Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service can dramatically enhance a business’s efficiency, productivity, and cost savings. However, that does not mean all VoIP services are identical. We’ve compiled a list of questions to ask yourself that are aimed to help guide you to your business’s ideal VoIP solution.
Does your Local Area Network (LAN) support VoIP calls?
You cannot realize the full potential of a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport (now dubbed the world’s fastest car) if you only drive it on a gravel road. When working with VoIP service, think of your service as a car and your network as the road. In order for you to make the most of your VoIP service it is imperative that you have a well-paved road devoid of congestion. If your business requires the frequent sending/receiving of large files or depends heavily on the Internet, then you should want to consider employing a network specifically for voice services. This might sound costly; however with provider’s constantly lowering prices to stay competitive, the minor cost investment is likely worth the ability to ensure a superior Quality of Service (QoS) level for your voice service.
Which provider should you choose?
In today’s market there are a host of VoIP providers that offer all shapes, sizes and types of VoIP services. As a result, it is important to look into what they provide as far as Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and service availability/up-time. Another good idea is to look for customer recommendations or company reviews.
How much bandwidth do you have?
While rare, there is the possibility that you can experience an issue with your VoIP service. The majority of the time, issues generally stem from the “last mile” of Internet service – particularly when dealing with small or medium-sized businesses. This is because SMBs often overlook the fact that, in order to account for the additional traffic that will be sent/received, they will need a greater amount of bandwidth.
Does your business make more local or long distance calls?
When it comes to VoIP, companies that conduct more long distance calls stand to see a greater cost savings than those that make more local calls.
What about the PSTN?
As mentioned in the previous answer, some companies will benefit more from employing a VoIP solution than others who could be better off conducting calls over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). That being said, it is a best practice for all companies to retain at least one PSTN line as a back-up in the event that your network goes down.
Per minute rate or a flat monthly fee?
The majority of VoIP providers will let you choose between paying a set, per minute rate or a flat, monthly fee. Take a look at the volume of calls your company makes to determine which option would be best for your business.
Eric Swanstrom is a Sales and Account Manager at Fastblue Communications. Fastblue is a Premier Managed Cloud, Telecom, and Internet Security Provider.
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