VoIP System
Learn how a VoIP system can revolutionize your business communications
VoIP System
Learn how a VoIP system can revolutionize your business communications
VoIP System
Learn how a VoIP system can revolutionize your business communications
VoIP System
Learn how a VoIP system can revolutionize your business communications
VoIP is everywhere these days. Voice over Internet Protocol technology has changed the way we live, work, and communicate with one another.
But what is a VoIP system and how does it actually work? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. We’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about VoIP phone systems, from what they are to how to choose the best VoIP system provider.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
VoIP is everywhere these days. Voice over Internet Protocol technology has changed the way we live, work, and communicate with one another.
But what is a VoIP system and how does it actually work? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. We’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about VoIP phone systems, from what they are to how to choose the best VoIP system provider.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
VoIP is everywhere these days. Voice over Internet Protocol technology has changed the way we live, work, and communicate with one another.
But what is a VoIP system and how does it actually work? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. We’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about VoIP phone systems, from what they are to how to choose the best VoIP system provider.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
VoIP is everywhere these days. Voice over Internet Protocol technology has changed the way we live, work, and communicate with one another.
But what is a VoIP system and how does it actually work? That’s exactly what we’re here to talk about. We’ll be walking you through everything you need to know about VoIP phone systems, from what they are to how to choose the best VoIP system provider.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This real-time transport protocol is a technology that allows us to make voice-based communications over an internet connection (as opposed to via a public switched telephone network or PSTN). In other words, a VoIP phone system allows individuals and organizations to make telephone calls, both locally and long distance.
VoIP solutions for business can be deployed using either one of two ways: on-premises and hosted. Between those, hosted VoIP service is the more attractive option because it allows you to manage your communications without relying on special on-premises hardware. Hosted VoIP is perfect for remote and flexible working cultures where employees may be telecommuting or splitting their time between working from home and in the office, contact center, or call center.
Plus, today’s VoIP vendors offer much more than just internet-based calling. VoIP phone systems are becoming more and more advanced in their feature offerings and are (more often than not) bundled with other solutions that make communicating with customers and co-workers easier. With 8x8, for example, users have access to a top-end, unified business communications system complete with call handling and management capabilities.
So, what’s the difference between VoIP phone service for business and your traditional office phone system? That’s a great question. The short answer is: a lot!
While both systems are designed to facilitate voice-based business communications, VoIP offers businesses a lot more flexibility and convenience than traditional on-premises telephony systems do. We’ll go into more detail shortly.
Most traditional office phone systems rely on an on-premises Private Branch Exchange (that’s PBX for short) with desk phones connected to it as part of an internal network. These older systems use copper wiring and work off of the Public Switched Telephone Network to connect calls to and from outside said internal network. But with VoIP technology, there’s little need for any of this.
A VoIP phone system can be set up on-premises, but these days it’s more popularly deployed as a hosted solution. A hosted VoIP system is hosted off-premises by a third-party vendor, like 8x8, that will manage all the associated networks and hardware from an external location.
From there, you can access your telephone network over the internet from a whole range of devices including VoIP-configured desk phones, mobile phones, and even laptops (as long they come with a headset that includes a microphone). As long as it can connect to the internet and support Voice over Internet Protocol through hardware or software, it can be part of an IP PBX system. The result is a highly-unified business communications tool that is easy to manage, implement, and maintain.
In fact, by switching to a hosted VoIP service, you’ll be able to customize unique sets of permissions for each of your employees, avoid unnecessary and costly uptime issues, and benefit from higher quality calling based on digital signals.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This real-time transport protocol is a technology that allows us to make voice-based communications over an internet connection (as opposed to via a public switched telephone network or PSTN). In other words, a VoIP phone system allows individuals and organizations to make telephone calls, both locally and long distance.
VoIP solutions for business can be deployed using either one of two ways: on-premises and hosted. Between those, hosted VoIP service is the more attractive option because it allows you to manage your communications without relying on special on-premises hardware. Hosted VoIP is perfect for remote and flexible working cultures where employees may be telecommuting or splitting their time between working from home and in the office, contact center, or call center.
Plus, today’s VoIP vendors offer much more than just internet-based calling. VoIP phone systems are becoming more and more advanced in their feature offerings and are (more often than not) bundled with other solutions that make communicating with customers and co-workers easier. With 8x8, for example, users have access to a top-end, unified business communications system complete with call handling and management capabilities.
So, what’s the difference between VoIP phone service for business and your traditional office phone system? That’s a great question. The short answer is: a lot!
While both systems are designed to facilitate voice-based business communications, VoIP offers businesses a lot more flexibility and convenience than traditional on-premises telephony systems do. We’ll go into more detail shortly.
Most traditional office phone systems rely on an on-premises Private Branch Exchange (that’s PBX for short) with desk phones connected to it as part of an internal network. These older systems use copper wiring and work off of the Public Switched Telephone Network to connect calls to and from outside said internal network. But with VoIP technology, there’s little need for any of this.
A VoIP phone system can be set up on-premises, but these days it’s more popularly deployed as a hosted solution. A hosted VoIP system is hosted off-premises by a third-party vendor, like 8x8, that will manage all the associated networks and hardware from an external location.
From there, you can access your telephone network over the internet from a whole range of devices including VoIP-configured desk phones, mobile phones, and even laptops (as long they come with a headset that includes a microphone). As long as it can connect to the internet and support Voice over Internet Protocol through hardware or software, it can be part of an IP PBX system. The result is a highly-unified business communications tool that is easy to manage, implement, and maintain.
In fact, by switching to a hosted VoIP service, you’ll be able to customize unique sets of permissions for each of your employees, avoid unnecessary and costly uptime issues, and benefit from higher quality calling based on digital signals.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This real-time transport protocol is a technology that allows us to make voice-based communications over an internet connection (as opposed to via a public switched telephone network or PSTN). In other words, a VoIP phone system allows individuals and organizations to make telephone calls, both locally and long distance.
