IP Business Phones – A Great Tool To Save On Calling

Do you remember back where there was only one choice for your phone service? Then with deregulation there were more options. With the advent of Voice Over the Internet Protocol (VOIP) calls, the calling game has changed even more.

What is VOIP?

If you are not familiar with VOIP, it is essentially using your computer as a telephone. Instead of your being transmitted through regular phone lines, you use your computer and the Internet to transmit the information.

VOIP technology takes analog audio sounds and transforms them into digital data that can pass through the Internet. An analog audio sound would be what you hear when you talk on the phone.

What are the Benefits of VOIP?

VOIP calling has the potential to save you money. Computer to computer calls can be free and computer to regular phones can incur a small fee, however, that fee is typically far less than a standard phone call.

How to Get Started

If you want to get started with using VOIP for your phones here things that you will need:

• a good Internet connection
• a VOIP service
• a VOIP service provider
• VOIP equipment
• a phone number

Good Internet

Having a reliable and high-bandwidth internet connection is going to be important if you want to use VOIP technology. Dial-up will be to slow and wireless technologies might be adequate depending on distance and signal strength.

Selecting a Service

You will need to sign up with a VOIP service provider, as this is essential to receive and place calls. The VOIP services on the market include: subscription/hardware based, software based, mobile service, device-based service and business VOIP services.

The kind of service you need will depend on a few factors, including budget and how often you plan to talk. For small businesses that want to employ a VOIP business telephone system, providers include Adtran, Avaya, Fonality, Cisco and Nortel.

VOIP Equipment

The kind of equipment you need will depend upon the type of service you select. If you are just going to have computer to computer communication, you can get by with just speakers and a microphone to make a call online. Often times, these are already integrated into the computer.

A great option for a phone if you are going with a small business VOIP provider is the Cisco 7940G IP Phone. This business VOIP phone has some great features which makes it popular with users.

First of all, it looks and feels like a phone. I know that may sound strange, but sometimes, one of the obstacles of getting people to switch to business VOIP phone service is that they don’t want to be talking into a microphone on their computer and wearing headphones. The Cisco 7904G IP Phone is just that, a “real” phone.

The phone does have a headset port. So if you like to use a hands-free headset to free up your hands to notes whiles you talk on the phone, then this business VOIP phone will be great for you.

It has audio controls for the headset, handset and speakerphone, so you can adjust the volume to your personal preference. It also includes a high quality speakerphone, which makes it useful if multiple people are participating on a call.

There is a large LCD display area which makes it easy to read the features list and other information, such as calling party name and number and date and time.

Users of this phone have commented on the excellent performance of the phone and that set up is easy. Others have commented that it is a good value for the function. Reviewers on Amazon gave the phone five stars.

Speaking of Amazon, I am a huge fan of their service. I love that I can order things from my desk and I don’t have to drive all over wasting time and gas to get things. Also, their delivery is right to the door and they have an excellent return policy. I also find that their prices are competitive and often times lower than the big box stores that I would typically need to go to get my equipment. Really, they have become by “go to” on-line merchant for most of the equipment and supplies that I need to keep my business running.

Getting a Phone Number

You will need to get a phone number if you plan to call beyond computer to computer. You will be issued a number after you sign up with a paid service. You can then use this number to make or receive calls to land line or mobile phones.

Some people want to know if they can migrate their current phone number to their VOIP service. This really varies from service provider to service provider. If you are married to the thought of maintaining your phone number, be sure to check with the service provider to see their capabilities for porting your number.

These are exciting times for phone service. If you have considered going with a business VOIP phone service, the Cisco 7940G IP Phone is a wonderful product. If this is the first time you have heard of VOIP, I encourage you to research and see if it might be a cost-savings communication option for your company.