Is VoIP reliable? We Have the Answer!

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is an excellent alternative to traditional phone lines. In addition to high-quality voice conversations, VoIP allows you to make use of additional features provided by the internet rather than continuing with the limitations of antiquated copper wire systems.

The economics of scale, simplicity and other considerations may have already persuaded you of the advantages of VoIP. However, landlines are still considered the most reliable method of communication due to their low drop rate.

And concerns regarding VoIP security are justified given recent allegations of widespread internet hacking, government and corporate espionage, and other criminal activity.

We have seen many issues solved, though, thanks to recent advances in VoIP technology. 

In this article, we will answer the most common questions about VoIP. Does it offer a reliable service? Is VoIP secure? Is VoIP reliable for your business?

Let’s find out!

Does VoIP work if the internet is down?

No, VoIP does not function without an internet connection since it depends on Internet Protocol (IP) to transmit digital data. You need a high-speed broadband connection with a minimum of 100 kbps per phone line up and down, which most broadband connections easily provide.

When it comes to VoIP, one of the most often expressed concerns is what happens if your internet connection goes down. ISDN and Analog phone systems are costly, but they have a reputation for being dependable, and switching to VoIP may raise legitimate concerns about how a hiccup in internet connection could affect the operations of a company. 

However, even though a loss of connection may last for a few days or more, there is no need to be concerned about the consequences.

Each VoIP service provider is unique, some can provide built-in survivability if the internet connection that powers a VoIP system should go down for any reason. 

In many cases, there will be one or more analog lines remaining at the company for internet or fax reasons, a mobile phone, or perhaps a combination of the above.

Do VoIP phone systems affect internet speed?

The short answer is that no, these systems do not affect internet speed.

It is most likely that your internet speeds will not be adversely affected by the calls themselves, which are often quite tiny in size. However, this does not rule out the possibility that your internet speed affects the quality of your VoIP calls.

If your internet connection is not strong or fast enough, you may suffer some audio loss during phone conversations, which will typically manifest itself as “jitter” or other audio distortion. 

As you can see, calls are made in real-time and are thus more vulnerable to poor internet connectivity than the other way around.

However, the main fact is that your VoIP phone conversations will not harm your internet speeds. Even in bigger workplaces or those with extensive phone installations, it shouldn’t make much of a difference.

Internet speed needs vary according to the kind of activity performed on the network and the number of users. A little fast arithmetic may assist you in understanding your requirements. 

To get a realistic estimate of your office’s bandwidth requirements, evaluate whether or not the majority of your network activity fits into the low bandwidth or high bandwidth categories mentioned below. If the primary constraint is limited bandwidth, multiply the number of network users by three to get a fair estimate of the Mbps speed required.

Is VoIP better than landlines?

The phone system that you select for your company may make or break your company’s success. When choosing between a landline and a VoIP system, many factors should be considered, including cost, dependability, and usefulness.

You may be tempted to dismiss a landline as a dated technology.  However, when compared to contemporary VoIP systems, there are many advantages to using a conventional system that may be more beneficial for your company.

If you’re trying to decide between a VoIP system and a traditional landline system, here are some of the considerations you should keep in mind.

Equipment: You will need to figure out what equipment you currently have – such as a large number of landline phones – and decide if you are willing to replace or get rid of that equipment if you decide to switch systems.

Costs: Decide the features you pay for under your existing system and which ones you would want to have with your new system.  This will help you determine the costs. What would you charge for those desired features? Would they be included in your package, or would they be additional add-ons? While VoIP services are often less expensive than landlines, they may be lacking in certain important business phone functions.

Reliability of your internet connection: In terms of call quality and resistance to outages, landlines are well-known for their dependability. Internet reliability is less well-known. Given that VoIP systems are reliant on an internet connection, you will be unable to use your phone if you do not have enough bandwidth or a continuous connection to your internet service provider.

Scaling and maintenance:  A VoIP system is easy to update and maintain, while analog systems, depending on their age, may be more challenging to expand or improve. If your business is quickly expanding or you are uncertain about your telephone requirements in the future, a VoIP system may be a better option for you.

Why should you choose VoIP phone systems over a traditional landline?

One of the most important benefits of VoIP is that it is less costly than a traditional telephone system. Because VoIP systems work with the internet rather than traditional landlines, the installation and maintenance cost is lower, and less costly gear is required. 

It is not necessary to purchase a new system or purchase extra hardware components for VoIP phone systems since existing systems are used. Another significant advantage of VoIP over legacy phone systems is that you just pay for the number of users you have each month. 

VoIP systems, as opposed to traditional landlines, tend to provide more functions by enabling customers to hold video conversations and send multimedia messages. It is common to get additional services such as voicemail, call statistics, anonymous call rejection, and voicemail-to-text transcription.

