Seven Reasons We’ll All Use VoIP
Submitted by: Victor von Schlegell, President, Appia Communications
Many companies and organizations still have at least two networks — one for data and Internet access, and another for phone service. Having two networks is costly:
- Higher construction or build-out costs
- Two hardware and software platforms to purchase and support
- Multiple vendors to manage — voice, data, Internet access, PBX or key system equipment, and network equipment, to name a few.
There is technology available today that makes multiple networks unnecessary. The strategy is known as “convergence,” which uses one network and one platform for everything — voice, video and data. Convergence can reap significant savings for nearly any organization, big or small.
An important component of a converged solution is called Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP. The name says it all; voice calls and fax transmissions are sent over the same IP network used for data and Internet access, instead of traditional telephone lines.
Adoption of VoIP among organizations has hit 50 percent, primarily because VoIP offers several compelling advantages over traditional phone systems. Here are seven good reasons to use a converged network for voice:
Lower costs.
Calling charges can be dramatically reduced. Interoffice calls are free of charge, and abbreviated extension dialing can be implemented between locations, making it as quick and easy to call another state as it is to call another desk in the same office.
Long-distance tolls can be reduced or even eliminated in much the same way. When calling outside your office network, a good VoIP provider will be able to carry most of the call on an extended IP network, only joining the traditional phone system as close to the call destination as possible. The end result is a long-distance call that is billed as a local call, if at all.
Lower capital investment.
Since VoIP uses your existing data network, you don’t need to purchase and maintain a separate voice network and related equipment.
Simpler administration.
Most organizations use different providers for local phone service, long distance, and telephony and networking equipment. VoIP can simplify this into as little as one vendor and one invoice for all your voice and data needs, and at a lower cost than a multivendor approach. Also, moves are free, and changes can be completed quickly, easily, and without equipment modifications.
Support for remote workers.
VoIP is a fantastic tool for remote or mobile users. They can establish a “virtual office” anywhere there is an Internet connection, with extension dialing, access to voicemail, and all of the other services they would have if they were right in the main office.
Advanced features.
VoIP solutions are also feature-rich, beyond just voicemail and the usual batch of telephony services. Valuable advanced capabilities such as voicemail-to-email, fax-to-email, and video conferencing are built right into many converged networks.
Preserve current investments.
A good VoIP provider will also be able to work with your existing equipment and contracts. You don’t have to change any of your phone numbers, and VoIP can be phased in over time to maximize your current investments and honor your current commitments. In this way, your organization can start to realize some VoIP benefits right away, without incurring large up-front costs or penalties.
Built-in disaster recovery.
Properly designed, a VoIP system can enable you to maintain communication with customers, suppliers and staff even if your site is out of commission.
One approach to convergence that is rapidly gaining in popularity — especially among SMBs with overstretched IT staffs — is outsourcing to a managed services provider (MSP).
An MSP can host, maintain, and support all of the communication infrastructure and services you need for far less than the cost of an in-house implementation. Moreover, the MSP takes responsibility for service delivery, which means less time spent on administration and on resolving the finger-pointing that so often occurs among telecom vendors.
With an MSP, some converged solutions can be implemented for little to no up-front cost. You simply pay a predictable monthly fee, and you only pay for the services you actually use. The managed service model lifts the communications maintenance burden from the end user, allowing you to focus on your core business instead of the backroom processes that support it.
With built-in savings and flexibility — and quality and reliability that rival traditional phone services — moving to VoIP has become more a matter of “when” than “if.” If your organization is looking to cut costs, a converged communication system is a great place to start.
Victor von Schlegell is the president of Appia Communications, a proud grandfather and an avid sailor. For more information, visit www.appiaservices.com
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