Supercharge your business communications with 8x8 internet phone systems.
Supercharge your business communications with 8x8 internet phone systems.
Supercharge your business communications with 8x8 internet phone systems.
Supercharge your business communications with 8x8 internet phone systems.
An IP phone system (also sometimes referred to as a VoIP phone system or IP PBX) is a business phone system that functions using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. This allows users to take incoming calls and make outgoing calls using an internet connection. It’s a popular alternative to landline phone systems that traditionally dominated communications for business.
Traditional phone systems rely on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), which uses copper phone lines to transmit analog voice signals. These systems require on-premises hardware, such as desk phones, and dedicated office space for the private branch exchange (PBX). They're also often referred to as Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS).
Unlike these legacy systems, which lack the flexibility modern businesses need, IP telephony offers a more adaptable and efficient solution. This is why IP phone systems have become the preferred choice for organizations looking to enhance voice-based communications.
Get Started
You get more than a business phone. Leverage messages, video meetings, and contact management features—integrated into ONE powerful app.
You might be thinking that VoIP phone systems are only accessible to large enterprises. That may once have been true, but now it’s affordable for any size of business. In fact, it can save you money in terms of the initial setup, the ongoing costs, and the phone calls themselves.
You’ll also get more advanced features than you would with a traditional phone system. VoIP is usually part of a UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) platform that offers other communication tools, such as text messaging, video conferencing, etc in one convenient platform. This unified service will help streamline your business communications and improve the overall efficiency of your team.
Just make sure you choose a vendor that provides high uptime, good call quality, and top security.
Report
These days, great customer experiences and employee communications are a must for business success. Learn how moving to the cloud gives you the flexibility you need to thrive in an increasingly competitive world.
.svg?auto=webp?ar-1-1,fo-auto,w-150?auto=webp)
VoIP phone systems work by converting analog voice signals into digital signals and sending them over your broadband line as data. Here’s what that process looks like, step-by-step:
When the VoIP phone receives digital data from another device, it splits the data into information packets and assigns each packet to their destination address. From there . . .
IP telephony relies on various open-source protocols to function. These protocols make it possible to transfer data between the IP phone and the service provider. The protocols used will depend on the VoIP provider and how the system is set up. Some include:
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP): This is a signaling protocol that establishes a “session” (or call) between two or more participants.
H.323: Similar to the SIP protocol, this is used to initiate, modify, and terminate a session.
Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP): Mostly used for streaming video conference calls and voice media, this protocol features a packet format for transmitting audio or video across the internet.
There are two types of business IP phones used by organizations:
There are two types of business IP phones used by organizations:
There are two types of business IP phones used by organizations:
There are two types of business IP phones used by organizations:
You’ll often hear the terms VoIP and IP telephony used interchangeably. Even VoIP service providers tend to use them to refer to any phone system that uses a local area network (LAN) to connect to and make calls through the internet using a modem or router. However, there is a difference between them.
IP telephony is a term used to describe any system that comes under the umbrella of internet-based telecommunications.
VoIP, on the other hand, is a more specific term that refers to the technology that allows you to make and receive voice phone calls over the internet.
With an on-premises IP system, all the equipment and hardware required to facilitate VoIP calls resides in your office. The IP phone service connects to a virtual PBX in the office via the Local Area Network (LAN).
You can choose to use phones you originally used with your legacy PBX to a VoIP provider’s system. Using Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking, you can course your internet-based calls through the PSTN and connect with people who are still relying on landlines.
This option originally became popular because it offers more cost savings than traditional phone systems. Long-distance calling fees with VoIP are typically much lower than they are with traditional telephony, for example, while still more or less functioning like a regular phone system from the user’s perspective.
There are other perks to going with an on-premises solution. For one thing, IP phones provide businesses with HD call quality, and a range of advanced business phone features that you won’t be able to expect from old-school telephones.
This type of internet-based phone system also gives you total control over how your communications operate. For example: you can add lines and phone numbers from within your office.
However, there are some challenges associated with this setup. Among other things, it requires you to invest in physical hardware (IP phones, handsets, etc) and Ethernet ports. It also makes an on-site IT team that can expertly manage the system a necessary expense for your organization.
That’s why these business phone systems aren’t the top choice for small businesses anymore. Instead, more businesses are opting for hosted VoIP solutions for the increased flexibility and scalability they provide.
Hosted telephony is a setup where a third-party VoIP service provider handles the initialization and maintenance of the IP system on behalf of your business. This means you don’t need to rely on an in-house IT team to install and take care of the solution on-site.
