Did you know that Voice Over IP (VOIP) is no longer the exclusive tool of large businesses?
VOIP has come of age. Even small residential phone users can enjoy ditching their wired phones and switching to VOIP phone systems. In our post COVID world, we all have been affected in some way or another, and business has embraced the value of employees working remotely.
One thing that has put stress on communications is the reliance on mobile phones. Problems arise in communications because of bad reception and not being able to transfer calls to a colleague, or a different call queue.
Voice over IP service for home is quickly becoming one of the most popular choices for voice communications, and it’s clear to see why. VoIP has many advantages that make it a great choice – whether you want to be able to work from home or just save money on your phone bill.
In this blog post, we will discuss nine of these advantages in detail so you can decide if VoIP might be right for your business or home!
What Exactly Is Voice Over IP?
Voice over IP, or VoIP, is a voice communications system that transmits voice data packets in real-time over the internet.
VoIP offers many advantages, some of which we will discuss in detail. But first, it is necessary to understand how Voice Over IP works. And what benefits you can enjoy if you decide to use this service for your business or home.
Voice over IP has been around since 1996. It was then that AT&T Labs released their white paper on the concept of Voice-over-ATM (VOA) technology. But VOIP wasn’t popular until 2006 with Skype entering the marketplace.
There are three main types of VoIP that have emerged – these are:
- Hosted VoIP
- Cloud-Based Service
- Virtual PBX Services
Hosted VoIP is a form of Voice Over IP that allows the customer to outsource their phone services. Hosted VoIP is provided by an internet service provider (ISP).
With a cloud-based service, the user has all they need in one place to manage their business or personal communication needs. This includes both voice communications as well as video conferencing.
The last type of Voice Over IP is virtual PBX services. This allows you to buy your own system from vendors specializing in this equipment and have them set up for your company on its dedicated server space.
Advantages of Voice Over IP Service For Home
VoIP has many advantages that are not found in traditional phone services. In an era where most people have access to high-speed internet, VoIP is a great way for people to save money and time on their at-home business or personal needs!
VoIP systems allow you to connect different devices like computers, tablets, or smartphones so your productivity stays high on all fronts while giving flexibility as well.
For example, if you have virtual phone numbers set up through your system, then people calling will never know what device they’re connecting to. This is perfect when employees need phones where desks would not typically offer this service.
Here are nine advantages that Voice Over IP offers:
1. No or Low Infrastructure Costs
VoIP phone services do not require expensive equipment if you choose hosted services or Software as a Service (SAAS) options. VoIP uses the existing internet connections and can operate over and wifi or ethernet connection to your home or business router.
Any device you have that can connect through your high-speed internet connection effectively becomes your “phone”.
A common question people have is “Can I use my existing phone with VoIP?”
Here’s the answer: Yes, there’s no need to give up your current wired or wireless landline phone.
Simply connect the cordless or wireless handset of your old telephone system to a VoIP phone adapter, plug it into your router and enjoy high-quality VoIP phone connections.
2. Significant Savings
VoIP is known for saving money on calls. These savings happen because VoIP uses existing internet connections. This means you are just charged with your monthly internet plan cost plus usage fees, and international and national long-distance rates if applicable.
And you are freed from traditional landline phone services. No more high installation and maintenance charges or expensive bills!
And the bonus is that customers can migrate to VoIP with their current landline numbers because of number portability. It is as simple as inquiring about the eligibility of the old home phone number from a would-be service provider.
3. International Calling
The cost of international calls has been reduced thanks to the introduction of VoIP. Nowadays, you can call an international phone number for free or at a much lower price than before. This is because there are no more telephone lines involved in making these connections happen.
And if you have a large customer base in another country with hosted or cloud-based VOIP services, you can have a local number for your customers. This turns international calls into cheap local calls.
4. Work Anywhere You Want
One of the lesser-known benefits of VoIP is that it can be easily moved from one place to another. Unlike traditional phone systems, which need a unique number and physical location for each line.
With Voice over IP services, you keep and use your own personal number no matter what office or location you’re in at any given time. Whether you are in the office, at home, or enjoying a cup at your favorite coffee shop, you are still in the loop. Telephone communication has never been easier.
When you are on the road, the combination of a cloud-based VoIP service and your mobile phone using mobile data keeps you in contact seamlessly. In fact, this combination is a great replacement for your landline.
VOIP can enable you to run a remote workforce that from the outside feels like an in-house structure.
5. Easy to Scale
When expanding your business, it can be frustrating to have to keep purchasing expensive hardware or a dedicated phone line.
