Scalability is a significant concern for small-to-medium businesses hoping to expand significantly with the best VoIP phone systems. VoIP uses up less space due to its wireless nature. Let’s explore the pros and cons of a VoIP system and how it may fit your business and its future.
What is VoIP?
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology allows users to make and receive calls using an internet connection. These analog or cloud-based phone systems also provide video and chat communication tools to improve business collaborations by centralizing communication tools in one easy-to-use, affordable platform.
Cloud-based VoIP providers are becoming the most used business communication option for companies of all sizes. The great benefits of VoIP phone systems, such as robust feature sets, cost savings, and impressive productivity hikes, have continued to help VoIP phone systems stand out among communication solutions.
Whether you have a small business or an international enterprise, a VoIP phone system solution provider can fulfill your needs and improve your business communications with new features and efficiencies. Most of them come with scalable models you can add on as your business’s requirements grow.
All of the features offered by VoIP phone service providers are the tools that will help enhance your company’s communications. While your business needs, users, and budget will all work together to help you choose the best VoIP phone services for your business.
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What Are The Advantages Of VoIP?
Let’s explore the benefits of a VoIP phone system to understand why it may be a good solution for your company:
Reduced Call Rates
VoIP phone systems have the ability to carry long-distance calls with rates significantly lower than standard international calling rates. This would allow your business to expand beyond geographical borders and even internationally with the ability to provide services wherever the customers may be. If your company is located in the US, you can enjoy unlimited calls to US phone numbers.
Cloud Support
Modern VoIP phone systems also come with mobile apps and cloud support to support businesses, allowing employees and team members to attend calls from anywhere they may be. This is a convenient and helpful feature. At the same time, the world had to pause during the pandemic, and it continues to bring people together with the modern hybrid workplace model many companies have adopted as we emerge from the pandemic era.
Multi-party Calling
Companies can deliver messages to all employees more efficiently via VoIP compared to reaching everyone over the phone. VoIP allows callers to engage in something known as a multi-party calling. VoIP phone systems are beneficial for small and large businesses conducting conference calls with multiple callers. All callers can join the same call and engage in the same conversation. Currently, this is a built-in feature of the most popular VoIP phone systems providers.
Communication Suite
VoIP phone systems include internet fax, business text messaging, and video call functions. Such a comprehensive communication suite will be a great addition to changing your business communication landscape.
Disadvantages Of Using A VoIP Phone System
Some businesses encounter problems with a lack of redundancy and dependability, as VoIP can be more susceptible to disruptions than PSTN lines.
Let’s explore the different drawbacks of a VoIP phone system:
VoIP Phone Systems Are Dependent On A Working Internet Connection
Connectivity to the internet is a must for VoIP phone systems to operate. You will have to invest in a special router for VoIP and internet connection for your VoIP service to ensure uninterrupted service. This could also mean that you may not be able to reach geographical areas with low signals.
Internet connection is functioning, and when there is a steady power supply, you will lose your service if one of these is removed from the equation. Hosted VoIP solutions, however, have redundant backups and can provide more reliable service.
Varying Quality Of Calls
Since the VoIP phone systems call is transmitted via the Internet, it might seem like something other than the smoothest call at all times. You may experience low-quality voice and video or slight delays in transmission speed, creating a very tedious experience from time to time. This may be dependent on how strong your IP signal is. Due to connectivity issues, you may also experience sudden call drops when using a VoIP phone system. This is avoidable by investing in a reliable internet connection dedicated to your VoIP phone system.
Security Concerns
since VoIP calls are transmitted via the internet, there is the possibility of interceptions and eavesdropping, which can compromise the level of security of the conversation. VoIP security breaches can also affect your hardware via phishing attacks, malware, and viruses.
Most VoIP phone systems vendors are diligent about security and have gone to lengths to ensure that you can securely communicate. Educating your staff and following a thorough VoIP call protocol is also advisable to avoid unnecessary security breaches.
Not Reliable As An Emergency Service
We need to emphasize more that VoIP phone systems depend on an active internet connection which means it is not the most reliable way to communicate in case of an emergency where internet services may be compromised. These days, most VoIP phone system providers provide an E911 service that would alert someone of your location in case of an emergency.
What All Of This Means For Scalability
VoIP solutions are easy to add extra lines to as they are most often priced per line, but there is a cap where a VoIP phone systems solution isn’t feasible anymore.
You must consider the size of your business and how many phone lines may be required to get the desired effects out of your call center with VoIP phone systems.
Suppose you need help deciding on the right VoIP phone system provider for your company’s budget and size. In that case, you can consult with our phone systems buyers’ guide and compare the top VoIP vendors available to pick the right VoIP phone systems solution for your company.