In the past, businesses have used the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for their business phone needs which is basically a circuit switched network. This system is neither efficient nor cost effective because with such a system a telephone call essentially takes control of the telephone line for the entire duration of the call. In addition, the PSTN is a heavily regulated network so taxes are charged on every single telephone call.
Given that PSTN is such a poor system, the move to VoIP business phone solutions has been rapid over the last few years. VoIP technology offers many advantages over the traditional circuit switched system.
Instead of traveling over the PSTN which is heavily regulated, the voice packets travel over the internet. Calls are thus so inexpensive to make that many business plans charge only a flat monthly fee which covers all of your calls regardless of their destination or duration.
With business VoIP receive your faxes and voicemail via email or with a web browser, caller ID, conference calling, and call forwarding.
Bigger businesses have multiple locations either in a neighboring state, or even on the opposite side of the world. Usually these locations are connected to a company wide data network (Wide Area Network for example), and with a Business VoIP system, extension dialing means geographical location is irrelevant making it easy for a large business to save money on their phone bills. An employee in Atlanta can call a colleague in France through a simple 4 digit extension at no cost. How is this possible? Simple– the call is routed over the company’s network on the internet instead of through a traditional long distance calling.
If you are going away on business – take your IP phone or Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) with you and you can take your number with you or you configure your phone to call-forward.
All telephone and data administration can be handled by one Information Services (IS) department.
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