The world of communication has seen a rapid change to bring people closer. We have evolved from wired landline connections to cellphones, and now we have the VOIP communication system. VOIP is abbreviated from Voice Over Internet Protocol that helps us make calls anywhere and anytime with the help of the internet connection. It transfers oral communication with the help of digital signals and connects directly from one computer or a VOIP phone.
To put it in simple words, VOIP is a phone service that we deliver over the internet. If you’ve heard the term IP telephony, this is exactly what it means. There are more terms like broadband telephony, internet telephony, and broadband phone service to refer to this.
How does VOIP work?
VOIP helps analog voice calls convert into data packets that travel like any other form of data over the internet. It is just another form of communication like we send emails with the use of internet protocol. VOIP helps you connect to people through landlines and cellphones. It also connects computers to computers with the help of a headset and microphone.
When you want to connect to someone through landline, you just need an analog phone adapter and connect it to your internet network. To have the best voice quality and security, you must use your personal VOIP or make other communication systems private.
VoIP protocols and standards
Before you plan to integrate VOIP into your business, you must know the protocols and standards. Find out the list of their protocols given below:
Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) – it refers to the community of engineers that define essential standards used on the internet and help people understand how it works. They integrate VOIP and helps people understand and use it better.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – this international organization is a part of the United Nations System. They help the government and private sector companies to come together and standardize telecommunication network, standards, and services.
Gateway Control Protocol or H.248 – it is an ITU recommendation and referred to IETF RFC 2885 (Megaco). It defines a centralized foundation to create multimedia applications that extend to Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP). The result of H.248 happens due to the joint venture between ITU and IETF.
Packet-related multimedia communications system or H.323 – this is yet another ITU recommendation that defines segregated formation and usage of multimedia applications.
Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) – this is referred to as IETF RFC 1889 and is a transport protocol for real-time apps. It provides a transport mechanism for carrying audio or media forms of VOIP communication seamlessly.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) – this is also referred to as IETF RFC 2543 that defines a distributed architecture to create multimedia applications.
Different Types of VoIP Technology
By now you know
that VoIP is way cheaper than the traditional landline-based phone systems and
even our modern-day cellphones. However, you’re probably unaware of all the
VoIP services you can avail. VoIP is not limited to calling and there’s way
more to it. Here, we will tell you different services to expect from this new
communication to give you more reasons to own it.
There are several forms of
VoIP. You need to consider how you want to use it depending on your work
schedule. For example, if you’re spending most of the time at home or office,
your usage will differ from the person who is always on the go.
If you’re an entrepreneur,
you will have to consider the size of your business and what type of
communication you need. Check out the top five VoIP
services in the market right now to figure out what you need for your business:
1.
Residential VoIP service
You need an adapter to link the landline telephone set with your Wi-Fi modem to receive or
make calls online. You need to choose a plan that will determine how much you
need to pay every month and the services you get according to your package.
Example of such VoIP service providers are Lingo and VoIP.com
2. Device-based VoIP service
To avail this service, you
need to buy a VoIP device from the service provider and plug it onto the
existing telephone set. It helps you make calls for free all across the US. You
don’t have to pay any monthly bills and need no other devices besides the traditional
phone set. Examples of these services are Ooma and MagicJack.
3. Software-based
VoIP service
This VoIP service is the most common and most companies
need to use it every day. You either get to access web-based applications
online or need to install a software to your computer. You can then access the
computer’s audio input/output device to communicate. The best example of this
is Skype.
4. Mobile VoIP
service
Just like software-based VoIP service, there is mobile
based VoIP too. This form of application needs to be installed on your phone
instead of a laptop or desktop. You can call and receive if you have a seamless
internet connection. Skype works in this case as well, along with Google
Hangout, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and more.
5. Business VoIP
service
There are two ways that
make VoIP service possible for business – it is either cloud-based or
on-premises. Both of them offer cost-effective communication solution than the
traditional land phone. They also have several features that help your business
and quickens decision-making. For example, audio and video conferencing,
interactive voice response, screen sharing, call queues, automated attendants,
call reports, are some of the most common services we use. The features are
scalable and help you get technical support.
If you want on-premise
VoIP system, you need to buy all the equipment and house it in the office. But
it needs a lot of capital costs and you must be aware of that. You also have a
pay a monthly fee due to the PRI circuit or SIP trunking. You also need IT
professionals to maintain, upgrade, fix the systems on a regular basis. The
best part of this service is that you have total control of the hardware.