VoIP solutions for business can be deployed using either one of two ways: on-premises and hosted. Between those, hosted VoIP service is the more attractive option because it allows you to manage your communications without relying on special on-premises hardware. Hosted VoIP is perfect for remote and flexible working cultures where employees may be telecommuting or splitting their time between working from home and in the office, contact center, or call center.
Plus, today’s VoIP vendors offer much more than just internet-based calling. VoIP phone systems are becoming more and more advanced in their feature offerings and are (more often than not) bundled with other solutions that make communicating with customers and co-workers easier. With 8x8, for example, users have access to a top-end, unified business communications system complete with call handling and management capabilities.
So, what’s the difference between VoIP phone service for business and your traditional office phone system? That’s a great question. The short answer is: a lot!
While both systems are designed to facilitate voice-based business communications, VoIP offers businesses a lot more flexibility and convenience than traditional on-premises telephony systems do. We’ll go into more detail shortly.
Most traditional office phone systems rely on an on-premises Private Branch Exchange (that’s PBX for short) with desk phones connected to it as part of an internal network. These older systems use copper wiring and work off of the Public Switched Telephone Network to connect calls to and from outside said internal network. But with VoIP technology, there’s little need for any of this.
A VoIP phone system can be set up on-premises, but these days it’s more popularly deployed as a hosted solution. A hosted VoIP system is hosted off-premises by a third-party vendor, like 8x8, that will manage all the associated networks and hardware from an external location.
From there, you can access your telephone network over the internet from a whole range of devices including VoIP-configured desk phones, mobile phones, and even laptops (as long they come with a headset that includes a microphone). As long as it can connect to the internet and support Voice over Internet Protocol through hardware or software, it can be part of an IP PBX system. The result is a highly-unified business communications tool that is easy to manage, implement, and maintain.
In fact, by switching to a hosted VoIP service, you’ll be able to customize unique sets of permissions for each of your employees, avoid unnecessary and costly uptime issues, and benefit from higher quality calling based on digital signals.
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. This real-time transport protocol is a technology that allows us to make voice-based communications over an internet connection (as opposed to via a public switched telephone network or PSTN). In other words, a VoIP phone system allows individuals and organizations to make telephone calls, both locally and long distance.
VoIP solutions for business can be deployed using either one of two ways: on-premises and hosted. Between those, hosted VoIP service is the more attractive option because it allows you to manage your communications without relying on special on-premises hardware. Hosted VoIP is perfect for remote and flexible working cultures where employees may be telecommuting or splitting their time between working from home and in the office, contact center, or call center.
Plus, today’s VoIP vendors offer much more than just internet-based calling. VoIP phone systems are becoming more and more advanced in their feature offerings and are (more often than not) bundled with other solutions that make communicating with customers and co-workers easier. With 8x8, for example, users have access to a top-end, unified business communications system complete with call handling and management capabilities.
So, what’s the difference between VoIP phone service for business and your traditional office phone system? That’s a great question. The short answer is: a lot!
While both systems are designed to facilitate voice-based business communications, VoIP offers businesses a lot more flexibility and convenience than traditional on-premises telephony systems do. We’ll go into more detail shortly.
Most traditional office phone systems rely on an on-premises Private Branch Exchange (that’s PBX for short) with desk phones connected to it as part of an internal network. These older systems use copper wiring and work off of the Public Switched Telephone Network to connect calls to and from outside said internal network. But with VoIP technology, there’s little need for any of this.
A VoIP phone system can be set up on-premises, but these days it’s more popularly deployed as a hosted solution. A hosted VoIP system is hosted off-premises by a third-party vendor, like 8x8, that will manage all the associated networks and hardware from an external location.
From there, you can access your telephone network over the internet from a whole range of devices including VoIP-configured desk phones, mobile phones, and even laptops (as long they come with a headset that includes a microphone). As long as it can connect to the internet and support Voice over Internet Protocol through hardware or software, it can be part of an IP PBX system. The result is a highly-unified business communications tool that is easy to manage, implement, and maintain.
In fact, by switching to a hosted VoIP service, you’ll be able to customize unique sets of permissions for each of your employees, avoid unnecessary and costly uptime issues, and benefit from higher quality calling based on digital signals.
Here’s a quick overview of traditional telephone networks and VoIP systems:
| Traditional telephone network | VoIP phone system |
| Uses copper wiring to connect calls over the PSTN. | Connects calls over an internet network connection. |
| Requires on-premises wire-dependent PBX. | No on-premises hardware is required for it to work. |
| Will need desk phones directly connected to the hardware facilitating VoIP. | Use on any internet-enabled device, whether it’s a VoIP handset or several mobile devices owned by your employees |
Here’s a quick overview of traditional telephone networks and VoIP systems:
| Traditional telephone network | VoIP phone system |
| Uses copper wiring to connect calls over the PSTN. | Connects calls over an internet network connection. |
| Requires on-premises wire-dependent PBX. | No on-premises hardware is required for it to work. |
| Will need desk phones directly connected to the hardware facilitating VoIP. | Use on any internet-enabled device, whether it’s a VoIP handset or several mobile devices owned by your employees |
Here’s a quick overview of traditional telephone networks and VoIP systems:
| Traditional telephone network | VoIP phone system |
| Uses copper wiring to connect calls over the PSTN. | Connects calls over an internet network connection. |
| Requires on-premises wire-dependent PBX. | No on-premises hardware is required for it to work. |
| Will need desk phones directly connected to the hardware facilitating VoIP. | Use on any internet-enabled device, whether it’s a VoIP handset or several mobile devices owned by your employees |
Here’s a quick overview of traditional telephone networks and VoIP systems:
| Traditional telephone network | VoIP phone system |
| Uses copper wiring to connect calls over the PSTN. | Connects calls over an internet network connection. |
| Requires on-premises wire-dependent PBX. | No on-premises hardware is required for it to work. |
| Will need desk phones directly connected to the hardware facilitating VoIP. | Use on any internet-enabled device, whether it’s a VoIP handset or several mobile devices owned by your employees |
By now you should have a clearer idea of what VoIP is. But let’s delve a little bit deeper into the world of hosted VoIP technology. When you switch your communications networks to a hosted VoIP model (also sometimes called a cloud-based VoIP model, though there’s a minor difference—more on that later), it means all of your call data will be processed in a third-party data center managed by a vendor from an off-site location.
