Category: Blog

Modern businesses thrive on seamless and efficient communication, with the business phone system serving as its backbone. While traditional phones were once reliable, they now pose limitations. Once stalwarts of business communication, they are now proving to be expensive relics.

In a recent study, a majority of IT and non-IT leaders say technical debt severely limits their IT function’s ability to innovate and migrate to new technologies. On top of that, many businesses report allocating significant funds and budget towards sustaining business operations. This means, less is available for innovation as time and money is spent maintaining, fixing, and damage control.

As technology advances, maintaining outdated phones can incur unforeseen costs, hindering business efficacy. In this article, we cover the factors that affect legacy phone system cost and how you reduce your communication expenditure with alternatives like voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

• Key Cost Factors of Legacy Phone Systems
• Cost Advantages of VoIP Business Phones

How Much Do Legacy Phone Systems Cost? Key Factors

Legacy phone systems refer to traditional business phone systems that have been used for decades. These systems transmit analog or voice signals through copper wires between users. The most common examples of legacy systems are the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS). Legacy systems are characterized by their reliance on physical hardware, such as landline phones and on-premise PBX systems.

Knowing how much your legacy phone system is costing you is essential to understanding your communication expenses. From unexpected outages and downtime to call volume charges and hardware upkeep, each aspect contributes tremendously to the big picture. Let’s look at the key factors contributing to the true cost of a legacy phone system.

1. Outages and Downtime

Hardware failures, network issues, low-quality IT infrastructure, and bad weather are some factors that can trigger outages, disrupting the ability to make and receive calls. This interruption could affect communication with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders. Such downtime can ultimately impact revenue generation and tarnish brand reputation.

Still, businesses are reluctant to move to newer, more efficient technologies. In contrast, VoIP and internet-based phone systems offer redundant and high-availability networks that ensure continuity and keep the business running as usual.

2. Call Volume and Usage Charges

One key factor contributing to the higher costs of legacy systems is the method of call routing and transmission. Calls made through legacy systems typically travel over the PSTN. When you make a call, a dedicated circuit is created between the point where your call originates and the point serving the person you’re calling. This circuit allows your voice signals to travel through the network from your phone to the recipient’s phone.

However, the establishment of these circuits comes with costs, particularly when the call crosses long distances. For long-distance calls, more infrastructure and resources are required to establish and maintain these circuits, resulting in higher costs for both the telecom provider and the user. Plus, getting more phone lines means adding new infrastructure, which costs a lot of money.

3. Hardware Upkeep and Support

Legacy phone systems rely on outdated hardware components like analog lines, physical switches, and handsets that may need to be replaced periodically due to wear and tear, which can contribute to ongoing costs.

Additionally, they need IT staff with the right expertise and skills to maintain operations daily. However, as newer phone systems continue to grow popular and become the norm, fewer people know or are willing to deal with older systems. Hiring the right people to work with such technology can, therefore, prove expensive.

Adding to that, failure to maintain these systems could result in service disruptions, which further entail financial repercussions for the business.

4. Limited Flexibility and Scalability

A legacy phone system offers limited flexibility and scalability, and you might need to allocate more of your infrastructure budget. For instance, adding new phone lines or expanding infrastructure—like purchasing additional hardware and phone lines—means additional spend. Naturally, this will lead to increased complexity and cost.

While traditional phone systems allow call merging and routing, you may require staff to handle these tasks manually. If this manual intervention is insufficient or unmonitored, especially in high call volume settings, you may experience missed opportunities and revenue loss.

Further, the absence of advanced call management features (like transcription, IVR, and auto-attendant) and modern solutions (like integrations with other business systems) make legacy phones incompatible with remote and hybrid work setups. Modern businesses demand mobile, flexible, and easily scalable communication solutions, and lack thereof adds to the overall cost. However, adding these features to your legacy phone system will stack up as more hidden costs.

VoIP, on the other hand, typically comes packed with advanced features and call management functionality. Read more about VoIP features ahead.

5. Staff Training

Training and skill development are essential for all those who manage legacy phones. While using a legacy phone might seem straightforward, there are still essential functions that employees need to understand, such as call forwarding, conference calling, and using voicemail. Proper training ensures that employees know how to use the phone system efficiently, reducing the likelihood of missed calls and minimizing downtime.

However, training staff over time can be an ongoing expense. This includes costs for initial training as well as recurrent training for updates or new features.

Cost Advantages of VoIP Business Phones

Many organizations are transitioning to modern and flexible communication solutions, such as VoIP and session initiation protocol (SIP), to mitigate costs associated with legacy systems. This migration presents an opportunity to streamline communication processes and reduce costs. Basically, VoIP/SIP lets you upgrade telephony service but decreases costs.

VoIP leverages software-based platforms and internet infrastructure to offer a spectrum of cost benefits compared to legacy phone systems.

Let’s explore the key factors that contribute to its affordability and effectiveness in modern business operations:

1. Initial Investment

VoIP relies on software-based solutions and utilizes existing internet infrastructure, reducing upfront costs. This means you can use it to add new functionality to your existing structure. Or, do away with your outdated equipment and forward calls to your computer or laptop using a VoIP softphone.

