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The cost savings, increased functionality, and improved productivity and mobility offered by Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is fast making it a priority among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). But what are key factors to consider when evaluating and choosing a business VoIP provider? How can you be sure that the vendor you select will be flexible enough to meet the growing needs of your organization?
This paper will outline the key selection criteria to consider when your organization is evaluating VoIP. It will also provide a brief overview of the mindSHIFT Managed VoIP solutions, and how they allow organizations to take full advantage of VoIP while ensuring high quality of service.
VoIP is the technology used to transmit voice conversations over the Internet or through any other IP (Internet Protocol)-based network. With VoIP, voice conversation is broken up into packets of data which are transmitted over the Internet or over a proprietary broadband network before being reassembled on the terminating end of the call. There are several selection criteria to use when evaluating and selecting a VoIP provider for small and medium-sized businesses.
Quality of Service
Quality of service, which is critical to a successful phone implementation, is comprised of many elements – in-house wiring, router configurations, switch configurations and the ability of your carrier to deliver quality of service. In addition to ordering quality of service from the carrier, organizations need to consider design, equipment and wiring – ensuring that all of these components prioritize voice over data. This requires an end-to-end solution that is engineered by a qualified provider that can handle switches, routers, inside wiring and phones.
We recommend that you order Quality of Service on every voice circuit in your network. If you don’t have it, then call quality can degrade with echo, dropped calls and one-way talk paths. Most businesses can’t afford to have dropped calls or calls that fade in and out.
Functionality
Standard VoIP features include call forwarding, hold and transfer, and 3-way conferencing. Advanced features include simultaneous ring and selective call forwarding. Twelve of the most popular features, such as simultaneous ring and selective call forwarding, are outlined in the table.
Equipment Needed
With the implementation of VoIP, organizations should purchase or lease Voice over IP-capable phones. Other equipment that will likely be required includes switches, routers, circuits and analog phone adapters designed for a VoIP environment. Buyers should make certain that the quotes they receive from prospective suppliers represent an end-to-end design and include all relevant equipment, to enable an apples-to-apples comparison.
Cost of Long Distance
Check to see if there are add-on fees for long distance calls. Consider long-distance calls in your evaluation. Make sure you have a sufficient number of minutes for both local and long distance, and purchase a package that is sufficient for your business needs.
Service Options and Vendor Viability
In an industry of ongoing consolidation, it’s important to determine what type of ongoing support will be available. Even if you choose an on-premises solution, issues may arise which require the support of the provider. Two things to consider:
1. Do the providers have a dedicated customer service team to answer your questions after the initial setup and installation?
2. Are the providers stable and financially viable? How many customers do they have?
Having access to your provider after the initial setup may mean the difference between ongoing issues and technology peace of mind.
On-Site vs. Managed Services
The choice of a VoIP provider is largely dependent on whether you implement an on-premises solution or whether you use a hosted service. Both types of implementations can be managed by an experienced Managed Services Provider (MSP). One key benefit to purchasing an on-premises system is the potential for customization that leads to greater integration of the phone with applications. But along with better integration comes responsibility and cost. One key advantage of deploying hosted VoIP services is the ability to continue operations (specifically phone usage) during and following any disaster, such as a snowstorm or hurricane which causes a power outage and makes your offices unusable.
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