Under a hosted PBX model, your vendor is responsible for implementing, distributing, and maintaining the necessary telephony infrastructure. This makes hosted VoIP a super flexible option for small businesses that don’t have the time and/or budget to manage and maintain complex hardware.
A quick note about hosted VoIP vs cloud-based VoIP: The two terms are often used interchangeably because, when you get right down to it, they both refer to a setup where the provider maintains and owns the hardware and technology used to deploy VoIP. What makes them different is that “hosted” doesn’t necessarily mean the service provider uses cloud technology to process information in their servers. That being said, most hosted VoIP solutions these days do use the cloud—which is why it isn’t such a big deal that we consider these terms synonymous anymore.
Hosted VoIP is super flexible, but even a cloud phone system does have a few drawbacks.
By now you should have a clearer idea of what VoIP is. But let’s delve a little bit deeper into the world of hosted VoIP technology. When you switch your communications networks to a hosted VoIP model (also sometimes called a cloud-based VoIP model, though there’s a minor difference—more on that later), it means all of your call data will be processed in a third-party data center managed by a vendor from an off-site location.
Under a hosted PBX model, your vendor is responsible for implementing, distributing, and maintaining the necessary telephony infrastructure. This makes hosted VoIP a super flexible option for small businesses that don’t have the time and/or budget to manage and maintain complex hardware.
A quick note about hosted VoIP vs cloud-based VoIP: The two terms are often used interchangeably because, when you get right down to it, they both refer to a setup where the provider maintains and owns the hardware and technology used to deploy VoIP. What makes them different is that “hosted” doesn’t necessarily mean the service provider uses cloud technology to process information in their servers. That being said, most hosted VoIP solutions these days do use the cloud—which is why it isn’t such a big deal that we consider these terms synonymous anymore.
Hosted VoIP is super flexible, but even a cloud phone system does have a few drawbacks.
By now you should have a clearer idea of what VoIP is. But let’s delve a little bit deeper into the world of hosted VoIP technology. When you switch your communications networks to a hosted VoIP model (also sometimes called a cloud-based VoIP model, though there’s a minor difference—more on that later), it means all of your call data will be processed in a third-party data center managed by a vendor from an off-site location.
Under a hosted PBX model, your vendor is responsible for implementing, distributing, and maintaining the necessary telephony infrastructure. This makes hosted VoIP a super flexible option for small businesses that don’t have the time and/or budget to manage and maintain complex hardware.
A quick note about hosted VoIP vs cloud-based VoIP: The two terms are often used interchangeably because, when you get right down to it, they both refer to a setup where the provider maintains and owns the hardware and technology used to deploy VoIP. What makes them different is that “hosted” doesn’t necessarily mean the service provider uses cloud technology to process information in their servers. That being said, most hosted VoIP solutions these days do use the cloud—which is why it isn’t such a big deal that we consider these terms synonymous anymore.
Hosted VoIP is super flexible, but even a cloud phone system does have a few drawbacks.
By now you should have a clearer idea of what VoIP is. But let’s delve a little bit deeper into the world of hosted VoIP technology. When you switch your communications networks to a hosted VoIP model (also sometimes called a cloud-based VoIP model, though there’s a minor difference—more on that later), it means all of your call data will be processed in a third-party data center managed by a vendor from an off-site location.
Under a hosted PBX model, your vendor is responsible for implementing, distributing, and maintaining the necessary telephony infrastructure. This makes hosted VoIP a super flexible option for small businesses that don’t have the time and/or budget to manage and maintain complex hardware.
A quick note about hosted VoIP vs cloud-based VoIP: The two terms are often used interchangeably because, when you get right down to it, they both refer to a setup where the provider maintains and owns the hardware and technology used to deploy VoIP. What makes them different is that “hosted” doesn’t necessarily mean the service provider uses cloud technology to process information in their servers. That being said, most hosted VoIP solutions these days do use the cloud—which is why it isn’t such a big deal that we consider these terms synonymous anymore.
Hosted VoIP is super flexible, but even a cloud phone system does have a few drawbacks.
On-premises VoIP, in contrast to hosted VoIP, is a way to use VoIP without needing the vendor to take care of the technology’s infrastructure. As mentioned previously, it’s not quite as popular as the hosted version of this solution these days; but it does have its own appeal in that it gives your organization more control in terms of security, customization, and speed of deployment.
Under this model, organizations purchase, deploy, manage, and maintain the hardware required to make VoIP work. This requires you to invest significant resources into the system, which is why few small to medium-sized businesses employ it. More often than not, it’s enterprises and larger operations that choose this option.
On-premises VoIP allows your organization to take charge of its internet-based voice communications, but it has its disadvantages.
On-premises VoIP, in contrast to hosted VoIP, is a way to use VoIP without needing the vendor to take care of the technology’s infrastructure. As mentioned previously, it’s not quite as popular as the hosted version of this solution these days; but it does have its own appeal in that it gives your organization more control in terms of security, customization, and speed of deployment.
