Selecting the right phone system for your business can be a challenge. Not only are there a number of digital phone systems to choose from, there are specific business phone systems designed for small businesses, large corporations, and everything in between.
The Best System for Your Business
The correct phone system for your business is one that offers the features that you need at a cost that’s within your budget. Of course, there are several other factors to consider, such as:
• The number of telephones
• Do you have remote workers/employees
• How many employees do you have now
• Do you plan to add employees
• Compatibility with your current telephone lines or internet connection
• What other new services will you need; telephone lines, internet access, remote worker
• What is your budget (do you want to pay up front or over time)
• What is your call volume (how many simultaneous calls do you need to accommodate)
• When do you want to install the new system
• Do you have any faxes, modems, postage machines, or credit card machines to consider
• Are you interested in a Hosted/Cloud-Based Solution (buying a phone system as a “service”)
• Are you interested in a Premise Based system (you “own” your system & it’s located in your office)
Here’s some information to help get you started:
Hosted/Cloud-Based Solutions (buying a phone system as a “service”) is typically well suited for companies with 1 telephone all the way up to 40 or more telephone extensions and no desire to “own” their system. (FYI – ALL Hosted/Cloud-Based telephone systems are VoIP Telephone Systems)
(so, if you’re not into VoIP, you’re not into Hosted/Cloud-Based)
Premise Based System (you “own” your system & it’s located in your office) These systems are sometimes called Key Systems, PBX Systems, or the newer Voice over IP (VoIP) – VoIP Telephone Systems.
The terms Key Systems & PBX Systems are pretty out-dated terms. Most new premise based telephone systems are based on Voice over IP (VoIP) technology and capability. Although there are manufacturers that still offer NON-VoIP systems for those businesses that do not want to jump on the VoIP bandwagon. Avaya is an example of a company that manufactures a system (IP Office) which can be designed as all “Analog”, all “Digital”, all VoIP, or a combination of any of the three technologies. It’s what we call a “Hybrid” system and it can be designed to meet your needs & requirements.
“Analog” telephone lines (sometimes called POTS = Plain Old Telephone Service) and analog telephones (mechanical) have been around for more than one-hundred years. Analog telephones can re-use the existing wiring & jacks that you have in place today for telephones in most cases.
“Digital” telephone lines (T-1’s & PRI’s) have been around since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.
“Digital” telephones (multi-button, electronic) have been around since the early 1980’s and are still produced and sold by some manufacturers today. (Avaya is one) Digital telephones can re-use the existing wiring & jacks that you have in place today for telephones in most cases.
VoIP telephone lines have been around since about 2004, but have only been widely accepted as having good enough call quality to be ready for commercial use since about 2011. The most common term you’ll hear when considering VoIP telephone lines is SIP. SIP = Session Initiated Protocol. It’s all a fancy way of saying your buying your VoIP telephone lines from a provider that’s located in the “Cloud” (on the internet). Your VoIP telephone system connects to your VoIP (SIP) telephone lines over the internet. You are no longer restricted to services delivered via decades old copper wire running underground along the roads, or overhead on telephone poles.
VoIP telephones have been around since about 2004, but have only been widely accepted as having good enough call quality to be ready for commercial use since about 2009. VoIP telephones require the same type of wiring as your workstations/PC’s. In most cases you can install an IP Phone wherever there is a workstation/PC. You plug the VoIP telephone into the data jack, and plug the workstation/PC into the back of the VoIP telephone.
More about VoIP
Voice over IP (VoIP) – VoIP phone systems can offer significant cost savings as well as many other benefits. VoIP runs over Internet lines and routes your calls over a data network. internet connections have become much more dependable in recent years and because of this over 80% of new telephone system installations use VoIP (SIP) telephone lines. (today broadband internet access is typically all that is required to be able to buy reliable VoIP/SIP telephone lines)
Hosted/Cloud-Based Solutions are very popular for small businesses today. No system to upgrade or maintain. You typically have to buy your VoIP telephones, but many Hosted providers provide payment plans. The main focus should be call quality. It doesn’t matter how inexpensive the service is if it doesn’t meet your voice quality standards. Stay away from long term contracts and multi-year agreements. If their service is so good, why do they need a multi-year agreement to keep you as a customer ? If their service is as good and as inexpensive as they claim, why would you leave ?
BIG QUESTION:
Does the Hosted/Cloud-Based Solution provider or VoIP/SIP telephone line provider offer or require any type of VoIP test on your network & internet access “BEFORE” you switch over your service ? (this one step can make or break an installation)
FYI Intermedia/AccessLine DOES offer REQUIRE a VoIP test.
Talk with other business owners & references
Talk with other small business owners & references. Get feedback, recommendations, and insight from businesses that are similar in size to yours and see if you can get some input from somebody who has already gone through the process you are entering into
Consider extra wiring for future growth
Your business telephone system and wiring infrastructure are a permanent investment. It is highly advisable that you purchase more wiring than you think you’ll need to cut down on future wiring costs. Yes, extra wiring will add to your initial investment, but it is less expensive to install as part of the overall project rather than adding small quantities later.
Hopefully this information has been helpful and will assist you in deciding what you want, what to ask, etc. Our recommendation is don’t try to become a telephony expert, find a telephony expert you trust and that you are comfortable with.