With the help of cloud-based VoIP system, you can outsource the entire phone system to the VoIP provider. You don’t need to buy hardware or invest money to maintain any system – the provider takes care of everything against a monthly cost. The service allows you to add or remove users anytime. However, you’re not in complete control of the hardware and you have to rely on the provider’s expertise for system security and reliability.
Why use VOIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol is a new form of
communication in business that helps us make phone calls or video calls with
the help of internet. Since it came into the market, more and more people have
switched over from their regular phone systems to this communication.
One basic reason to make this switch is cost. People
now spend their internet data that costs way less than paying money per minute
from other telecommunication systems. Check out all the significant reasons why
people are making this switch and why you too should integrate VoIP in your
business:
1. Affordable communication costs
The calling rate is
drastically cheaper than regular providers. VoIP is seamless, helps us connect
easily, and most importantly support video calling. Telephone providers hardly
give us such options and even if they do, they charge a lot. When you’re
connected to the internet, you pay according to the package you have. For
example, if you have an unlimited package, you can make calls for free.
VoIP services help
you use your existing phone and connect it to the internet to make unlimited
calls at a low cost. This is way less than what a per minute cost would be from
a telecom provider. The best part is making international calls for free. These
calls happen to be the most expensive when availed by telecom providers. When
you use VoIP, you get it for as cheap as you’d call someone right next to you!
People who have a
business need to figure out how they plan to use VoIP and why they need it. The
size of the company, the functionality, the budget, are different things to
consider when it comes to incorporating VoIP.
2. Affordable hardware and software
If you’re still
confused or having seconds thoughts about VoIP for business (because of the
software of hardware complications), take some time out to understand what they
are and how you’d need it. The large majority of VoIP needs little or no
installation as most services work on the existing equipment you own.
When it is about
hardware, you will need a working sound card for your business. Your computer
system might already have that along with a headset, speaker, and microphone.
There are more
service providers that might need the use of VoIP phones. The cost of such
phones is not much and in some cases provided by the services providers against
a nominal monthly charge.
3. Supports multiple calls at the same time
You probably know
what is a con-call. It connects you to more than one person over the phone.
While telecom providers double or triple your cost when you call 2 or 3 people,
VoIP does it for less and efficiently. You can not only talk to multiple people
over the phone but also host meetings over a video conference. It is an
essential requirement for a business that works in several parts of the world
and needs to connect people from one branch to another. It also makes it easy
for the management, business associates, and employees to collaborate with one
another and communicate with clients online.
VoIP also makes
customer support quick and easy. Their issues and grievances can be quickly
handled and resolved, and that improves the overall efficiency of a business.
When you improve customer experience, you develop the company. Thus, VoIP helps
you grow and get better in what you do.
4. VoIP offers more features than the traditional
system
Apart from
supporting multiple phone or video calls, there are many more ways in which
VoIP can help us. These features can differ from one device to another and one
service to another. For example, these features can be related to:
Fax
Caller ID
411 directory
Voicemail
Call waiting
Call blocking
Call forwarding
Last number redials
There are many more
advanced possibilities of VoIP that include call transfer, speed dial, return
calls, SMS, area code selection, and more. These might need you to make VoIP
subscriptions, which keeps the costs low and gives you additional value.
These were some of the main reasons why you must consider incorporating VoIP for communicating within and outside your business. Check out the best VoIP services given below to make the right choice for your business.
How to Analyze the best VoIP
Services?
With the quick growth and importance of VoIP, there
has been a rise of companies selling their services. Of course, an abundance of
choice is great, but it can get highly confusing and time-consuming for you to
choose.
If you have a startup or you don’t need VoIP on a
large scale right now, you will probably look for the cheapest options in the
market. However, you need to be careful because it might lack features that
you’d later find essential for your business.
There are some VoIP services that are not easy to
install or implement. You might not be able to transfer it or it could be
expensive for you. When you compare VoIP providers for your business, you need
a balance of cost and features. Check out the following points you need to keep
in mind when choosing a VoIP brand:
1.
Plans &
Pricing
Just as you choose your internet and Wi-Fi plans or
your telecom provider plans, you need to check the plans of VoIP. Pricing is a
primary thing that can narrow down your options if you have a low budget. You
also need to consider how VoIP saves money when making local vs international
calls. Most VoIP providers have different plans, so some might work for you
while some might not. You need to choose an option depending on your geographic
location and customers.