Under this model, organizations purchase, deploy, manage, and maintain the hardware required to make VoIP work. This requires you to invest significant resources into the system, which is why few small to medium-sized businesses employ it. More often than not, it’s enterprises and larger operations that choose this option.
On-premises VoIP allows your organization to take charge of its internet-based voice communications, but it has its disadvantages.
On-premises VoIP, in contrast to hosted VoIP, is a way to use VoIP without needing the vendor to take care of the technology’s infrastructure. As mentioned previously, it’s not quite as popular as the hosted version of this solution these days; but it does have its own appeal in that it gives your organization more control in terms of security, customization, and speed of deployment.
Under this model, organizations purchase, deploy, manage, and maintain the hardware required to make VoIP work. This requires you to invest significant resources into the system, which is why few small to medium-sized businesses employ it. More often than not, it’s enterprises and larger operations that choose this option.
On-premises VoIP allows your organization to take charge of its internet-based voice communications, but it has its disadvantages.
On-premises VoIP, in contrast to hosted VoIP, is a way to use VoIP without needing the vendor to take care of the technology’s infrastructure. As mentioned previously, it’s not quite as popular as the hosted version of this solution these days; but it does have its own appeal in that it gives your organization more control in terms of security, customization, and speed of deployment.
Under this model, organizations purchase, deploy, manage, and maintain the hardware required to make VoIP work. This requires you to invest significant resources into the system, which is why few small to medium-sized businesses employ it. More often than not, it’s enterprises and larger operations that choose this option.
On-premises VoIP allows your organization to take charge of its internet-based voice communications, but it has its disadvantages.
If you’ve been looking into VoIP for a while, you might have encountered the phrase “fixed VoIP”. You may have also learned that it’s associated with a brick-and-mortar location. But what does this mean, how is it different from the concept of on-premises VoIP?
When people discuss “fixed VoIP”, they’re primarily focused on phone numbers.
Remember: traditional telephony tends to have physical lines and hardware that can directly associate a telephone number with a device and address. VoIP doesn’t need physical lines, which means your IP phone number isn’t automatically connected to a specific location or phone. So if your business needs that VoIP number to, say, be affiliated with a particular branch or office, you’ll need to “fix” that number to that location by assigning it to that address.
On the other hand, “on-premises VoIP” is focused on how VoIP is deployed. While it is true this phrase can be related to fixed VoIP in that using on-premises Voice over IP is makes it easier to connect virtual numbers to physical addresses, it doesn’t mean they’re exclusively tied to each other. You can get fixed VoIP numbers from your hosted phone service provider. In fact, it’s quite common among cloud phone solutions for businesses these days to offer fixed virtual numbers.
It’s important to note that any organization using a virtual business phone number will want an address associated with it anyway. The local presence builds trust with customers and, more importantly, it helps first responders find your office easily if you happen to use your company’s VoIP phone line to call for help in case of emergencies (like fires, earthquakes, etc.).
If you’ve been looking into VoIP for a while, you might have encountered the phrase “fixed VoIP”. You may have also learned that it’s associated with a brick-and-mortar location. But what does this mean, how is it different from the concept of on-premises VoIP?
When people discuss “fixed VoIP”, they’re primarily focused on phone numbers.
Remember: traditional telephony tends to have physical lines and hardware that can directly associate a telephone number with a device and address. VoIP doesn’t need physical lines, which means your IP phone number isn’t automatically connected to a specific location or phone. So if your business needs that VoIP number to, say, be affiliated with a particular branch or office, you’ll need to “fix” that number to that location by assigning it to that address.
On the other hand, “on-premises VoIP” is focused on how VoIP is deployed. While it is true this phrase can be related to fixed VoIP in that using on-premises Voice over IP is makes it easier to connect virtual numbers to physical addresses, it doesn’t mean they’re exclusively tied to each other. You can get fixed VoIP numbers from your hosted phone service provider. In fact, it’s quite common among cloud phone solutions for businesses these days to offer fixed virtual numbers.
It’s important to note that any organization using a virtual business phone number will want an address associated with it anyway. The local presence builds trust with customers and, more importantly, it helps first responders find your office easily if you happen to use your company’s VoIP phone line to call for help in case of emergencies (like fires, earthquakes, etc.).
If you’ve been looking into VoIP for a while, you might have encountered the phrase “fixed VoIP”. You may have also learned that it’s associated with a brick-and-mortar location. But what does this mean, how is it different from the concept of on-premises VoIP?
When people discuss “fixed VoIP”, they’re primarily focused on phone numbers.
Remember: traditional telephony tends to have physical lines and hardware that can directly associate a telephone number with a device and address. VoIP doesn’t need physical lines, which means your IP phone number isn’t automatically connected to a specific location or phone. So if your business needs that VoIP number to, say, be affiliated with a particular branch or office, you’ll need to “fix” that number to that location by assigning it to that address.
On the other hand, “on-premises VoIP” is focused on how VoIP is deployed. While it is true this phrase can be related to fixed VoIP in that using on-premises Voice over IP is makes it easier to connect virtual numbers to physical addresses, it doesn’t mean they’re exclusively tied to each other. You can get fixed VoIP numbers from your hosted phone service provider. In fact, it’s quite common among cloud phone solutions for businesses these days to offer fixed virtual numbers.
It’s important to note that any organization using a virtual business phone number will want an address associated with it anyway. The local presence builds trust with customers and, more importantly, it helps first responders find your office easily if you happen to use your company’s VoIP phone line to call for help in case of emergencies (like fires, earthquakes, etc.).
If you’ve been looking into VoIP for a while, you might have encountered the phrase “fixed VoIP”. You may have also learned that it’s associated with a brick-and-mortar location. But what does this mean, how is it different from the concept of on-premises VoIP?
When people discuss “fixed VoIP”, they’re primarily focused on phone numbers.
