Why VoIP is useful for Small Business Telephone System?
Moving your small business telephone system over to VoIP requires some pre-planning and consultation with an Internet provider. However, by insuring that you have the proper bandwidth, switches, and media gateway, your move to VoIP can be done quickly.
If you are going to replace your small business telephone system from a traditional dedicated fixed landline by the newer VoIP technology, you need something additional to change the telephone system successfully.
1. Internet Connection
To make and recieve calls over the Internet it is necessary to have a powerful and quick Internet connection. Besides, it is important to have the right equipment in order to connect and communicate with.
If you use a DSL or cable modem for your Internet, you need to clear out if your bandwidth can be used for VoIP communications (Voice over Internet Protocol).
In the case if there are only 1-2 employees, your DSL or cable should work very good in order to be used together with VoIP. But still you should know that DSL and cable modems are not perfect for VoIP, but they can be used by a very small office of one or two people.
In the case if the office is more than 2 users, the small business telephone system must be changed. And you should think about a more powerful Internet connection.
The standard DSL and cable modems render you a quicker download but a lower upload speed. It's OK in general, but not for voice communication.
All in all, make sure that your Internet connection is able to render the necessary upload and download speeds, which will give you an opportunity to enjoy much clearer voice communication.
2. What about the Bandwidth?
The industry standard will be enough bandwidth for about 1/3 rd of your employees to receive or make calls simultaneously. It means that if there are 30 lines, you'll have enough bandwidth to use 10 at the same time. Such small business telephone system will need a T1 connection to the Internet.
The best thing for you is to find such a provider that will support both your VoIP and Internet connection needs. In this case you will get the bandwidth that will care about calls and data needs.
3. Hub or Switch?
You should also prefer using switches on your network than hubs. Hubs work well for electronic data transmission, but the transmission of voice over your network requires switches.
4. Media Gateways - what is it?
Do you have a small business telephone system? If it is a small PBX system you can buy a special device - a “media gateway", which connects your existing phone system to the Internet. And you won't need to change all of your phones and equipment.
It is a great saving of money! Just imagine you do not need replace your equipment to upgrade to VoIP services.
In order o change your small business telephone system to VoIP you will need some sort of pre-planning and consultation with an Internet provider. If you use the services of experienced providers, you will be able to move to VoIP very fast and without disturbing your employees.