Often, the first point of contact a consumer or client has with your company is via a phone call. Every organization’s customer service strategy starts with assistance, an efficient phone system, and a positive calling experience; here is your opportunity to create a strong first impression.

To prevent even one negative customer experience, the most effective strategy is to develop a call management system with understandable call flow, and a reliable phone system. 

What are the advantages of VoIP phone systems?

Cost-Effective: The primary advantage of using a VoIP system is it is cost-effective. Rather than being paid for call minutes or additional phones and other devices, you will only be billed for internet access, since the calls are made over the internet and the number of phone lines or users. 

With traditional phone systems, a system with many lines may be prohibitively costly, and extra features like call transfers and queuing can add to the overall cost of ownership. VoIP is a cost-effective alternative for long-distance communication since international calls made via a VoIP application are often free.

Connection from anywhere: When compared to conventional phone lines, VoIP systems provide much more capability. The corporate world moves at breakneck speed, and many professionals must be accessible at all times and from any location. 

VoIP phone systems make this possible by routing phone calls to your VoIP-enabled phone on a predetermined schedule. Using the internet to make and receive phone calls makes you available from any place where you have an internet connection.

Sound quality: The sound quality of VoIP is often better than that of analog phone lines, although this is dependent on the speed of your internet connection. A sluggish connection may have a detrimental impact on the quality of your conversation, while a robust connection will usually result in clear, consistent sound quality throughout your call. 

Additionally, the customer service process flow chart should enable the establishment of a foundation for customer relationship management. Similarly, you should verify that you have the ability to monitor users’ contacts.

Better functionality: VoIP systems, as opposed to traditional landlines, tend to provide more functions by enabling customers to hold video conversations and send multimedia messages. 

Technology: Modern communication is carried out via digital lines, and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) digitizes voice conversations. As a result, it is compatible with the most recent technology. 

VoIP may be used with the most up-to-date headsets, cellphones, computer accessories, and other devices. When using a VoIP system, cutting-edge technology that makes use of your voice will perform better than it would when using a conventional landline system.

In contrast to VoIP, VoLTE makes advantage of the 4G LTE network to deliver voice calls. Additionally, there is a difference in how VoLTE delivers voice calls.

Reliability: Because VoIP is digital, it provides highly dependable communication. International Protocol (IP) information exchanges pass over some of the most reliable infrastructure available on the globe. When this infrastructure is used to handle voice calls, it increases the overall dependability of the process significantly.

Does VoIP offer reliable service?

Technology is becoming outdated at an alarming rate, and with the recent news that landlines would be phased out in favor of digital networks over the next several years, it is imperative that you upgrade as soon as possible rather than later.

The good news is that VoIP is continuously developing, which makes it future-proof, meaning that any improvements to its capabilities will allow it to advance even more over time. What’s most important is that you need an internet service that can enhance the dependability of your phone calls for business or personal usage.

VoIP is a dependable technology, with the dependability of the technology being decided by the reliability of a company’s internet connection. The majority of companies will have a dependable internet connection, such as a leased line, which implies that any VoIP system should be free of dependability problems from the start. 

While some people may be concerned about the dependability of their internet connection, it is precisely this dependence on the internet that lends VoIP its inherent reliability.

VoIP providers, IT support firms, and managed service providers can correctly determine the bandwidth needed to offer a dependable VoIP solution that provides a company with clear, high-quality phone conversations by using the internet as a tool. 

An alternate connection, such as a leased line, may be established if a company’s internet connection becomes unreliable. This will provide the groundwork for future technologies such as VoIP.

That being said, because many businesses are already heavily reliant on a reliable internet connection, it is likely that most businesses will be able to transition to a VoIP system without making any changes. 

This will allow them to reap the benefits of VoIP, such as lower call costs, with confidence that their VoIP system is reliable and will not result in a poor experience for employees or customers.

You can build a timetable using a call flow. This schedule may provide appropriate choices for incoming calls depending on the time of day. For instance, if someone phones outside of regular business hours, this may trigger a new call flow that routes calls directly to the appropriate voicemail.  This is one of the reasons why call flow is important.

Is VoIP secure?

Internally, using VoIP is just as secure as using conventional phone lines, as long as the internal IT infrastructure is protected. Because the calls are made inside via an internal system, external hackers will not be able to readily intercept the data.

Calls made outside of the internal infrastructure, on the other hand, are at risk of being compromised. A SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is the protocol that initiates and terminates a VoIP telephone conversation. It is a gateway that connects the phone to the internet.

After that, one of many different protocols is used to send call data across the internet.  The SIP is responsible for closing the portal after the session. In part, because SIPS were not intended to be secure, they may be hacked, giving access to the call and/or the IT infrastructure on either end.