Remember: traditional telephony tends to have physical lines and hardware that can directly associate a telephone number with a device and address. VoIP doesn’t need physical lines, which means your IP phone number isn’t automatically connected to a specific location or phone. So if your business needs that VoIP number to, say, be affiliated with a particular branch or office, you’ll need to “fix” that number to that location by assigning it to that address.
On the other hand, “on-premises VoIP” is focused on how VoIP is deployed. While it is true this phrase can be related to fixed VoIP in that using on-premises Voice over IP is makes it easier to connect virtual numbers to physical addresses, it doesn’t mean they’re exclusively tied to each other. You can get fixed VoIP numbers from your hosted phone service provider. In fact, it’s quite common among cloud phone solutions for businesses these days to offer fixed virtual numbers.
It’s important to note that any organization using a virtual business phone number will want an address associated with it anyway. The local presence builds trust with customers and, more importantly, it helps first responders find your office easily if you happen to use your company’s VoIP phone line to call for help in case of emergencies (like fires, earthquakes, etc.).
So now we know what VoIP does—but how does it do it? Let’s take a moment to talk about how, exactly, VoIP technology works its magic.
Voice over IP technology converts analog voice signals (aka your voice) into digital signals. These digital signals are compressed into tiny data packets that can be sent over the internet to a receiving phone number at super-fast speeds.
Once your business VoIP provider sets up the connection between you and your intended recipient, the data packets are sent, received, and decompressed at the other end. This means the receiver of your call can hear you speaking in real time—without any traditional telecoms coverage, landline phones, or need for a cell phone network. All you need is high speed internet and to have access to HD phone calls.
Neat right?
So, here’s what you’ll need to do if you want to call somebody using Voice over Internet Protocol:
Here’s an example of VoIP in action.
Imagine that an employee working from home in your business needs to make a follow up call to a customer. Said employee does not need access to a VoIP-enabled desk phone at your office to make this call.
Instead, they can call the customer directly from their own computer or mobile device. All the employee has to do is open the VoIP app and dial out to the customer as they normally would do using any other telephone setup. The digital signals will travel through the Local Area Network (LAN) to your VoIP service provider, which will then establish the call in real-time.
So, what makes up a modern VoIP phone system?
The great thing about VoIP—especially hosted VoIP—is that it can require very little physical infrastructure, making it an extremely flexible and scalable solution. But even a VoIP system requires one or two essential components, those being:
Let’s take a look at those in more detail.
For VoIP to work at all, you need to have a stable connection to the internet. Whether you’re using broadband, DSL, cable, or data, it’s important to make sure you have reliable internet connection before deploying your VoIP telephone system.
The best options for businesses are DSL, cable, ethernet, or fiber internet solutions. For VoIP to work effectively you’ll need that network to be high-speed, secure, and equipped with sufficient bandwidth to support the number of devices that you plan to connect to your system.
As a general rule, VoIP requires an average bandwidth of around 100 Kbps per device. But you may need more (or not so much) depending on your business’ unique usage requirements. Make sure you talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if you need to upgrade your plan.
Thanks to internet calling, employees these days don’t have to be shackled to their desks 24/7. Remote and hybrid working options are more and more accessible thanks to Voice over IP technology.
Good internet connectivity is the lifeblood of VoIP so, whatever you do, prioritize setting up super fast broadband in your office. If you have remote workers, you’ll want to make sure they have the means and capacity to access a reliable internet network, whether it’s in the form of a home fiber connection or a secure Wi-Fi network.
As great as VoIP is, you’ll still need a device to make calls using it. There are a few options to choose from: an IP phone, a softphone, or an analog device supported by a telephone adapter.
Typically you’ll only be able to have basic call functionality in this way. Nonetheless, this can be an affordable option for businesses that don’t want to get rid of their legacy hardware immediately. It’s also a great way to transition to VoIP.
So now we know what VoIP does—but how does it do it? Let’s take a moment to talk about how, exactly, VoIP technology works its magic.
Voice over IP technology converts analog voice signals (aka your voice) into digital signals. These digital signals are compressed into tiny data packets that can be sent over the internet to a receiving phone number at super-fast speeds.
Once your business VoIP provider sets up the connection between you and your intended recipient, the data packets are sent, received, and decompressed at the other end. This means the receiver of your call can hear you speaking in real time—without any traditional telecoms coverage, landline phones, or need for a cell phone network. All you need is high speed internet and to have access to HD phone calls.
Neat right?
So, here’s what you’ll need to do if you want to call somebody using Voice over Internet Protocol:
Here’s an example of VoIP in action.
Imagine that an employee working from home in your business needs to make a follow up call to a customer. Said employee does not need access to a VoIP-enabled desk phone at your office to make this call.
Instead, they can call the customer directly from their own computer or mobile device. All the employee has to do is open the VoIP app and dial out to the customer as they normally would do using any other telephone setup. The digital signals will travel through the Local Area Network (LAN) to your VoIP service provider, which will then establish the call in real-time.
So, what makes up a modern VoIP phone system?
The great thing about VoIP—especially hosted VoIP—is that it can require very little physical infrastructure, making it an extremely flexible and scalable solution. But even a VoIP system requires one or two essential components, those being:
Let’s take a look at those in more detail.
For VoIP to work at all, you need to have a stable connection to the internet. Whether you’re using broadband, DSL, cable, or data, it’s important to make sure you have reliable internet connection before deploying your VoIP telephone system.
The best options for businesses are DSL, cable, ethernet, or fiber internet solutions. For VoIP to work effectively you’ll need that network to be high-speed, secure, and equipped with sufficient bandwidth to support the number of devices that you plan to connect to your system.
As a general rule, VoIP requires an average bandwidth of around 100 Kbps per device. But you may need more (or not so much) depending on your business’ unique usage requirements. Make sure you talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if you need to upgrade your plan.