In fact, United World Telecom offers a flexible softphone and web dialer with our outbound calling plans, so your teams can connect from anywhere.

2. Call Costs

VoIP providers often present more competitive pricing structures, particularly for long-distance and international calls. For instance, United World Telecom offers plans for as low as $7.95 per month and they come with a host of free call management features.

Additionally, we offer extensive voice global coverage, reaching even the remotest locations at cost-effective rates. Our connectivity spans over 160 countries, allowing you to engage with customers worldwide. Furthermore, by forwarding calls virtually, you don’t need to worry about additional long-distance rates.

Get a toll-free number and facilitate cost-free communication for your global customer base. And if you choose local numbers, customers still call at low local rates, even if you forward those calls internationally.

3. Maintenance Costs

VoIP is a cloud service, which means it is hosted and maintained by service providers. This way, you don’t have to worry about maintenance and upkeep at all. From routine updates to troubleshooting and repairs, the responsibility falls squarely on the VoIP provider’s shoulders, freeing up valuable time and resources for you to focus on core business operations.

4. Downtime Costs

VoIP systems are inherently more resilient to downtime with the availability of features like redundancy routing and failover forwarding. These features are proactive measures that automatically redirect incoming calls to alternative destinations in the event of system failure or network disruption. All you have to do is set up routing rules to specify alternative phone numbers, extensions, or voicemail boxes where calls should forward to during downtime.

To improve phone system reliability, check out our resource on VoIP uptime.

5. Features and Functionality

Service providers like United World Telecom offer an exhaustive list of cloud telephony features and functionalities unavailable with traditional legacy systems. From time of day and VIP caller routing to advanced IVR and call flow builder, the list of options is endless! You can use these VoIP features to reduce costs as they come free and can be implemented in an online control panel. So, no extra hard or software investment is required.

Additionally, these features can help cut down on time-consuming tasks, improving operational efficiency. For instance, while legacy phone systems can send voice calls to voicemails, an agent or staff must manually listen to the messages and jot down important details. Additionally, if you have a global customer base, you’ll need a translator to interpret or translate transcripts. But with a business voicemail translation feature, you can get the voicemails transcribed and translated in your preferred language on a single platform. This way, global teams can efficiently communicate and collaborate regardless of where team members are located.

6. Flexibility and Scalability

With VoIP, you get unparalleled flexibility and scalability to adjust your communication infrastructure according to changing business needs. You can add or remove users, phone lines, and numbers in a simple few steps—all this without investing in costly hardware upgrades.

7. Integrations

One of the best aspects of VoIP telephony is it seamlessly integrates with other business applications and tools, allowing for greater efficiency and workflow automation. Integrations with CRM software, email platforms, and collaboration tools streamline communication processes and eliminate the need for manual data entry, resulting in time and cost savings.

United World Telecom offers the option to connect your phone numbers to your business tools like Zoho, Salesforce, Zendesk, and more. Visit our integrations page or speak to one of our experts to learn all about this telephony capability.

8. Remote and Hybrid Work Support

VoIP systems are well-suited for remote and global environments, providing employees with access to the same communication features and functionalities regardless of their location. With mobile apps, softphones, and web-based interfaces, remote workers can stay connected and productive without the need for additional hardware or infrastructure, reducing overhead communication costs.

As you can see, the total cost of ownership for VoIP systems is generally lower than that of legacy phone systems due to lower infrastructure costs, reduced call rates, and increased efficiency and productivity gains.

You can read more about why VoIP is a good fit for distributed teams in our article.

How Can UWT Help?

Legacy phone systems are undoubtedly becoming obsolete. Latest technologies like SIP and VoIP come with endless possibilities in communication that can grow your business.

Is VoIP a reliable alternative?
Yes, VoIP is highly reliable and has globally emerged as a preferred alternative to legacy phones. We at United World Telecom have helped global businesses evolve with our VoIP offerings since 1996.

UWT offers basic to advanced VoIP-based call management features catering to different business communication needs. We also understand the complexities of upgrading from legacy phones to VoIP.

Don’t let outdated technology hold your business back!

How to switch to VoIP?
Switching to VoIP involves planning, testing internet connectivity, preparing infrastructure, selecting a provider, choosing equipment, training teams, and setting up your device for a smooth migration.

Stay ahead of the curve in the digital age. Consult with our experts today and let us help you transition to VoIP.

Globally, there has been a shift towards digital and internet-based communication services. Many countries are investing in high-speed internet infrastructure, and telecom companies are moving away from traditional copper wire networks.

While POTS has been reliable and served its purpose for many years, the shift towards more advanced and integrated communication technologies is driven by the desire for enhanced features, efficiency, and adaptability to the demands of modern communication.

Let’s examine why POTS lines are being phased out and what POTS replacement options are available for businesses.