2.
Call features
VoIP is primarily used for the calling feature that
lets you connect to the rest of the world. You will have to find out how well
accessible you become after incorporating VoIP for your business and how well
you connect to people.
3.
Advanced call
features
Concall and videos conferencing are some of the
advanced calling features of VoIP. You not only get to make international calls
but you can make calls to multiple people residing in different parts of the world.
The best part about this is doing video conferencing and getting important
business deals done over a call.
4.
Equipment
What are the kind of devices a VoIP provider can
offer and how you benefit from them is important to know. For example, how you
access VoIP services on your phone is different from your computer. You might
have to install hardware or connect through software only. These also determine
the cost and essentiality of VoIP to your business.
5.
Support
Services
When you’re looking for an idea VoIP service, you
will definitely run through reviews online. You will want to find out how well
the company serves its customers and how accessible they are when you have an
urgency. When you install VoIP services for your business, you need it to work
seamlessly. But just like any other technical problem, there can be faults in
these systems too. So, how efficiently the provider resolves your issues is an
essential aspect to consider.
List
of the best VoIP Services
It is now time to know the best VoIP brand in the
market to help you make the right choice for your business:
1. RingCentral VoIP
We had to add RingCentral VoIP on top of our list as
it is literally the best service provider. Even if you’re new to the world of
VoIP, you have probably heard about this San Mateo company.
RingCentral VoIP has been in business for two
decades and has a strong base in the US, Asia, and Europe. They are reliable,
inexpensive, and have the best features to offer.
For small or medium-sized business, the
RingCentral’s Premium plan is perfect. It costs around $35 per month and covers
almost everything your phone might need. It includes features like unlimited
users, gives you a toll-free/local number, lets you have 2,500 minutes of toll-free
calling, unlimited internet facing, automatic calling recording, inbound caller
ID, and multiple video conferencing with a maximum of 50 people.
In terms of customer service, the company has great
reviews. They offer phone assistance during working hours and 24-hour online
chat assistance. It also offers ticket service, weekly webinars an extensive
online knowledge base.
If you have a business with more than 20 people,
this VoIP service provider can work best for you. They prefer large enterprises
for optimal support and long-term collaboration.
If you’re looking for VoIP systems that are easy to
implement and has all the features you need, you must consider RingCentral. It
is comparatively expensive if related with most other VoIP providers, but serves
you well and gives you all you need.
2. Vonage VoIP
Vonage is another reputed company that helped VoIP
come into the mainstream. It has been a pioneer of business communication for
years. Vonage embraced technology to transform the way companies work,
communicate, and get better outcomes in their business.
Vonage was developed in the year 2000 and was
introduced to many companies in the US. They came into partnership with Circuit
City in 2004. The internet pioneer, Jeff Pulver, was behind the foundation of
this company, who had once created one of the first voice over apps called Free
World Dialup.
From a humble beginning that went through lots of
trial and error, Vonage went public in 2006. Their platform has grown ever
since and expanded into Business VoIP after acquiring Vocalocity in 2013. They
grew their business into a strong cloud-first platform which enabled users to
collaborate anywhere virtually.
Vonage is not limited to business calling solutions
only. They acquired Nexmo in 2016 and brought a seamless form of communication
that embedded contextual communications APIs. The combination helps businesses
collaborate productively and engage the customers effectively through chat,
messaging, social media, voice, video, and more. Vonage also collaborated with
Amazon to include the Chime solution in their cloud platforms.
3. Ooma VoIP
Ooma is the best small-business telephony service.
Their prices are most affordable and their services offer scalable solution
that helps your company grow. It is ideal for small businesses that look
towards expanding and keeping communication costs low.
Ooma only promotes one plan, the Ooma Office. It
includes an unlimited domestic phone call, virtual fax
machines, three-way calling, and other industry-standard features. It is one of
the leading private branch exchange providers and that makes it more reliable.
If you need more
lines, you can level up to their Enterprise Plan. This plan helps you get a
unified communications solution that is curated according to your company
requirements. The cost can differ according to your phone service plan.