Thanks to internet calling, employees these days don’t have to be shackled to their desks 24/7. Remote and hybrid working options are more and more accessible thanks to Voice over IP technology.
Good internet connectivity is the lifeblood of VoIP so, whatever you do, prioritize setting up super fast broadband in your office. If you have remote workers, you’ll want to make sure they have the means and capacity to access a reliable internet network, whether it’s in the form of a home fiber connection or a secure Wi-Fi network.
As great as VoIP is, you’ll still need a device to make calls using it. There are a few options to choose from: an IP phone, a softphone, or an analog device supported by a telephone adapter.
Typically you’ll only be able to have basic call functionality in this way. Nonetheless, this can be an affordable option for businesses that don’t want to get rid of their legacy hardware immediately. It’s also a great way to transition to VoIP.
So now we know what VoIP does—but how does it do it? Let’s take a moment to talk about how, exactly, VoIP technology works its magic.
Voice over IP technology converts analog voice signals (aka your voice) into digital signals. These digital signals are compressed into tiny data packets that can be sent over the internet to a receiving phone number at super-fast speeds.
Once your business VoIP provider sets up the connection between you and your intended recipient, the data packets are sent, received, and decompressed at the other end. This means the receiver of your call can hear you speaking in real time—without any traditional telecoms coverage, landline phones, or need for a cell phone network. All you need is high speed internet and to have access to HD phone calls.
Neat right?
So, here’s what you’ll need to do if you want to call somebody using Voice over Internet Protocol:
Here’s an example of VoIP in action.
Imagine that an employee working from home in your business needs to make a follow up call to a customer. Said employee does not need access to a VoIP-enabled desk phone at your office to make this call.
Instead, they can call the customer directly from their own computer or mobile device. All the employee has to do is open the VoIP app and dial out to the customer as they normally would do using any other telephone setup. The digital signals will travel through the Local Area Network (LAN) to your VoIP service provider, which will then establish the call in real-time.
So, what makes up a modern VoIP phone system?
The great thing about VoIP—especially hosted VoIP—is that it can require very little physical infrastructure, making it an extremely flexible and scalable solution. But even a VoIP system requires one or two essential components, those being:
Let’s take a look at those in more detail.
For VoIP to work at all, you need to have a stable connection to the internet. Whether you’re using broadband, DSL, cable, or data, it’s important to make sure you have reliable internet connection before deploying your VoIP telephone system.
The best options for businesses are DSL, cable, ethernet, or fiber internet solutions. For VoIP to work effectively you’ll need that network to be high-speed, secure, and equipped with sufficient bandwidth to support the number of devices that you plan to connect to your system.
As a general rule, VoIP requires an average bandwidth of around 100 Kbps per device. But you may need more (or not so much) depending on your business’ unique usage requirements. Make sure you talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if you need to upgrade your plan.
Thanks to internet calling, employees these days don’t have to be shackled to their desks 24/7. Remote and hybrid working options are more and more accessible thanks to Voice over IP technology.
Good internet connectivity is the lifeblood of VoIP so, whatever you do, prioritize setting up super fast broadband in your office. If you have remote workers, you’ll want to make sure they have the means and capacity to access a reliable internet network, whether it’s in the form of a home fiber connection or a secure Wi-Fi network.
As great as VoIP is, you’ll still need a device to make calls using it. There are a few options to choose from: an IP phone, a softphone, or an analog device supported by a telephone adapter.
Typically you’ll only be able to have basic call functionality in this way. Nonetheless, this can be an affordable option for businesses that don’t want to get rid of their legacy hardware immediately. It’s also a great way to transition to VoIP.
So now we know what VoIP does—but how does it do it? Let’s take a moment to talk about how, exactly, VoIP technology works its magic.
Voice over IP technology converts analog voice signals (aka your voice) into digital signals. These digital signals are compressed into tiny data packets that can be sent over the internet to a receiving phone number at super-fast speeds.
Once your business VoIP provider sets up the connection between you and your intended recipient, the data packets are sent, received, and decompressed at the other end. This means the receiver of your call can hear you speaking in real time—without any traditional telecoms coverage, landline phones, or need for a cell phone network. All you need is high speed internet and to have access to HD phone calls.
Neat right?
So, here’s what you’ll need to do if you want to call somebody using Voice over Internet Protocol:
Here’s an example of VoIP in action.
Imagine that an employee working from home in your business needs to make a follow up call to a customer. Said employee does not need access to a VoIP-enabled desk phone at your office to make this call.
Instead, they can call the customer directly from their own computer or mobile device. All the employee has to do is open the VoIP app and dial out to the customer as they normally would do using any other telephone setup. The digital signals will travel through the Local Area Network (LAN) to your VoIP service provider, which will then establish the call in real-time.
So, what makes up a modern VoIP phone system?
The great thing about VoIP—especially hosted VoIP—is that it can require very little physical infrastructure, making it an extremely flexible and scalable solution. But even a VoIP system requires one or two essential components, those being:
Let’s take a look at those in more detail.
For VoIP to work at all, you need to have a stable connection to the internet. Whether you’re using broadband, DSL, cable, or data, it’s important to make sure you have reliable internet connection before deploying your VoIP telephone system.
The best options for businesses are DSL, cable, ethernet, or fiber internet solutions. For VoIP to work effectively you’ll need that network to be high-speed, secure, and equipped with sufficient bandwidth to support the number of devices that you plan to connect to your system.
As a general rule, VoIP requires an average bandwidth of around 100 Kbps per device. But you may need more (or not so much) depending on your business’ unique usage requirements. Make sure you talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) if you need to upgrade your plan.
Thanks to internet calling, employees these days don’t have to be shackled to their desks 24/7. Remote and hybrid working options are more and more accessible thanks to Voice over IP technology.
