What businesses overlook when choosing a VoIP phone system.

A growing number of small businesses are making the switch to VoIP business phone systems these days. There are numerous benefits to utilizing such a service, but several things are often overlooked when making the switch. Here, we look at a few of them.

How much of your bandwidth will you need to dedicate to the system?

Having an accurate estimate of the quantity of bandwidth or data you will require is one of the essential elements in effectively implementing a VoIP phone system. If you do not allocate enough bandwidth capacity to your VoIP system, the quality of your calls may deteriorate, and the system will become inoperable. The first thing you need to know is how many individuals are on the phone simultaneously in your company. This is something you should be aware of.

The number of concurrent users refers to the number of employees who are making or receiving calls simultaneously on the same phone line.

The amount of bandwidth consumed by each VoIP conversation is determined mainly by the voice-over IP phone system you select to utilize. Nonetheless, a general rule of thumb is that each concurrent call takes 100 Kilo Bytes Per Second (Kbps) of upload bandwidth and 100 Kilo Bytes Per Second (Kbps) of download bandwidth per call.

How many employees will need access?

Obviously, you will need to ensure that every employee that needs to can access the VoIP system and that you have the correct equipment for it; we will cover that in more detail below. However, the most important thing to consider is that you have taken into account the number of concurrent users.

What sort of audio quality will you require?

The ability to effectively communicate when making phone calls on your leased line, whether to colleagues or clients, is critical. VOIP systems with crystal clear audio quality are required for this type of communication. Codecs are responsible for the clarity of your audio. It is the technology that defines the audio quality, bandwidth, and compression of a VoIP call. Your service provider will determine the codecs that are available for your hardware.

VoIP providers send data packets, but IP phones are responsible for compressing and decompressing audio efficiently. Whenever a call connection attempt is made, the caller and the called phones discuss the appropriate codec to be used. Caller and receiver phones both have a prioritized list that they use to agree on the proper codec.

When it comes to choosing the best codec for your phone system, select the one that works the best for your needs. Consider your team’s real-world bandwidth capacity as well as the number of calls they receive.

To achieve better call quality, you should prioritize the G.722 codec above the G.711 codec in your configuration. However, if you are concerned about reduced bandwidth, you should prioritize G.729 over G.711.

G.711 is widely supported by VoIP phones and service providers, whereas G.722 is less well supported. When it comes to high-quality voice conversations without placing a substantial burden on the local area network, IT experts choose the G.722 codec over the others.

What hardware will you and your employees need?

For a VoIP phone system to function, you must have a modem and a router, both of which are already installed as part of your existing business broadband setup. The software allows users to make calls from any device that has been downloaded with your call software. This device can be any of the following: a smartphone, a laptop, or a desktop computer.

Employees may make calls from any location, whether they are calling from a mobile device or a VoIP phone, allowing your remote teams to remain productive and connected while working from wherever they choose.

For as long as your company already has a high-quality internet connection, you will not need to spend a fortune on telephony equipment to get started with a VoIP phone system. Here are some examples of the kinds of devices you might want to consider:

When it comes to transmitting calls, Ooma VoIP phones are intended to function with IP technology. They are wireless phones that do not require a connection to an electrical outlet in the same way that a landline phone would, though they can have all of the same features as a business phone, such as conference calls, do not disturb, and call waiting. They are also more affordable than landline phones.

Your staff can use them in the office or at home if they work from a distant location. Because there is no lengthy setup process, you may begin utilizing them immediately.

A headset is another form of optional VoIP equipment to take into consideration. Employees can comfortably converse while wearing a headset, rather than holding up a phone or relying on the audio output from their computer.

By taking these factors into consideration, you can make sure that you choose the right VoIP system for your business.