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Everything YOU Need To Know About VoIP
How many times have you switched phone providers this year?
2? 3?
Honestly, why bother doing it again?
You're always overcharged for terrible service anyway.
It's just not fair.
You deserve more from your phone…
Like a long wifi range and good service even in the most rural of areas.
Well…
You can get all this (and more) by switching to VoIP!
It's actually one of the most popular methods of communication right now!
(Plus it can be up to 90% cheaper than a traditional phone line.)
Trust me - 204.8 billion people can't be wrong.
Take our client, Alanna, for example…
She was having the same problem with traditional phones that you were.
But she actually switched providers 4 times in 3 months.
Insane, right?
She just couldn't find one that suited her businesses needs.
But…
She knew the switching had to stop.
Her business was small.
She couldn't afford to keep paying expensive setup and cancellation fees.
She knew that the next time she switched would have to be the last - for at least a year.
So obviously, she had to make a good choice!
Luckily, she called us.
She'd never heard of VoIP before but was willing to give it a try.
The costs were low and she'd received the promise of a 30-day money-back guarantee.
With that in mind, she decided to give VoIP a go.
And boy, was it lucky she did.
She saved so much money using an IP phone, that she managed to hire a new staff member to man it!
Plus, she received more repeat customers because her phone service was much better and didn't keep cutting off mid-call.
Result!
So…
Whether you're a VoIP newbie or an IP expert - I want to help you achieve the same results as Alanna.
If not, better.
So I've put together this handy buyers guide for you, in order to answer all your most pressing questions.
Let's find you that winning phone!
Contents
Chapter 1
A VoIP phone is a master of disguise.
It may look and work the same as any other phone…
But it could not be more different.
(Okay, okay...maybe it's not that different.)
The distinguishing factor is that you don't need a physical handset to make a call.
As long as you have a stable internet connection, you're good to go!
(That's right, you don't need to trip over 30 phone cables a day anymore.)
Your IP phone will connect straight to the internet - the same way your computer does!
Skype (yeah, that little old site) is one of the most well-known VoIP services out there.
All you have to do is install the app - which is free, I might add - and you're good to go!
And most other IP services are just as simple to use.
Just install and go!
The only effort you have to put in is by clicking the pay button.
(Sorry, you're not getting out of paying your phone bill today.)
Everything else is easy peasy lemon squeezy.
The setup is fast and requires little to no input on your part.
Result!
Once the setup is out of the way, you're free to begin making calls.
And there are actually 4 ways you can do this;
- Between VoIP Activated Handsets
- Between VoIP Activated Computers
- From a VoIP Phone To A Traditional Phone
- From Your Computer To Any Phone
Yep, you can use any device (with an internet connection) to make a call!
You don't even need to own a phone.
There are so many new ways to communicate, the world really is your oyster!
Plus it's an essential way to keep your business development ahead of the game.
Set up fees and monthly costs are relatively lower than traditional phone systems.
And you don't need to pay for any clunky handsets!
Which means, if you use VoIP, you can rethink your budget - and spend your old phone costs on better investments!
VoIP really is the future for business.
Chapter 2
Oh wow…
VoIP phones systems come with so many key features.
It would probably take me about 4 days to list them all…
But I'm still going to try!
(Okay, I'm only listing the most popular ones - but there's still a lot. )
Here we go!
- Auto-reply
- Auto-reject
- Auto-silent
- Anonymous Calling
- Call Forwarding
- Multi-conferencing
- Caller ID
- Call Switching
- Call Waiting
- Call Muting
- Address Book
- Speed Dialing
- Extensive Wireless Range
- Minimal Charging Time (If Using A Handset)
- Long Battery Life (If Using A Handset)
- Call Holding
- Call Transfer
- Paging
- Intercom
- Recent Number Recognition
- Large Missed Call Memory
- Hands-Free
- Wall Mountable
See!
I told you it was a long list!
And those are just the key features…
Imagine how long the full list is!
Read More: Everything You Need To Know About IP Phones
Chapter 3
It doesn't matter if you're a small-town jewellery shop owner or a global chartered accountant.
A VoIP phone system could benefit you greatly!
There are actually countless reasons I could give you to convince you to make the switch…
But here are my top 5:
Reduce Costs
It doesn't matter if you made
||$||20||$||
this week, or
||$||20000000||$||
…
You still want to
save
money, right?!