Like on-site IP PBX systems or other telecommunications, hosted systems are capable of transporting data via the PSTN, an internet connection, or a combination of the two if the provider supports SIP trunking (most business-focused VoIP vendors do these days). All that’s required is a strong Wi-Fi or broadband connection and a compatible IP device (such as an IP office phone or softphone app on desktop or mobile phone).
Typically, hosted VoIP systems are more affordable for small businesses as they pay based on a monthly pricing plan.
| On-premises | Hosted VoIP |
|
PBX system and hardware resides in your office. |
Hosted in servers and equipment managed by the service provider |
|
High costs associated with on-premises hardware, dedicated IT staffing, and office space. |
Lower cost, as less in-office hardware is required. The infrastructure is managed and maintained by a third-party provider. |
|
Requires multiple phone lines, adding or removing users can be difficult and expensive. |
Only requires a broadband internet connection and a computer or smartphone. Business owners can easily add or remove users from their account dashboards. |
|
More suitable for large businesses that have the budget and resources to manage and maintain the on-premises system. |
Affordable and customizable for small and medium businesses. Enterprise VoIP systems offer numerous benefits for larger businesses, too. |
01
The first thing to consider when setting up a VoIP phone system is to keep in mind the number of people that’ll be using the system. This will help you to determine whether your internet bandwidth will be able to support the office VoIP system.
VoIP performance can be affected by the quality of your connection, so make sure your wired or Wi-Fi network connection can handle peak traffic.
Not sure how or where to begin? There should be a lot of places where you can test your internet connection. Or you can just take this VoIP speed test.
02
Whether you opt for an on-premises or a hosted system, your hardware setup will require some standard resources. You may need:
If you want to minimize hardware costs, you can choose to use a VoIP softphone app instead. These apps provide increased flexibility and mobility, as your team can access the business phone system on any desktop or mobile device. All you need to do is allow the system to access your device’s microphone and speaker.
03
Lastly, you’ll need to choose your VoIP provider. Explore your options to find a solution that offers all the features and functionality you need.
The right solution will allow your team to communicate and collaborate effectively both internally and externally. It should be affordable and scalable so you can grow it as your business grows while eliminating workplace silos and enhancing productivity.
The solution you choose should also have appropriate security measures in place to ensure the safety of your business communications.
VoIP softphone apps can be used to work remotely if you want to do business at home or on the go. It’s also possible for the organization to assign IP handsets to employees who primarily work from home offices. When you use an IP phone at home, you can:
Access all of your business phone features (call transfer, extension calling, video conferencing, voicemail, etc.)
You can do this whether you’re using a desktop computer, a mobile device, or an actual IP telephone using your business phone number.
VoIP softphone apps can be used to work remotely if you want to do business at home or on the go. It’s also possible for the organization to assign IP handsets to employees who primarily work from home offices. When you use an IP phone at home, you can:
Access all of your business phone features (call transfer, extension calling, video conferencing, voicemail, etc.)
You can do this whether you’re using a desktop computer, a mobile device, or an actual IP telephone using your business phone number.
VoIP softphone apps can be used to work remotely if you want to do business at home or on the go. It’s also possible for the organization to assign IP handsets to employees who primarily work from home offices. When you use an IP phone at home, you can:
Access all of your business phone features (call transfer, extension calling, video conferencing, voicemail, etc.)
You can do this whether you’re using a desktop computer, a mobile device, or an actual IP telephone using your business phone number.
VoIP softphone apps can be used to work remotely if you want to do business at home or on the go. It’s also possible for the organization to assign IP handsets to employees who primarily work from home offices. When you use an IP phone at home, you can:
Access all of your business phone features (call transfer, extension calling, video conferencing, voicemail, etc.)
You can do this whether you’re using a desktop computer, a mobile device, or an actual IP telephone using your business phone number.
Switching from landline to VoIP telephony results in huge savings for your business. With traditional phone systems, you’ll typically be charged for each call. When your business makes thousands of calls every day to customers or team members around the world, costs can quickly add up.
Features like auto-attendant and call transfer can boost business operations and team productivity for companies of any shape or size. These features are built into the business VoIP service and can be accessed from a single softphone app on a desktop or mobile.
Another huge benefit of a hosted VoIP system is that it offers the ability for your team members to make and receive calls from anywhere. The system is accessible via a softphone app that can be downloaded on a desktop or mobile phone.