Using POTS for Business Communication

Plain old telephone service (POTS) is a traditional telephone system that utilizes copper wires to transmit analog signals for voice communication. It has been the primary telephone service before VoIP and other digital communication techs since the 1880s. This solution is also called the public switched telephone network (PSTN). There are several local and national carriers operating these copper-based networks.

Businesses widely used POTS as it was considered reliable—particularly during power outages, due to its independence from electricity. Setting up POTS is relatively straightforward and viewed as a beneficial feature. One has to connect to the traditional telephone to the existing phone lines, and you’re ready to make and receive calls.

However, POTS has many limitations and drawbacks, such as higher costs, more maintenance, fewer features, etc. In comparison, more advanced communication technologies like VoIP offer better quality service for lower costs.

Why Replace POTS?

POTS replacement services aim to improve efficiency, support new services, and enhance connectivity in the evolving digital landscape. Legacy phone systems are primarily designed for voice calls, lacking advanced features that have become integral to contemporary business operations.

Integrating communication tools with other business applications—like VoIP CRM integrations—and workflows streamlines processes, reduces response times, and enhances productivity.

Also, digital systems outperform POTS in call quality with advanced technologies like digital signal processing, error correction, adaptive voice codecs, and echo cancellation, enhancing voice clarity and minimizing background noise.

Lastly, the upkeep of copper wire infrastructure for POTS can be expensive. Meanwhile, digital and internet-based communication systems often utilize existing broadband infrastructure, proving more cost-effective.

Are POTS Lines Being Phased Out?

Modern phone systems render PSTN obsolete due to its incompatibility with current communication needs and trends.

In 2019, the Federal Communications Commission implemented regulatory changes, such as Order 19-72A1, accelerating the transition from traditional POTS. This initiative supports incumbent local exchange carriers in upgrading to modern telecom infrastructure.

Similarly, the UK is phasing out PSTN by 2025 as part of its digital infrastructure transformation driven by technological advancements. Australia also sees a consistent decline in landline telephone usage. All this indicates better solutions and alternatives are available.

Exploring POTS Alternatives

As POTS becomes obsolete, evaluating available POTS replacement services is crucial. Many businesses are switching to cloud telephony solutions with session initiation protocol (SIP) and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) for business communications. Unlike PSTN, SIP and VoIP leverage digital technology and the internet to transmit voice signals, providing cost savings, advanced features, and enhanced flexibility.

What is the difference between POTS and VoIP?

Related: How Does VoIP Connect to PSTN?

How Can UWT Help?

As modern businesses embrace remote work models, the relevance of POTS dwindles. With unparalleled mobility, flexibility, and scalability, POTS alternatives like VoIP take center stage.

United World Telecom is one of the pioneering VoIP service providers, and we bring vast expertise in modern business communication solutions.

We can help you make the switch to VoIP seamlessly.

Consult with our expert today to explore POTS replacement solutions.

Operational efficiency is like a compass that can guide your business towards adaptability and resilience, eventually boosting revenue. In a survey of 1,300 CEOs worldwide, a whopping 77% said that prioritizing operational efficiencies is their key approach to boosting revenue growth. This consensus among top leaders tells a clear story—efficiency is not just important; it’s a key part of the success formula.

In this operational efficiency guide, we’ll cover the following:

• What Does it Mean to Improve Operations?
• Which Areas to Consider to Improve Operations?
• How to Improve Operational Efficiency in 10 Steps
• Using VoIP to Improve Business Communication

What Does it Mean to Improve Operations?

Enhancing operations involves creating a leaner, more responsive organizational structure. The bedrock of operational efficiency is well-designed, clear, and standardized processes. Such processes can eliminate unnecessary steps, reduce errors, save time, and ensure consistency in tasks, thereby, maximizing productivity.

The best example of operational efficiency for business is customer relationship management (CRM) software. The CRM is like a digital assistant that helps agents keep track of customer support interactions and manage information, allowing agents to respond quickly.

Say a customer calls in with a question. The CRM consolidates customer history, helping your agents to provide quick and personalized solutions. Now this CRM function not only saves time, but also improves the overall customer experience.

Importance of Operational Efficiency for Businesses

Improving operations isn’t just about cost savings; it’s about working more efficiently. For instance, when businesses smartly integrate digital technologies across their value chain and processes, they can see a 90% productivity increase, 50% energy efficiency, and 100% speed-to-market improvement, according to research by the World Economic Forum. This makes sure that your business can provide excellent service and adapt quickly to competition.

When you take time to improve business operations at various levels, you can:

• Streamline workflows,
• Optimize resources and reduce waste,
• Reduce inefficiencies and errors,
• Improve productivity and collaboration,
• Ensure faster delivery times,
• Offer reliable services,
• And maintain sustainable growth overall.

Which Areas to Consider to Improve Operations?

As you know, seamless operation is crucial for sustaining growth and staying competitive. From business communication infrastructure to customer service, each area plays a big role in how well an organization works. Focusing on these areas will help your teams work together better and make business processes smoother.