(Who am I kidding?
Of course you do!
)
Well...
Business can actually
cut their monthly phone costs by up to 50% just by switching to an IP system!
Plus, you get
so many more features
(that aren't available on normal phone systems)
at
no extra cost!
Aaaand, if any upgrades become available,
you don't have to pay for those either!
This is why
these systems are especially great for small businesses,
who can't afford pricey phone bills!
Such
a good deal!
Call From Anywhere In The World
It doesn't matter where you are in the world, you can
still
make a call with VoIP.
On a road trip around America?
Yep, you can still call.
Lost in the jungle?
Don't fret, you can call there too.
Need to run to the toilet mid-meeting?
Not to worry, you can take your VoIP phone with you.
(But please don't - that's gross.)
Like I said before,
as long as you have a stable internet connection,
nowhere is off-limits.
Just imagine the
freedom
this gives small business and remote workers.
You can connect to the rest of the world - and your colleagues -
from the comfort of your own home!
Easily Expandable
You may be a small business hoping to
hire a new employee sometime soon…
Or you may be a global corporation looking to conduct
the biggest merger in your history…
Either way,
you're going to need to add more people to your phone system.
(Or get rid of them if your business isn't doing as well as you thought.)
If you were using a
traditional phone system,
this would be
a lot more effort than it's worth.
You'd have to
pay for a new handset, wait for it to be installed
and
hope
you haven't hit
the max number of systems you're allowed with your package.
Sounds like a pain, right?
Well, it's not anymore -
not if you're using VoIP, that is.
You're able to
add a new number to your account at the click of the button.
Your new employee will have
instant access to the system
-
(no more waiting 3 weeks for the instalment guy to turn up.)
And you can usually
add an unlimited number of phones to the system
too!
Perfect.
Available Features
After reading that
massive list of features
I gave you earlier, I really
doubt
you need me to expand on it anymore...
But I will.
(You can't say I'm not thorough.)
Anyway, as I was saying…
The number of features available to VoIP users is
amazing.
From
50 metre wireless ranges
to
automatic call rejection,
they really do have it all.
If you thought
the iPhone
was good,
an IP phone would knock it right out of the park.
(Sorry Steve Jobs, we don't need you anymore.)
But…
All the features available
aren't just beneficial to you and your business,
they're great for your customers too.
For example,
having a queueing feature makes them feel valued!
No one enjoys being kept on hold
all day
with
no idea when you're going to answer
-
(if you answer at all.)
At least if they're
told
they're number 3 in the queue,
they know where they stand.
And that leads me onto my next point…
Happy Employees
Here's where we go full circle…
If your customers are happy, your employees will be happy too.
(And vice versa.)
When a customer feels
valued,
they're more likely to
elicit a happy response.
And I don't know about you, but
I much prefer talking to happy people rather than grumpy ones.
Did you ever have one of those
horrible
shop jobs when you were younger?
(Yep, me too.)
Though all customers should
technically
be treated the same…
I
bet
you gave better service to the nice ones.
I wasdefinitely more productive when customers weren't being mean to me!
This all still applies now though...
Happy customers = happy employees.
And happy employees are more
productive,
which means
more work gets done
and
more money gets made.
Win-win!
No Long Term Contracts
Unlike expensive mobile phones,
you
don't need a long term contract
to gain access to the device.
An IP system actually holds a stronger similarity to a
pay as you go phone.
You pay for what you want, when you want it!
So, if
in 6 months time,
you can't afford the particular system you've been using, it's absolutely fine!
You can cancel without
any
consequences!
Obviously, this isn't the case for
every single provider.
So it's best to ask what the deal with contracts is
before you sign anything!
Better Financial Control
The majority of businesses that
fail,
do so due to
poor financial management.
No one
wants to face
bankruptcy
or the
dissolution of their business…
But how does buying a new phone help?
Well,
it's cheap and the bills aren't compulsory.
Obviously,
I don't mean you can get away with not paying your phone bill
-
get serious!
What I
do
mean is that
you aren't tied into a contract.
Which means, if a phone system isn't
essential
for your business to run…
You can
cancel your payment when you haven't reached that month's financial goal!
This allows you to
rethink your budget,
without
having to stress over unnecessary payments.