With traditional systems, you have to pay a lot of money for each phone line, along with the amount of time spent on each call—not to mention wait a long time for every extension to be set up. IP phone solutions aren’t restricted in the same way, and you can easily add phones without worrying about installing new lines.
Switching from landline to VoIP telephony results in huge savings for your business. With traditional phone systems, you’ll typically be charged for each call. When your business makes thousands of calls every day to customers or team members around the world, costs can quickly add up.
Features like auto-attendant and call transfer can boost business operations and team productivity for companies of any shape or size. These features are built into the business VoIP service and can be accessed from a single softphone app on a desktop or mobile.
Another huge benefit of a hosted VoIP system is that it offers the ability for your team members to make and receive calls from anywhere. The system is accessible via a softphone app that can be downloaded on a desktop or mobile phone.
With traditional systems, you have to pay a lot of money for each phone line, along with the amount of time spent on each call—not to mention wait a long time for every extension to be set up. IP phone solutions aren’t restricted in the same way, and you can easily add phones without worrying about installing new lines.
Switching from landline to VoIP telephony results in huge savings for your business. With traditional phone systems, you’ll typically be charged for each call. When your business makes thousands of calls every day to customers or team members around the world, costs can quickly add up.
Features like auto-attendant and call transfer can boost business operations and team productivity for companies of any shape or size. These features are built into the business VoIP service and can be accessed from a single softphone app on a desktop or mobile.
Another huge benefit of a hosted VoIP system is that it offers the ability for your team members to make and receive calls from anywhere. The system is accessible via a softphone app that can be downloaded on a desktop or mobile phone.
With traditional systems, you have to pay a lot of money for each phone line, along with the amount of time spent on each call—not to mention wait a long time for every extension to be set up. IP phone solutions aren’t restricted in the same way, and you can easily add phones without worrying about installing new lines.
Switching from landline to VoIP telephony results in huge savings for your business. With traditional phone systems, you’ll typically be charged for each call. When your business makes thousands of calls every day to customers or team members around the world, costs can quickly add up.
Features like auto-attendant and call transfer can boost business operations and team productivity for companies of any shape or size. These features are built into the business VoIP service and can be accessed from a single softphone app on a desktop or mobile.
Another huge benefit of a hosted VoIP system is that it offers the ability for your team members to make and receive calls from anywhere. The system is accessible via a softphone app that can be downloaded on a desktop or mobile phone.
With traditional systems, you have to pay a lot of money for each phone line, along with the amount of time spent on each call—not to mention wait a long time for every extension to be set up. IP phone solutions aren’t restricted in the same way, and you can easily add phones without worrying about installing new lines.
If you’re ready to upgrade your traditional phone system and harness the power of IP telephony, there’s no better time than now.
8x8’s cloud business phone system offers an extensive range of features for leveling up your company’s operations. Whether you need to connect remote teams located around the globe or communicate with customers across multiple channels, the 8x8 platform lets you serve anyone from anywhere.
Unify your communications with integrated contact center, voice, video, messaging, and APIs. Empower every employee and delight every customer with a single, scalable platform to manage all your business communications, locations, and users.
If you’re ready to upgrade your traditional phone system and harness the power of IP telephony, there’s no better time than now.
8x8’s cloud business phone system offers an extensive range of features for leveling up your company’s operations. Whether you need to connect remote teams located around the globe or communicate with customers across multiple channels, the 8x8 platform lets you serve anyone from anywhere.
Unify your communications with integrated contact center, voice, video, messaging, and APIs. Empower every employee and delight every customer with a single, scalable platform to manage all your business communications, locations, and users.
If you’re ready to upgrade your traditional phone system and harness the power of IP telephony, there’s no better time than now.
8x8’s cloud business phone system offers an extensive range of features for leveling up your company’s operations. Whether you need to connect remote teams located around the globe or communicate with customers across multiple channels, the 8x8 platform lets you serve anyone from anywhere.
Unify your communications with integrated contact center, voice, video, messaging, and APIs. Empower every employee and delight every customer with a single, scalable platform to manage all your business communications, locations, and users.
If you’re ready to upgrade your traditional phone system and harness the power of IP telephony, there’s no better time than now.
8x8’s cloud business phone system offers an extensive range of features for leveling up your company’s operations. Whether you need to connect remote teams located around the globe or communicate with customers across multiple channels, the 8x8 platform lets you serve anyone from anywhere.
Unify your communications with integrated contact center, voice, video, messaging, and APIs. Empower every employee and delight every customer with a single, scalable platform to manage all your business communications, locations, and users.