Voice Service – VOIP Phone
Once you begin your search for the best VoIP phone service, it’s common to quickly find more questions than answers. Though businesses of all sizes need a flexible and robust phone system to rely on, finding the absolute best option for your business requires careful consideration and research.
VoIP is a reliable and long-standing option preferred by businesses and individuals around the world. At the same time, this means the market is a bit saturated with a wide spectrum of providers, features, and pricing plans.
But the value of a VoIP system can’t be overstated. This type of service allows your business to make calls using the internet. Even better, you can make calls from any device connected to the WiFi.
Recent years have made it crystal-clear that in order to survive, your business must be able to adapt at a moment’s notice. That’s why we’ve compiled this complete guide on why VoIP conference phones might be right for you, and how to choose the absolute best option for your specific needs.
By the end of this piece, you’ll have a clear understanding of how VoIP technology works, how it can benefit your business, and what your next steps are.
What Does VoIP Mean?
VoIP is an acronym that’s short for Voice over Internet Protocol. It refers to multimedia and voice content transmitted over an internet connection—as in, the sound of your voice is delivered over the internet.
With a VoIP phone, anyone can make a phone call using an internet connection. You’re able to place calls from your company’s special VoIP phones or mobile devices, your smartphone, and even your computer.
As WiFi connections in residences and businesses have become more and more common, VoIP has become one of the most popular types of phone lines available today. In fact, most people today consider VoIP to be the preferred alternative to an account with their local phone company.
If you’re wondering about how the term “IP address” factors in here, you’ve got the right idea. IP stands for Internet Protocol just like it does with VoIP. An IP address is what devices and computers use to communicate with one another via WiFi.
Some people are surprised to learn that VoIP phone services aren’t a particularly recent innovation compared to analog services. Since the late 1990s, telephone communications have relied primarily on VoIP technology to carry phone calls. Because it isn’t a brand-new invention, VoIP is actually an extremely cost-effective option for handling any amount of phone calls.
How Does a VoIP Phone Work?
Basically, a VoIP works by converting your voice into digital signals which are compressed and then sent via the internet. When you purchase VoIP phones for your business, your service provider does the work of receiving and also uncompressing the signal from the network so you can hear it through your phone. (1)
“In the past, it was common for VoIP numbers to be attached to a physical phone that connected to the WiFi with an ethernet cable. These days, you can just as easily make calls and send messages with your VoIP number via an app on your smartphone… You can access your personal and work number through one device.”
~Forbes
In terms of how your service provider transmits and receives these signals across the network, a VoIP follows specific signaling and transport protocols. These are necessary to guarantee good quality of your voice’s audio for the person you’re speaking with.
Here at SSG Technologies, we understand the huge significance of communication systems—and more importantly, how beneficial a robust and high-quality system can be a key software for your business’s success.
Your employees need to be able to communicate quickly and efficiently from wherever they’re located. Whether they’re always in the office, working remotely, or a hybrid employee, VoIP technology has been designed and refined to help your workforce stay effective.
Features
Thanks to ongoing modernizations, there’s now a wide variety of features your phone may provide for a lower price. When you work with SSG Technologies for your phone service, you’re also able to pick the features which matter most. If you decide to add or remove a feature from your services, it’s easy to change your options.
Here are just a few of the many features you can choose from that VoIP phones offer:
- Call analytics
- Custom ringback
- Business text messaging
- Do not disturb settings
- Call screening
- Number porting to keep your current phone numbers
- Voicemail forwarding
- Voicemail to text
- Voicemail to email
- Digital faxing
- Hot desking
- Live chat
- Speed dial
- Call recording
- Transcriptions
- Call conferencing tools
- Call monitoring
- Call barging
- Call whispering
- Call rating
- Hold music
- Call queuing
- Caller ID
- Call holding
- Integrations with other programs or apps
- Automated attendant
As your company grows, you’ll likely find that you need more (or all) of these features. VoIP is one of the best phone systems for organizations who want to scale.
Even if you aren’t planning to scale currently, it’s very simple to add any features you’d like. You don’t have to worry about outgrowing your VoIP provider, unlike other business phone system options.
Types of Phones
There are a range of VoIP phones and equipment, and it’s quite common to use more than one type. While you’ll enjoy the same Voice over IP features across different devices, each one has a best-use case to guide the decision. Considering the best use for each phone will boost your team’s productivity even further for the price.
A desktop phone is still considered the standard option for businesses using VoIP. The phone is connected with an ethernet cable and has all the same features you’d expect of a landline desktop phone (handset, keypad, etc).
These are best suited to employees at a desk, who don’t need to leave their office to check anything during their calls. Anyone working on a facility or warehouse floor wouldn’t be the best match for a desktop phone.
Another popular option is a USB phone, which plugs straight into your computer via the USB jack. One benefit of USB phones is they can be used on various devices, and calling programs like Skype or other services.
Like desktop phones, USB phones are ideal for employees who conduct most of their work at their desk. These are great phones for hybrid employees, as USB phones can plug into a computer at the office.