No Extra Equipment
Back in the day,
before VoIP existed,
it was
such a hassle
to switch providers.
You'd have to
uninstall your old phones
and
get rid of all your handsets.
Then you'd have to buy
new
handsets and wait for those to be installed.
That alone could take a couple of weeks!
Honestly, it's
just a lot more time and money than it's worth.
But painful switching is no more!
No matter what VoIP package you buy, you
should
be able to
integrate it with your pre-existing equipment.
Whether it's an
old phone
or
secret computer
-
it'll work.
And the
set up takes no longer than 10 minutes
either…
Yippee!
Chapter 4
Are you really asking me this?!
“Is there a problem with purchasing a cheap phone, with countless amazing features that you can use anywhere in the world?”
You must be mad…
Okay, okay.
I'll stop talking like a VoIP salesman now!
Despite what you may think, perfection doesn't exist.
One system can't get everything right.
But luckily, in some cases, they can come pretty close.
There are actually only two downfalls of using a VoIP system.
Fortunately, though, these things can be easily rectified.
Firstly, the initial setup fee can be quite costly, depending on the provider you use.
BUT…
That's only if you're starting from scratch.
If you're installing IP technology onto pre-existing handsets, you'll be getting a much cheaper deal.
Secondly, the fact that your phone relies on a stable internet connection to work is a little problematic.
If your signal goes, your entire phone system will shut down.
Which obviously isn't ideal…
But helloooo?
This is the digital age!
It's not like you're travelling to the moon, I'm sure the connection will be strong enough in 99.9% of places.
And - in the unfortunate case that it does stop working - you'll have an amazing customer service team by your side...
So you can get it fixed in no time!
I don't know about you, but I think that's a pretty small price to pay for such an amazing phone.
Chapter 5
So…
I've convinced you to switch over to an IP phone then.
Good for you!
You've made a great choice.
But now isn't the time to rush into any decisions.
You don't want to be one of those people who switch providers/systems every 6 months.
You want to get it perfect the first time around, right?!
Well…
There are actually 5 things you should ask yourself before you purchase a VoIP phone!
It will help you determine what phone is right for you, and make sure it's still right for you in 6 months (or 6 years) time!
What's My Budget?
You wouldn't buy a house without
adding up your daily expenses
to see
how much you have leftover
to spend on a mortgage each month.
(Not unless you're crazy and the thought of not being able to make the payment one month doesn't
panic
you.)
Anyway…
The same applies to your phone.
You shouldn't buy one if you're not sure if you can afford it.
And I don't just mean
now.
You need to know that you've got a
comfortable enough nest egg to be able to afford the same payments in the future
too.
And another thing!
You may have
more money lying around than you think,
and are therefore able to buy a fancier system!
Result!
How Big Is My Company?
What I'm about to say is
absolutely
common sense,
but some people
still
need reminding.
If you work for a large telesales company,
you're not going to buy one phone between you.
Similarly, if you work from home -
alone
-
you're not going to purchase 30 different handsets, are you?
The obvious aside, there's
another reason
you need to check the size of your company…
You need to also be checking
the percentage of staff who actually need a phone
too.
If only
30% of your employees
need access to a phone, you're not going to spend
hundreds
on a handset for every single person, are you?
So, do a
proper count
of how many of your staff
really
need a VoIP system, then
adjust your budget accordingly.
Is It An Advanced System Or Simplistic One That I'm Looking For?
Have you ever given your great grandad an iPhone and asked him to send a text?
Try it, it's
hilarious.
But,
as funny as it is,
it's not a great business practice to give an advanced system to someone who can't use it.
(Not unless you're planning to set up training sessions too.)
You need to assess
the type of people at your company
and
their purpose for using the phone
to find out
which one fits your business best.
For example,
a team of young, digitally sound call centre workers are more than likely going to prefer an advanced phone with special features!
What Are The Top 3 Features I Need?
The features you desperately want/need may well determine the overall price of your phone.
For example,
you may be willing to pay up to £100 more for your system if it comes with a really wide wifi range!
Or maybe it's really important for
your
business that a member of HR sits in on all calls, so you really need a 3-way conferencing feature.
You
could
pay
significantly
less for a system that doesn't come with these features...but
do you really want to?
I mean,
they're important to you for a reason.
Paying a little extra is worthwhile if it means you're buying
your
perfect system!
