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January 16, 2008
Benefits of Hosted VoIP for Small Businesses
By Mae Kowalke, TMCnet Associate Editor
Many small businesses are looking for a phone system that will provide advanced features and the cost savings associated with VoIP  . But not all companies are sure how to proceed, and how to budget for the equipment needed in a VoIP-based phone system deployment.
For small companies that are just getting started with a full-featured phone system, hosted VoIP is often the best option. With hosted VoIP, the entire phone system (the exception being actual phones) is taken off-site and hosted by a provider in a secure facility. Administrative functions are performed using a browser-based portal on the Web.
There are a number of reasons why an SMB should consider a hosted VoIP solution. A few of these are listed below.
Cost Savings – the savings an SMB can realize with a hosted VoIP solution are significant. Calculated savings should take into consideration long distance charges, monthly access costs and equipment purchase/maintenance.
Applications – hosted VoIP solutions come with applications that can significantly improve employee communications, resulting in higher overall productivity.
Upgrade – going with a hosted VoIP solution is particularly beneficial if a company’s existing communications system is at the end of its lifecycle. Not only does it introduce brand-new technology, but also technology with features not previously available with the older system.
Growth Restrictions – for a company with limited growth or expansion capabilities, a hosted VoIP solution is a good choice since it’s affordable and flexible, helping to present the best face to customers even if major structural changes can’t be made.
Multiple Location Support – a hosted VoIP solution works very well for a company with multiple locations, or workers in more than one geographical area. By installing hosted VoIP at each location, all employees have access to standard phone system features.
Simplified MAC – with hosted VoIP, moves, adds and changes to the phone system are greatly simplified, saving time—which is, of course, money.
For more benefits of going off-premise with a phone system, please visit the Hosted VoIP channel on TMCnet.com, brought to you by Junction Networks ( News - Alert).
Mark your calendars! Internet Telephony (News - Alert) Conference & EXPO—the first major IP communications event of the year—is just days away. It’s not too late to register for the event, which takes place in Miami Beach, FL, January 23–25, 2008. The EXPO will feature three valuable days of exhibits, conferences and networking that you won’t want to miss. So what are you waiting for? Sign up now!
Mae Kowalke is an associate editor for TMCnet, covering VoIP, CRM, call center and wireless technologies. To read more of Mae’s articles, please visit her columnist page. She also blogs for TMCnet here. Internet Protocol (IP) | X | | IP stands for Internet Protocol, a data-networking protocol developed throughout the 1980s. It is the established standard protocol for transmitting and receiving data
in packets over the Internet. I...more |
Media Access Control (MAC) | X | | Specific protocols that govern client access to a network and
perform authentication, privacy, and data integrity services. DHCP translates MAC addresses into logical IP address for access to IP netw...more |
Voice over IP (VoIP) | X | | A real-time communications system that converts voice into digital packets containing media and signaling data that travel over networks using Internet Protocol....more |
Hosted VoIP | X | | The primary benefit HIPT-Hosted Internet Protocol Telephony is an outsourced hosted solution like a hosted website of IP voice telephony with dynamic data. This is often referred to as "everything is...more |
(source: http://www.tmcnet.com/channels/hosted-voip/articles/18549-benefits-hosted-voip-small-businesses.htm)
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