Wireless phones are becoming more and more common in workplaces, especially as people continue to work remotely but still need access to the phones. Wireless phones have a built-in Wi-Fi transceiver that connects to your Wi-Fi network. Whether you’re at home, at the office, or tethered to a hotspot, you’re able to send and receive calls.
A wireless phone would be best suited to someone who travels a lot for their role, but still has access to Wi-Fi networks. Anyone who often travels between locations or works on a facility/warehouse/sales floor would do great with a wireless phone.
Video phones have been on the rise for years and saw a huge boon starting in 2020. They have a small camera attached to the phone itself, acting as a much-needed alternative to in-person meetings. When you need face-to-face collaboration but can’t get everybody in the same room, video phones are the perfect solution.
That said, a video phone won’t always boost your team’s productivity. This type of phone is perfect for tackling big topics and high-priority calls. When you can see the faces of the people in a meeting, you’re able to pick up on non-verbal clues like confused facial expressions and demonstrative hand gestures. This helps your team get onto the same page.
Read our article about VoIP hardware here: https://4ssgtech.com/what-hardware-is-needed-for-voip/
VoIP Phone vs. Traditional Phone Systems
The biggest differences between a VoIP telephone and traditional phone systems relate to the features available and the way telephone services are transmitted.
A traditional landline uses copper wires to send and receive signals. While copper wires themselves are reliable and resilient, they can still be damaged by weather and other issues.
Once damaged, repairs are typically very time-consuming and therefore costly to your business. Every time a customer can’t call you due to landline outages, you’re likely to lose that sale—or at least lower the odds of that customer doing business with you.
VoIP systems, on the other hand, only require an internet connection to function. In this modern day and age, outages are few and far between compared to landline outages. Unless you’re in an extremely rural area with poor internet access or none whatsoever, VoIP calls are a more reliable and effective choice for your business.
Learn more about the differences between VoIP and landlines here: https://4ssgtech.com/voip-vs-landline-which-is-better/
Advantages and Disadvantages of These Phone Systems
There are far more advantages than disadvantages to choosing a system.
A VoIP service will be less expensive than alternatives but will still give you maximum accessibility and portability. With VoIP, it’s also far easier to scale your company as you add new phone numbers for new employees, departments, divisions, or locations.
In fact, whether your workforce is large or small, VoIP phones offer quite a few advanced features to make your teams services more effective on all devices. From purchasing phone numbers with area codes local to your target demographic to allowing multi-party conference call capability, your network does the job of several different devices you may currently be using. Some phones even have LCD display conference abilities depending on your phone display type.
Today, the voice clarity and overall call quality on VoIP phones is surpassed by none. With a stable connection, your entire team will enjoy clear and crisp services minus dropouts or lag as a part of the VoIP phone features. You can also upgrade your VoIP phones with features like noise-canceling microphones or other devices to further improve call quality.
Your team can multitask in quite a few ways with a VoIP system. You can send images, documents, and videos while you’re on VoIP phones. This feature makes conference calls, meetings with clients, and even 1-on-1 VoIP far more productive.
As we mentioned earlier, VoIP services are compatible with a wide variety of other calling programs known as softphones. Softphones refers to programs on a mobile device like a tablet which also lets you make calls. Skype is a popular example of a softphone program that a VoIP phone could interface with and exchange data.
Finally, you have to consider the security of your phone system. While this is a technical detail you may not find particularly interesting, keeping both your phone system and personally identifiable information secure have never been more important.
A VoIP phone adds security by utilizing identity management and encryption technology. At SSG Technologies, we’re committed to partnering only with the VoIP phone systems with the highest standard of security. You can rest assured knowing you have security 24/7 sans needing to monitor anything yourself.
Can You Use a VoIP Phone Like a Regular Phone?
Yes, you can use a VoIP phone like a regular phone to receive, make, and manage your phone calls or provide services. The great thing about VoIP is that this technology is typically less expensive than other traditional phone lines, and you’ll enjoy far more functionality with this network.
The biggest difference lies in how your voice gets transmitted to the person on the other end. Traditional landlines use copper lines to send your voice and receive the other person’s. VoIP uses an internet connection, meaning you must have internet access in order to use a VoIP phone.
Can You Use VoIP on a Mobile?
Yes, you can absolutely use VoIP on a mobile device. While this feature wasn’t possible in the early days of cell phones, today smartphones, tablets, and all other kinds of mobile devices are also VoIP-compatible.
The exact way this feature will work on your device depends on your specific VoIP provider network. Typically, you’ll access VoIP on mobile with an app that you download. If you’re using a smartphone, this allows you to call from either the smartphone’s phone number or the VoIP phone’s number.
In a nutshell, you can make, receive, and manage related to your business even when you’re nowhere near your physical desk. All you need is an internet connection. In some cases, you can also choose to use your mobile device’s data plan if you don’t have Wi-Fi access.
Is VoIP Reliable?
Yes, VoIP phones are among the most reliable communication methods available today. Let’s take a closer look at the factors that impact how reliable VoIP services are.