Is Portability Important To Me?
Well…
Do you really want to sit down at a desk all day?
Or do you want the freedom to
move?
It's a pretty simple question really.
And honestly, even if you don't
explicitly
need to be able to walk around with your phone,
I would still suggest getting a portable one.
(With a long wifi reach too.)
Especially if you work from home.
You never know when you'll have to run to the shop mid-conference call!
Imagine being in the midst of a
really important meeting,
but have also
run out of toilet roll.
You can't hang up, but your partner is...let's say ‘stuck' in the bathroom.
What do you do?
Well…
You take the call to the shop
with you
of course!
Disaster diverted!
Chapter 6
So…
You know that you want to purchase a VoIP Phone.
But you have no idea which one to pick.
There's just so much choice!
Not to worry, I've put together a list of the top 10 IP phones of 2019 for you!
From poor network conditions to audio/visual impairments, I've got a phone to cover you.
And for a range of prices too!
Take a look at my list to get an idea of the perfect phone for you...
| Phone | Best For | Why You'll Love It | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Yealink SIP-T21P |
Small Businesses |
Easy-to-use Interface |
||$||46||$|| |
|
Yealink SIP-T23G |
Value |
Flexible Deployment |
||$||53||$|| |
|
Polycom VVX 600 |
Executives |
Completely Customizable |
||$||100.99||$|| |
|
AT&T CL2940 |
Audio/Visual Impairments |
Hearing Aid Compatible |
||$||23||$|| |
|
Yealink SIP-T29G |
Call Centres |
Ends Nuisance Calls |
||$||129.62||$|| |
|
Polycom VVX 500 |
Video Calls |
Integrated HD Voice |
||$||168||$|| |
|
Polycom VVX 310 |
New Companies |
Integrates With Your Business Apps |
||$||104.99||$|| |
|
Yealink SIP-T41S |
Poor Network Connections |
Three Pages Of Customizable Keys |
||$||74.82||$|| |
|
Polycom W52P |
Home Offices |
120 Hours Of Standby Time |
||$||66.20||$|| |
|
Siemens Gigaset SL450A |
Overall |
VIP Call Function |
||$||129||$|| |
Wow…
That's a lot to take in!
Still not made a decision?
Not to worry, let me help you.
Let's discuss each phone's key features a little more!
Yealink SIP-T21P
Yealink Optima HD Voice Supported
Ooh, now doesn't this sound fancy!
All it means though, is that it provides you with technology that ensures crystal clear sound.
So you won't sound like you're walking through a tube station, with constant cut outs and muffled speech!
Echo Cancellation
Oh my, this is annoying, isn't it?
Don't you just hate when you're trying to talk to a client, but all you can hear is your own voice?!
Hearing constant feedback is just so distracting.
But don't worry…
This phone can automatically detect an echo and eradicate it before it makes its way through to you!
Adaptive Jitter Buffer
Have you ever had one of those moments where your customer doesn't reply to you for at least 4 years?
(Okay, okay - it's probably more like 4 seconds.)
Anyway…
It's not just you being awkward.
It's way more likely that your data packet was delayed during transmission.
Adaptive Jitter Buffer can source and prevent these delays!
Yealink SIP-T23G
3 Way Audio Conferencing
Well…
I think this one is obvious.
(But just in case it isn't…)
You can conduct calls with up to 3 people at once!
So, you don't need to run around relaying messages to other members of your team.
You can just invite them to the conference!
Intuitive User Interface
This just means it's easy to use.
Simple, right?
No more staring at confusing screens with thousands of menus…
Yippee!
Flexible Deployment
Thanks to the developments of new technology, you now have the ability to decide where to deploy applications.
Whether it's in the cloud, on your computer or on a physical handset, the installation of this software is completely up to you!
So no more forking out for chunky handsets if iPad's are more of your thing.
Polycom VVX 600
Zero Touch Provisioning
You don't want to waste your day fixing bugs or updating operating systems, do you?
Well, you don't have to anymore!
Thanks to zero-touch provisioning, all this is automated!
Can Use Before Computer Starts Up
Another obvious one…
You can use the Polycom VVX 600 without even turning on your computer.
As long as you're connected to the internet, you're good to go!
Fully Customisable
From the apps you install, to the entire layout of your screen - you can change it all!
