What is a VoIP phone system?
VoIP phone software is a telephone service that uses Voice over IP technology to transmit calls. It sends analog signals online to digital systems rather than through traditional telephone lines. Companies can utilize business VoIP services with home-based phones or commercial VoIP systems like Vonage or Dialpad. These phone systems enable the transfer of pictures, video, and sound online.

Several phone services are available like:

Traditional VoIP systems have features such as holding calls and call waiting.
Cloud-based VoIP phone systems contain more features and are accessible via any device with internet access.
Self-hosted VoIP phone systems keep the phone system hardware on-site.
Self-hosted VoIP systems – Self-hosted systems save money on installation costs. When making calls on your self-hosted system, calls are routed over the internet—requiring an online connection to make or receive calls. Additionally, outgoing calls cost less per minute because you host the VoIP system. Because of these reasons, self-hosted systems can be used by starting call centers looking to begin operations with minimal up-front cost.

In-house VoIP systems – In-house systems involve using VoIP phones and equipment at your business location. This equipment is connected directly to routers installed by the telephone company. This type of VoIP may also be called PBX or Private Branch Exchange. A business that can afford the upfront cost of equipment for its call center is an example of a company that can benefit from utilizing in-house VoIP systems.

Traditional VoIP phone systems – VoIP phones communicate through VoIP protocols and software installed on a server. In hosted VoIP systems, VoIP servers are housed in remote data centers or an adjacent building via a high-speed internet connection. Businesses looking for a more scalable and cost-effective solution over traditional in-house telecom could most utilize this system.

How does a VoIP phone system work?
Calls placed over VoIP systems transmit your digital voice as data packets across internet protocol (IP) networks. These systems allow telephone calls to be made anywhere and use packet switching instead of the traditional circuit-switched public telephone network.

Pairing VoIP systems with fast broadband connections provides cost savings by having one provider handle both functions. In addition, these phone systems digitize your voice, which takes up far less bandwidth than analog data transmission methods such as cable internet service—allowing your business to avoid paying extra for telephone line rentals or additional call charges.

Unlike traditional analog, VoIP systems have no separate lines needed to connect two parties. The digital signals make conversations clear and unaffected by outside noise or other interference.

20 Best VoIP phone systems and integrations
What are the reasons for using a VoIP phone system?
A VoIP phone system uses features such as advanced telephony applications and transferring voice calls. A traditional phone is used for direct communications of information. VoIP technology has calling features and services which can improve your business. Some features include:

Caller ID – If configured with your VoIP provider, your device will display the calling party’s name and number.
Call waiting – If you are having a conversation on a VoIP phone and another call comes in, you can quickly answer or ignore the second call.
Transfers – This management feature lets agents forward incoming calls directly to another number to improve efficiency.
Voice mail management – Most VoIP providers offer free call recording services that track your messages and save you money.
Three-way calling – Various VoIP systems can use three-way calling when talking with people in the US or Canada for easy communications.
Cost Savings – Centralized routing of calls to different locations using a VoIP system equals lower call rates than traditional phone systems.
Unlimited access – Agents can use the same telephone number regardless of the physical location.
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Are VoIP phone systems better than a landline?
VoIP provides voice calls over the internet to anyone who has an internet connection. All in all, these services are seen as a better option than landlines by many people.

VoIP voice quality varies widely depending on connection speeds and other factors. System quality is often better than that of a traditional landline if you have enough bandwidth. However, voice quality can be worse than a landline if bandwidth is scarce. Additionally, these digital systems do not care if multiple people use them at once; traditional phone lines require extra equipment to accomplish this.

Business VoIP services are more flexible than landlines because you can use them on essentially any device you want, so businesses do not have to worry about compatibility issues when upgrading computers or buying new machines.

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How to choose the best VoIP phone system
Choosing the correct VoIP phone system can be tricky. A lot goes into choosing a VoIP phone system; it’s not a decision to be made lightly. It’s necessary to understand what to consider when selecting the correct VoIP phone system for your business.

Commitments
To choose a VoIP phone system, you should become familiar with the software’s commitments, including payment plans, software requirements, hardware requirements, trunks, and gateways. It is not recommended to commit to a VoIP phone system until you know it fits your business operations.

Price
Companies need to consider pricing models when choosing a VoIP phone system. Prices vary depending on the VoIP software you choose. For instance, Vonage requires you to contact them for a quote and may charge based on each minute of calling.

Support
When choosing a VoIP solution, you want to ensure that your team quickly makes and takes phone calls. Select a VoIP provider with 24/7 support, especially if you have a large or remote team in various time zones.

Ability to scale up/down
You can manage a VoIP support team of any size from anywhere in the world. No matter your current business size, you want to choose software to meet your business’s current and future needs. You want to choose a VoIP phone system that allows you to quickly scale your payment plan and equipment based on your company’s needs.

Collaborative Options
Choosing a customer phone system that allows team collaboration can be highly beneficial to team communications. Be it a VoIP provider or chatting with customers. By using omnichannel software, you can further customer and in-house collaboration using your VoIP phone system.

Who Is In–Telecom? In-Telecom is a U.S.-based company, founded in 2009 as a consulting and business telephone system solution provider. Since then, we have evolved into a full service technology company providing customized solutions for cloud telephone, voice over IP,  managed IT services, video conferencing, cyber security & data backup, physical security, internet services, and more. We attribute much of our success to the ability to supply the highest level of customer service and technical expertise, thus becoming the singular solution provider for our customers. Telecom can help steer your company toward efficiency and success. All our solutions are customized and scaled to your specific workflow needs and your budget.