Selecting a right phone system is important for the success of your business. You can choose from a wide variety of option, but many businesses now trust VoIP phone systems because of their many features. However, you should pay attention to a number of things before making a final decision. For instance:
- Always select the right VoIP phone system. It is true that VoIP phone systems work better than many other modes of communication, but you need to ensure that you have selected the right system for your business. Considering the advances in IP communications, it is possible to find a phone system that fits the bill perfectly. You can always have a premise-based VoIP phone system or opt for a fully functional hosted VoIP phone system. In order to make a choice, you need to consider how many people are going to use the system in your office. It is okay to have a premise based phone system when you have more than 25 users. You may want to put your money on a hosted solution when you have less than 25 users.
- Check the condition of your network. Before putting your money on a VoIP phone system, you need to ensure that your network is in good condition. If your network has problems all the time, you are never going to take full advantage of your phone system either. Simple network problems can greatly affect the quality of VoIP calls. It is therefore important to ensure that you use only one DHCP server and that your switches are working perfectly. You may benefit from using a router with some QOS capabilities.
- Consider the bandwidth of your Internet connection. You have to check your bandwidth both on the download as well as on the upload. Ensure that you have a steady connection to be able to handle multiple calls simultaneously. Also, you need to ensure that there is no jitter or packet loss in your Internet connection or the quality of your calls will suffer a lot.
- Check the connection from your VoIP provider’s switch. It is possible that the connection from your provider crosses several networks. This can also affect the quality of your calls. It is better to have the less latency and low hops to the VoIP provider’s switch. A good way to check how many routers you pass to get a connection is to perform a trace route and ping to your provider’s SIP server. Be sure to test on different days to get a better idea.
- Pay attention to the price. It is important to bear in mind that the availability of different service providers has made it easier to find a VoIP phone system for your business. However, you should also pay attention to the price they are charging. An important thing to bear in mind is that the lowest price does not always mean you are getting a good service. Be sure to compare bids. Do not always go with low cost providers or else you will fail issues later.
