With traditional landlines set to be relegated to the history books come 2025 (a mere two years away!), now’s the time for businesses across all sectors and all industries to research their various options so they can make the transition as seamless as possible, with minimal disruption to their operations.
Something certainly worth investigating is VoIP – or voice over internet protocol. This is a form of telephony that allows you to make and receive calls over the internet and the good news is that making the switch is easy and convenient, if you have all the right equipment before you start.
Of course, if you’re new to the wonderful world of internet phone calls, it can still seem a little strange and overwhelming, particularly if you’ve been working in one way for a long time. Change can be a little scary, so to help you get to grips with it all, here are some frequently asked questions about VoIP services to point you in the right direction.
#1 What is VoIP?
Quite simply, VoIP is just a form of communication technology that allows you to use the internet to make calls and send messages. Traditional landlines, meanwhile, use copper wires for data transmission.
What’s great about this new advancement is that it means you can make calls from anywhere in the world, giving you greater scope for global scalability as a business.
#2 Will VoIP affect call quality?
You’ll likely find that the majority of VoIP calls are better or equal to the quality of call that you currently receive with your traditional phone lines. Note, however, that because the system is reliant on the internet, if your internet connection isn’t as good as it could be, your call quality could dip.
#3 Do you need high-speed broadband for VoIP?
Typically, yes you will need a high-speed broadband connection in order to install VoIP systems across your site. Your connection should be able to maintain at least 80kbps, but if you want to have multiple phones operating at the same time (the most likely scenario), you’ll need a better connection.
#4 Do you need a computer for VoIP to work?
No, the majority of VoIP services only need a telephone for the service to work, although you will need a specific type of phone in order to make use of the service. These can be purchased outright or leased (which can be the better option, as it gives you access to troubleshooting and maintenance services at the same time).
#5 What are the benefits of VoIP?
From a business perspective, there are many different benefits including greater opportunities to scale up, lower costs, portability, accessibility and facilitation of remote working (which is fast becoming one of the biggest company perks you can offer prospective employees).
