In more developed areas, broadband communications are about as standard as running water and electricity. However, not all areas have been lucky to have access to the latest communications systems due to lack of infrastructure. In South East England, Surrey is the latest county to finally have access to up-to-date broadband communications systems.

As part of a million-pound project from BT (News - Alert) and Surrey County Council, fiber optic broadband will be available to almost all properties in the region.

Aside from being good for residents, high-speed Internet also means a boost for the local economy. How so? With updated systems, businesses can take advantage of the latest technology, like VoIP, and increase their overall business efficiency while reducing bills.

Remote areas like Surrey can also expand their presence with VoIP technology because of its many features; enhanced voicemail, call forwarding, conferencing and auto attendant, all of which can help otherwise small businesses expand to have a worldwide reach.

A lot of businesses have moved over to a VoIP system for its cost-effective features, and it has become the hub of most business processes and communications. It can save almost half of the traditional phone bills and do a lot more than a landline connection, and for businesses in formerly “underconnected” areas like Surrey, this can be a big boost. With VoIP systems comes the ability to use more advanced equipment as well, like IP phones.

IP phones come with features like call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, caller ID and three-way calling, so selecting the right phone from an IP phone maker is a key step to using IP telephony to its fullest potential.

IP phones are also moving in a big way to integrate video along with telephony. Users can use their Web cameras to see the other person over the computer monitor and talk to them over the IP Phone (News - Alert). For businesses in Surrey, this means international meetings without having to leave their small, connected towns.

The distance to each other around the globe has gotten smaller, thanks to IP communications, and for the folks in Surrey, broadband communications is no longer a remote possibility; it’s a reality.