Let’s look at 9 operational areas where you can make improvements:

1. Communication Infrastructure

Upgrading communication infrastructure for operational efficiency requires bringing together all voice services in one central place. Imagine it as a single hub for all your business calls. This simplifies things—no more juggling between systems. By centralizing, you reduce the need to manage calls manually.

For example, you can effortlessly handle and track business calls from a single platform with centralized voice services. This means no fumbling between phones or missing crucial information. When a call comes in, you have everything you need in front of you. Discover the latest trends shaping the future of unified communications in 2024 in our article.

2. IT Service Management

Implementing IT service management (ITSM) frameworks like an information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) is like giving your IT operations a smart makeover. The ITIL framework standardizes processes, ensuring timely incident resolution, strategic capacity planning, smooth change management, and expedited problem resolution.

By implementing ITIL, you can create a robust and reliable IT infrastructure. This integration optimizes internal processes and fosters an adaptive business ecosystem.

3. Cloud Migration

Making this shift involves moving your business operations and data from traditional on-site servers to the cloud, which offers a secure and remote digital space. This cloud migration shift has many benefits: scalability, flexibility, and cost savings.

Depending on business needs, you can easily adjust digital resources, like storage and processing power. This adaptability helps avoid wasting resources during slow periods and accommodates growth during busy times.

Cloud services allow your team to access important data and applications from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility facilitates remote work, collaboration, and swift-decision making, contributing to overall efficiency.

Migration also reduces investment and maintenance costs. You can eliminate hefty investments in physical infrastructure. Cloud services operate on a pay-as-you-go model, meaning you only pay for what you use, reducing overall expenses.

4. Security

Prioritizing the protection of your IT systems can lead to a seamless workflow and safety of sensitive data. An essential aspect is setting up IT security policies and routinely updating and patching systems to fortify them against potential threats.

Conducting regular vulnerability assessments will help you identify and fix potential weaknesses, preventing security breaches. Implement best practices such as zero-trust security. In this security model, each user and device must authenticate and verify their identity before accessing resources. It is an additional layer of security that acknowledges that threats can come from both external and internal sources.

5. Monitoring and Analytics

Proactive monitoring helps identify issues before they impact users. This involves regular examination of different system aspects like its performance, security, and overall functionality. Incorporating best practices like continuous monitoring helps in actively staying ahead of potential issues.

A practical example of a tool in this realm is Application Performance Monitoring (APM) software. APM tools keep a close eye on how applications are performing, detecting any slowdowns or glitches. When an issue is identified, the software provides insights into the root cause, enabling quick resolution before users even notice a problem. This not only prevents disruptions but also contributes to a seamless and efficient workflow.

6. Knowledge Management

A knowledge base or documentation system can help store and share critical tech information, troubleshooting guides, and solutions. It serves as a centralized hub for important IT insights, which helps your agents find answers easily. You can also use such documentation to bring new employees and customers up to speed on your systems, making the onboarding process more efficient. This helps everyone work smarter and faster.

7. Risk Management

Whether you’re a large enterprise or small company, IT risk management is crucial. Develop and implement a risk management strategy to identify, assess, control, and mitigate IT-related risks. First, you need to identify possible risks to IT systems and how they might affect operations. Next, assess the impact and likelihood of these risks. And finally, take steps to reduce the impact or chance of issues occurring.

For instance, you can use tech tools like threat intelligence software. This software provides early warnings, allowing you to address security risks preemptively.

8. Continuous Improvement

This practice is a cornerstone for enhancing operational efficiency within a business. It involves encouraging your IT staff to regularly review and refine processes and adapt to changing business needs. They must methodically create and implement a strategy to recognize, evaluate, and mitigate potential IT-related risks, thereby ensuring the resilience of the digital infrastructure.

9. Customer Service

Efficiency in response times entails a prompt and streamlined interaction with customers. It is about ensuring that when a customer seeks assistance, whether through call, chat, or email, the response is swift and helpful, leading to reduced abandoned calls and interactions. Quality support is the soul of customer service. Empower your agent with knowledge, tools, and resources to provide quick and personalized solutions.

How to Improve Operational Efficiency in 10 Steps

To improve operations, you must prioritize streamlining processes to enhance productivity while minimizing resources. By assessing the current state, setting goals, and creating a strategy, organizations can identify areas for improvement. Then, select the right solutions, embrace automation, and implement new tools to significantly optimize workflows. Businesses that invest in these steps gain a competitive edge, ensuring sustainability and growth.

1. Assess Current State

A critical first step is to assess where your organization stands right now. This involves meticulously examining needs, identifying gaps, and understanding the essential ‘jobs to be done.’ This evaluation serves as the bedrock for crafting strategies to enhance operational efficiency.

Break down your examination into specific areas. Workflow processes, communication, security, storage, and technology infrastructure are some of the key areas you can look into. For instance, picture a store facing delays because its inventory system isn’t communicating well. By fixing how information is shared, like providing how the store tracks its products, they can make things smoother.

