Internet Phone Service

Internet phone service is gaining popularity amongst small businesses. Internet phone service allows your small business to gain access to enterprise class standard phone system features, an online portal for call control and a mobile app for your communication infrastructure. This is all provided to you in a monthly fee and reduces the need for a core IT infrastructure at your business. Businesses commonly purchase, bring their own, rent, or lease required deskphones and Power over Ethernet (PoE) data switches which are required for all internet phone service providers. The provider is responsible for providing the call processing offsite in their primary data center while your business benefits from the public cloud internet phone solution.

These solutions are commonly used for business with little to no feature needs as internet phone service is generally not customizable or flexible and businesses gain access to a handful of pre-approved features. This allows the internet phone service provider to provide this solution to businesses at a lower cost. The quality of the solution and quality of the phone call itself is typically not guaranteed unless you purchase the transport or internet connection from the internet phone provider itself. This allows them better control of the call.

• Cost-efficient: With Internet Phone Service, your business can save money and still receive flexible and feature-rich service. Though it's not always possible to customize features on internet phone service, the option is cheaper as it rides over your current internet connection and comes with standard and some advanced features. Additionally, you are provided with flat-rate costs rather than paying per minute. This is especially useful for businesses
• Simple install: Since your phone system connects over your Internet services, installing is much simpler than other phone system options. You don't need to go through extensive rewiring and phones typically just plug right in and after set up are ready to use.
• Increased mobility: With an internet phone, you can take the phone anywhere that has a reliable internet connection. For example, you can provide the option for employees to work remotely by providing them a VPN phone that plugs into their Ethernet port at home or at a hotel if they are traveling for work.

On-premise solutions provide your business more flexibility (features, functions, providers, etc.), lower cost of total ownership, and a more custom tailored implementation and support model. Whereas, internet phone service solutions allow your business to pay for the life of the service, your implementation and support is provided on a standard basis, end-user training is typically non-existent; however, since the internet phone providers typically have multiple data centers running the core phone system software this solution can be a bit more reliable as its housed at a data center and not at your corporate HQ. Businesses that want the best of both worlds typically look into privately hosted solutions such as Avaya IP Office Server Edition cloud.

If you are a 1 to 2 person startup looking for a presence, internet phone service may be the right way to go due to the low cost of entry. Startups are typically in need of less features and customization, so the preloaded features are more than enough to get a startup on its way to success.

While the above explains hosted phone systems; there are a number of internet based phone services that larger companies can take advantage of.

Internet Based Phone Service can simply mean a provider rides voice over the internet connection using SIP or VoIP technologies. Providers then can deliver hand off to the client using a traditional POTs or PRI handoff. For newer systems SIP handoffs are leveraged. This service will effectively provide the client bundles programs that are very economical while providing the required services for voice only. Phone features are not included as client is expected to have on-premise or private cloud solution in place.

For more information about Internet Phone Service contact us at sales@convergedsystems.com or call us at (877) 598-3999.