Which is great because let's face it…
We're all much more comfortable using a system that's set up to suit our personal tastes.
(I could never have my email app at the top of my phone - it has to be on the bottom row!)
It's the little things that score big wins in my eyes.
AT&T CL2940
Enhanced Features For Audio/Visual Impairments
Audio/Visual impairments can make VoIP extremely difficult for some people, depending on the severeness of their disability.
Thankfully, AT&T took this into consideration, and created a phone to combat this!
It's hearing aid compatible and has overly large buttons and an enormous touch screen!
Handy, right?
65 Name/Number Caller ID
Ooh, aren't you popular with your 65 important numbers?!
No way can you remember all those - (I can barely remember my own.)
Well, you don't have to.
With their extensive caller ID feature, you'll always know who's calling.
(So you can easily ignore all those annoying spam numbers - woohoo!)
Yealink SIP-T29G
Multi-Language Set Up
You can set up your phone in 16 different languages?!
Wow…
I can only speak one.
Okay, okay.
Obviously, those 16 languages aren't there for you to learn.
(Props to you if you try though.)
It's actually a great feature for businesses who hire a lot of international workers!
Use Up To 16 SIP Accounts
Let's imagine VoIP is Facebook for a second.
A SIP account would be the Facebook app itself…
But a SIP address would be seen as Facebook messenger (aka the phone number.)
Well, if you have the Facebook app (or SIP account in this case) up to 16 other people can download that same thing.
Great right?
Hold, Mute & Redial Features
We all have those annoying clients, don't we?
You know - the ones that just won't stop talking!
Well, don't worry…
You can shut them up with these features.
You can just mute them until they get the picture and hang up!
It's certainly a way to weed out anyone you don't want to work with…
(Okay, okay - I'm joking.)
Polycom VVX 500
Integrated HD Voice
Don't worry…
This still means the same thing as it did 5 minutes ago.
Crystal clear voices, that's all you need to know!
Stream Content From Your Home Screen
Keeping an eye on political news stories?
Or maybe you're a big sports fan…
Well, you can stream a variety of content from your phones home screen!
(So you can pretend you're working, when you're really watching the latest football match.)
Third-Party App Connection
You can actually install a variety of apps onto your new VoIP phone.
Making it bigger and better than ever!
Personally, I think installing one of Zapier's applications is a great move for you.
They actually have a whole host of apps you can use, but my favourite is the scheduling one!
You can schedule in all your important calls, so you know when you're free to take calls from anyone impromptu clients.
Polycom VVX 310
Entry-level
Anyone can use this phone…
Yep, even your technology-repellent grandad!
It's entry-level, so it's one of the easiest-to-use VoIP systems out there.
Everything, from the set-up to the first call is, well, simple!
Upgrades In Parallel With Your Business
You may only have 10 employees now…
But this time next year, you could have 100!
You can assess your growth as much as you like, but the results aren't always accurate.
Luckily got you, Polycom has made their system completely expandable.
You can add new VoIP accounts as you go, so you're never caught off guard.
Connects To Your Companies Business Apps
It's always a little disappointing when you buy a new mobile, isn't it?
You know you're going to have to spend hours reinstalling your favourite apps...
Luckily, with a VoIP phone, this won't happen!
It easily integrates with your pre-existing apps, so no need for a complete reboot!
Yealink SIP-T41S
Works In Poor Network Conditions
I've said, time and time again, that for a VoIP phone to work…
You need a stable internet connection!
BUT…
Not with the SIP-T41S.
It works in some of the worst conditions imaginable.
So, if you work in the middle of the countryside, or are attempting to make an important call on the train…
This is the phone for you!
Faster Than Previous Models
If you're absolutely certain you want a Yealink, and speed is your thing, I'd definitely recommend this phone!
Up against all of their previous models, this one is by far the fastest.
Three Pages of Customisable Keys
You heard me right.
Three pages!
Insane, right?!
No two phones in your office are going to look the same once you're done playing with the controls!
Polycom W52P
50M Indoor/300M Outdoor Reach
For someone constantly on the move, the W52P is a great choice.
It has an insane reach, so you could go basically anywhere you wanted without cancelling your call.
And when I say insane reach, I mean insane reach.
If you laid the Eiffel Tower on its side, you could walk the entire length of it without your phone cutting out!
