to either the caller or receiving party. These services allow you to make phone calls using either your regular phone or a computer headset with a microphone. Try calling a friend on the other side of the world!!

By now, most people have heard of the broadband phone, but not everyone is certain what it is, and how it pertains to individuals and business requirements. Voice over Internet Protocol, (VoIP), IP Telephony, Internet Telephony, Broadband Telephony, Broadband Phone, Computer to Computer and Voice over Broadband is the routing of voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP-based network. As you can imagine, no wires (wired Infrastructure) are required.

Those Companies providing Vo-IP service are commonly referred to as providers, and protocols which are used to carry voice signals or packets over the IP network are commonly referred to as Voice over IP or VoIP protocols. They may be viewed as commercial realizations of the experimental Network Voice Protocol (1973) invented for the ARPANET providers. Some cost savings realized are due to utilizing a single network to carry voice and data, especially where users have existing network capacity not being fully utilized that can carry Vo/IP at no additional cost. VoIP to VoIP phone calls are sometimes free, while VoIP to public switched telephone networks, PSTN, may have a cost that’s borne by the user.

There are two types of PSTN to VoIP services: -Direct Inward Dialling (DID) and access numbers. Direct Inward Dialling will connect the caller directly to the Vo-IP user while access numbers require the caller to input the extension number of the VoIP user.

                                                    VoIP Solutions

Voice over IP (VoIP) and converged networking solutions deliver a broad range of benefits and efficiencies to companies, including enhanced productivity, lower operational costs, and increased management visibility. Foundry Networks unlocks the value in a converged network by offering an expansive set of Voice over IP-ready networking solutions that deliver uninterrupted service quality, reliability, security, and compatibility for IP-based phones, video, and converged desktop applications.

Reliability

Conventional phones are connected directly to telephone company phone lines, which in the event of a power failure are kept functioning by back-up generators or batteries located at the telephone exchange. Early adopters of VoIP may also be users of other phone equipment, such as PBX and cordless phone bases that rely on power not provided by the telephone company. Furthermore, consumer network technologies such as cable and DSL often are not subject to the same restoration service levels as the PSTN or business technologies such as T-1 connection.

So Why Change

By switching to Vo-IP telephony, consumers will save a significant amount of money from that of traditional phone services. VoIP users enjoy a variety of free calling features which they previously had to pay for with traditional phone service. Those features include voicemail, caller ID, call conferencing, call waiting, call forwarding, and many others. VoIP users can have their voicemail messages e-mailed to them for easy playback and referencing, and with some providers, users can click to call contacts directly from their Outlook. Furthermore, consumers can obtain extra numbers (also known as virtual numbers), enabling out-of-town friends and family members to dial a local number with which to reach the VoIP user easily and affordable. These are the same features, but at a lower cost. Most consumers with private accounts average savings of about $40 per month.

Most VoIP providers allow users to take their service with them anywhere in the world. With a high-speed Internet connection and the Vo-IP phone adapter, callers can place and accept IP calls from any location at any time at no additional charge.

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VoIP Options

January 29th, 2009

 

Simple VoIP Design

Simple VoIP Design

 

VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, is revolutionising the way that we communicate today. High speed broadband allows packets of data (or voice) to be transmited between users and their business or private associates. Using ATA or Analogue Telephone Adaptors, IP phones or Computer to Computer access, efficient and cost effective telephone services are possible.

And just like when the telephone was first invented, VoIP technology will take some time to perfect. But it is technology that’s here to stay. As people get busier and are attempting to multi-task everything, being able to have a telephone conversation while you continue to work on your computer, all in one simple package is just too good to resist.

In the next decade, I would envisage that VoIP technology will replace all the other telephone systems, particularly the old “copper wire” systems, and I think this will allow us to better keep in contact with our family, friends and business associates.

This video perfectly shows the simplicity of VoIP usage, and a brief discussion on the technology.

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The Future of VoIP

November 23rd, 2008
Cost Effective - Businessman's Goal

Cost Effective - Businessman's Goal

 

Voice over IP should be a part of every businesses normal office equipment as it is reliable and cost effective.

Research this incredible technology today.

 

 

Vo-IP has now been around for some time, and improvements in the technology mean these improvements  have made VoIP systems more manageable. Better management means more efficiency.

 

One of the biggest problems with Vo/IP as a telephone option has been the need to be at your computer before you could make the telephone calls. One of the newest advances in the industry is the introduction of VoIP phones that basically work wirelessly, meaning you have more options for connections and more places where you can use that connection.

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and it is a very basic marriage of the personal computer and the telephone that is now used for communication. The biggest advantage is the cost because you can make all the phone calls you want through a connection that very much resembles your Internet connection for you computer. No matter who you call, where you call or how long you talk, those calls don’t cost anything above your monthly connection fees.

Like the Computer and Internet, there have been many changes over the course of the VoIP as an emerging industry. Those early Internet providers typically had some pretty serious limitations. Some charged based on how long you were online, meaning that you had to seriously limit your connection time. Others charged minimum monthly fees with additional charges if you ran over your allotted time. Still others limited your time online and you were simply without service if you ran past that time limitation. But the technology eventually became more common and consumer demands created a need for flat rates – the most common way of charging for Internet service today. Typically, businesses and individuals pay a flat fee for a month’s worth of Internet connection, whether the computers are online for one hour or continuously during that month.