2. Set Goals and Create a Strategy

Clear goals and strategies provide a sense of direction, while a strategic plan outlines the steps to achieve those goals. For instance, introducing a knowledge management system and conducting targeted training sessions could be strategic initiatives aimed at achieving the goal of reducing average handling time.

Moreover, goals also serve as benchmarks for measuring progress and fostering accountability. The iterative nature of this process allows for continuous improvement, adjusting to changes, and maintaining long-term efficiency.

3. Identify the Right Solutions

It goes without saying that finding the right solutions is one of the most important keys to improving operations. It involves a strategic approach to understanding and addressing gaps and challenges, facilitating optimal use of resources. Research plays a crucial role in this process. It gives you valuable insights into industry best practices, latest technologies, and customer expectations.

For example, understanding the latest trends in customer communication channels may help you identify the right tools and strategy needed to fix bottlenecks in customer support workflows. This might mean using advanced software or automated systems to speed up response times.

4. Consider Automation

Automation is a game-changer. Take, for instance, the manual task of routing customer inquiries to the right department. Without an automation tool like an IVR system, this process could be time-consuming and prone to human errors. However, with automated ticketing systems, you can quickly direct incoming tickets to the right department or agent based on predefined criteria.

5. Implement New Tools

The shift to new tools is driven by the recognition that outdated systems can impede progress. You can not only boost efficiency but also future-proof operations. For example, modern communication tools like international call forwarding or community chat services facilitate real-time communication, document sharing, and thereby enable quick decision-making. By embracing the advantages of such tools, you can adapt to evolving demands, enhance collaboration, and streamline workflow.

6. Consider VoIP for Communications

Unlike legacy phones, VoIP phone systems allow seamless communication over the internet, reducing costs and increasing flexibility. Features like call forwarding, voicemail-to-email, and virtual numbers, VoIP streamlines communication, ensuring your team stays connected from anywhere.

More on how to use VoIP to improve operational efficiency below.

7. Train Employees

Your staff needs regular training on new tools, knowledge, and methods to stay adaptable and updated. Skilled staff can handle tasks competently and troubleshoot problems independently. For example, a retail store with trained staff processes customer transactions faster, preventing long queues. This, in turn, leads to better customer satisfaction. You may even consider running regular training sessions as refreshers to maintain quality.

8. Provide Support and Troubleshooting Assistance

Helping your agents with support and troubleshooting leads to swifter problem-solving and first contact resolutions. It empowers employees to handle challenges well and stay productive. Providing prompt assistance and a clear escalation matrix also prevents work disruption and contributes to a positive work environment.

9. Document and Review Processes

By documenting workflows, you can create an operations blueprint for others to use and resolve similar issues quickly. And regular reviews of the documented processes are crucial for two main reasons: continuous improvement and maintaining business continuity. Additionally, in times of employee turnover or unexpected events, others can step in smoothly because they have pre-existing guides.

10. Collect Feedback and Update Process

Gathering customer and employee input is a great way to identify and address specific pain points and hiccups. By incorporating this feedback into process updates, you can tailor operations to better meet essential needs. This step ensures processes remain agile and aligned with customer expectations.

Using VoIP to Improve Business Communication Efficiency

So, how can your business use a VoIP service to make business communications streamlined and efficient?

Here are some practical applications of VoIP to improve operations:

1. Implement Collaboration Tools

VoIP supports audio calls, which offers your teams a more immediate way to interact, make decisions, and solve problems. An optimized VoIP network also offers a variety of channels to communicate. This way, your teams can choose the most suitable mode of communication for a given situation, optimizing efficiency.

For instance, a quick clarification can be addressed through chat, while a more complex issue could be discussed over a video call. This adaptability minimizes delays and overall responsiveness.

2. Use Cloud Telephony Features

You can leverage cloud telephony features like virtual numbers, call routing, and auto attendants to scale your business cost-efficiently. These cloud calling features help create a tailored communication infrastructure in line with your operational needs and business goals.

For example, the simultaneous ringing feature can enhance sales teams’ availability and responsiveness. Picture a scenario where a potential customer has urgent questions about your product or service and is considering making a purchase. With simultaneous ringing, multiple sales representatives receive the call simultaneously. The first available representative can answer the call promptly and address the prospect’s queries, securing a potential sale.

Check out the wide range of advanced calling features offered with every United World Telecom phone plan.

3. Provide Customer Service from Anywhere

Cloud communications ensures business continuity and productivity even during crises like power outages or pandemics. How is that possible? With the data and communication tools available online, your teams can collaborate, attend virtual meetings, and keep the work going.

Say in the event of a severe weather event that forces the closure of your contact center’s physical location, you can quickly and easily forward or route calls to alternative locations or remote agents. This ensures that customers can still reach a representative for assistance, regardless of the impact on your primary facility.

Similarly, time-based routing allows you to direct incoming calls to different locations or numbers based on the time of the day. For example, during business hours, calls could be routed to an in-house customer support team, while after-hours calls could be forwarded to a remote center.
This feature also helps you provide 24/7 support and remain accessible year-round from anywhere.

