Which VoIP Business Phone Service?

Selecting a VoIP business phone service is relatively straightforward and risk free process. The technology is proven and there are now hundreds of thousands of SMBs using hosted small business phone services. In nearly all cases they are using virtual or hosted VoIP PBX technology.

The main attraction is a cheap business phone service. In the case of an SMB switching across from using traditional wire line phone services the savings can be large and on-going. In addition, VoIP phone services typically include features that phone companies either do not provide or supply at extra cost.

The alternative for an SMB to using a small business phone service is to purchase premise based equipment such as a multi line phone system or a PBX and continue paying a phone company for trunk lines and phone calls. A cost comparison will almost certainly establish that this alternative does not compare well with using a hosted VoIP PBX solution, even if the cost of premise based equipment is ignored.

The cost comparison becomes even more one sided if the SMB has branch or remote offices, and or makes a high volume of long distance calls.

VoIP service providers can also reduce their customers' monthly phone bills by providing SIP trunking services. By bulking together the call traffic across all their customers, they can access a level of wholesale pricing that individual SMBs would never be able to achieve.

In our view it doesn't make sense for the majority SMB's to purchase a VoIP PBX. The time and money can be better spent on their core business rather than becoming entangled with technology. Furthermore, if the need arises they can tap into additional hosted capabilities when required. These may include: call recording, contact center, telephone dialer, ACD, IVR ... functionality. The flexibility is there to access these options when required without making a capital commitment or locking into a technology.

In evaluating the available VoIP business phone services our preference is to use the larger well established providers with a substantial investment in technical infrastructure. These include: RingCentral and Nextiva . In the event of a shakeout in this intensely competitive market, we believe they are more likely to survive and prosper.

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