Ever since it was invented in the nineteenth century, the telephone has been an important tool in how humans communicate with one another. The devices and wires they carry have evolved, but the premise of relaying one message to another remains unchanged.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is one of the latest inventions of that premise, but deciding how or if it should be implemented in your office depends on the nature of your industry and broadband capability.
Landlines and voice over IP: How they work
When a customer dials a landline number, they are sending an electrical signal through a copper wire that is buried underground or strung up on a telephone pole. The call connects after it has surged through the strands of walls, and a customer’s voice is converted as it is being sent to your phone.
Through Voice Over IP technology, the transfers are handled differently. The VoIP-enabled phone and existing Internet connection transforms your voice into a data file. It is then sent to the receiver of your call, where their phone decrypts the data and translates it into a vocal message.
Pros and cons
In weighing what option would best suit your business phone systems, companies should consider their own services. For instance, Voice over IP requires a reliable internet connection while landlines do not. For companies looking to cut the cord, VoIP is the most budget-friendly option. The cost of landlines has increased over the last several years, even as the number of consumers using the service has dropped.
Both VoIP and landline phone systems can be helpful to businesses because of their different features. Landline phones often require more software, or PBX systems, in order to supply those services. The PBX systems include extension lines, call recording, voice mail, call transfer and automated voice menus, among others. To add these features to a landline phone system require a costly installation fee, not to mention a monthly fee to continue using the services.
VoIP provides these same services and more at a fraction of the cost, like three-way calling, long distance and international calls, voice mail to email transcription and automated voice menus. Many of the fears that of loss in call quality and inability to work with other office systems are becoming worries of the past.
It’s up to you if you want more upkeep with landline phones or less upkeep with a VoIP system.
Analyzing your office technology
Business phone systems are an important tool in any industry. The main question you need to answer is whether your office technology is working for you. If you prefer the security and familiarity that comes with landline technology, it may be best to keep the elder devices.
It is important to consider that as more advances in communication are reached, some office technology will become obsolete. Voice over IP is a newer technology, and more businesses are adopting the technology for their own needs. More than three-quarters (76.6 percent) have started instituting systems in their offices. Knowing your business and knowing the right time to upgrade is a call that only you can make.
