We’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about the benefits of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), which is revolutionizing how businesses handle phone communications.
People are hearing from friends or business acquaintances who are using VoIP that, not only are they saving money, but this “new” benefits of VoIP has added a lot of flexibility to their daily operations. While it is true that VoIP systems will save you money over landlines or cellphones, there are even more benefits to utilizing the right VoIP set-up for your business. Let’s take a look at how this technology works, and visit some of the strengths and weaknesses of Voice Over Internet Protocol systems and what are the benefits of VoIP?
What is the technical definition of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)?
Before exploring the benefits of VoIP, it’s important to understand what VoIP actually is. Technically speaking, VoIP is a category of hardware and software that enables people to use the internet as the transmission medium for telephone calls.
Unlike traditional telephony, which uses circuit-switched networks, VoIP uses packet-switched technology. It converts your analog voice signals into digital data packets, sends them over the web, and reassembles them into clear audio at the destination.
One of the core benefits of VoIP phone systems is the ability to make and receive calls through the internet rather than expensive hardwired or cellular lines. VoIP systems offer much more flexibility over standard phone lines and even cellphones. By integrating cloud technology with business phone functions, VoIP systems can handle everything you need to run your business and more. Usually an easy set-up, the typical user can switch over to a VoIP system in less than a day. If done correctly, there should be little or no downtime. This rapid deployment is just one of many benefits of VoIP that make it attractive to small and mid-sized businesses.
VoIP has been around since the mid-90s, and, in its early stages, it didn’t work very well at all. Most of the early troublesome issues were due to slow network speed and the inability to package and read bundled data efficiently. With today’s high-speed networks, switches and routers, those issues have been addressed. In fact, VoIP is regularly used through WIFI with little or no quality issues. It is recommended that your internal network is tested before installation to ensure your network speed is capable of handling the new equipment. Generally, there will not be a heavy drain on your network speed, but you should know beforehand if you are equipped to handle the new phone system or not. We can help with that.
Internet Protocol, commonly known as IP, is a set of rules that define how data is delivered over the Internet. IP works in conjunction with the transmission control protocol (TCP), which divides network traffic into smaller packets for a means of more efficient transport through the Internet. Together they are referred to as TCP/IP.
How do the technical benefits of VoIP improve call quality through TCP/IP?
To understand VoIP, you have to understand the “rules of the road,” known as TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol).
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IP (Internet Protocol): This acts as the address on an envelope, ensuring your voice data knows exactly which device to travel to.
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TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): This breaks your voice data into small “packets” for efficient transport and ensures they arrive in the correct order so you don’t sound like a scrambled robot.
What are the top 5 cost-saving benefits of VoIP for small businesses?
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Lower Monthly Rates: Since VoIP uses your existing internet connection, you eliminate the need for a separate phone bill from the “Baby Bells.”
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Zero Hardware Maintenance: Traditional PBX systems require expensive on-site hardware and technicians. Cloud VoIP is managed off-site by experts like GiaSpace.
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Free Long Distance: Most VoIP plans include unlimited domestic long distance, which is a massive win for Florida businesses with out-of-state clients.
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No Hidden Licensing Fees: Many legacy systems charge “per feature.” With VoIP, features like conferencing and auto-attendants are usually built-in.
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Reduced International Costs: If you do business globally, VoIP rates are significantly lower than traditional cellular or landline international roaming.
What are the remote work benefits of VoIP for mobile teams?
The remote work benefits of VoIP are game-changing. VoIP unchains you from your desk. Because the system lives in the cloud, your “office extension” can live on your desk phone, your laptop, or a mobile app on your smartphone.
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One Number Fits All: Clients only see your professional business number, whether you’re in a Gainesville office or a coffee shop in Miami.
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Presence Management: See which team members are available, on a call, or “Do Not Disturb” in real-time, regardless of where they are physically located.
VoIP gives you the ability to work from anywhere and still have the ability to answer calls from the same phone number. You’re no longer tethered to your home or office. And you don’t have to give everyone a series of different phone numbers where they can reach you while you’re traveling. As far as your clients know, you’re always in your office right next to your phone. And this reliability – one of the key benefits of VoIP – means a lot to your reputation and client satisfaction.
What causes poor VoIP audio quality and how can it be fixed?
If you’ve ever heard “jitter” (choppy audio) or “latency” (delay), it’s usually not the VoIP system’s fault—it’s the network.
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The Cause: Outdated routers, insufficient bandwidth, or poor wiring can’t handle the steady stream of data packets required for high-def audio.
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The Fix: GiaSpace performs a Network Readiness Assessment. We optimize your firewall, prioritize “Voice Traffic” over “Data Traffic” (Quality of Service/QoS), and ensure your internal wiring is up to spec.
One complaint that used to be fairly common from VoIP users was poor audio quality. Issues such as jitter, echo, or static are still sometimes reported by VoIP users, although these issues are being addressed with upgrades regularly. The root cause of the majority of audio issues is usually related to your existing network not being up to current standards, or it may be too old to handle the speed required of the new technology. Contact us and we’ll check your wiring, network switches, Firewall, IP Addresses, Internet Circuits, and everything else that might impede the speed of your network. Then, if needed, we’ll let you know what it will take to get everything up to spec.
What are the number porting benefits of VoIP when switching systems?
Yes.
One of the often-overlooked benefits of VoIP is seamless number porting. This process is called “Porting.” We understand that your business phone number is a key part of your brand. In almost all cases, we can migrate your existing numbers over to your new VoIP system with zero downtime, ensuring your clients never experience a “number disconnected” message.
What happens to my VoIP phone system if the internet goes down?
This is a common concern, but VoIP actually offers better redundancy than landlines.
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Virtual Auto-Attendants: If your local office internet fails, the “brain” of your phone system is still alive in the cloud. It can automatically reroute calls to your employees’ cell phones.
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Failover Solutions: For larger firms, we recommend a dual-internet setup (one primary, one backup). If your main line cuts out, the phones flip to the backup instantly.
How does VoIP compare to traditional analog landlines?
| Comparison Factor | Modern VoIP | Analog Landlines |
| Infrastructure | Existing Internet (Fiber/Cable) | Copper wiring |
| Feature Set | Video, SMS, CRM Integration | Voice only |
| Reliability | Cloud Redundancy | Physical Line Vulnerability |
| Expansion | Add 100 users in minutes | Requires physical installation |
The benefits of VoIP become crystal clear when compared to traditional systems. Old, analog phone lines are stable and reliable, but everyone knows they are way overpriced. And they lack the flexibility most businesses require. Plus, how many of us are still relying on hard-wired analog phones to run our business? Most of us rely on our cell phones for daily communication because of the remote capabilities. But, as we all know, cellular plans are also overpriced. The benefits of VoIP make it clear this is the wave of future communication. It’s inexpensive, flexible, adaptable, and will grow with ever-changing technology—advantages traditional phone systems simply cannot match.
Ready to Eliminate IT Hassles?
If you’re tired of overpriced, “dumb” phone systems that don’t help your business grow, let’s talk. GiaSpace provides the technical backbone Florida businesses need to stay connected.
If you are interested in finding out if a VoIP system can help you, please contact us anytime.
Published: Jun 19, 2020