Amazing, right?!
11 Hours Talk Time/120 Hours Standby
Are you on the phone longer than a 15-year-old girl trying to keep her snap streak?
(Yeah, I don't get it either.)
Well, this isn't an iPhone, so you don't have to worry about constantly charging it.
You have a full 11 hours of talk time and 120 hours of standby time before you even need to think about plugging it in!
Lockable Keypad
Work from home and have kids causing havoc?
Or work in an office with an annoying coworker that enjoys playing pranks on you?
Well...
You don't have to worry about anyone getting into your phone anymore!
The keypad is lockable, and only you have the password.
So no more inappropriate calls will be made from your phone!
Siemens Gigaset SL450A
Nuisance Call Blocking
It should actually be illegal to get hounded by spam calls at work.
(Actually, it should be illegal anytime - but that's another story.)
Anyway…
Siemens make blocking nuisance calls as easy as 123.
So you never have to spend your time getting harrassed by dodgy companies again!
500 Person Contact Book
This is a perfect feature for a large company (or extremely popular small business.)
It allows you to add up to 500 contacts into one phonebook!
It'll put an end to the desperate hunt for numbers you don't call regularly.
With the amount of numbers you can add…
You can put everyone - from your international business partner to your great-aunt's, dog's therapist - in there.
VIP Call Function
Who's the person whose calls you need to keep up with while you're at work?
Maybe it's your accountant…
Or even your mum!
Either way, you want to ensure you never miss a call from them, right?!
Well, you won't with the VIP call function!
Their name will always be at the top of your list.
You're welcome.
Eco-Friendly
Hey!
You're all about saving the planet right?!
Well, you can with this phone!
(Okay, maybe not save it...but you can reduce some of the damage done to it.)
The SL450A is actually completely radiation-free in standby mode!
Much better for the Earth, right?
Chapter 7
Oh my…
Where do we begin?
There are so many VoIP providers in the world - hundreds, maybe even thousands.
How could you possibly choose only one?
How can you even begin to compare?
Well, don't worry…
I've done that for you.
I've spent 26 hours scouring every VoIP provider there is, and comparing them on;
- Price
- Customer Satisfaction
- Service Offered
And I've finally narrowed them down to the 3 best ones.
Take a look:
| Provider | Price | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
BT |
Contact For Quote |
3/5 |
|
|
Virgin |
Contact For Quote |
3.2/5 |
|
|
RingCentral |
From ||$||19.99||$|| p/m |
3/5 |
|
BT
Who hasn't heard of BT?
You must've been living under a rock if you haven't!
They're one of the biggest operators in the entirety of the UK - and have some great VoIP deals too!
They actually provide users with 3 different plans, depending on the size of their company.
BT Cloud Phone
Perfected for businesses with 9 or fewer employees, this system was designed with small business in mind.
Quoted as a “plug ‘n' play” system, users are free to use it in the exact same way as a traditional phone.
But without any trouble!
BT Cloud Voice
If you run a medium-sized business, with ideally no more than 250 employees…
This could be the phone for you.
Minus the physical phone itself, BT eradicates all hardware from your office.
Leaving you plenty of room to buy that desk plant you've had your eye on all week!
BT One Phone
Large companies (we're talking 500+ staff members here) are generally the ones who are most after quick-fix solutions to their problems.
And what's a bigger problem than having to keep an eye on both your work mobile and landline simultaneously?
You know there's always going to be a time - about twice a week for most of our clients - when someone calls the wrong number.
And it's always when you're near your other phone.
So inconvenient.
Anyway…
With the BT One Phone, this won't be a problem anymore.
Both your mobile and landline will be integrated into - you guessed it - one phone!
Much easier, right?
Virgin
Ah, virgin…
Another industry giant.
They too offer 3 different packages for small, medium and large businesses!
Let's take a closer look.
Enterprise Cloud Voice
This is the perfect system for any sized business that wants to move away from traditional phone lines.
It completely removes the need for hardware…
And is constantly being updated, so you can get all the high-tech features ASAP.
Plus, if you have any questions or concerns, Virgin will take care of them in a timely manner!
SME Cloud Voice
Are you a small/medium-sized business who thinks they're ready to grow?
Well, have I got the system for you!
They understand that financial control is essential for any growing business, which is why they boast complete price transparency.