When information is transmitted over the internet, encryption may be one of the most effective methods of ensuring that the information cannot be deciphered if it is intercepted.

This is especially useful if your customers are conducting sensitive discussions or conversations that might cause harm to a reputation if the facts were leaked.

Types of businesses or industries that use VoIP

VoIP technology is already widely used in a broad variety of businesses worldwide. While the opportunity to conduct free internal conversations among workers is very beneficial, some sectors gain significantly more owing to the nature of their company.

Any business that makes a significant number of national and international calls can profit from adopting VoIP office phone systems. Due to the high expense of such calls, using a VoIP system may substantially decrease the cost of phone service.

Additionally, a VoIP system may help businesses save up to 90% on communication expenses.

Each company on the market has its communication style; the VoIP network can be readily customized to meet the specific characteristics and needs of each sector, which is one of the primary reasons for its popularity.

Are VoIP phone systems reliable for my business?

Not only are internet connections much faster than they used to be, but they are also significantly more resilient, particularly in the business sector. Businesses may save up to 40% on local calls and up to 90% on international calls. In summary, owing to the increased dependability of modern internet connections, relatively few calls fail. 

If your internet connection is stable, so will be your VoIP telephony system. Even so, problems may and do occur, but this is when VoIP can demonstrate its superior reliability over a conventional option.

As an example, suppose your phone line breaks. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do in this scenario but wait for the line’s supplier to correct the problem. Depending on the contingency measures in place, you may be unable to activate a message on the phone system notifying anybody attempting to contact your business. 

However, with the use of an IP-based phone system, you are somewhat more secure. Starting with the fact that a failover internet connection is frequently more practical and financially viable than a failover telephone line or a remote contact center, but it also offers you more flexibility in terms of anticipating and planning for such events.

Automatic call distribution (ACD) is a telephone system that accepts incoming calls automatically and routes them to an available agent. Its aim is to assist inbound contact centers to sort and manage high quantities of calls in order to prevent the staff from being overwhelmed.

Microphones/Headsets:

Although all telephone systems use a microphone to translate the speaker’s speech to electrical signals, be aware that not all microphones are made equal.

Optimization of Routers: Internet protocol telephony operates via a normal internet connection, which may create anxiety for anybody who has ever had patchy WiFi at home. However, for two reasons, your work internet connection (and the quality of your VoIP calls) should be much better.

Ethernet: Alternatively, one can connect a phone to an Ethernet connection or remain stationary. You may prioritize speech packets using QoS, however, when utilizing ethernet cords, a steady internet connection is always more dependable. When feasible, sales and support personnel should use wired internet connections to avoid service interruptions.

What are examples of VoIP phone systems that are good for business?

As technology develops and businesses adapt to constantly changing surroundings, many are abandoning conventional landlines in favor of voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) services. Due to the extensive integration possibilities with other applications, using a VoIP service may assist in saving on expenses, enhancing remote collaboration, and boosting productivity.

There are hundreds of VoIP companies, each with its unique set of services and price. Finding the appropriate service for your company may be difficult. In our previous posts, we have researched and rated the best VoIP services provider on the market for your convenience.

How do fast-growing companies use VoIP phone systems?

VoIP already has many distinct benefits, and its web-based architecture ensures future (and quicker) innovation. There is no question that the familiarity of the nearly 200-year-old telephone model provides comfort. However, its contemporary replacement provides small companies with enhanced capabilities and smarter solutions while lowering expenses (and passing the savings on to you and your consumers.

By 2020, the corporate voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) market will reach $86.2 billion, representing a 9.0 percent compound annual growth rate. According to data compiled by Future Market Insights, the market has doubled in size in just eight years.

Over the last five years, companies across a variety of sectors have increased their investment in enterprise-level VoIP systems. The rise in expenditure corresponded with two significant technological advancements – significant increases in the dependability of ISP connections and more reliable network architecture. 

This generation of VoIP has almost completely resolved the connection and system dependability issues of previous generations. There is one more significant issue to address in the delivery of VoIP services: optimizing the LAN and WAN customer network systems on the other end of the data stream.

Conclusion

The aspect of VoIP that will drive the industry is its ability to function as endpoints capable of sharing information, cooperating proactively, and serving a broad range of objectives. The emphasis will be on the creation of additional intelligent endpoints that are even more dynamic. 

As these endpoints grow more intelligent over time, they will extend their capabilities and enable service providers to extract even more value from their existing networks. Additionally, they will offer their customers additional services without modifying existing infrastructure or establishing new networks.

Need help with finding the best communication tool for your business? Talk to a phone system expert today! Call us at ((602)-691-6006 or click here to schedule a meeting with us.