VoIP Gateways Article

While VoIP is mostly ubiquitous in the world of communications solutions, its many benefits are still largely unknown among organizations that have decades-old relationships with the PSTN and legacy phone systems and equipment. Outdated, expensive and difficult-to-manage PBXs and phone systems are gradually being replaced by VoIP-based unified communications (UC) solutions, offering a host of economic and business benefits.

For organizations that have long relied on PSTN-based systems for their phone needs, contemplating a switch to a VoIP-based system may seem daunting. Thankfully, the move doesn’t need to take place all at once, and with the help of valuable VoIP gateways, businesses can update their phones and communications equipment incrementally, at a pace that works for them from a budgeting and organizational standpoint.

Why make the switch to VoIP? VoIP phone systems are flexible, adaptable and mobile, enabling significantly enhanced features beyond voice calls. Systems integrate easily with email, fax and video conferencing software for true internal and external collaboration. As a result, businesses taking advantage of VoIP for their communication needs can expect increased productivity since multi-tasking is facilitated with a next-gen VoIP-based offering. Other benefits include virtual meetings, document sharing, instant messaging and other collaborative features designed to boost productivity.

VoIP-based systems are also significantly easier to install, manage and troubleshoot than their legacy counterparts, which are generally larger and require expertise and even outside technicians to handle upgrades and repairs. And of course VoIP systems are significantly less expensive, with hardware, software and services priced at much cheaper rates than legacy solutions.

VoIP gateways are an important part of the migration path away from legacy solutions, enabling older equipment and PSTN connections to work seamlessly with IP-based equipment and services. These valuable pieces of equipment handle the heavy lifting of converting PSTN signals to IP and vice versa, enabling businesses to make use of some of their older equipment while upgrading to VoIP-based systems. They also provide important backup and failover in the event of a problem or outage, offering peace of mind to any company considering switching to IP-based communication services.

VoIP is shaping up to become the de facto communications solution for businesses of all sizes. VoIP gateways will play a significant role in this digital transformation, bridging the gap between old technology and new systems.