4. Manage High Call Traffic

VoIP call features, including smart routing and automated attendants, reduce wait times and manage incoming calls smoothly. Setting up failover forwarding to send calls to remote or backup teams during peak periods or emergencies can maintain service continuity. Similarly, you can use an automatic call distribution system to efficiently smartly and evenly distribute calls, avoiding overload on specific agents or service centers.

5. Maintain Support Across Different Time Zones

You can support customers in different time zones better. Using VoIP features, route and forward calls from different international locations to your global teams. In this manner, you can offer assistance even during off-hours. It’s like having a 24/7 support system without making everyone work at the same time.

6. Integrate with Key Business Applications

VoIP integrations serve as a vital strategy to improve operations. Specifically, CRM integrations with VoIP can cut down time spent on repetitive manual tasks and eliminates the need to toggle between apps.

Agents can receive caller details on their screen when a customer call is received or initiated. And they can easily place outbound calls directly from the CRM interface with a simple click. No need to grab the phone and manually dial the number!

How Can UWT Help?

As you know, operational efficiency is an ongoing commitment to improvement. Effective business communication influences how tasks are carried out, information is exchanged, and customer relationships are maintained.

Modern business communication tools can reduce errors and misunderstandings and facilitate better collaboration, thereby upgrading operations. United World Telecom offers many features to optimize and power your business communication.

Legacy phone technologies, like the PSTN and on-premise PBX systems, shaped digital communications today, but it’s time for businesses to embrace the digital landscape’s growing needs.

This is especially important for virtual and hybrid work setups. Employees, stakeholders, partners, and customers can connect from anywhere, using features like virtual extensions and global SIP trunking.

But with more and more businesses using cloud-based communication, securing your cloud PBX phone system is crucial.

In this guide to PBX security, we’ll go over:

• Which is more secure? Cloud PBX or On-Premise PBX
• Potential threats
• Best practices of PBX security

Importance of Keeping Your PBX Phone System Secure

It’s necessary to use cybersecurity measures to protect communication data handled by your cloud PBX from potential threats and unauthorized access. These cyberattacks can result in high costs (up to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025), data loss, and cause lasting damage to your business reputation. In the U.S., in 2022 alone, there were countless malware attacks (44%), data breaches (27%), and DDoS attacks (22%) (Forbes).

And yet, most companies don’t invest in cybersecurity because they have “little financial incentive to do so.” However, when organizations have advanced security measures and capabilities, they can deliver 43% higher revenue growth. This means that if your business is not paying attention to security across the board, you are not safeguarding your business enough.

This is true even in the case of a cloud telephony or PBX system, primarily because they rely on the internet to function.

Is Cloud PBX or On-Premise PBX More Secure?

Whether cloud PBX or on-premise is more secure depends on a few factors such as communication needs, budget, provider, and IT team availability.

The main difference between cloud and on-premise PBX systems is where they are stored and who is in charge of the system. Cloud PBX is typically hosted by your PBX provider and available through the Internet. Since it’s a hosted system, your provider maintains, updates, and secures the system. While cloud communication technology is convenient, cost-effective, and easily accessible, if not secured well, it can be prone to fraud, breaches, and similar disruptions.

On-premise PBX, on the other hand, is located in your office premises and connected to your internal network. This is typically built, run, and managed by your experienced in-house IT team. Since your team is in charge, you have more control over how to keep your system secure. Yet, on-premise systems can be outdated compared to modern technology, and by extension, modern cybercrimes. This may lead to struggles with functionality, recovery, and stability.

Learn more in our guide on cloud vs on-premise PBX.

5 Potential Threats to PBX Security

Identifying and fixing security issues begins with understanding the different cybersecurity problems and what elements they can affect. From the menace of eavesdropping to sophisticated cyberattacks, several threats make your cloud PBX system vulnerable. Here are a few of them:

1. Unauthorized Access and Hacking

2. Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed DoS (DDoS) Attacks

3. Eavesdropping Attacks

4. Malware Attacks

5. Phishing and Social Engineering

5 Best Practices of PBX Security

Securing your cloud PBX system is paramount, and implementing best practices ensures its resilience against potential threats and attacks. From fortifying your system with robust passwords to bolstering its defense with modern technical measures, here are some ways to protect your PBX system:

1. Password Fortification

Use long, complex, and strong passwords for your PBX phone system and update them regularly. Change default admin and guest passwords to something uncommon to avoid common attacks. These simple steps replace easy-to-guess passwords, reducing the risk of common attacks.

2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Now, most PBX and VoIP providers offer two-factor authentication (TFA) or MFA as part of their service. Users must provide a verification, like a code sent to their email, along with their password to get into the account. This way, even if an attacker gets a user’s password, they can’t get in without the verification code. Enable these defenses for all user accounts for an added layer of security. Also, remember to check and update MFA settings periodically.

3. Software Updates

Make sure both your PBX provider and your business update the software regularly. Providers should fix bugs and security concerns and release timely software upgrades. And users must make sure to apply all the latest security patches and updates. This helps fix security issues and address potential vulnerabilities.

