The VoIP craze has been increasing as of late. People are replacing home phones with VoIP alternatives, and businesses are also beginning to adopt VoIP. However, many businesses are not quite sure how to make the switch. Here’s how you can integrate a VoIP system into your business.
Most modern businesses already have access to an Internet connection. If your business happens not to have one, it is important that you obtain an Internet package before you can use a VoIP phone system. It is also worth noting that a low quality Internet network can severely diminish the voice quality of VoIP calls. We therefore advise that you verify with your Internet provider that your current connection is capable of sustaining a VoIP system.
Once that is out of the way, you must pick the plan you want. Most business plans are named “business” or “office” plans. With one of these packages, your VoIP phone system should be perfectly fitted for any business. It is also worth noting that most VoIP providers list their price per extension rather than for one global price, since the cost increases with each added user. However, the more extensions your system has, the less each extension costs.
Finally, when your VoIP plan is selected, you must make sure your current infrastructure is capable of working with a VoIP system. However, since VoIP system require very little hardware, most systems require barely any changes. Possible adjustments to be made are:
- Phone devices. Not all phones are VoIP-compatible. Verify with your VoIP provider or with the company that created your phones, and ask if they are VoIP-compatible. If not, most VoIP providers sell IP-phones through their store.
- Your PBX. This is somewhat of a non-issue, since most VoIP systems utilize a cloud-based PBX, which is integrated on the provider’s end, but if you wish to convert your legacy system into an IP-PBX, that is possible, though it will require an extension.
Once this is done, your VoIP system is officially ready. Set-up may take a little time, but most VoIP providers can get your system ready within hours. As a result, if you prepare everything before-hand, the downtime when switching should be very, very short.
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