VoIP lines are virtual and don’t require the tedious process that is traditionally necessary when installing new equipment on an analog system. For example, as your company grows, you won’t need multiple physical connections for different locations.
With one good connection at each office, all employees will share the benefits of unlimited bandwidth, You get that without having any negative side effects from overloading data networks as some traditional systems do.
Switching to VoIP will allow you more flexibility in developing new features without having to pay for additional hardware.
6. High-Quality Voice Communications
As stated by Lifewire, HD voice quality “is a wideband audio technology that offers a superior standard for calls by extending the frequency range of audio signals.”
Codecs compress and decompress data packets, enabling faster transmission from endpoint to endpoint. VoIP uses Wideband codecs, which use higher-quality sound than narrowband codec systems found in traditional landline phone lines.
This is because VOIP systems have more bandwidth available to transmit information such as high frequencies and subtle nuances within voices.
7. Choice of Providers
Leaving the landline and changing over to VoIP is one of the easiest ways for a customer to cost-effectively streamline networking.
Apart from tangible savings that come with VoIP services, such as premium incorporated features and cheap or cost-free international services, information like voicemail can be accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection.
This isn’t possible with a traditional phone line.
It’s always a good idea to do some research before picking out any service provider, and VoIP providers are no exception. A little effort on your part can save you the hassle of switching later down the line!
If you choose to go with a hosted solution from your internet service provider (ISP), bear in mind that your VoIP will be hard-linked to your high-speed broadband service. And you will lose the benefit of being about to access VoIP from anywhere. This solution is solely a replacement technology for copper wire phone lines.
To gain true flexibility and ensure access to advanced features, choosing a cloud-based VoIP service provider is optimal.
When you are trying to select the right company for your internet service provider, there is a lot of information that can be useful.
Step 1
Make a comparison of services and fees from potential providers. Some providers may offer good deals on introductory rates with their packages but will charge more overtime or have hidden fees (e.g., installation charges, activation costs, modem rental fee, etc.).
Other providers might not use any long-term contracts. They rely solely on monthly billing cycles instead without requiring an upfront payment.
Step 2
Checking customer reviews of each prospective VoIP Service Providers can help in assessing their quality of service and customer relationships.
8. Reliable Easy-to-Use Communication
VoIP has many benefits that make it a much better option than traditional home phone service. For one, there will always be an Internet connection available as long as your computer or mobile device has power. This means no need to worry about spotty reception!
Voice over IP provides voice with better clarity, reduces long-distance rates, has fewer dropped calls, and is less expensive compared to landline service!
If you are looking for an Internet-based phone system for your homes or small business office that will provide dependable communication at a great price, then it’s time to switch to VoIP today!
9. Advanced Features
There are too many advanced features you can add to a VoIP service to cover in this post. More common features are listed below.
Video Conferencing
VoIP lets you interact with co-workers and clients for virtual meetings in times where face-to-face meetings have proven to be difficult or impossible to arrange. This is incredibly valuable, as it’s something traditional phone systems cannot offer.
Conference Calling
This is a great way for people to collaborate together. If you want, your employees can join in on calls no matter where they are. Conference calling lets everyone participate at once!
Call Queues
Need help managing your incoming calls? Call queues can automate redistribution of these by allowing you to direct them towards the right person. With this, it’s easier for customers to wait for shorter times on hold and talk with someone who is better suited for their needs!
Call queues are an efficient way to manage incoming phone traffic. Every customer has a representative available when they need one. It also helps reduce call duration times because there’s no confusion about which employee should handle what type of request or inquiry. They’re all listed clearly and simply under different extensions within the queue itself.
Integrations
A VoIP phone system can integrate with different pieces of software to make things simpler at work or home. For instance, many IP phones are compatible with CRMs. This ensures employees always know what’s going on not only when they’re working but also when they are out of the office.
The Case For Switching to VOIP
A Voice Over IP service for home provides a number of advantages for homes and businesses alike. VoIP is a growing industry with an increasing customer base, but there are still some misconceptions about what it really means to go VoIP.
Voice over IP services can offer you the following benefits:
- Lower monthly bills
- Ability to connect anywhere in the world
- Ease of use
- Fast if not immediate scalability
- Freedom to live and work where it suits you
VoIP has been around since the early 2000s, but it’s only now being used to replace traditional phone lines and transform business communications. With its scalability, flexibility, affordability, and convenience, there are endless ways you can use VoIP in your home or office.
Whether you want a new way of communicating with clients on the go or just need an affordable alternative for long-distance calls at home, we have a solution that will work for you!
Click here to find out how to implement VoIP in your home or business today!
