While there seems to be a new buzz technology every other day, one constant that has been reliable and ever-evolving has been the Internet and the need for better communications. Because of the Internet, we can take advantage of tools like VoIP, messaging, video conferencing, websites – all of which have become the hub of business communications spokes. It should come as no surprise, then, that VoIP sales continue to be on a steady incline.
One VoIP provider, Cloud Telephones, saw an increase in sales over the summer, citing an upsurge in leads, requiring a demand in staffing.
“The market is being driven by strong uptake of higher-speed, fiber-based broadband services, which really make hosted VoIP practical. Businesses are starting to understand that it works and that it’s reliable too,” said John Carter of Cloud Telephones, according to PCR (News - Alert) Online.
Many providers are seeing a similar trend in sales, and perhaps that is part and parcel to VoIP’s biggest attractive feature: its cost-effectiveness. Because VoIP services are nearly always cheaper than a service contract with the traditional telephone companies, it means more money on the bottom line.
VoIP allows businesses large and small to use their existing high-speed Internet connection as a phone line, thereby allowing the company to sever ties with the landline providers, further reducing costs, bills, and overall complexity.
VoIP technology treats services on the phone like any other kind of data, enabling the users to attach documents to voice messages, or participate in virtual meetings with the help of shared data and video conferencing. Sound clarity is better than it has ever been, and rarely do the calls get dropped.
A lot of analysts have said the future is in the cloud, and as VoIP has evolved, it has done so with newer technologies like cloud computing. Many VoIP service providers now have their platforms located in the cloud, which means it’s far easier to turn the tap on and off, and scale up or down as business needs increase or decrease.
“VoIP is usually the starting point for hosted services. Once they know it works, businesses soon start to ask about online storage and backup, Office 365 and other applications. The resellers who own these subscriptions will own those customers,” said Carter.
A report from IHS (News - Alert) found that VoIP and IMS gained 29 percent in the first quarter of this year, so it’s true, VoIP is on the up and up.
VoIP has been a true constant, keeping communications costs and processes streamlined and efficient. The pace of technology means that solutions like business VoIP can be all the more powerful and cost-effective in the near future.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson