VoIP phone systems have gained widespread popularity in recent years due to their cost-effectiveness, scalability, flexibility, and many other benefits. However, despite the rise in the number of businesses turning to VoIP phone systems, the question of reliability is still a concern for some. In this article, we’ll discuss what a VoIP phone system is, whether VoIP is inherently reliable, steps you can take to improve its reliability, and how the advantages of VoIP can benefit your business.
So, what is a VoIP phone system?
VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and enables you to make and receive calls over an Internet connection. In order to connect a call utilising a VoIP network, your voice traffic is converted into digital data packets that are transmitted over an Internet connection, rather than via the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). VoIP phone systems allow users to join calls from multiple devices, such as a desktop computer, office phone or a smartphone, offering all the features of a traditional analogue phone, and additional functionality at the same time. These reasons are why VoIP is a popular choice for businesses of all sizes in addition to the many other benefits the phone system offers.
Are VoIP phone systems reliable?
With VoIP phone systems ever-evolving, they are now considered to be amongst the most reliable and lowest-risk form of communication for small and medium businesses (SMEs).
Nowadays, VoIP is as reliable as any analogue phone thanks to modern internet speeds. The UK average internet speed is roughly 51Mbps (megabits per second) which exceeds the 100kbps (kilobits per second) required to achieve a good quality voice call. With most businesses already relying on stable, high-speed internet to keep their businesses running smoothly, a VoIP phone system would seem to be a good choice.
How to improve the reliability of VoIP
VoIP is widely considered to now be a reliable form of communication, however, there are several steps you can take to improve the reliability even further.
The first and most simple step is to regularly maintain your VoIP phone and any network equipment you control, as this can help prevent problems from occurring. This includes cleaning your equipment, updating firmware and software, and replacing worn-out components. As you will most likely be deferring to your provider for the networking elements, it’s worth asking them about how frequently they maintain their infrastructure and how they handle firmware updates.
Upgrading your broadband to allow for faster internet speeds is another way to improve the quality and reliability of your VoIP business phone. In addition to this, it is also a good idea to utilise a 4G Wi-Fi backup to ensure business continuity and make sure there is minimal downtime in the event of an outage. Be aware that not every VoIP phone device can work using WiFi.
Using a reputable provider is another good way of ensuring reliability of your VoIP phone system. For example, 4Com are an established VoIP provider that offers quality service and expert knowledge to create a system that suits your business needs. 4Com also provides excellent customer service to assist and support your business on its VoIP journey.
If you are in a position where you monitor your own network, making sure equipment such as routers and switches are configured correctly can improve reliability of your VoIP phone system.
By following these steps, you can help improve the reliability of your VoIP phone and reduce the risk of any potential issues.
How could VoIP benefit your business?
With the PSTN /ISDN Switch-Off in 2025, businesses will have to upgrade to an alternative phone system. Businesses are being encouraged to future-proof their business ahead of time by upgrading to a VoIP phone system, to avoid getting caught out by the Switch-Off. VoIP phone systems offer many advantages and additional features that your business could benefit from which we are going to discuss in more detail:
Scalability:
Scalability is a significant advantage of VoIP phone systems, with VoIP being one of the most scalable options available on the market. Scalability is an important factor for SMEs that are looking to expand and need a system that can grow with them. With a VoIP phone system, you can easily purchase additional handsets to scale up in line with your business growth, as many systems require little configuration and are “plug and play”, allowing you to get new staff up and running more quickly.
Flexibility:
The flexibility of VoIP phone systems is another advantage. This rise, particularly post-Covid, of remote working has been mirrored by the increase in popularity of VoIP systems, because they are far more flexible than their traditional counterparts. VoIP systems tend to be centrally hosted in data centres, meaning that if you have compatible equipment and the correct credentials, you should be able to access and utilise your phone system from wherever you are working.
Cost-Effective:
One of the biggest advantages of VoIP is that there can be cheaper operating costs which ultimately makes the upgrade cost-efficient.
As VoIP phone systems use the internet to make and receive calls, this means they don’t require expensive infrastructure like traditional phone systems. VoIP providers can offer cheaper call rates and require less maintenance. This all makes VoIP phone systems one of the most cost-effective options for a business.
Additional Features/ Integration:
The additional features that are provided with a VoIP phone system (or that you can purchase alongside it) are also hugely beneficial. These include call recording, call reporting, video calling, and on-hold marketing. VoIP phone systems can also be integrated with other business applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) software, to provide a seamless communication experience. Here is some further information on each of these additional features:
Call Recording: Call Recording allows you to listen to conversations made on your system. You can use these to improve staff performance and to help provide coaching in situations where service could be improved. You can use Call Recording software to train your staff, maximise sales, and resolve any potential issues.
Call Reporting: Call Reporting improves your productivity and service with real-time call statistics providing you with a range of reports to really understand your business. This software allows you to Identify any call bottlenecks, ensure even distribution of incoming calls and monitor call time, all of which can serve to improve your performance and customer service.
Video Calling: Video Calling allows you to stay connected with others and gives you the opportunity to work remotely which can be a more efficient use of everyone’s time. The high-quality audio and excellent video quality ensure clearer communication and real-time collaboration.
On-Hold Marketing: On-Hold Marketing allows you to keep your callers engaged, lets you deliver important messages and improves the likelihood of your customers staying on the line. With On-Hold Marketing you can deliver short updates, keep customers entertained with suitable music and alert callers to promotions.
How can 4Com help?
In summary, VoIP phone systems are an exceptionally reliable form of communication which is why thousands of businesses across the UK have already joined 4Com and upgraded from their traditional analogue phones.
Switching to a VoIP phone system with 4Com is a smooth process and our services will be completely tailored to you. From the installation and maintenance to the continued customer support throughout, 4Com will be there for you during the whole process and ensure the reliability of your VoIP phone system for your business.
If you would like to find out more about our services and what 4Com can offer, please visit: https://www.4com.co.uk/business-phone-systems/voip-phone-systems/
About 4Com
We are here to cater to your business’s communication needs, from broadband internet services to business phone systems. Whether it’s for large corporate offices, restaurants, hotels, dental practices, recruitment agencies, healthcare services or any other industry, we can help. Get in touch today.
