Five Part Series on Switching to VoIP Archives | Steadfast Telecommunications

Part 5: What happens after my Voice over IP Phone System is Installed?

Jeremy — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 10:50:49 +0000

Part 5 on migrating your business to a Voice over IP phone system. This is part 5 of our article series on switching your business over to a voice over ip phone system. Part 1 was an overview of what business Voice over IP is and how it can benefit your business. Part 2 covered some of the options and features available to businesses who wish to migrate over to a Voice over IP phone system. Part 3 discussed various aspects that you should take into consideration when switching to Voice over IP. Part 4 gave brief walkthrough of the next steps to take once you’ve decided to switch to Voice over IP. In part 5, we’ll wrap everything up and discuss some long-term considerations for your business. Availability of Help and Support. Maybe you’ll have a few questions after your Voice over IP phone system is installed and operational; it’s okay to have questions. However, no one wants a provider who stays only long enough to install and then leaves you with a phone manual to fend for yourself. With a business Voice Over IP phone system, it’s important that you have a provider who, in metaphorical terms, will stay and buy you breakfast. Furthermore, if you have a really great provider, maybe you’ll want them to be there for you after breakfast. Support matters! Wouldn’t it be awesome if everything always worked perfectly? I think it would! But unfortunately, things do not always behave as they should. While proper maintenance can go a long way, at some point, any service or product will need some kind of repair. This is exactly why every Voice over IP phone system provider has a technical […]

The post Part 5: What happens after my Voice over IP Phone System is Installed? appeared first on Steadfast Telecommunications.

Part 4: How Do I Get a Business VoIP System?

Jeremy — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 01:05:13 +0000

Previously, we’ve discussed the options that are available to you for a business VoIP system and what you should consider before switching to VoIP. Part 4 of this series, on migrating your business to VoIP, is about what happens after you’ve decided that a VoIP system is right for your business. Getting Things in Motion You’ve carefully considered a VoIP system and chosen a potential provider for your new business VoIP system. It’s now time for a VoIP engineer to visit your office and evaluate what needs to be done in order for your business to migrate over to VoIP. The Evaluation During the engineer’s visit, they will take note of how your network is arranged and also learn about the logistics of your business. This is an opportunity for you and your provider to establish the framework for designing a business VoIP system that caters to your business’ particular needs. Designing Your System After the visit to your office, your future provider will factor in the technical and practical aspects of your business’ arrangement (including whether your business has multiple office locations) and work out all of the behind-the-scenes details. Your future provider will then contact you with their recommendations for rolling out your new business VoIP system. On a side-note, one great aspect of a hosted VoIP system is that you can always add, modify or remove features at any point in the future. Bringing Your Business VoIP System to Life Once you’ve approved the plan, your business VoIP provider will start the process of installing and setting up your new business VoIP system. Then, before you know it, your office will be humming along with the latest technology […]

The post Part 4: How Do I Get a Business VoIP System? appeared first on Steadfast Telecommunications.

Part 3: Things to Consider Before Switching to VoIP

Jeremy — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 23:40:43 +0000

Welcome to Part 3 in our series about migrating your business over to VoIP. (Last week, we took a break for our April Fools’ article). In Part 2, I gave an overview of some of the options available for Business VoIP. This week, we’ll go over things you should consider before switching to VoIP. Before You Continue: If you haven’t yet done so, your network should be evaluated to ensure that the cabling is adequate to handle VoIP. You can read: Is your Internet Connection Affecting your VoIP Call Quality? for some tips on how you can do a quick internet quality/VoIP readiness check for FREE. The tests, listed in that link, will let you know whether your current internet connection is suitable, or if you should upgrade. Also, it’s a good idea to research which internet options are available where your office is located (this knowledge could save you a lot of time later on). These are Some of the Key Considerations to Think About Before Switching to VoIP: 1. How many VoIP phones will you need for your office? 2. Are all of the phones located in the same office? Or are they across multiple locations? 3. What is the network cabling layout? Will you need to have new network jacks wired in? 4. What features do you need? VoIP has many options and features which can be customized, including to make your new VoIP system function similarly to your current system. Such customization permits the system to adapt to your way of working, rather than you having to adapt to it. You can learn more about features here: 12 VoIP Features that Can Help Your Medical Practice Maintain Homeostasis and also Three […]

The post Part 3: Things to Consider Before Switching to VoIP appeared first on Steadfast Telecommunications.

Part 2: An Overview of Business VoIP Options

Jeremy — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 14:50:49 +0000

This is the second article, in a series, that covers the steps involved in migrating your business to VoIP. The objectives are: to demystify the transitioning process and provide you with valuable information about Business VoIP options and how your company will benefit. Last week, I gave a brief overview of the commonalities and differences between Business VoIP and traditional business telephone systems. This week, we’ll go over some of the Business VoIP options which are available to your company for systems and services. The very first thing you should consider is: whether hosted (cloud) or non-hosted (premise-based) Business VoIP is right for your company. Here’s the primary difference between the two configurations: Premise-Based VoIP Hosted VoIP a business will purchase all of the necessary equipment and keep it in their office. the VoIP servers are located off-site and managed by your service provider. Hosted VoIP has rapidly been becoming the more popular option. However, there are situations in which Premise-Based VoIP might be more appropriate. You can read a more detailed comparison of the two, here: Hosted VoIP vs. Premise-based VoIP: 14 Key Differences. Consider Your Cabling Needs for VoIP and Computer Data In most cases, your existing computer network cabling will be more than adequate. Your primary options are: 1. A single set of cables, for VoIP and Computers Your VoIP phone plugs into your network jack and then your computer plugs into your VoIP phone. This forms a chain, which allows both devices to share the same cable. 2. Two sets of cables: one for VoIP and one for Data Each VoIP phone and each computer has its own network jack and cable. In any configuration, the most important thing […]

The post Part 2: An Overview of Business VoIP Options appeared first on Steadfast Telecommunications.

Part 1: What is Business VoIP?

Jeremy — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:50:04 +0000

This is the first article, in a step-by-step series, that will discuss the entire process of migrating your organization to a Business VoIP System. Last week, I gave a general overview of the migration process, in: Your Business Can Migrate to VoIP in 6 Easy Steps. The following article can be considered a bit of a review for our loyal readers –or a crash-course on Business VoIP for those who are new to the blog. We’ll be focusing on the basics of what Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is and how your business can benefit. Next week, we’ll dive right in and begin discussing the options available to you for Business VoIP. What is Business VoIP? Simply, VoIP is a technology which gives users the ability to make and receive calls over the internet, rather than old copper telephone lines. How is a Business VoIP system different from a traditional business telephone system? Both VoIP, and traditional telephone communications, accomplish the same thing –allowing individuals to have a conversation with each other, without having to be within close physical proximity. The most significant differentiating factor between VoIP and traditional telephone communications is how one’s voice is transmitted during a call. Traditional telephone communications rely on pairs of copper wires, which are able to establish connections between telephones, via expensive switching equipment (such as a traditional PBX [private branch exchange])). For the entire length of the call, a continuous copper connection must be established between the locations. VoIP telephones rely on the internet as a way of establishing connections between telephones. How does operating a VoIP phone compare to a traditional office telephone? Operating a VoIP phone can be remarkably similar to operating a traditional […]

The post Part 1: What is Business VoIP? appeared first on Steadfast Telecommunications.