People say that there are no more good VoIP services for small businesses. This is very far from the truth! There are some very good services out there that do not control the connection to the switch. The quality of these services is determined by the ISP service and the networks.
Typically, this is how
majority of the VoIP services operate in small home/businesses. The
question becomes how do you pick the right VoIP service? If you
follow these guidelines, it will help you determine which one works
best for your needs.
1) Your network needs
to be in good shape.
When dealing with the internet, there will be
many things you have no control over. However you have control over
your network, so this is a great place to start. Even if it is a
simple network, problems can exist that will affect the VoIP calls.
You want to make sure you only have one DCHP
server/router, your switches should be in good shape,
and your computer should be in good working condition.
2) Bandwith is not the
only important thing.
Many times, people look right to bandwidth
their internet provider provides when choosing a business VoIP.
However all the bandwidth in the world is no good if the connection
is not stable. While bandwidth is important, it really only needs to
be enough to cover the number of phones you plan to use plus other
applications.
3) Test the connection
from you to your provider.
Your connection will pass through a few
networks as it goes from your provider's VoIP to you. If hops and
latency show low numbers, then it is a very good thing. To determine
whats up, do a trace route and ping to their SIP server. This will
show the amount of routers you pass and how long it takes to get to
them. To really get accurate results, you will have to test this on
different days during both morning and evenings.
4) Cheaper is not
always better suggests IT
provider Alternative Networks. When selecting your
provider, note the prices of the competition. If one has a price way
below everyone else, this should raise a red flag that their business
might not be worth using. Choose a company that has competitive
prices, but is not scraping the bottom of the barrel. Trust me, you
are going to thank me later!
5) Make your choice
based on features, presentation, and service. The most important part
of the decision you make about which service provider to go with is
who has the features that best suit your needs. When looking at
features, make sure to look at the presentation of their websites. If
a company has a very poor website, chances are they will give you the
same kind of service. Think of it as buying a car. You look at the
dealership and the presentation of the cars.
You make your choice
based on which one has not only the things you want, but also who is
most appealing. This is no different.
If you follow these
steps, you will be on your way to picking the perfect VoIP service in
your area!