It's also fully flexible, so you can work at the office, at home or on the go.
Perfect!!
Sip Trunking
Do you want to save money on your phone system without any hassle on your part?
I've found the perfect solution for you!
Sip trunking is actually plugged into the phone system you already have.
Making it trouble-free and relatively cheap.
It's a great placeholder IP system until you make a full switch to VoIP!
RingCentral
RingCentral is a little different from the other two companies…
Not only because it has 4 plans instead of 3…
But because it describes what it offers minute wise rather than benefit wise.
But don't worry, that's where I come in!
Essentials
This is a great package for freelancers or micro-businesses with little call for phone usage.
With it, users get 100 toll-free minutes per month.
All for ||$||29.99||$|| p/m - (or ||$||19.99||$|| on a yearly plan.)
It's great for start-up companies that can't quite afford extravagant phone bills just yet, but want to take their first step into VoIP.
Standard
With the option for unlimited users, you would think this package is perfect for any sized business.
But, you would be wrong.
It actually only provides 1000 toll-free minutes a month.
And if your company had 500 employees, they'd only be able to make 1 two minute call each per month.
I'd only recommend this for small companies and, at a push, medium ones if they had relatively low phone usage.
On the plus side, this package does include 4-way video conferencing!
All at the low cost of ||$||34.99||$|| a month ( ||$||24.99||$|| if you pay annually.)
Premium
Okay…
Now this one, I would recommend to medium-sized businesses.
And possibly some larger ones too, depending on their circumstances.
It offers 2500 toll-free minute and 100 people video conferencing!
Oh!
And they even offer automatic call recording…
Not bad for ||$||44.99||$|| per month (or ||$||34.99||$|| if you get a yearly package.)
Ultimate
Finally!
A package for the big guys.
Not only will you get 200 person video conferencing…
(I wouldn't want 200 people staring at me - sorry!)
But you get 10,000 minutes too.
Wow!
That's almost as much as a teenager with an uncapped phone bill!
(Okay, okay - I'm kidding.)
But it is a lot!
And honestly, for ||$||59.99||$|| a month ( ||$||49.99||$|| with a yearly deal), it's not that badly priced either.
Read More: VoIP For Small Businesses
Chapter 8
Choosing a phone for your business isn't like choosing one for yourself.
You can't just say you don't care what it does - as long as it has a decent camera.
You need to put a decent amount of research into the process.
Here are a few things you should look at before settling on a provider!
Research Providers
Okay…
This one is pretty obvious.
There are
so many
providers to choose from, you
shouldn't
settle on the first one you find.
Take a look at their prices, what they offer, how supportive they are etc.
Oh!
And
don't forget to check their reviews
too.
See what
actual customers
think of them,
don't just read the information they write about themselves.
Do They Offer Trial Periods?
Even if you
think
you've found the perfect provider, there's still a chance that
they actually suck.
And you definitely
don't want to be tied into paying for something that doesn't do what you need.
Luckily, most
good
companies offer a
30-day money-back guarantee.
They can afford to do this because they know it's
very unlikely you'll want to cancel.
Whereas a rubbish company will want to
trick you
into a
long contract
or
expensive cancellation policy
to keep you.
So don't sign
anything
without knowing your cancellation rights,
No Hidden Fees
You should be aware of
everything
you're paying
before
you pay it.
Hell, you should know in
the first phone call
exactly what you're going to need to fork out.
Don't trust anyone that tries to hide any fees from you.
Yep, even if it's
only $1.
Or
they claim it's a simple mistake.
It sounds like a small ‘misunderstanding', but they'll be plenty more
(expensive ones)
made along the way.
No Contracts
A good provider
won't
try and
tie you into any expensive contracts.
They understand that you're constantly
updating as you go,
and may need to
add new features
(or take some old ones away.)
They also understand that you may just simply
change your mind
about using their service and want to switch.
Don't worry, it won't be held against you.
Your provider wants
the best
for you and will do everything they can to ensure they can
accommodate your needs!
Even if that means letting you go...
Free Cancellation
A lot of our clients have been tied into really
lengthy
contracts before.
And their only way of
voiding
these contracts was by paying an
extortionate cancellation fee.
(I'm talking hundreds here.)
A good company will let you forgo your position as a client without so much as a
fuss
- let alone the need for a second mortgage!