4. Control Access

Set up controls to decide who can access what. It ensures that only the right people can use and manage the communication system, keeping sensitive information safe. By assigning specific permissions and restrictions, you can mitigate the risk of unauthorized usage and cyberattacks. This proactive measure enhances the overall system resilience.

Learn more about our user and role management features.

5. Technical Measures

Intrusion detection systems and firewalls help in monitoring and blocking suspicious activity. Employ encryption to shield communication data, especially in VoIP calls, videos, text messaging, and other communication-related data. Encryption converts data into secret texts accessible only through a decryption key that converts it back to its original form. This protects the data from unauthorized access.

In addition to that, use digital certification, VPNs, and other authentication protocols to verify device and user identities, preventing breaches. Proactively audit network, system, and access logs and user accounts for unusual usage patterns.

These technical measures, combined with established practices, offer robust protection against unauthorized access and threats to your PBX security.

Learn more in our guide to VoIP security.

6. Educate and Train Users

Nothing helps keep systems secure like teaching your users the dos and don’ts of IT security best practices. Do refresher training, set up reminders to change passwords, conduct regular service checks, and so on.

How Can UWT Help?

As more businesses use cloud-based communication, it’s crucial to prioritize strong cybersecurity and safety measures. Since 1996, United World Telecom has provided secure and reliable VoIP services. We know that security is important for high-quality, fraud-free VoIP calls. Get in touch with us now for any questions about improving your business communication system and protecting it from security risks.

Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 and learn more about our privacy, security, and fraud control measures.

Given that voice calls still hold a pivotal role in customer service, ensuring call quality is paramount for customer satisfaction. Which is why dropped calls can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you are in the middle of an important business communication. These untimely termination of calls can easily result in the loss of valuable customers.

And yet call drops remain a common VoIP issue.

In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of dropped VoIP calls, their causes, and effective troubleshooting methods.

What is a Dropped Call?

For instance, imagine you’re on a business phone call while driving, and as you enter an area with a weak or no signal, your call gets disconnected. In this case, the call drops because your phone loses connection to the cellular network.

Dropped VoIP calls, on the other hand, happen due to a variety of other reasons from poor internet connection to defective equipment.

Impact of Dropped Calls

Reliable communication is a cornerstone of business effectiveness and customer satisfaction. And therefore, the impact of dropped calls can be far-reaching. Here’s how it can affect your business:

• You could lose a crucial sales opportunity or miss an important business discussion, resulting in potential revenue loss.
• Dropped calls can not only frustrate your customer but also drive them toward competitors, jeopardizing your customer base.
• Persistent call drops can tarnish your brand image, damaging the reputation of your business.
• The burden of dealing with angry customers could take an emotional toll on your agents, adversely affecting their morale and, consequently, overall productivity.

6 Causes of Dropped Calls

Numerous factors can lead to call drops, such as poor signal strength, interference, network congestion, and technical glitches. In these scenarios, the phone system struggles to maintain a stable connection between the callers, resulting in an abrupt call termination.

Let’s look at the common causes of dropped VoIP calls:

1. Inadequate Network Capacity

Dropped VoIP calls happen when your internet speed isn’t up to the task, especially with voice and video calling. This can result in network congestion and data loss, making your calls sound garbled or cutting it off completely. When your network is overloaded or doesn’t prioritize calls, then too you might face call drops. In case of mobile calls, weak signals or congested areas can lead to dropped calls; same goes for weak or disrupted Wi-Fi signals.

Related: Guide to VoIP Network Requirements

2. Loss of Signal

In VoIP calls, your voice becomes digital data sent over the internet in real-time. So if the signal weakens or disappears, it’s like losing bars during a regular call. This can result in issues like delays and dropouts. And if the signal worsens significantly, you might lose the call altogether. VoIP relies on a steady and consistent internet connection to function properly.

3. Connection Time Limit

Sometimes VoIP service providers set time limits for each call session, typically based on the user datagram protocol (UDP) timeout value. Providers put this cap or limit on to protect users from excessive billing charges or avoid line congestions. If your call goes beyond the allowed time, the session could end abruptly. Problems also arise due to session initiation protocol (SIP) timers, misconfigured or faulty on your router.

4. Hardware or Software Issue

If the device you’re using, like a phone or computer, encounters technical problems, it can lead to sudden call drops. Similarly, if your networking device, such as a router, isn’t working properly or is physically damaged, it can weaken your internet, making it unsuitable for clear phone calls. The same goes for using outdated software.

5. Audio Detection Problems

When your system or microphone malfunctions, your voice may not get transmitted or received correctly, leading to call terminations. This situation can be likened to the other person suddenly losing the ability to hear you in a traditional phone call due to microphone issues.

For instance, when your microphone malfunctions, your voice may not get transmitted or received correctly. And when audio is not detected, the VoIP system may view it as a failed call and therefore, drop it.

