The Advantages of VoIP

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology works by converting the user's voice into digital packets that are sent over the Internet. It is available via the same cable used to access other Internet services. While VoIP has proven successful among both residential and commercial users, its potential is largely untapped as many still rely on antiquated and inefficient traditional telephony. VoIP can provide a variety of advantages, especially for businesses; its benefits include:

The Savings
One of the better-known advantages that VoIP has over a traditional phone system is its low cost. Many are familiar with the savings provided by using VoIP services such as Skype in a domestic setting; however, an Internet-based phone system can save business users a lot of money as well. The cost reduction is an important factor for businesses that make lots of calls on a daily basis as well as for small enterprises that have to keep an eye on their budget. Depending on the location and the nature of how VoIP is implemented, businesses may see savings of up to 40 percent when compared to the cost of using traditional telephony systems. Another factor is that the purchase and maintenance of traditional PBX equipment can be expensive, switching to VoIP eliminates much of that.

No Bulky Equipment
This is especially important if the premise in which the business is located has limited space available. With a traditional PBX, it would be necessary to allot a significant amount of square footage simply for housing telephone equipment. This is not necessary with VoIP since everything is done online. The service provider will have all of the hosting equipment at their location.

VoIP is Highly Scalable
This is of obvious importance in a growing business. Unlike with a standard telephone system, there are no limitations on the number of lines a business may have. This means that a small business has the flexibility to scale up their lines easily in order to meet their needs.

It is DIY Friendly
With a traditional PBX, even small changes may require a call to the telephone company. With a VoIP system, a business owner may be able to perform many of the most crucial changes on their own. For example, moving traditional telephone equipment from one location to another has always been a major headache due to the issues involved in wiring; VoIP is mostly plug-and-play, requiring little technical expertise to move.

Easy to Access
VoIP systems use the Internet, which means that access to services is available anywhere in the world that there is an Internet connection. The user is no longer limited to accessing calls at a single location; instead, they can connect from anywhere just as they would were they in their office. A user can even have all their numbers forwarded to one device if they want. This functionality allows the worker equipped with VoIP to participate in meetings and interviews as well as to collaborate with their colleagues to get more accomplished.

Unified
The concept of unified messaging revolves around allowing access to everything (faxes, voice mails and so on) in one place. Some VoIP solutions can be integrated with browsers and email clients to allow for quick dialing. These features can make workers in a business more efficient and more productive thus helping the enterprise to be more profitable.