Common concerns when migrating to an IP phone service

admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:25:06 +0000

IP or Cloud PBX phone service may be the most popular choice for communication systems among businesses today.
TMCnet reports that out of the 3,000 global CIOs that IBM surveyed, 60 percent say that migrating to cloud phone service in five years’ time was part of their organization’s plan to gain a competitive edge and to grow their business. This is almost double the number of CIOs who planned to migrate to cloud computing two years ago
Cloud computing is not just popular among large enterprises. In the same article, TMCnet cites a Microsoft study indicating that 39 percent of SMBs are expected to adopt cloud phone services in the next three years.
But even with the rising popularity of the cloud, there are quite a number of businesses that are hesitant to migrate to cloud phone service providers. Two of the common concerns are the following:
Reliability
While many businesses may acknowledge that the cloud is the future of telephony, companies that are used to traditional phone systems are understandably hesitant to make the shift. Why fix what’s not broken, they say, especially if the alternative does not seem to be reliable? Last mid-April, Amazon experienced a multi-day outage during a regular upgrade effort. The outage took down social networking sites such as Reddit and Foursquare. The loss of even a day’s worth of phone service undoubtedly leads to a lot of customer backlash and halts business productivity, risks which no business wants to take.
Security
Another major concern is cyber security. FoxBusiness reports that the number of VoIP threats has increased over the last year. A quick Google search can lead crackers to accessible downloads of fake caller IDs and other internet phone cracks. While storing data in the cloud leads to virtually unlimited storage space and massive cost savings in the long run, it also makes your phone system vulnerable to phishing, malicious hacking, phone hijacking and information stealing.
Safeguards
While traditional PBX is “not broken”, any business wants higher productivity at less cost, and generally a better way of running things. IP telephony can provide these. To safeguard against reliability and security issues:
• Store, share and automatically back-up data in a secure web interface. This way, you can easily restore or delete information.
• Plan a back-up power supply, in case of ISP/cloud provider outages
• Implement tighter security measures for your most sensitive data. Network Master Consultant Cliff McGlamry doesn’t suggest across-the-board upgrades as this becomes self-defeating and counterproductive, leading to delayed booting times and performance loss.
• Choose established phone service providers
Any technology, old or new, is not completely failsafe. The reality is that cloud phone service has been proven efficient and cost-effective, as evidenced by the many businesses opting to make the shift. By safeguarding your IP system, you too can experience the complete benefits of cloud computing.

VOIP Technology

admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:10:00 +0000

Voice Over Internet Protocol technology or also known as VOIP is already shaping the future of telephony. VOIP is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls with the help of a broadband Internet connection as an alternative of a regular or analog phone line. Some of the services used by VOIP may only allow you to call other people via same service, but others may allow you to call anyone who has a telephone number and this calls include local, long distance, mobile, and international numbers.

What is VOIP?
Before we head in to farther discussion, we should have a clear idea about VOIP. The simple way to say is VOIP leaves you to make telephone calls using a computer network, over a data network like the Internet. Its converts the voice signals from your telephone into a digital signal which travels through the internet then converts back into voice signal at the other end, so you can definitely speak to anyone who has a regular phone number. You will hear a regular dial tone like you hear on the telephone while you place a VOIP call. The technology is pretty much simple.

Placing a call on VOIP
This mainly depends on the service of VOIP provider. One of the common ways to place a VOIP call is to pick up your telephone and dial a number just like the regular phone, but the difference is you will have to use an adapter which will be connected with your high-speed Internet broadband connection. The call you placed will go through your local telephone company to a VoIP provider then the phone call goes over the Internet to the called party’s local telephone company for the completion of the call. Well, this is just one way, another way is to use a microphone headset plugged into your computer. The number is placed using the keyboard and is routed through your cable modem.

The kind of equipment you will require
The first thing you will need is a high-speed Internet connection. This connection can be through a cable modem or high speed services such as local area connection. Then you can simply plug-in an inexpensive microphone and you are ready to send your vice through a cable modem or connect a phone directly to a telephone adaptor.

The difference between local call and long distance call
Some of the VOIP provider presents free service. Your VOIP provider may permit you to select an area code different from the area in which you live. Which means you may not be provided with long distance charges if you call a number in your area code regardless of geography. Similarly people who call you may incur long distance charges depending on their area code and service.

Who can you call with VOIP service?
This is mainly depends on the on your services. Your service might be limited and it will might not allow you to make call to other subscribers to the service. Or your service can allow you to call any phone number, anywhere in the world. However, the call be made to a local number, a mobile phone, to a long distance number, or an international number. The fun part is, you can utilize this service to make voice conversation. Which means you can speak with more than one person at same time. The person you are calling just need a phone, nothing else.

Tech Smash » Telecommunication

Common concerns when migrating to an IP phone service

VOIP Technology