Ooma is renowned
for its customer relationship management integration that features with their
Enterprise plans. This means you get complete integration of your telephony
system along with your existing customer relationship management software. It
helps you enjoy perks like transferring a total customer workspace whenever you
transfer any customer call within your workspace. This helps you maintain the
progress you made in the customer’s account and not lose the data when you
transfer them to another station.
Once you start your
collaboration with Ooma, the price will be pretty low, as they don’t include
any hardware costs. Customers can also customize their packages and use their
existing analog phones, IP phones, or choose mobile-only service. However, most
other PBX providers include the cost of devices along with their plans. Thus,
if you don’t have the device already, Ooma can be expensive for you.
We recommend you to
choose Ooma if you have a small business with all the hardware and digital
phone already. It is pretty efficient and has a great support system.
4. Phone.com VoIP
Phone.com is another cheap VoIP service provider
that gives plenty of phone numbers and several free minutes for calling. They
have plans starting from a minimum of $13 to $40 per month. This includes SMS,
auto-attendant, voicemail, and more. This VoIP service is ideal for businesses
that don’t make too many calls or want the cheapest possible services with
unlimited minutes.
Phone.com gives you a set of standards that you
expect from VoIP service providers. It lets you make conference calls, on-hold
music, faxing capabilities, dial by name directory, mobile app, and more.
Phone.com has an efficient self-service platform.
People can start using the system as soon as they complete registration. Within
a few clicks, users can route calls, manage features, or purchase the VoIP
phone adapters that help business owners use the analog phones they possess.
As per reviews, Phone.com gives its users a
possibility to reduce monthly costs and choose a pay-per-minute plan over
unlimited calling. However, some users find the added costs for features higher
than what they would have liked to pay.
5. CloudPhone
VoIP
CloudPhone is one of the best VoIP solutions for
your communication system. The product was created by Vovox in 2006 and is
always in demand due to easy user experience. CloudPlan gives you three
customization plans to choose from and has no contracts. You can cancel or
upgrade the services whenever you want.
The high-quality phone features of CloudPhone
includes a virtual receptionist to free your team from automated processes. You
get the freedom to focus on maintaining organized communication. This unique
feature has won CloudPhone several awards and made many companies rely on them.
CloudPhone is so good that it can help a solo
businessman do his tasks. It is perfect for startups that have a few people and
makes it easy for you to invite users to have their own extensions. You can
stop sharing your phone number with people and share details of the CloudPhone
instead. They can reach you directly to your cellphone by dialing the
CloudPhone number. The company also offer greetings, advanced call routing,
transcribed voicemails, and has a unique Reach Me Anywhere technology to always
keep you connected.
6. Nextiva VoIP
Nextiva VoIP company is based out in Scottsdale and
gives you impressive calling features at a reasonable price. It will not have
the cheapest plan but it will also not have basic features that startups need.
If you have a medium or large-sized business, we recommend you to consider
Nextiva. They have an amazing online management platform that helps you juggle
between several lines in different locales.
The pricing policy of Nextiva can seem confusing, so
we’d like to give you a clear idea. The basic Office Pro plan will cost you
around $20 per month. You get it at this cost if you have at least 100 or more
people and sign a 3-year contract. If you have one to four people in your
company, you get the package for $35 without any contract.
The Mid-level Office Pro Plus plan starts from $23
for the same employee count and also a contract. If you have a small number of
people, the cost goes up to $38 with monthly agreements. If you choose the full-blown bells-and-whistles plan of Office Enterprise, the same deal
will cost $30 with a high count of employees and a contract. If you have a few
people working, the cost will be $45.
The number of features offered by Nextiva and its functionality makes is pretty popular and reliable.
There is no plan that exceeds the cost of $50 per month and that’s notable too.
A micro-sized office might get better rates and plans, but you need to check
the features of Nextiva to be sure to say no.
The VoIP service
does a lot and charges you affordably. Their customer support is handled by
in-house people and not outsourced overseas. Nextiva is, however, not
recommended for international calling, but within a local area, it works best.
7. Phone Power
VoIP
The primary reason why most people consider Phone
Power is their pricing. It serves everyone from single-line residential
customers to corporate call centers. They offer international calling plan with
unlimited calling to a few specific countries. You can choose the geographical
area you want access to depending on the plan you choose.
Phone Power gives you helpful quick links and
e-guides for optimum support. They also have email, telephone number, and
support chat for constant assistance. You can access them during the weekend at
different numbers to get issues resolved quickly.