First, you’ll want to consider uptime. Uptime is how often your VoIP services are functioning, online, and operating normally. You’ll usually see uptime written as a percentage, with 99.999% uptime being the gold standard across the industry. At this percentage, your telephone may not be available for a maximum of 6 minutes across an entire year.
With a VoIP phone, uptime is affected by data centers, carriers, and the devices involved. These are factors which can be optimized, assessed, and backed-up in case of emergency reasons. All in all, it’s far easier to achieve a high uptime percentage with VoIP than traditional landlines.
You’ll also need to evaluate your need for international services and the price per month. If you provide services to clients or have partners outside of the United States, a traditional landline is incredibly cost-prohibitive compared to other devices. But with a VoIP provider, your services will be both reliable and affordable across all devices.
As a whole, VoIP phones provide extremely reliable and robust services. The biggest thing to consider is a potential situation where your team must call 911. (2) When 911 was invented, VoIP phones didn’t exist, and it was far easier for operators to lock-in on a caller’s telephone location and also display it to first responders.
“To reduce possible risks to public safety, the FCC requires interconnected VoIP providers to automatically provide 911 to all customers as a standard, mandatory feature. VoIP providers may not allow customers to “opt-out” of 911 service.”
~The FCC
But VoIP phones aren’t location-based. Because they rely on an internet connection, your team can call 911 but no location info will display to the operator. The FCC requires all modern VoIP phones to also offer 911 capabilities in their network.
Typically, when you first set up your service, you’ll enter in some details about the general location of each phone number. Then, if users must to call 911, the operator can receive location information and a prompt response, even if your employee isn’t able to share their address. Even when it comes to unforeseen emergencies, VoIP is an extremely reliable option for your business phone system and services network.
Is VoIP Cheaper Than a Landline?
Yes, VoIP is definitely cheaper than a landline. Even long distance calls are cheaper with VoIP. Because the connection is internet-based rather than dependent on miles of copper telephone lines, your company should pay the same price for local and long-distance calls once you swap to a VoIP phone. (3)
“VoIP services are fast, easy and convenient. They allow people to connect in so many ways, both professionally and personally.”
~Reuters
You’ll also have a choice between several tiers of options and features with VoIP. This allows your company to customize your service to exactly fit your needs – no paying for any unnecessary bells and whistles or extra data.
Is There a VoIP Backup if Your Internet Service Goes Down?
Yes, if your internet service goes down, there is a VoIP backup. Today, most providers have added built-in features and facilities in case such a thing should occur.
For most businesses, the biggest focus is still being able to receive calls. Because your employees have a multitude of ways to contact one another without a VoIP phone, it’s unlikely that your internet service or data going down will render your staff unable to communicate with one another.
But it’s a different story for customers and clients who are trying to call your office. For this reason, most VoIP providers focus on allowing your company to still receive calls even if the WiFi is down.
This is achieved by using what’s called a VoIP failover facility. The features included with a failover facility vary slightly between VoIP providers, but generally, the purpose is allowing your business to still receive calls during an outage. It may function by diverting your calls to a backup WiFi connection or a softphone you’ve set up.
No matter how the failover facility functions on the backend, it handles incoming calls and masks the fact that you’re experiencing an outage at all. This greatly reduces your chances of frustrating customers and losing business during the outage.
What is the Main Disadvantage of VoIP?
By far, the main disadvantage of VoIP is that your experience completely depends on how strong your broadband connection is. If you have no WiFi or a poor connection, you’ll experience a few frustrating issues until the connection improves.
Furthermore, if your network has low bandwidth, you’ll face frequent VoIP issues until it improves. And the amount of calls you expect your team to be on concurrently impacts how much bandwidth you’ll need.
That said, VoIP doesn’t take nearly as much bandwidth as most people expect and this isn’t an issue for most organizations. Running a bandwidth test on your existing connection will help determine if you have enough.
If your office has a poor WiFi connection or very little bandwidth to spare, you’ll notice a few issues as a result—namely jittery audio and latency issues. When you communicate with VoIP, your voice and any other media you’re sending are split into small pieces called “data packets.” The pieces are put back together when they reach the caller on the other side.
When you have low bandwidth or a bad connection, the system doesn’t have the power it needs to rapidly reassemble the pieces. For you and the person you’re speaking with, this manifests as audio stutters, audio cutting out momentarily, and lags between you speaking and the other person hearing you.
The good news is that latency and jitter can be almost completely avoided with a quality internet connection. While landlines are subject to outages from weather, damage, and cable problems, VoIP lines are impacted far less by outside events.
What Type of VoIP Phone Does Your Business Need?
We proudly serve businesses of all sizes in the Baltimore and Washington metropolitan area. If you’re ready to bring your business into the modern age with a robust, affordable, and effective VoIP phone system, just call us at (410) 335-7070.
References:
1. Forbes, What is VoIP?
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/software/what-is-voip/
2. The FCC, VoIP and 911 Service
https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/voip-and-911-service
3. Reuters, How VoIP Telephones Can Help You Save Money On Your Business