VoIP is seeing many of the same changes and the industry is growing to the point that it’s likely to become a serious employer. Just as some people saw the potential for computers and the Internet to become major industries, there were those visionaries who saw VoIP as a competitor in the communications market – and others who have only recently begun to believe that this is going to be a significant field for the near future.

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VoIP Services – Simply Explained

July 16th, 2007

Sometimes I come across an article or video that simply and perfectly describes an aspect of VoIP, or how to use a voip phone, most adequately. Here is a video I think perfectly explains Voice Over Internet Protocol, and more pointedly, explains how the packets of data are transmitted.

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VoIP Considerations

April 20th, 2007
Video Conferencing - A benefit of VoIP Technology.

Video Conferencing - A benefit of VoIP Technology.

 

Video Conferencing, an efficient way to avoid the costs and inconvenience of travel, is a fantastic benefit of Voip systems. Add security systems, education etc. Get the picture!

 

 

 

Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is changing the way that we look at our business and private phone services. The relatively new technology is quickly becoming the norm in many homes and businesses across the world, however a variety of VOIP considerations should be explored before you take advantage of the technology.

It allows a caller to make long distance calls at a lower cost, and sometimes for free. Combine the VoIP technology with a broadband, or high speed internet access line, and VoIP provides an easy, inexpensive way to make phone calls. However there are still some disadvantages to VoIP – especially when it comes to using the technology for functions beyond the one caller to one caller scenario.

VoIP considerations for you to examine start with understanding how the technology works in comparison with traditional phone service. With traditional phone service, your long distance phone calls are routed from your local provider’s network to your chosen long distance provider’s network, where it is routed to the receiving party’s local phone provider’s network and finally, to their destination phone line.

Since multiple providers are involved, multiple providers charged a fee for the call, which the long distance provider passed on to you in the form of an often hefty per-minute charge. But VoIP has changed all of that. It removes the long distance company from the equation, making a long distance phone call virtually the same as a local phone call. How? By using the internet as the routing method that passes the call from your local phone provider to your receiving party’s local phone provider.

You initiate the call, and your analogue voice signal is translated into a digital signal. That signal is then sent via your internet service to the internet, where it is routed to the receiving party’s local phone provider’s network, translated back into an analogue signal and sent to the receiving party’s phone.

The disadvantages of VoIP should be part of what you understand regarding VOIP considerations, but they are relatively limited for the average consumer.

The main complaints regarding VoIP have to do with providing the level of quality of service that customers are accustomed to with regular telephone technology. VoIP requires a large amount of data to be compressed and transmitted, then uncompressed and delivered, all in a relatively small amount of time. These bundles sometimes get scrambled, but gradually we are able to fix this problem. Broadband speeds are now so fast, this problem is diminishing.

Problems develop in VoIP conversations when this process takes too long and the callers experience one of two problems; echo or over-talk.

For businesses, VoIP considerations have more to do with how to manage the traffic over their network. Since they may be using their bandwidth for internet and even voice conferencing, they will need to analyse the amount of bandwidth that is necessary to handle all of their activities.

But for the average consumer, the greatest advantage of VOIP is the cost – or rather, the lack of normal high cost. If you have a computer with a sound card, modem, speakers, a microphone and a (preferably) high speed connection, and you download software from companies such as http://skype.com, you can be making free long distance and international phone calls using VoIP in as little as 5 minutes. This is also a cost effective way to test the technology, even though it is a product developed for the masses.

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To Use VoIP or Not?

October 24th, 2006
Simple VoIP Phone

Simple VoIP Phone

The question is, should you jump into using a voip phone system or continue with using old technology?
Personally, I say go with the latest, the system is now most effective.

VoIP is an abbreviation commonly used for Voice Over Internet Protocol. That being said, should one use VoIP?  How does it work? What are some benefits? Are there any problems with VoIP?

First we need to understand how broadband telephone works. First and foremost VoIP works on a Broadband Internet connection now common in most homes, like a high speed cable or DSL, a DTA ( digital terminal adapter ), and just about any average home telephone will do.

Most long distance telephone calls now made in developed countries are carried over the Internet (yes, traditional calls). Of course the carriers never told us this, it was their little secret as their costs were significantly lower and charges were not. The DTA box transmits and receives all calls directly to the Internet, bypassing the telephone company all together.

With most VoIP services, the big benefit for the consumer is significant cost savings. Service ranges from between nine and thirty dollars a month depending on the plan you choose. Many VoIP companies offer flat rate calling, and there are some free services available.

As with any new technology, there are still a few bugs to be worked out, but as the technology becomes more mature, these are being ironed out.

The DTA only connects to one telephone. A fix is plugging the outgoing DTA line into the network interface telephone box outside. Unplug the telephone company’s line and plug in your own. If the telephone company tries to reconnect, it might fry your DTA box. Put a warning sign up.

This technique will propagate the VoIP signals throughout all the lines in your home. Another quirk is when Internet service or electricity goes out so does your broadband telephone. If you don’t already have cell-phone service, a cheap pre-paid works nicely as a back up.

 

All in all, my experience has been that a good VoIP service paying for. Knowing the bugs and their fixes can lead to substantial cost savings in telephone service. Even if one doesn’t completely replace their traditional telephone company, VoIP is an excellent choice for a second telephone line or even just as a long distance plan.

VoIP could even be a good excuse to upgrade your dial-up Internet connection to high speed Internet. The reasoning behind it being, the savings in telephone service could offset the rise in the cost to upgrade to broadband Internet service. You be the judge.

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