The WhichVoIP.com Introductory Guide To Business VoIP ...€¦ · There are numerous advantages to VoIP technology over the traditional circuit switched system. For example: • No

Copyright © 2008 whichvoip.com. All rights reserved. Page 1

The WhichVoIP.com Introductory Guide

To Business VoIP Phone Service


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION TO VOIP ........................................................................................................3

1.1 WHAT IS VOIP 3 1.2 BENEFITS OF VOIP TECHNOLOGY 3

2 TYPES OF VOIP FOR BUSINESSES.........................................................................................5

2.1 WHAT IS HOSTED VOIP 5 2.2 WHAT IS AN IP PBX 6

3 FEATURES OF BUSINESS VOIP...............................................................................................7

3.1 BUSINESS VOIP FEATURE SUMMARY TABLE 7 3.2 BUSINESS VOIP FEATURE DETAILS 8

4 HOW TO SELECT A VOIP SERVICE PROVIDER ..............................................................10

5 CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................10


1 Introduction to VoIP

1.1 What is VoIP

VoIP stands for "Voice Over Internet Protocol", which is a technology that allows you to make phone calls using your Broadband Internet connection instead of your regular phone service. It is also sometimes referred to as Voice over IP, Broadband phone, Internet phone service and Digital Voice. Yes, it is a marketing game by the different service providers but they all use the same core technology.

You still simply pick up your regular phone, dial a number and talk. VoIP is simple and is for everyone. It does not matter if the person you are calling has VoIP or not, this is all taken care of by your VoIP service provider.

The only requirement for this technology is a high speed Internet connection, such as DSL, cable, T1, etc. VoIP requires a bandwidth of up to 90Kbps depending on the voice compression algorithm chosen by the service provider. This is a higher bandwidth than dial-up Internet so a Broadband Internet connection is a basic requirement.

1.2 Benefits of VoIP Technology

There are numerous advantages to VoIP technology over the traditional circuit switched system. For example:

• No circuit switched Private Branch eXchange (PBX) is required. This is a large and very expensive piece of equipment used by larger companies to connect their internal telephone lines to the PSTN. The capital expenditure and operating costs necessary for a PBX can be substantial. With business VoIP all that is required is a Broadband Internet Service and a router to route each packet based call to the Internet. The business VoIP service provider is then responsible for bridging the calls from the Internet to their destination, whether that is to another VoIP phone user or the PSTN. This is often referred to as a hosted VoIP or IP PBX solution. All of the technology for handling your calls resides at the business VoIP service provider. You can access and change your VoIP features (e.g. adding numbers, forwarding calls etc) simply by accessing a secure website run by your business VoIP service provider.

• Business VoIP is a digital packet based system. This means that numerous Internet phone calls can be made at the same time and can be sent over the same Local Area Network (LAN) that is used for your computer Internet access. This is a very cost effective way to make telephone calls.

• The voice packets travel over the Internet instead of the PSTN. The Internet is not heavily regulated like the PSTN so calls are so cheap to make that many business plans simply charge a fixed monthly fee and that covers all of your calls regardless of their destination.

• Many larger businesses have multiple locations some of which may be in another state and some of which could be on the other side of the world. Usually these locations are connected to a company wide data network (Wide Area Network for example). With a business VoIP system, extension dialing is such that the location is irrelevant. An employee in Seattle can call a colleague in London through a simple 4 digit extension and at no additional cost. This is because the call is sent over the company's network on the Internet rather than through traditional long distance calling. This feature alone can be very attractive to businesses wishing to save money on their phone bills.

• Business VoIP provides a vast array of features. Receive your faxes and voicemail via email or with a web browser. Conference calling, Caller ID, Call forwarding, Going away on business - take your IP phone or Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) with you and your number goes with you or configure your phone to call-forward. Many more features are thrown in as standard.

• All telephone and data administration can be handled by one Information Services (IS) department. This can save a business a considerable amount of money. However as most small businesses do not have anyone dedicated to anything related to IT, there is a very large value add by having a hosted


VoIP solution that is off-premise and managed by a VoIP provider. There is also the benefit of no more costly on-site maintenance due to fees to do something as simple as adding another extension.

• Business VoIP dramatically simplifies portability and installation. Assuming your IP telephone or ATA is configured for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), you can move your phone anywhere and still keep the same phone number since it will receive an IP address dynamically. This is like moving your laptop and still being able to log in to your network. It is estimated that it can cost hundreds of dollars to move a telephone in a regular circuit switched network due to labor costs and the cost of reconfiguring the PBX. These costs are not incurred in a business VoIP phone system since the IP network does not care about your location.

• Toll free number cost savings. Many small businesses are still paying per minute fees for these numbers. With a VoIP solution, the toll free numbers can be provided at a fixed monthly fee. This keeps costs under control and many businesses have realized large cost savings through this feature alone.

