The advent of the internet has brought enormous changes to the way the world does business. One of the most significant developments, though, came in the form of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This telephony technology allows organizations to conduct voice conversations over the internet rather than traditional phone lines. If you’re new to the tech, this short beginner’s guide will get you up to speed.
What is VoIP?
Whatever your top tech concerns are, they should always be about making a business more efficient. That’s exactly what VoIP accomplishes. It’s actually much more than simple phone service. By using broadband services, this technology allows communication via voice, video and data. If you’ve ever used FaceTime, Skype or the call function on Facebook Messenger, you’ve experienced VoIP.
There are several ways that it’s utilized. An Analog Telephone Adapter allows users to keep the phone they already have and make calls over the internet. IP phones are also sold which were created to resemble traditional phones but connect directly to a computer. The third way this technology is used is by simply making calls right over a computer.
Regardless of the method used, the advantages are undeniable. This is why 79 percent of companies currently use at least one internet telephony line.
How does VoIP work?
There’s no need for business owners to become technical experts in how it works, but having a basic understanding could certainly put your mind at ease. To put it simply, everything you say on a VoIP call is converted into a data packet. This packet is then sent over the internet – lightning fast, we might add – to the recipient.
In reality, these packets travel over networks like any other set of data would. This means that even if traditional phone lines are down, having internet access allows calls to continue being made. This is why VoIP is often considered a necessity when it comes to business disaster continuity plans. Additionally, the data is sent instantaneously, so it sounds like you’re on a regular phone call.
Benefits of VoIP
- The cost of setting up VoIP infrastructure is much lower than legacy phone systems. Operation costs are also lower.
- Employees can work from anywhere. While this may lead to the need for a BYOD policy, it will greatly increase worker efficiency.
- The ability to work from anywhere also increases employee happiness by improving the work-life balance.
- Unlike legacy phone systems, it makes scalability much less complicated. You can add or remove a phone line the moment the need arises.
- Countless technologies – including faxing, conference calling, auto-attendant and call holding – are supported.
The future of VoIP
There’s no denying that VoIP has evolved in leaps and bounds over the past few years. Like any other technology, though, this evolution isn’t going to simply stop. The future looks awfully promising.
- 5G Makes Business Mobile: Increased data speeds will mean organizations won’t need Wi-Fi access to handle their daily business activities outside of the office.
- Cloud Communication Unification: Some of the biggest wastes of technology spending result from a lack of unity in communication platforms. The cloud will allow VoIP to become more compatible with other cloud-based services and thus improve scalability and call quality.
- SMB Takeover of Internet Telephony: The cost was once prohibitive to any business that wasn’t a huge corporation. As more service providers enter the market, though, the prices will continue to drop. This means small and medium-sized businesses will finally be able to take advantage of the benefits.
The future of VoIP is bright. Any tech professional would be crazy to say otherwise.
VoIP is here to stay
Some technological trends come and go. Seriously, what the heck happened to 3D television? When it comes to VoIP, though, you can rest assured that the tech is here to stay. The benefits of this advancement in telephony cannot be understated. This means whether you’re expanding into new territories or getting your first startup off the ground, opting for VoIP over legacy phone systems is the right move.
