Monday, 27 August 2012

VOIP Service Providers: Ways to Pick 'Em

By Jennie C. Hargrave


The question might cross your mind: "why would I need to be looking into VOIP phone service providers in the first place, and what are they, anyway?" That's why we're here; we're going to give you a rough overview of what VOIP is and why you should consider getting it for your company. "VOIP" actually stands for "voice over internet protocol." VOIP calls are made via an IP connection, not via old-fashioned telephone wires.

There are many advantages to using VOIP in a business environment. First off, if you need to connect a large number of people, as is often the case in a workplace, doing so over VOIP is both efficient and cost-effective. While an old-fashioned copper wire system would require multiple lines to get the job done, VOIP can transmit both voice and other information over a single connection. Corporate workers can now receive all the information they need via one efficient agent of transmission - the VOIP IP address. With VOIP phone service providers, international calls cost no more than local ones. In short, with VOIP, you have all the bells and whistles of a full kitted out corporate phone system, but without the high cost.

How do you acquire and install VOIP? It's vital that you don't rush your decision when choosing a provider. Some VOIP phone service providers are better than others - it's a simple fact. Visit sites like Yelp and Consumerreports to read honest reviews of various popular VOIP companies. Here are a few things you should keep an eye out for when researching providers:

Rates - Rates should be one of the pivotal factors in your selection. Price-shopping is one great way to evaluate the abilities and attitudes of various companies. Special Features - What "extra" features are 100% crucial to your business? Are long-distance conference calls going to be a regular occurrence? Will you need to be able to secure calls? Will you want to be able to ID missed calls or connect old phone lines with your brand new system? Number Portability - This can be a big deal, especially if you've been in business for a number of years.

Some VOIP service providers will not let you keep your old number, but we suggest opting for one that will. This will make it much easier to hold onto old clients.

Whether you're beginning a new business or simply upgrading your phone system, VOIP is a great way to go. It's cheap, simple, and useful in a broad range of ways.




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