The company is based in California and offer
residential VoIP solutions all through the US and Canada. Phone Power was
founded in 2005 and has a huge subscriber base and earned many accolades.
The home phone service by Phone Power offers
unlimited calling across the US and Canada. It gives you a free 60-minute
international calling feature to connect to 75 countries across the world. You
have three plans to choose from and the payment terms include a 12-month
contract that starts with $10 per month only. The month to month subscription
will be $20 per month, while a yearly play will cost around $8.
Apart from unlimited calling, every plan for this
VoIP provider offers more than 45 phone features. These include mobile phone
app, call waiting for caller ID, voicemail to email, and more. You also have a
free second line and softphone option and a 30-day money back option if you
don’t like the services.
8. Jive VoIP
The name Jive might give you a different vibe but it
is one of the most efficient VoIP businesses. The base of this business is in
Orem, Utah but has spread all across the US since inception in 2006. It has a
simple interface that makes any small or business organization want to incorporate
this provider.
Just like Nextiva, the cost of Jive goes down when
you need the service for many users against a few. The Tier 1 plan includes 1
to 4 users at the cost of $30 which is only $10 more than the Tier 5 plan that
includes 50 people or more at $20. Now, that’s now a huge bump in the cost
compared to other providers.
Jive offers you a 75+ VoIP features all across their
tiers and you just need to pay a little extra. However, they have exceptions in
international calls and number porting. Jive VoIP is easy to set up when you
purchase the pre-configured phones that come from renowned names like Vtech,
Cisco, and Panasonic.
Jive has customers in the US and offer a 24×7
calling service, email option, live chat, along with specific lines for
small/large businesses, government companies, education clients, and more. The
company also has a popular YouTube channel that helps new customers understand
more about VoIP systems and their features.
If you have a small company in the US, you can take
services from Jive because it has the best of features to offer. You can
collaborate for short-term and pay little money. If you want to continue, you
can take it ahead for a year or more. However, if you’re looking for long hours
of international calling, you need to look elsewhere.
9. 8×8 VoIP
8×8 is a VoIP company based out in San Jose. The
company had launched in 2002 and has served more than a million companies. 8×8
has easy plans loaded with the right features. There are many small companies
conducting international business deals. They tend to rely on a company like
8×8 for their simple and seamless support. 8×8 is also efficient to set up with
other useful third-party business apps like Zendesk, Netsuite, Salesforce,
Microsoft Dynamics, and more.
The plans given by 8×8 are all known to have the
best of VoIP features. They have calling zones that are inexpensively
expansive. The basic Virtual Office plan can help your business get in touch
with people in France, Puerto Rico, Australia, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands,
Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, the UK, Canada, and the US.
The higher plan of Virtual Office Pro connects you
with more than 18 countries, while the best plan of Virtual Office X8 connects
you with 46 countries. The coverage versus cost is impressive and even with the
most expensive plan, you will be in profit.
As the plans are easy to set up and start off, it
makes it more accessible to businesses. The company offers 24/7 customer
support with a great knowledge base. They also have a unique help solution in
form of crowdsourcing, where established customers offer assistance and
first-hand knowledge to new people and get rewards in return. If you can become
a consultant for 8×8, you get perks for your business from them.
8×8 can be helpful to you, even if you don’t have to
connect with people outside of the US or Canada. They have plans for you too
and is definitely good for its overall VoIP features. For people who need to
connect internationally will get the best value for money.
10. BroadVoice VoIP
BroadVoice is privately owned to provide VoIP and
cloud-based communication services. The company works best for small and
medium-sized business across the US. They have telephone services along with
SIP Trunking, UCaaS, Network and Security, Virtual Call Center solutions, and
more. For seamless communication at a great price, you can consider BroadVoice
as much as any other.
Customers can make calls and receive them from their
ordinary systems, softphone, IP phone, or smartphone with an app. You can get
the devices from the company or integrate them with the ones you have. They
have great rates that are often on discount and the calls can be made within
the country and internationally.
Broadvoice has its headquarters in Northridge, California and has been in business for more than 21 years. It helps you communicate with any part of the world at a low cost. You not only save on money but have the best of expertise and cloud phone technology to use. The VoIP provider lets you customize the plans according to what you need. They also let you store every piece of data and securely route the data to your network so that you can always have access to it.