How To Buy a VoIP Phone System

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1 How To Buy a VoIP Phone System Out with the Old In with the New

2 Does Your Business Need VoIP? Your business might benefit from VoIP services if: Your business has locations at multiple sites, or remote employees es who are already connected through a LAN or WAN. Companies that are already networked find that making the transition to VoIP is relatively low-cost (whereas those that aren't networked should factor in the setup s fees). Calls to multiple numbers are often made simultaneously by your business. It would benefit your business to be able to receive voice mail as e messages, as well as to be able to forward business phone calls to employee mobile and home h phones. Multiple employees are located in remote locations. On-site employees are located in a region where it is common for personal cell phones to have different area code numbers. For example, businesses located in the San Francisco Bay Area often have employees who live in any of a number of different area codes. If regular communications occur with the far-flung flung employees' home or cell phones, long distance charges can be high. Your business already engages in many forms of remote collaboration, including conference calls, and costs may be reduced by going through a VoIP system. Your business deals with clients and customers in a variety of different d locations, especially internationally, or your business growth plan includes marketing to such areas. While you won't get the reduced cost on calls to non-voip clients, you can plan to communicate through VoIP with the employees who are hired in the new locations. VoIP can facilitate those calls.

3 Types of VoIP Equipment for Premise-based VoIP Typically for Company s with greater than 10 phone sets at the same physical location. VoIP is relatively easy to set up, particularly for businesses that t are already connected to a single network. However, some new equipment will be necessary. This equipment includes: A SIP Private Branch Exchange (PBX), which is the hardware that manages the phone calls through the LAN. You may be able to use your existing phone e system and upgrade it with IP-enablement software. If you use a T1 or PRI, you can maintain the circuit as well as utilize SIP VoIP Trunking. There is some safety with this configuration as it offers fers redundant services. This type of redundancy is not possible with a Legacy Digital PBX. If you have other office equipment that uses your existing landline (such as a fax system), you can continue to use with the new VoIP phone system, however, Fax Mail is built into the VoIP phone systems which allows each employee to have their own fax number while faxes are delivered to their s in PDF format. An office phone can be placed anywhere in the world which would Hang off the Premise Based Equipment back at the office.

4 Equipment for Host (Cloud) based VoIP Typically for Company s with Less than 10 phone sets at the same physical location. No PBX hardware is required on the premise Only VoIP Phones are required. Plugs into LAN SIP VoIP Trunks can be purchased for only $40/month. The SIP Services provides unlimited number of trunks. This means no more busy signals An office phone can be placed anywhere in the world which would Hang off the Host Based Equipment

5 The Drawbacks of VoIP 1. Number 1 Reason-The company implementing VoIP stinks. Their experience is narrow and limited. 2. Inadequate bandwidth-your installer should ask questions on your current network traffic and make the proper recommendations 3. Unproven Software-It seems like all the big names of the past claim they can provide dependable VoIP when the reality is they missed the boat while they t were fighting VoIP to keep their Digital business alive. Nortel is a good example. They went from #1 in telecom to being out of business today. Learn from this. 4. Proprietary equipment-stay clear of this mess. VoIP no longer depends on any certain manufacturer. Would you purchase a vehicle that you could only use gas from Chevron? Think about the price control of this model. 5. IT or Network Companies. Understand that your IT company (or staff) doesn t know everything. Just because VoIP rides on a LAN doesn t mean IT knows how to implement and manage VoIP. A NASCAR driver doesn t work on their r own engine. The driver depends on a Team. VoIP is a Team effort. 6. Don t be afraid to ask hard questions. Your business depends on it. 6.

6 Shop Around 1. Get at least three bids and compare the differences. 2. Ask for at least three references ( (per bidder) ) that have been installed for at least 24 months each 3. Ask the Bidder to provide you a demo phone to use at your facility for at least a week and make certain the phone is an extension of their phone system 4. If the Bidder isn t using what they are suggestion for you to use, punt. Cross them off and move on.

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