VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone systems make good sense for small businesses. In fact, recent research finds that more than one-third of all businesses are now using a VoIP phone system, with the vast majority of those being businesses with fewer than 50 employees.Get more news about Ip Telephony,you can vist our website!
"With VoIP, voice data is sent [via an Internet connection] in digital form rather than plugging into a traditional phone jack like you would over the public switched telephone network (PSTN)," Tina Liu, senior product marketing manager for 8x8 phone system, told Business News Daily.
What is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is internet-based phone service. Rather than transmitting voice conversations through traditional phone lines, the conversations are digitized and routed through internet lines.
First introduced commercially in the 1990s, VoIP technology has improved significantly since then, and so has its popularity. In the early days, users complained that the sound quality wasn't as good on VoIP as it was on a landline, but those issues aren't a concern today.
VoIP systems now take advantage of advanced high-definition codecs that have vastly improved the voice quality, making modern VoIP networks sound even better than landline networks, said Matt McGinnis, associate vice president of product marketing for VoIP provider RingCentral.
Simplified equipment
In addition to better sound quality, the cloud is also making VoIP a more viable option for small businesses. Rather than having to run special wiring and install special equipment, companies that choose a cloud-hosted VoIP phone solution don't need to purchase any equipment or employ an IT staff to install and maintain it.
"Cloud VoIP systems dispense with most of the upfront hardware and software and only require a broadband connection to activate," McGinnis said. "This reduces the amount of capital expenditure needed and makes it easy to turn up and deploy."
The advancement of VoIP technology and its relatively low cost make VoIP an ideal choice for small businesses, but businesses should still do their homework before committing.
