The Future of VoIP Telephony and Cloud Communications
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony is a set of standards or a technology that allows for the delivery of telephone calls and other forms of voice communication over the internet. The sender sends data to the receiver via packets stored in the cloud.
This technology allows users to transfer data packets across IP. It first came to profit-oriented public use in 1995. But the years that followed saw VoIP gaining very little acceptance. However, the improvements that were made a few years after that gave VoIP telephony the boost it needed. It started to gain acceptance among individuals as well as corporations.
Soon, companies like Skype would emerge and change the way businesses operate all over the world.
People started to recognize better connectivity improved collaborations. It meant improved call quality. And it also decreased overhead costs that came with using VoIP telephony instead of the traditional circuit transmissions. And for those reasons, more people desired it.
This desire continues to increase today. It is easier for people and businesses to rely on cloud communications and services for connectivity.
Why VoIP Is the Future
Enterprises, whether small or large are seeing the light and continuously moving towards VoIP and cloud communications and you should too. The reason for this is because VoIP telephony is considered the future of businesses. Here are some reasons why:
1. Reduced Cost of VoIP Telephony
Using a landline phone system would cost you, on average, $50/line for local calls alone. A VoIP plan reduces these costs by more than half. A cost-saving opportunity like this can be very important for your business.
But that is not all the savings you would gain with VoIP telephony. Using IP phones directly removes the cost of physical hardware like a (Private Branch Exchange) PBX. Also because VoIP works over the internet, you save money on the extra wiring that comes with traditional communications. Switching to VoIP eliminates the cost of paying taxes on these physical infrastructures as well as carrying out routine maintenance.
Concurrently, it saves you the cost of hiring a front-desk secretary, especially if yours is a growing business.
2. Absolute Portability
Another thing growing businesses love about switching to VoIP telephony is it includes virtual numbers and portable IP phones. They are so portable that you can travel to any part of the globe and still use the same number. You only need a good internet connection. This is a great step-up from the landline phone system (POTS) where you are required to change numbers every time you change location.
3. Increased Accessibility
Apart from saving you a ton of money and being very portable, using VoIP offers greater business accessibility. Your customers can reach your business from anywhere on earth and connect with it easily. If you cannot take calls from customers, VoIP telephony also offers the option of redirecting calls to someone else on your team. It can create an automated message.
The system can also schedule a time on your calendar when you are available.n Then it automatically returns calls at the scheduled time.
VoIP also makes it possible for members of your team to work remotely. Your employees can collaborate, communicate, and be highly productive regardless of where they are. As the need to have a bigger mobile team rises, more businesses take advantage of these benefits. You can have more work done by a bigger workforce without having to worry about getting a bigger office or business premises.
4. Improved Security
In a world where many businesses lose money to internet fraudsters through phishing, the need for improved security has never been this important. VoIP technology includes encryption and identity management. This makes the VoIP telephony system much more secure than the old phone system.
Also, if your VoIP is hosted by a trustworthy VoIP provider then you rest assured that your team of experts will work around the clock to ensure threats and suspicious behaviors and activities are promptly detected and resolved. A trustworthy VoIP will also provide consistent and routine updates to whichever operating system you are using. This way you can always be sure your business and customers are safe and secure.
5. Better Scalability
VoIP telephony plans are attractive because they are very scalable. As your business grows your phone needs also grow. Using a VoIP solution gives you the option of scaling your phone needs when the need arises.
The best part is you don’t need to purchase expensive hardware or more dedicated lines.
Whether you are expanding your business with more offices or experiencing increased traffic in your growing business, you can scale up with a VoIP solution.
6. VoIP Telephony Offers Greater Convenience
You will agree that doing business can sometimes be very stressful. Hence, a system that allows you to do business with greater ease and convenience is important to help your business grow. IP technology is very easy to manage. A single person can operate or manage IP technology. A feature like auto-attendant makes call handling and booking of appointments very easy for small businesses.
Larger businesses using VoIP telephony plans can also seem more friendly and approachable by taking advantage of the many available features.
Features such as multi-party calling and conference calling are some of the most important ones for many businesses as they help make businesses more convenient. And with the availability of robust internet connectivity and bandwidth, the quality of these calls is usually profound and gives your business the right push towards success.
7. Increased Flexibility and Multitasking
A VoIP system usually comes in the form of a softphone. This is a program that can be installed on any internet-enabled device such as a smartphone or a computer. You can easily move them about as you need your device to access your VoIP telephony system. This type of flexibility saves you space at the office as well as cut away the cost of purchasing equipment. It also ensures you and your team are also connected to your business and customers no matter where you are.
VoIP is also great for multitasking as they can perform many other tasks aside from phone calls. Some of these tasks include messaging and sending of faxes, images, documents, and videos.
The Future of VoIP Telephony and Cloud Communications
There are many reasons experts find the future of VoIP telephony interesting. One report revealed that about 25% of all business calls made are done through the VoIP system. Experts expect this figure to rise by next year. They believe that the VoIP growth in the coming years will be tied to a couple of factors but especially 5G and cloud communications.
Cloud Solutions for Better Storage
Cloud solutions and services are another reason why VoIP telephony will continue to grow significantly and consistently in the coming years. And as cloud services grow and become more popular we see traditional landlines and fixed phone lines gradually dwindling.
These services are also known as unified communications services and are not limited to borders or certain geographic locations. Apart from being universal, cloud communication services are secure and require very little customization.
Benefits of Hosted PBX
Using hosted PBX for your business provides numerous benefits. First, they take away the burden of installing and managing a telecommunication system for your business. You will not need to purchase all the required equipment. The money you save, you can channel into some other aspects of your business. Also, because you do not have to manage the system yourself, you will have more time to focus more on the other important parts of your business including building and maintaining a better relationship with your customers.
Benefits of Cloud Service Providers
Cloud communications will also improve the features of VoIP telephony such as video calling and conferencing. This particular capability is one thing every business needs as better connectivity with customers and team members is very vital for business growth and success.
Cloud services introduce new work ethics that shift the paradigm of the way business is done all over the world. And the good thing is this improvement occurs in every part of the world that uses cloud services.
Hosting with a great cloud service provider will give you access to a dedicated team. They monitor your VoIP telephony plan closely. Apart from saving you time, this ensures your system is secure at all times. The team has the proper training and they can detect and resolve threats. This type of hosting also ensures the operating system you are running gets updated regularly.
Businesses, all over the world, are adopting VoIP telephony and cloud communications because of the simplicity and flexibility it offers. This system of communication is gaining popularity because of the many benefits it offers. This includes cost-saving options, accessibility, improved security, and convenience. As the way people work and connect with businesses change, VoIP telephony will certainly continue to grow and improve.