Do You Want Landline Or VoIP?
There are two choices when it comes to your office phone system, each with its own distinct advantages and disadvantages: VoIP and landline.
- Landline – Landline phones are based on analog technology that sends signals through copper wiring into a wall jack. The technology behind landline phones has been around for decades now, so it’s remarkably stable and resistant to service interruption. With that said, you often pay more for fewer features with landline phone systems. They are also much more difficult to maintain since they require so many physical connections.
- VoIP – VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol. VoIP uses your internet connection to make and receive calls. VoIP phone systems often come with a wider range of features for a better price. They are also easier to scale up, as adding new users is a much simpler process on a VoIP system. Two of the main disadvantages are that you need a high-speed internet connection to use VoIP and a disruption in your network services renders you unable to use your phones.
This is far from a comprehensive explanation of all the different advantages and disadvantages of VoIP and landline phones, but it should be good enough to give you an idea of what’s right for your business.
Do You Want To Own Your Equipment?
If you decide to go with a VoIP system, then you have access to the world of hosted solutions. Typically, hosted solutions involve most of the hardware being stored offsite. You don’t own it, you simply pay a monthly rate to make use of it. The monthly fee is often very reasonable, and you save by not having to purchase or install the equipment yourself.
Obviously, there are some tradeoffs to this. Depending on the size of your business it may make more financial sense to own your own equipment. Additionally, if you plan on using your next phone system for a long time the monthly cost of a hosted solution may eventually surpass the upfront cost of installing equipment.
Do You Need To Use Your Phones On The Go?
If your employees are frequently coming and going from the office during the workday, it will definitely pay off to get an office phone system with mobility features. For example, some modern phone systems allow you to seamlessly transfer calls between your office phone, your cellphone, and even your computer. This makes it easier to do business on the go without needing a dedicated work cell phone, which can be cumbersome and pose additional security risks.
Is it time to upgrade your office phone system? Please, contact us at Atlantic Communications today. Our team has decades of experience as a full-service phone provider. We’ll be there to offer you our expertise throughout every step of the process.