So to summarize, it can be stated that the benefits of VoIP include:

• Cheaper, better, easier telephony

• Flexible to meet your needs

• Reliable service

• Ideal for multiple locations

• Ideal for virtual companies

• Improved productivity

• Easy installation and configuration compared to other phone system solutions

• Easier to manage through a web GUI

• Lower total cost of ownership (low start-up costs)

• Future proof

• Good for business

• Scalable

• Proven technology and ready to use right now It can also be stated that VoIP is not:

• Complicated technology

• Risky

• Disruptive to a business

• Limited by service provider offerings

• Free telephony The list of VoIP advantages goes on and on. Refer to the business VoIP features section for more details and to identify features that would be beneficial to your business resulting in both cost savings and productivity improvements.


2 Types of VoIP for Businesses

2.1 What is Hosted VoIP

This is network-based VoIP. This is the outsourced model, better suited for smaller businesses that lack IT resources and/or do not wish to make a capital investment in owning a telephony system. There are several variations of this model, with hosted VoIP being one of them. With hosted VoIP, the telephony equipment is located with the VoIP service provider and not at the business location. As such, installation is typically very easy. As long as a reliable, high speed Internet solution exists, the VoIP quality and reliability will be as good as or better than a regular telephone line. A VoIP speed test check should be part of the evaluation performed when making a purchase decision. This will provide an indication of the quality of an existing broadband solution and its capability to handle VoIP phone service.

Figure 1 outlines a typical Hosted VoIP solution. The only piece of equipment that most likely does not already exist in a small network is IP enabled telephones.

Figure 1 Typical Hosted VoIP Solution


2.2 What is an IP PBX

An IP PBX is a complete telephony system that provides telephone calls over IP data networks. All conversations are transmitted as data packets over the network. The technology includes advanced communication features but also provides for significant worry-free scalability and robustness that all enterprises seek. An enterprise does not need to disrupt its current external communication infrastructure: An IP PBX is able to connect to traditional PSTN lines via a VoIP gateway - so an enterprise can keep its regular telephone system. With an IP PBX solution, the business owns and operates the equipment so an upfront capital investment is required to purchase the equipment and then there are on-going maintenance costs. This is often better for larger businesses as the call control remains internal to the corporate network and a single wire can be routed to an office to provide both data and voice communications.

Figure 2 outlines a typical IP PBX solution

Diagram courtesy of http://www.3cx.com/

Figure 2 Typical IP PBX Solution


3 Features of Business VoIP

3.1 Business VoIP Feature Summary Table

Table 1 provides a list of some of the most common VoIP phone service features available today.

Table 1 Business VoIP Feature Summary Table

Basic Features Calling Features Voicemail Features

Auto-attendant Features

Advanced Features

Local numbers Caller ID Password protected

Day and night mode

Cell phone integration

Toll free numbers Call forwarding Voicemail greeting options

Dial-by-name directory

Soft-phone support

Virtual numbers Call hold Voicemail to e-mail

Virtual departments

Call groups

Unlimited calling Call transfer Check voicemail through Web

Multiple auto attendants

Follow me

Local number portability

Call conference Multiple mail folders

Import greetings Customize music on hold

Online A/C management

Call waiting Group messaging Ring Groups Conference bridge

Directory assistance (411)

Do not disturb Visual waiting indicator

Holiday schedule Intercom

Emergency service (911)

Call logs Single Unified Inbox Access

Dial-by-extension Branch-office support

Fax Last number re-dial

Trusted Access Call center support

7-digit dialing for local numbers

Call Blast Multi-format support

Call monitoring

Call blocking Sequential ring Multi-format support

Multiples call trees

E.911 Service Outlook integration


3.2 Business VoIP Feature Details

There are a vast array of features out there and it is not always obvious what they are or what they do. The following tables list a comprehensive set of features with a description of what to expect if your VoIP system supports them.

Table 2 Business VoIP Basic Feature Details

Basic Features Description

Local numbers Local phone numbers available in all area codes. Toll free numbers With this feature anyone in the US can call your number for no charge. Providers typically

offer a fixed rate option which can result in massive savings compared to the typical pay per minute plans.

Virtual numbers Add extra phone numbers to the same phone line. For example, you can have a California number, Colorado number, and Florida number all ring on the same line.

Unlimited calling Unlimited local and long distance calling on any extension. Again huge savings can be made with this as it avoids the costly limited calling plans.

Local number portability

Number portability is the ability to keep your current phone number and bring it to your new phone service provider. If a phone company offers number portability it means you can bring your current phone number to them rather than losing your number when you switch phone service providers.

Online A/C management

Manage your account on the Internet. Add features to your account or find out when your next payment is due.

Directory assistance (411)

Call directory assistance in your area to obtain phone numbers or other information for local businesses, such as restaurants.

Emergency service (911)

Your VoIP provider directs calls to local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) based on the area code for your system.

Fax The ability to send analog faxes over your VoIP phone line or have an additional VoIP phone line added for this purpose. Another option to consider is what is commonly known as 'e-fax'. This is a feature that allows the user to receive faxes as email attachments. Some providers support the 'e-fax' feature.

7-digit dialing for local numbers

Avoid having to enter the local area code every time you a make a local call.

Call blocking When you don't want to receive calls from a specific number, add it to your call blocking list, which blocks calls from numbers on the list.

