If you’re thinking about switching your business phone system from the traditional analog or PBX setup to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), it’s wise to explore the various business VoIP options available before making a complete overhaul. The best choice for you depends on your specific needs and, by selecting wisely, you can maximize your telephony investment.

The main reasons to consider VoIP are cost savings, enhanced calling features, or a combination of both. Let’s explore suitable solutions starting with the needs of very small businesses and progressing to larger enterprises.

Small businesses, typically with one to four phone lines and fewer than ten handsets, like those found in small sales offices, retail stores, and among independent professionals, often use individual analog lines or multi-line phones readily available at office supply stores.

While a PBX system or PRI digital trunking might be excessive for such small setups, transitioning to broadband phone or SIP trunking solutions can be advantageous. Broadband phone, exemplified by services like Phone Power VoIP, involves connecting an ATA (Analog Telephone Adaptor) to your broadband service (usually Cable Internet). This allows you to connect one or two telephones, your computer, or router to the ATA, eliminating the need for a separate analog phone line by utilizing your broadband connection for both phone and internet services. A typical small office VoIP service plan costs around $14.95 per month, with occasional special offers potentially lowering this cost.

For businesses needing more than a single phone line, SIP trunking offers a step up. This service utilizes a T1 line or a similar business-grade private line to provide multiple phone lines and broadband internet access to small and medium-sized businesses. Dynamic bandwidth management ensures optimal call quality by allocating the required bandwidth to phone calls, with any remaining bandwidth dedicated to internet access. As calls end, the freed-up bandwidth is automatically reallocated to internet service, ensuring efficient use of the line’s full capacity.

Larger companies with in-house key telephone or PBX systems, typically with numerous handsets and at least six to ten outside lines, facing outdated systems, have the option of upgrading to a newer IP PBX system or opting for a hosted PBX solution. With hosted PBX, all PBX equipment is managed off-site by the service provider, who connects to SIP telephones or analog phones with adaptors on your LAN, handling both internal and external call switching.

Enterprise VoIP telephony often involves replacing traditional handsets with SIP telephones, enabling the convergence of telephone and computer networks into a single LAN for both voice and data. Businesses can choose to host an IP PBX system on-site or opt for a hosted PBX solution, weighing the costs of capital equipment and ongoing maintenance against the predictable monthly fees of a service provider. Think of hosted PBX as a cloud-based business telephony solution. Even with an on-site IP PBX system, businesses can still choose SIP trunking to connect with a service provider for routing external calls to the public telephone system. The more conventional approach involves using ISDN PRI telephone trunks for the same purpose.

Determining the most suitable VoIP solution for your organization requires careful consideration of various factors and available providers. Consulting with an experienced Telarus telecom consultant can provide valuable insights to help you compare costs and features of business VoIP solutions and make an informed decision that maximizes your telecom budget.