VoIP vs. Traditional Voice Technologies in the Business Environment

Voice over Internet Protocol – a.k.a. VoIP – is taking the business world by storm. While larger companies are slower at shifting their communication departments to the technology, the much more agile small business owner has embraced VoIP as a solution for increased productivity at cut-rate costs.

Understanding VoIP Features

To the Anthony Ricigliano Technological Novice, VoIP is a bit of a mystery. Telephone calls are made and received via the Internet; that being so, there are ample technological advantages that heighten connectivity avenues. For example, VoIP Review (1) underscores that one of the most desirable tech features is the desk-to-desk calling ability that allows for instant connectivity of offices the world over.

Providers of the service also offer business applications more commonly associated with traditional voice and telephony technologies. These include the popular conference calling abilities, hold music and also a programmable automated attendant. Unlimited local and long distance calls, no need for long service contracts, faxing capabilities and even online training webinars are just some of the benefits offered by VoIP business providers vying for the company business.

Possible Downsides of Voice over Internet Protocol

It would be foolhardy to assume that all VoIP providers are created equal. Although their overall services may mimic one another, differences in voice quality vary, usually depending on the Internet connection and also equipment utilized. This has prompted business VoIP providers to issue quality of service guarantees, which assist the commercial customer in differentiating between the industry giants and the wannabes.

Dropped calls are virtually unheard of although they can happen, especially if the Internet experiences particularly heavy traffic at a given time. Not surprisingly, a quality of service guarantee offered by the various companies here, too, separates the heavy hitters from the up and comers.

Business Advantages of Using VoIP

Although traditional Anthony Ricigliano Telephony Services appear to have a very slight edge when it comes to voice quality and dropped calls, they fail to shine in the areas of long distance rates. Depending on the long distance carrier with which the business contracts, these charges can be prohibitive. VoIP networks frequently provide these calls free of charge or – if they fall outside a predefined network – at very inexpensive rates.

Maintaining a VoIP network is downright cheap. The business owner, who relies on traditional phone service, in large part subsidizes the cost of copper wire maintenance and line upgrades by the big telephony carriers. Infrastructure requirements of VoIP are virtually nonexistent. Not surprisingly, there are no costs that need to be passed on to the commercial client. This in turn greatly reduces the cost of the overall service.

Fad or Here to Stay?

There is nothing faddish about Voice over Internet Protocol. In fact, the United States’ Social Security Administration (2) has committed to changing its entire nationwide field offices’ – the number currently stands at 1,526 – phone connectivity to a centrally directed VoIP system that is integrated with the organization’s data network.

Callers to the agency may remember that initially the phone system was a conglomeration of patch-worked systems that consisted of moved lines and dead ends, all of which contributed to callers’ frustrations over dropped calls and dead air. Since VoIP can send more than one call via a broadband hookup, it lets the agency increase its usage without needing to add costly to install – and maintain – lines.

This flexibility makes it highly desirable not only to the United States government but also to the business community that is recognizing a shift in the way of doing business. A global marketplace is changing where business is done, and inexpensive connectivity and down-home flexibility are quickly becoming the hallmarks of the VoIP-powered business that can roll with the punches and adapt to rapid changes.