If you’ve decided to switch your Arlington, VA organization to phone service via a business voice-over-IP (VoIP) provider, you may be wondering where to start. Business VoIP service can offer clear benefits over on-premises VoIP or digital PRI systems in cost savings, convenience, and reliability. By the end of 2017, researchers predict there will be 1 billion mobile VoIP users worldwide.

With hundreds of options both in the greater Washington D.C. Metro area, nationwide and worldwide, selecting the right option for your organization’s needs can seem overwhelming.

For businesses in Silver Spring, Maryland, demystifying the options for cloud-based phone service, also known as hosted Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) service, can be a time consuming task. Your organization can select between a wide array of options, which vary in services, packages, customization possibilities, and pricing.

If your organization is still relying on an on-premises private branch exchange (PBX) system or plain old telephones, it may be time to unlock the benefits of voice-over-IP (VoIP) telephony through a cloud vendor. Hosted PBX is often regarded as a path to rapidly saving money on business communications. Research reveals that organizations save an average of 40% on local calls alone. For one small business with 30 phone lines, this translated to a savings of $1,200 per month.

Cloud hosted communications technology has increased dramatically over the past five years. More and more organizations are upgrading their communications technology to take advantage of fiber internet speeds, hosted PBX technology, and direct connections to the cloud and data centers.

One of the most exciting developments has been the emergence of single-source providers, making communications a much easier beast to handle. This is called Unified Communications as a Service, and you can read how we provided Montogmery College with a connected campus to see how UCaaS applies to the education sector.

But when talking about voice specifically, we get a lot of inquiries about Hosted PBX. 

Moving from a legacy system to a cloud-based platform allows a growing business to access enterprise-level functionality with lowered infrastructure costs and reduced administration. When the benefits are outlined, the decision becomes a no-brainer.

All businesses share in common the need to direct incoming and outgoing telephone calls efficiently. The way that they do this is by using a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) system—a type of hardware and/or software that connects calls to and from phone extensions within the business.

When it comes to choosing the right PBX system to use for your small business, there are a number of factors involved that will sway your decision toward using a particular system. The best way to get a handle of these factors is to examine the benefits and drawbacks of the different types of PBX systems that are available.

IP-based telephony services are quickly becoming the most common way that businesses communicate internally and with customers. A cloud-based private branch exchange (PBX) enables organizations of all sizes to perform voice calls over a data connection from on-site handsets or mobile devices, with a result of more cost-effective, reliable, and flexible communications for your company.

Business-class voice-over-IP (VOIP) services are revolutionizing communications. As organizations move their communication tools away from traditional phone service providers and premise-based PBX to the cloud, they're unlocking lower overhead costs, spending less on maintenance, and getting new features that can scale to meet explosive business growth. For one global organization, Dell, a move to cloud VoIP saved $39.5 million and allowed their employees to begin regularly telecommuting via mobility features.

How much does Business Class VoIP cost? It's a question we are asked all the time and the answer is simple.

The costs of a business class VoIP package are minimal when compared to the capital expense and long-term maintenance costs of legacy systems. The combination of long-term savings with advanced features including voice mobility and scalability creates an immediate impact on the bottom line. An in-depth look at the cost structure of a move to high-performance communication protocols can better illustrate the benefits.

Whoever said "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" wasn't talking about an outdated TDM phone system.

Sure, your TDM (Time Division Multiplexers) PBX may be working today. But will that be the case tomorrow?

There's any number of factors that can cause an old-school telephone system to fail when you need it most. They include damage to the equipment on premises, power problems at your site, cut cables in the phone room by phone company techs, or parts that fail because of length of time they've been in use.

If your system does stop working, how long will it take to get a technician on site who are trained on legacy equipment?

Few organizations can afford the risks to their reputation associated with something that usually "just works". You wouldn't hire a customer service representative who only occasionally answers their phone. You can't afford to sell a product that is good some of the time.

Why would you gamble on the reliability of your phone lines?

In this article, we’ll talk about the glaring differences between TDM phones and hosted voice, and why TDM can present more business risks than you ever thought possible.

The time has come to upgrade your PBX (Private Branch Exchange) system and move to the cloud. Cloud-based PBX systems are being rapidly deployed across all business sizes and segments and the benefits are transformative.

If you're ready to jump onto the cloud bandwagon, it's important to research and plan the transition. Risks of poor implementation include excessive downtime and unexpected outages during business hours. However, moving beyond a legacy PBX system doesn't have to be stressful and time-consuming. Follow these guidelines to ensure success.