Despite its popularity, IP telephony and VoIP systems haven’t completely replaced legacy equipment. There are still many businesses who rely on older solutions to provide their telecommunications needs, but as we move towards a more IP-centric era, organizations should get on board with a more up-to-date system. Why? Here are a few reminders of why IP telephony is the way to go.

Perhaps some of the reluctance to make the switch is because end users are still not convinced about the quality of IP telephony and continue to use PSTN services, but in actuality, IP telephony is not only reliable, its quality has come a long way. Broadband has improved over the years, so IP telephony has improved as well. Today, packets are able to travel through the Internet extremely fast, delivering crisp, clear VoIP at a fraction of the cost of traditional telephony.

Some telecom decision makers feel that an IP system is insecure, but the truth of the matter is there are plenty of sophisticated defense measures like firewalls, redundancy and encryption to ensure solid, reliable security. IP telephony is safe in the same way online banking is safe, as they share the same data lines.

Maybe businesses haven’t gotten on board with an IP system because it just sounds complicated. There was a time when installing new communications systems came with complex equipment, too many wires and a lot of headaches, but VoIP today is easy to install. The connection it makes to a computer network means there is little upfront work. Moreover, now that we have cloud technology, businesses just have to plug in and go.

The growing adoption of IP telephony it easier for companies to employ more features in their phone systems. The increasing recognition of a need for efficiency with lower costs within an organization is an influence that's helping to drive the acceptance of IP in the business world.

IP telephony 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. Businesses can take advantage of these features by using IP phones, which are meant for utilizing all that IP phone systems have to offer.

By integrating communication tasks –such as video conferencing, IM, mobility and online collaboration – IP phones can also help boost productivity.

Businesses can see a lot in savings when using IP phones, not to mention they are designed with ergonomics and plenty of features, giving users easy access to the advanced desktop applications enabled by an IP system.

So, while some businesses have yet to make the switch, there are others who have migrated over to an IP system and have reaped the benefits that come with it, including its cost-effective features. It can save almost half of the traditional phone bills and do a lot more than a landline connection, and with the right IP phone, organizations can get the most out of using an IP system.