How has VoIP changed business telephony?
Until relatively recently, all telephony was delivered using Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN). VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, transmits voice over a data network. When you make a VoIP call, your speech is condensed into packets of sound, sent over a dedicated connection and restored at the far end. In other words, telephony has moved from circuit switched to packet switched. This simple innovation lies at the heart of VoIP’s power.
What benefits are available?
VoIP offers businesses a compelling combination of streamlined telecommunications and lower cost of ownership. In practice, this means increased productivity and lower telephone bills.
VoIP can reduce your call costs significantly
The actual savings you achieve will depend on how you use your telephones. Some businesses have enjoyed savings of 70% to 80% when they have moved to VoIP. Any call made on the same VoIP system is free. If all of your fixed business lines are delivered by the same service provider then you will eliminate internal call costs. If your customers and suppliers use the same provider then calls to them are free too. In addition to these savings, VoIP conference calls are much lower cost than their PSTN equivalent.
VoIP can lower your capital costs
Business VoIP does not require capital investment in a PBX and its associated network equipment. Hosted service providers offer the lowest cost of entry. If you choose a hosted service, the only hardware you will need is a set of IP telephones and a voice gateway connected to a router.
VoIP can lower your maintenance costs
VoIP streamlines your business telephony, dramatically reducing maintenance costs because a packet switched service can be managed more efficiently than traditional telephone lines.
VoIP can improve your business performance
VoIP offers powerful features that improve productivity and support mobile working. Business VoIP users can access their telephony over any Internet connection wherever they are located. Integration with applications like Microsoft Outlook and Customer Relationship Management systems deliver significant productivity benefits like click to dial. In practice, businesses have enjoyed productivity benefits ranging from 8% to over 35% on moving to VoIP.
