Voice Over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, is popular in the world of tech and communications. It’s perhaps less thrilling to the general public. If you haven’t heard much about VoIP, that’s not because it’s not worth talking about. VoIP is well worth the conversation, especially when you are trying to find ways to streamline your business and improve productivity.
VoIP allows for phone service over the internet. Whether you know a little bit about VoIP already or are totally new to the concept, here are some interesting facts about the system.
VoIP Offers Many Sound Options
In all the talk about VoIP features, sound quality often gets overlooked. With a VoIP connection, parties on the call can choose to hear high-quality sound in wider frequency bands or a more compressed lower quality sound. It all depends on the quality of your Internet connection and how much bandwidth you can afford to spare for your calls. Every conversation is obviously cleaner, crisper, and easier to understand in HD sound versus a traditional phone line with fuzzier sound. Its a classic case of quality vs. quantity when it comes to budgeting Internet bandwidth. More calls at lower quality sound vs fewer calls at higher quality.
E911 is a Requirement
Some VoIP providers might try to tell you that E911, or Enhanced 911, isn’t required for VoIP service. It is. This feature ensures that there is a physical address associated with a VoIP number. If there is a need for emergency services, having your phone routed through the internet will not pose a problem. Emergency responders will be able to find your location even if you do not report it to them. If you’re worried that VoIP leaves you vulnerable in emergency situations, E911 is the answer.
VoIP is Not Always Secure
Everyone loves a good scare story. You may have heard horrors about the risks of hosting phone calls over the internet. The truth is that VoIP is very secure as long as it is provisioned that way. You can choose office phones that support encrypted connection over Virtual Private Network. Your budget version of the desk phone, however, is less likely to support that secure encrypted connection.
Vendors take physical security measures and provide secure networks, authentication, inspection, and training to ensure every connection is solid.
Bandwidth Matters a Whole Lot
You may also have heard horror stories about low-quality connections and dropped calls. VoIP does a lot of heavy lifting. It does all that a traditional phone system does and more. Your company needs to allocate the right amount of low-latency bandwidth to VoIP to keep it running smoothly. This will support the transmission and ensure enough resources to go around for each call. It isn’t that complicated, so long as you calculate bandwidth demands.
There are Many Ways to VoIP
When the media speaks generally about Voice over IP it may seem like there is only one way to do it. In reality, companies can choose between several options. These are an on-premises approach, a cloud-based approach, or a hybrid of the two. The chosen format is up to each business and its needs.
You Don’t Need a Phone… Sometimes
It’s true! VoIP does not necessarily need a phone to operate. Users can receive calls using a laptop, desktop, or other internet-connected devices. Watch out for that Windows update though. It can come in the middle of your phone call.
There are many benefits to VoIP and not all of them are widely known. The best way to get up to date with VoIP and your telephone system is to get in touch with the experts. They can provide advice, information, and assistance. And they will show you how VoIP can help streamline your business and improve productivity.