Chapter 9
All the VoIP chat online at the moment makes switching sound so appealing.
I mean…
Free calls, free installation and free maintenance…
Who wouldn't want that?
And I'm not saying there's a catch, but nothing in life comes free.
Yes…
Using a VoIP system is ridiculously cheaper than using a normal phone.
(In fact, you could see savings of up to 90% if you scrap traditional landlines!)
But there are certain conditions you need to follow to qualify for the cheapest offers.
Stop Calling Normal Phones
Yes, VoIP calls
are free.
BUT…
That's
only
if you're calling
another VoIP user.
If you're calling a
normal
telephone, you'll still be charged as
the phone companies still want to make their money.
So, unless the
majority
of your calls are to
fellow VoIP users,
you may not end up saving much money at all.
(That's your cue to bully all your contacts into downloading Skype.)
Don't Splurge On A Handset
Is there any
real reason
you need to spend ||$||500||$|| on a handset?
(That's an actual price that they can go up to -
shocking!
)
I'm sure a ||$||50||$|| one will do
just as good
of a job.
Unless there's a
specific feature
you need that you can
only
get with a pricier handset, I'd recommend
avoiding
splurging as much as possible.
Stick To A Hosted IP
Yes,
installed IP
does
provide users with greater control over their system.
But with great power, comes
great responsibility
a big price.
You need to ensure you get someone in to
properly install the system…
And have someone
readily available
to
provide maintenance whenever you need it.
In fact, you could be forced to spend a few
hundred
on these things alone each month.
Ouch.
Or…
You could
save yourself money and hassle by using a hosted IP instead.
You'd only have to pay a
small monthly fee.
(Probably around ||$||25||$|| per month.)
And someone would be available to
install
and
maintain
your system -
free of charge!
I know which one I'd pick…
Chapter 10
So…
You know the current state of VoIP.
(And just how popular it is.)
But will it still be that way in 5 years time?
10?
Well, the number of people using VoIP services is continuously rising.
(The market is actually expected to be worth ||$||55||$|| million by 2025.)
So much so, that businesses are actually looking to scrap all other phone services and ‘force' VoIP on everyone by 2025!
In fact, BT wants all the phasing out of their old phone lines completed in 2020.
Yep…
Next year.
The future of VoIP isn't very far away after all.
But don't worry - this is a good thing!
Traditional phone lines are riddled with faults, and just so costly.
Using VoIP is a way for businesses to get better services for a better price.
Not so scary after all, is it?
Chapter 11
How Does VoIP Work?
Well…
If you're looking for a simple explanation, it works the same as any other phone - just dial a number and speak!
But, if you want the in-depth explanation…
It takes your analogue voice signals and converts them into digital ones!
It then sends those signals as data through your broadband line.
Simple.
Do I Need To Buy An IP Phone?
Not at all!
As long as you have a strong internet connection, you're good to go.
You can install IP technology onto any device - computers, tablets, you name it!
You can even download VoIP apps onto your smartphone.
How Do I Make A Call With VoIP?
Okay…
I have a simple 3 step process for you to use;
1) Dial a number
2) Press the call button
3) Speak
You see?
It works exactly the same as a normal phone!
Nothing complicated about it.
Are VoIP Phones Hard To Use?
Only for cavemen.
Even the most technophobic person in your office should be able to get the hang of it in less than 5 minutes.
It works exactly the same as a normal phone!
Plus, the majority of these systems are entry-level anyway!
I Work From Home, Can I Still Use My Company's VoIP Account?
Yes, you can!
That's the beauty of VoIP - you can be set up anywhere in the world and still registered to one office!
So you can look forward to making all those essential work calls without racking up a huge phone bill.
Well…
There you have it.
The complete buyers guide to VoIP phones!
Now you know everything you need to know, so you can be sure you're making the right decision when you choose to purchase one.
Still need a little help picking the right phone for you?
Not to worry!
If you fill out our short form, we can assess your needs and compare them against what all the top VoIP providers offer.
(Yeah, we only work with the best of the best. )
So…
Get up to four of the best VoIP quotes from us today!
Contributor & Telephones Expert
I’m the Telephone Expert here at QuoteGrab! Anything you need to know about phones, from VOIP to the first-ever phone, I’ve got it covered!
