What are the Advantages of VoIP?
VoIP technology is several decades old, but it has become the mainstream communication system choice among individuals and businesses alike in the last decade. Due to the many business benefits, more and more companies are switching to VoIP for exceptional functionality, advanced features, and cost-savings.
VoIP is a technology that allows users to make phone calls via a broadband internet connection. It eliminates the need for a standard phone line to make a call. The technology converts the voice signal into a digital one and sends it through the internet.
Since VoIP uses the internet, it can help businesses cut back their phone bill by 60%. In addition, it can also help them save when they make international calls by reducing their costs by 90%.
Cost-savings, while perhaps one of the most compelling advantages of VoIP, is just one of the benefits you can expect to achieve by using VoIP. Let's find out about all the benefits VoIP offers and how it can streamline your business communication processes.
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Is VoIP Worth Getting?
Voice over Internet Protocols or IP telephony has many benefits that businesses can reap. In the era where remote working is quickly becoming the popular choice of employees, having a streamlined communication process is necessary.
Traditional landline is an expensive and unreliable option in comparison with VoIP phones. It is particularly ineffective if you have a team or office in a different location. Therefore, more and more businesses prefer to switch to VoIP.
So, what is the reason behind this massive transition towards VoIP? It is because of the advantages that come with it as they are unmatchable with any other technology.
What Are the Advantages of VoIP?
VoIP is an internet-based phone system with many features and benefits. When it comes to the advantages of VoIP, there is a long list. Businesses and homeowners can choose a plan as per their needs to benefit from the system. Here are some of the benefits of using a VoIP phone service.
- Superior Voice and Video Quality
In the early days of VoIP technology, voice quality was a bit of an issue as can reliable streaming on video calls. However, that is not the case today. With the innovations and rapid changes, VoIP services can work flawlessly to deliver HD video meetings and voice communication. The only thing that you need is a stable internet connection.
With advanced audio compression and noise-canceling microphones, you can enhance the quality of your calls. The best part is about it is that the VoIP technology eliminates all the background noises you hear in landline calls. As a result, you can clearly hear the person's voice on the other side of the call.
- Options for Multitasking
In a traditional landline, the only thing that you can do is communicate with the other person. It becomes really difficult to do other tasks simultaneously as you can't move the landline with you. Though you can use a cordless phone, it will still not be convenient enough.
But, with the VoIP service, you can multitask to complete other things as well. The VoIP services enable you to send documents, images and help you do other tasks while holding a conference with clients or employees. It is another key takeaway of the VoIP service.
- Provides More Flexibility
Unlike the traditional landline, there is no hardware or special routers you have to use for VoIP services. All you need to do is download the applications, such as Skype, and you are good to use VoIP services anywhere in the world. This makes VoIP a better option than landlines for companies who want mobile, flexible communication options.
You can also check with your provider as many of them offer their customers with applications to help them streamline their business communication process. Not only does it give you flexibility, but it also gives a great tool to communicate with your remote team.
What are the Benefits of a VoIP Phone?
Now that you know the advantages of the VoIP system, let's look at some of the benefits of the VoIP phone.
- Increases Security
Cyber threats are a massive issue for businesses today. Many spend thousands of dollars on the security system to keep their data safe. That is why choosing a VoIP service is imperative for your business.
The innovations in IP technology help it to detect and prevent any cyber-attacks beforehand. The encryption setup makes it impossible for hackers to penetrate the system. You can safely make VoIP calls, knowing that your data is safe and secure. Due to the security measures in place, VoIP offers more secure communications than call phones.
- Cost-Savings
VoIP is a very cost-effective communication system. Since it's easy to implement, with minimal to no upfront costs or hardware, VoIP tends to be better than PBX in pricing and mobility. Additionally, when comparing costs of cell phones vs. VoIP, the costs also tend to be much lower, particularly as you scale and add more users.
- Easy Setup Process
One of the best things about VoIP is that it's easy to set up. You don't need any lines or hardware to get it in working order. All you need is a good broadband connection and your router/modem, and you are good to go. VoIP also works for landline calls, so you won't have any limitations in connecting with others using other communication technologies.
You can plug the IP phones directly or use ethernet wiring, which is preferable due to the reliability it gives. Also, many providers offer complete support throughout the installation process. Their customer support can guide you, or they can send a technician to help and explain you the entire process. Additionally, VoIP vendors offer number porting so you can start using VoIP with your old phone and without changing your phone number.
- Increased Reliability
The new technology system makes it easy to make or receive calls. If there is a power outage or bad weather, you can use VoIP services as long as you have a good internet connection. You can either use your Wi-Fi or Mobile network.
What Are the Business Advantages of Using VoIP Technology?
Businesses that incorporate VoIP systems can reap multiple benefits. Here are some of them.
- Lowers Business Costs
Businesses aim to reduce their costs to become more efficient and increase their productivity at the same time. That is where VoIP comes into play. You no longer need multiple lines to communicate with your team. A stable internet connection from a reliable ISP will do the job for you.
Using a VoIP phone system, you can make long-distance calls without incurring additional charges. You can also communicate with your clients internationally and locally by only giving a fee to the ISP for their services.
- Advanced Voice and Video Features
With the VoIP system, you can enjoy a wide range of features. It helps you in enhancing operational proficiency. You no longer need a fax machine or traditional phones as VoIP services give you all the things you need.
Using its features, you can record the call, set up video conferencing, and divert the call to voicemail and a lot more. These features make it easy for businesses to streamline their communication process and makes interaction with their clients much easier.
- Easy Scalability
Businesses can look to expand or cut down their operations from time to time. As per the situation, you can scale the VoIP services to cater to your needs. Since VoIP services use the internet, you can easily add or remove users as per the business requirements.
In addition to that, you can also save yourself from going through the hassle of adding new lines. It is one of the things that makes it distinctive from landline phones and gives it an upper hand over it.
What are the Disadvantages of VoIP?
Just like everything else, VoIP services come with both advantages and disadvantages. But there is not a big list that might want you to rethink about using this technology. Below are a couple of its disadvantages.
- Fast Internet Connection is Required
Having a stable and reliable Wi-Fi or mobile network is a prerequisite if you want to use VoIP services. Your devices need to have a bare minimum upload speed of 100 kbps. Also, the VoIP needs to get a low latency from your network. You can run a bandwidth test to determine the bandwidth that your business needs.
- Limited Location Tracking
Since VoIP offers its users flexibility and accessibility, location tracking becomes difficult for third-party integrations.
It is because the calls are coming from an IP address that has no data through which you can track the location. Although it is something that the majority of the users don't need, it can be a problem for emergency services to track you down in case of an emergency.
VoIP is an internet communication technology help you to communicate with each other without any issues. Your mobile phones can make international calls at a lower rate than traditional landlines using VoIP services. It is a revolutionary technology that is beneficial, especially for small businesses that look for ways to cut back on their costs. And there is no rocket science in installing the VoIP service.
As remote working becomes the new reality, many employees will consider working from home rather than returning to the offices.
As per the State of Work Productivity report, around 65% of employees view remote working as the best option to increase productivity.
If that is the case, you need a robust technology like VoIP to communicate and set up a video conference, calls, and interact with your employees. So, now is the right time to incorporate VoIP in your business to get a competitive edge.