The world of communication has changed enormously in a short period of time. Within just a few decades, business phone technology has transitioned from landlines and cordless phones to the unlimited freedom of early flip phones and now the modern smartphone.
As changes took place, the vast majority of businesses remained frozen in place, relying on the same switchboard systems and hard-wired phones that carried them through the years.
Eventually, adoption rates of Voice over IP, or VoIP took off and still continue to increase today.
This is in part due to the desire to save money and increase mobility, but it has also increased as a result of the rapid rise in remote workers. Without a doubt, VoIP is here to stay.
What Are the Different Types of VoIP Technology?
There are two primary types of VoIP systems, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Businesses implementing a VoIP solution for the first time can choose from on premise and hosted VoIP.
- Hosted VoIP: This option is generally available for a monthly fee, offering businesses control to more accurately predict phone service costs. Instead of building out a dedicated infrastructure and hosting a VoIP solution onsite, businesses pay a data center to hold that equipment.
- On Premise VoIP: Businesses can alternatively opt for an on premise VoIP solution, paying up front for either a physical server or virtual machine. Smaller businesses may be able to run the service with nothing more than a computer. In this scenario, Ontech can manage the phone server in the same manner as all other equipment. Businesses that opt for on premise VoIP can also add server care to facilitate patches, updates and other critical security measures.
Which Approach is Best?
Enterprise level organizations were some of the earliest adopters of business VoIP, and now many of them are moving away from hosted phone systems, choosing the security, reliability and control of an on premise solution. Businesses making the switch have three options as they transition:
- Buy it outright
- Lease with a buyout
- Choose a new hosted system
Since the average VoIP business phone system lasts 10 years, think of these choices as renting vs. owning a home. Both options have benefits, but it is important to weigh the pros and cons of each decision carefully.
Hosted VoIP is a great option for small companies, but ultimately, a good place to start is by evaluating your needs from a functionality perspective. Then contrast functionality with your potential ROI to see which VoIP option would best fit your unique set of needs and future growth plans. If you need assistance, reach out to Ontech’s support team at 262-522-8560 and they can assist your business in finding the right VoIP solution.
Evaluate Your Return on Investment
There is a natural tendency among businesses, even large organizations, to choose a hosted VoIP phone system. However, once a CFO evaluates the true ROI by evaluating aspects like payback period, hosted VoIP begins to look a lot less attractive.
Another aspect to consider is up-front investment, and that is where leasing comes in. Implementing a full on premise VoIP solution can cost thousands of dollars, and spreading that cost out with a lease can be a smart thing to do. VoIP leases are available from 36 to 60 months with a $1 buyout. At Ontech, our VoIP plans are all offered with a 5 year package of firmware and updates. Businesses have the option to renew those agreements when they expire.
Organizations that opt for a lease can take advantage of the internet access they already have, further simplifying the process of installing a VoIP solution. If your business has fiber internet service, you are already paying for high reliability, great uptime and a 4 hour response time. You can harness those benefits to implement a quality VoIP business phone solution.
Business VoIP Requirements
High bandwidth is critical to the successful implementation of a VoIP solution. For this reason, Ontech does not sell VoIP systems without first ensuring quality bandwidth is available. If the internet connection is shared, for instance, the quality and speed of the connection will go up and down, and this will impact reliability of the phone service.
This variability could result in poor call quality, dropped connections and other issues. At Ontech, we want you to avoid these problems, and that is why we take a comprehensive approach in helping businesses throughout Greater Milwaukee implement a reliable and high quality VoIP solution.
Ontech has worked long-term with a leasing partner who provides excellent reliability and top notch service. If you are interested in an on premise VoIP solution, call 262-522-8560 or send us a request online and our support team would gladly assist you with a number of affordable leasing options.
