Hosted PBX Featured Articles

The market for business VoIP services is growing like gangbusters, thanks to a number of factors like ease of implementation and the increasing strength of the networks VoIP is delivered over. Technavio forecasts the market, which was around $43 billion globally in 2012, will reach $86 billion by 2020.

One of the reasons VoIP has taken off during the past few years is the prevalence of the hosted, “as a service” model in delivering functionality. Businesses that may have been previously reluctant to take on a VoIP system and the associated implementation and maintenance challenges are now embracing the technology as it is delivered via service provider in a hosted model. For all of its many benefits, setting up a comprehensive VoIP solution still offers many challenges for service providers, and it’s important that business consumers understand the process to make the best decisions possible.

The first thing corporate hosted VoIP customers should be aware of is implementation timeframes. Some service providers may promise almost instant service, but that isn’t usually the case and getting a VoIP phone system properly installed requires a good deal of expertise and time. If your company has been relying on legacy phones and phone services for decades, making the switch to VoIP may take some doing. A good service provider will take the time to assess all of your needs, including where you need service. For example, your company may have multiple locations, or perhaps you have employees who work remotely and need to have anytime, anywhere service. Depending on the size of your business and your particular needs, getting everyone set up on the new system could take hours or weeks.

Network infrastructure is intrinsically tied to VoIP and the network requirements for your company’s installation will be based on a number of factors. If you already have a comprehensive IP network in place the transition will be easier than if you have rudimentary internet connectivity. If your new phone system needs to be integrated with other applications like CRM and OSS tools then that will delay the implementation process as well.

Another factor in getting a new VoIP system up and running is your workforce, who may need to be trained on managing and using the new equipment and services. Those who are technologically savvy may have an easier time with the transition, while those who have spent decades using legacy phones may have a more difficult time.

As long as you have a good idea of your company’s needs from the beginning of the process, you’ll be able to estimate just how long it will take to get your hosted VoIP service up and running. Being mindful of the variables for implementation and maintenance goes a long way toward setting up a realistic timeframe for the process.