E.911 service E911 stands for Enhanced 911. When 911 is dialed the call is routed to emergency personnel at Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and the location of the caller (address) is transferred to them. The service works like a regular 911 call would, except that the address transferred is the address on file for that number. However, if you move or take your VoIP device when you travel, you must remember to update your location with this service.

Table 3 Business VoIP Calling Feature Details

Calling Features Description

Caller ID Know who is calling before you even answer the phone. All you need is a Caller ID enabled touch tone device, and the name and number of who is calling will be displayed in the Caller ID box.

Call forwarding Automatically forward incoming calls to another number or straight to voicemail.

Call hold Put a call on hold while you answer another call.

Call transfer Transfer calls you have already answered to another phone of your choosing.

3-way calling Talk with two parties at the same time. Call the first party, hit the appropriate button, dial the second party and hit the button again. Then talk as normal.

Call waiting If you are on the phone and another call comes in, call waiting will alert you with a special tone. You would then have the choice of answering or letting the call go to voice mail.

Do not disturb Forward calls to your voice mail. This option allows you to send incoming calls to your voice mail without your phone ringing.

Call logs Detailed call records by extension or account.

Last number re-dial

Call the last number that you dialed, generally with the push of a button.

Call Blast Have incoming calls ring multiple phone numbers or extensions at the same time.

Sequential ring Have multiple phone numbers ring in a specified sequence when receiving incoming calls.


Table 4 Business VoIP Voicemail Feature Details

Voicemail Features

Description

Password protected

Prevent unauthorized access.

Voicemail greeting options

Customized personal greeting. Unavailable / Busy / Employee's Name.

Voicemail to e-mail

Receive voicemails as email attachments.

Check voicemail through Web

Good for remote access. Login in to a web portal to check your messages.

Multiple mail folders

Organize and save old emails.

Group messaging

Send a voicemail to a group of people.

Visual waiting indicator

Light on the phone which tells you that you have received a voicemail message.

Single Unified Inbox Access

Manage your voice, fax, and email messages from a single inbox.

Trusted Access Define trusted numbers that allow you to access voicemail immediately, without having to enter a code.

Multi-format support

Supports all message types including voice, fax and email.

Table 5 Business VoIP Auto-attendant Feature Details

Auto-attendant Features

Description

Day and night mode

Make your greeting dependant on the time of day or day of the week.

Dial-by-name directory

Dial a first or last name to reach the extension of the person you are looking for.

Virtual departments

Also called ring groups. Setup a call group based on the department. e.g. You have reached the marketing department, etc.

Transfer to attendant

Allows routing of calls to receptionist instead of continuing through automated sequence.

Dial by extension

Dial an extension to reach the person you are looking for.

Multiple auto attendants

If you have more than one public phone number, this feature enables you to set up different messages for each number.

Import greetings Enables existing or new customized greetings to be uploaded into the auto-attendant system.

Holiday schedule

Import your annual holiday schedule and customize the greeting accordingly.

Ring Groups A sub-group of extensions that can handle multiple calls and have different ring options


Table 6 Business VoIP Advanced Feature Details

Advanced Features

Description

Cell phone integration

Ties cell phones to the business telephone system. Use the pbx system functions on your cell-phone.

Soft-phone support

Supports a soft-phone on your PC.

Call groups Calls can be forwarded to multiple extensions that ring simultaneously.

Follow me Calls can be forwarded to multiple numbers that will ring in a designated sequence.

Customize music on hold

Easily change the music that is played to your callers when they are placed on hold. Useful to provide corporate messaging and sales information.

Conference bridge

Set up conference calls using a pre-assigned call-in number. Also known as meet-me conferencing.

Intercom Target phone auto-answers on mute and broadcasts through the speakerphone.

Branch-office support

Typically results in free office to office calling via VoIP. Forward calls to any extension in any office.

Call center support

Ability to add call-center features to a VoIP service. Call queues, automatic call distribution and CRM integration are some of the features to look out for.

Call monitoring Record and monitor calls.

Multiples call trees

Create unique greetings, inbound numbers, and menu options that route to a shared pool of users.

Outlook integration

Make and receive calls from your outlook in-box.

4 How to select a VoIP Service Provider The first thing to do is to fill out the free business voip quote request form at the WhichVoIP business section. This is a completely no obligation service and you will simply receive some price points, and be able to ask a bunch of questions if desired. WhichVoIP has established relationships with a number of VoIP providers whom we feel have set the bar the highest.

Also remember that with most VoIP plans you can typically terminate the service at any time and at no cost, but check with the provider first. It is also possible to keep your old phone service until you find the VoIP Service Provider that is right for you.

5 Conclusion

For both new and established businesses, time should be spent developing the core assets of that company. The communication and the data side are of no less importance. Businesses that are required to be flexible, reliable and operate in a fast changing arena require a communication system that will keep pace. VoIP is the perfect solution for almost any new or established business out there.

Start saving today with WhichVoIP.com

Documents

The WhichVoIP.com Introductory Guide To Business VoIP ...€¦ · There are numerous advantages to VoIP technology over the traditional circuit switched system. For example: • No