Good internet connectivity is the lifeblood of VoIP so, whatever you do, prioritize setting up super fast broadband in your office. If you have remote workers, you’ll want to make sure they have the means and capacity to access a reliable internet network, whether it’s in the form of a home fiber connection or a secure Wi-Fi network.
As great as VoIP is, you’ll still need a device to make calls using it. There are a few options to choose from: an IP phone, a softphone, or an analog device supported by a telephone adapter.
Typically you’ll only be able to have basic call functionality in this way. Nonetheless, this can be an affordable option for businesses that don’t want to get rid of their legacy hardware immediately. It’s also a great way to transition to VoIP.
Switching to VoIP promises so many benefits for your business. It offers you everything you get from a landline telephone service and more—much more.
With it, businesses can access tons of additional features and services, along with HD calling and enhanced usability.
Let’s take a more detailed look at some of these benefits.
These days, VoIP is super reliable—but it all still depends on the vendor you choose and your internet connectivity. Once you sign up with your service provider, they’re responsible for maintaining the system and ensuring that you experience as little downtime as possible.
One way to ensure your VoIP service will be reliable is to check your provider’s Service Level Agreement (or SLA). The best VoIP services guarantee close to 100% uptime. 8x8 IP networks, for example, are supported by a 99.999% SLA covering uptime, call quality, and VoIP performance.
Another benefit when it comes to VoIP is affordability. VoIP offers flexible communications on a budget. If you ask us, that’s music to any business’ ears.
A hosted VoIP plan is typically charged monthly using a subscription-based model. And since you can use your own devices to make and receive calls, you won’t have to spend a ton of money on additional hardware and maintenance. That’s a recipe for cost savings all around!
VoIP is also scalable. Once you’ve got yourself up and running with a VoIP service provider, you’ll be able to add and remove lines as and when needed (depending on demand). You won’t have to pay for additional hardware every time you want to scale up your provisions. Instead, just notify your service provider. In most cases, you’ll be able to add new users and lines in a matter of minutes.
Last, but by no means least, one of the biggest advantages associated with a VoIP phone system is the features. VoIP phones offer features that go far and beyond traditional analog telephone setups. Some vendors go as far as offering VoIP solutions as part of their full-fledged unified communications solution.
On top of basic calling functions, many VoIP vendors offer call handling and call management features (e.g. call forwarding/ call routing), as well as the opportunity to seamlessly integrate your VoIP system with other third-party apps.
Top VoIP calling features include:
And there are also more advanced features and services offered by business VoIP providers like:
Switching to VoIP promises so many benefits for your business. It offers you everything you get from a landline telephone service and more—much more.
With it, businesses can access tons of additional features and services, along with HD calling and enhanced usability.
Let’s take a more detailed look at some of these benefits.
These days, VoIP is super reliable—but it all still depends on the vendor you choose and your internet connectivity. Once you sign up with your service provider, they’re responsible for maintaining the system and ensuring that you experience as little downtime as possible.
One way to ensure your VoIP service will be reliable is to check your provider’s Service Level Agreement (or SLA). The best VoIP services guarantee close to 100% uptime. 8x8 IP networks, for example, are supported by a 99.999% SLA covering uptime, call quality, and VoIP performance.
Another benefit when it comes to VoIP is affordability. VoIP offers flexible communications on a budget. If you ask us, that’s music to any business’ ears.
A hosted VoIP plan is typically charged monthly using a subscription-based model. And since you can use your own devices to make and receive calls, you won’t have to spend a ton of money on additional hardware and maintenance. That’s a recipe for cost savings all around!
VoIP is also scalable. Once you’ve got yourself up and running with a VoIP service provider, you’ll be able to add and remove lines as and when needed (depending on demand). You won’t have to pay for additional hardware every time you want to scale up your provisions. Instead, just notify your service provider. In most cases, you’ll be able to add new users and lines in a matter of minutes.
Last, but by no means least, one of the biggest advantages associated with a VoIP phone system is the features. VoIP phones offer features that go far and beyond traditional analog telephone setups. Some vendors go as far as offering VoIP solutions as part of their full-fledged unified communications solution.
On top of basic calling functions, many VoIP vendors offer call handling and call management features (e.g. call forwarding/ call routing), as well as the opportunity to seamlessly integrate your VoIP system with other third-party apps.
Top VoIP calling features include:
And there are also more advanced features and services offered by business VoIP providers like:
Switching to VoIP promises so many benefits for your business. It offers you everything you get from a landline telephone service and more—much more.
With it, businesses can access tons of additional features and services, along with HD calling and enhanced usability.
Let’s take a more detailed look at some of these benefits.
These days, VoIP is super reliable—but it all still depends on the vendor you choose and your internet connectivity. Once you sign up with your service provider, they’re responsible for maintaining the system and ensuring that you experience as little downtime as possible.
One way to ensure your VoIP service will be reliable is to check your provider’s Service Level Agreement (or SLA). The best VoIP services guarantee close to 100% uptime. 8x8 IP networks, for example, are supported by a 99.999% SLA covering uptime, call quality, and VoIP performance.
Another benefit when it comes to VoIP is affordability. VoIP offers flexible communications on a budget. If you ask us, that’s music to any business’ ears.
A hosted VoIP plan is typically charged monthly using a subscription-based model. And since you can use your own devices to make and receive calls, you won’t have to spend a ton of money on additional hardware and maintenance. That’s a recipe for cost savings all around!
VoIP is also scalable. Once you’ve got yourself up and running with a VoIP service provider, you’ll be able to add and remove lines as and when needed (depending on demand). You won’t have to pay for additional hardware every time you want to scale up your provisions. Instead, just notify your service provider. In most cases, you’ll be able to add new users and lines in a matter of minutes.
