Small Business VOIP - Is It Worth It?

Small Business VOIP - Is It Worth It?

by Brad Gibala

Small business owners are starting to look into VoIP to see if it makes sense for their small business. What it really comes down to is that it is a communication system that passes through your internet connection. A lot of small business owners are switching to this and ditching their current telephone system. Small business VoIP users typically encompass a 5-30 person office. VoIP is becoming recognized as technology that is expected to meet and exceed the needs of a large segment of the communications market. Small business VoIP carriers offer a wide variety of service levels. VoIP is showing that it is more efficient than normal phone lines. VoIP takes analog voice traffic and stream lines it into a digitized package that can be sent over the internet, instead of using regular phone lines all together. VoIP requires a powerful broadband internet connection and, if a telephone adapter is used, a power adapter is usually needed. VoIP is a technology that drives everything from voice-chat software loaded on a desktop PC to a Mac full-blown IP-based telecommunications networks in large corporations. VoIP is often used abstractly to refer to the actual transmission of voice. VoIP can be used in an office LAN or a private network between corporate offices.

VoIP is gaining popularity among small business owners for simple reasons. It costs much less than conventional business phone services. Some small business owners have reported monthly communication bills 10%-22% less than what their old phone bills. VOIP is incredibly useful because people can use it for both unlimited local and long distance calling when in a hotspot. VoIP does not have the same problems as a normal phone would have in hotspots due to its technology. VoIP is still viewed as in the developmental. VoIP providers are being forced to start following the same rules as phone companies so it does not become a monopoly. VoIP is cheaper because it unregulated by the U.S Government right now and uses low cost commodity networking. The infrastructure is subsidized through cable TV providers and POTS subscribers who are paying too much. Another reason why VoIP is cheaper is because while it's unregulated technology hasn't been able to be classified as a phone company the government hasn't got around to placing some kind of ridiculous tax law on it yet. VoIP is a technology that will continue to grow very rapidly in the very near future, totally changing how we traditionally have communicated before.

Business class VoIP offers auto attendant, desk-to-desk calling, hold, conference calling and many other features. Software based VoIP services require the use of a computer, so they are limited to single point of calling, though telephone sets are now available, allowing them to be used without a PC. VoIP can mean a lot more than just savings to any small business. VoIP will eliminate toll calls, slash overhead costs and provide powerful new communication capabilities. VoIP provides the same or better quality as traditional phone lines, but you pay far less for all of your international calls.

With technology changing everyday it looks like VoIP is going to be a smart choice for any small business owner. With other costs going up such as fuel it will be nice to be able to consolidate your communication bill into one package.