While making phone calls will always be a necessity, the methods of making them can change. Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) has been quickly replacing traditional telephone lines, providing a cost-effective and efficient way to make phone calls. If your company is considering abandoning telephone lines in exchange for VoIP, it might help to keep a few notes in mind.
There are a variety of VoIP options available, each with different pricing options and features. With their flat rates, it can be far more affordable than landlines, especially when making long-distance calls. Users should look at how much they’re spending on calls each month, then compare to the price of a VoIP service and the associated materials to determine how cost-efficient it is -- but the numbers tend to add up in favor of VoIP.
However, the strength and quality of the VoIP services depends greatly on the strength of the network it’s on. As such, the network a company uses should be able to handle high demands, including multiple users, streaming and sending data. After all, VoIP will add on to a network’s current demands, so it needs to be able to handle it, otherwise the sacrifice in quality may be too great.
As such, a backup may be necessary. Should a service get cut off, or slowed down too greatly, an extra phone to use as backup may be necessary. Perhaps users can use their cell phone for business calls, or there’s still a paid phone line active; as long as there’s a plan B for when something goes wrong.
Speaking of mobile phones, there are apps that let people use VoIP on their smartphones and mobile devices. Skype (News - Alert), for instance, has a mobile calling system available at an affordable price, but only for one line. (Skype-to-Skype calling is free.) Talkatone is more affordable, but has less reliable services, unless you’re calling other Gmail users.
In summary, there is a lot to be considered when moving to VoIP. It is usually a worthwhile change, unless it proves to be too much for the network to handle, but in order to get the most out of it, it’s essential to weigh the options and find the best service for your needs. With the right VoIP service, a business can see phone costs drop tremendously, while call quality remains the same, if not better.
Edited by Rachel Ramsey