Last, but by no means least, one of the biggest advantages associated with a VoIP phone system is the features. VoIP phones offer features that go far and beyond traditional analog telephone setups. Some vendors go as far as offering VoIP solutions as part of their full-fledged unified communications solution.
On top of basic calling functions, many VoIP vendors offer call handling and call management features (e.g. call forwarding/ call routing), as well as the opportunity to seamlessly integrate your VoIP system with other third-party apps.
Top VoIP calling features include:
And there are also more advanced features and services offered by business VoIP providers like:
Switching to VoIP promises so many benefits for your business. It offers you everything you get from a landline telephone service and more—much more.
With it, businesses can access tons of additional features and services, along with HD calling and enhanced usability.
Let’s take a more detailed look at some of these benefits.
These days, VoIP is super reliable—but it all still depends on the vendor you choose and your internet connectivity. Once you sign up with your service provider, they’re responsible for maintaining the system and ensuring that you experience as little downtime as possible.
One way to ensure your VoIP service will be reliable is to check your provider’s Service Level Agreement (or SLA). The best VoIP services guarantee close to 100% uptime. 8x8 IP networks, for example, are supported by a 99.999% SLA covering uptime, call quality, and VoIP performance.
Another benefit when it comes to VoIP is affordability. VoIP offers flexible communications on a budget. If you ask us, that’s music to any business’ ears.
A hosted VoIP plan is typically charged monthly using a subscription-based model. And since you can use your own devices to make and receive calls, you won’t have to spend a ton of money on additional hardware and maintenance. That’s a recipe for cost savings all around!
VoIP is also scalable. Once you’ve got yourself up and running with a VoIP service provider, you’ll be able to add and remove lines as and when needed (depending on demand). You won’t have to pay for additional hardware every time you want to scale up your provisions. Instead, just notify your service provider. In most cases, you’ll be able to add new users and lines in a matter of minutes.
Last, but by no means least, one of the biggest advantages associated with a VoIP phone system is the features. VoIP phones offer features that go far and beyond traditional analog telephone setups. Some vendors go as far as offering VoIP solutions as part of their full-fledged unified communications solution.
On top of basic calling functions, many VoIP vendors offer call handling and call management features (e.g. call forwarding/ call routing), as well as the opportunity to seamlessly integrate your VoIP system with other third-party apps.
Top VoIP calling features include:
And there are also more advanced features and services offered by business VoIP providers like:
Ready to make the switch to VoIP?
Great choice!
All that’s left is to choose the perfect VoIP service provider and system for your business.
As we’ve mentioned before, your vendor will host the system in a third-party data center if you opt for a hosted VoIP service. This means you won’t need any hardware in your office except for the devices you plan to make your calls from and the ones that help you maintain a secure internet connection.
Not all VoIP vendors offer the same level of service, so it’s important to find one that works well for you. There are lots of vendors out there, so take some time and do some research before settling on a firm favorite.
Ask yourself what it is exactly that you are looking for. For example:
These are all important questions to keep in mind when shopping for your ideal VoIP plan.
To help you out even further, here’s a provisional list of criteria to use in your evaluation:
With 8x8, for example, users benefit from top-grade security protocols that conform to the highest specifications for securing customer privacy, VoIP networks, and financial information. This includes fraud detection, secure endpoint provisioning, and secure coding practices. Plus, 8x8 is verified by multiple advanced third-party security and compliance certifications and is independently audited annually.
So, there we have it. VoIP in a nutshell.
VoIP has transformed the business phone call one line at a time by allowing voice communications to take place online.
That means businesses can now enjoy increased flexibility, reduced costs, eminent scalability, and a whole host of fantastic additional features that traditional analog phone lines could not support.
Investing in a hosted VoIP service just like the kind 8x8 offers with its unified communications platform means you’ll be able to start handling voice calls across multiple devices and locations, plus have this functionality work with other collaboration solutions like team messaging and group video calls.
Ready to try it for yourself? Sign up with 8x8 VoIP business phone solution and start using VoIP today!
So, there we have it. VoIP in a nutshell.
VoIP has transformed the business phone call one line at a time by allowing voice communications to take place online.
That means businesses can now enjoy increased flexibility, reduced costs, eminent scalability, and a whole host of fantastic additional features that traditional analog phone lines could not support.
Investing in a hosted VoIP service just like the kind 8x8 offers with its unified communications platform means you’ll be able to start handling voice calls across multiple devices and locations, plus have this functionality work with other collaboration solutions like team messaging and group video calls.
Ready to try it for yourself? Sign up with 8x8 VoIP business phone solution and start using VoIP today!
So, there we have it. VoIP in a nutshell.
VoIP has transformed the business phone call one line at a time by allowing voice communications to take place online.
That means businesses can now enjoy increased flexibility, reduced costs, eminent scalability, and a whole host of fantastic additional features that traditional analog phone lines could not support.
Investing in a hosted VoIP service just like the kind 8x8 offers with its unified communications platform means you’ll be able to start handling voice calls across multiple devices and locations, plus have this functionality work with other collaboration solutions like team messaging and group video calls.
Ready to try it for yourself? Sign up with 8x8 VoIP business phone solution and start using VoIP today!
So, there we have it. VoIP in a nutshell.
VoIP has transformed the business phone call one line at a time by allowing voice communications to take place online.
That means businesses can now enjoy increased flexibility, reduced costs, eminent scalability, and a whole host of fantastic additional features that traditional analog phone lines could not support.
Investing in a hosted VoIP service just like the kind 8x8 offers with its unified communications platform means you’ll be able to start handling voice calls across multiple devices and locations, plus have this functionality work with other collaboration solutions like team messaging and group video calls.
Ready to try it for yourself? Sign up with 8x8 VoIP business phone solution and start using VoIP today!