6. Environmental Reasons

Environmental factors like interference from other devices, power outages, bad weather, and maintenance work can also mess up phone signals, causing calls to drop. While these external factors are typically not in your control, you should try and limit them as much as possible. For example:

• Avoid scheduling business calls during maintenance work
• Set up redundancy routing and failover forwarding as a backup
• Reduce use of other devices during work hours, and so on.

Related: How to Achieve the Best VoIP Call Quality for Your Business?

How to Troubleshoot Dropped VoIP Calls: 5 Fixes

When it comes to tackling the frustrating problem of dropped VoIP calls, we’ve got you covered. From optimizing your VoIP network settings to fixing malfunctioning devices, there are practical solutions that can make a big difference.

1. Improve Network Bandwidth, Internet Plan, and Signal Reception

To begin, assess your internet capabilities using online speed testing tools. Check upload and download speeds and jitter times. Switch to a wired or ethernet connection for stable connectivity. Consider upgrading to a faster internet plan for improved call quality. Optimize your Wi-Fi signal by relocating your router to a more central spot in your home.

Also, consider closing or disabling unnecessary apps that might be consuming too much internet bandwidth and potentially causing call disruptions. And using VoIP QoS settings to prioritize traffic over your network.

Watch this video to learn more about VoIP Quality of Service (QoS) and addressing quality issues:

2. Increase Session Time

Extend the duration of your calls without interruptions by tweaking your internet settings. Examine your VoIP settings to increase session time. You can also contact your VoIP and internet telephony service provider (ITSP) to eliminate or extend time limits for each call session. If the timer runs out, the system assumes your call is over and ends the session, so adjusting these settings can prove quite helpful.

3. Check Hardware and Internal Issues, Use Proper Functioning Hardware

Ensure your devices and software are correctly set up, and keep them up to date by installing updates. Confirm that all hardware is in good working order, and replace or repair any malfunctioning components that might be causing call drops. Check for loose cables and ensure secure connections. Try rebooting your router by turning it off, waiting a few minutes, and then turning it back on. Additionally, don’t forget to have your mobile SIM card checked for issues.

4. RTP Adjustments

Real-time transport protocol (RTP) is like a set of rules for sending live audio and video over the internet. It’s essential for smooth internet phone calls, video chats, and more. RTP silence detection can be overly sensitive, causing call drops. Adjust or disable silence detection settings in your VoIP application or device.

5. Contact Internet and VoIP Service Providers

Lastly, if you’ve tried the previous tips and call drops persist, reach out to your internet service provider (ISP). They can conduct diagnostics to ensure that your internet connection is stable and suitable for VoIP calls. Your ISP can help address any underlying network issues that may affect your call quality.

If the problem persists, it could be because of network infrastructure, technical support, or inadequate service quality that your current VoIP service provider cannot address. So it may be time to change VoIP providers! A good service provider offers consistent call quality and support.

How Can UWT Help?

As you know, one cannot understate the significance of dropped VoIP calls. And so it is vital to partner with a reliable VoIP service provider like United World Telecom for clear and uninterrupted call connections. With a proven track record of delivering high-quality VoIP service since 1996, we are well-equipped to address all your queries related to VoIP calls.

Don’t let dropped calls hold you back. Speak with our in-house experts to upgrade your business communications system. Contact us now!

Australia offers a plethora of compelling advantages if you are looking to expand your business into the country. The country’s strong economy, ranked 12th globally, offers a stable and reliable environment for doing business.

Australia’s commitment to renewable energy and innovation — coupled with its multicultural workforce, — nurtures diverse industries, including technology, healthcare, and agribusiness. Furthermore, the government’s business-friendly policies ensure a welcoming environment for foreign enterprises.

One key tool for companies expanding into the country is acquiring an Australia 1300 number.

So, here’s a list of the best 1300 number providers to help you choose the best for your needs. We’ll also look at:

• What are 1300 numbers
• Choosing a reliable Australia phone number provider
• Best 1300 number providers

Using this number can streamline communication and bolster customer relationships, ultimately contributing to the success of your business.

What are 1300 Australia Numbers?

1300 numbers are known as local rate numbers or national numbers. Businesses use this type of number to provide a single contact for customers across Australia. Along with the prefix of 1300, these numbers are typically 10 digits long.

When a customer calls a 1300 number from a landline within Australia, they incur the cost of a local call. This happens regardless of where the business is located, hence, customer calling is not limited to specific states. This makes it more affordable for customers to reach out to businesses using 1300 numbers.

You typically will share the costs for incoming calls, unlike Australia toll-free numbers where you pay the entire cost. The shared cost of these fees can vary based on the service provider and the specific plan or package chosen.

Wondering how much 1300 numbers cost? In general, 1300 Australia numbers with a basic plan start at $12 per month.

How to Choose a Reliable Australia Phone Number Provider

1300 numbers are widely available in Australia, and you can purchase one from a local or global provider. Global providers can help you get a local Australia number even if your business is not located locally. This is typically a good option for companies looking to expand to Australia.

To start, determine your budget and understand the pricing associated with 1300 numbers. The pricing components may include setup fees, monthly rental charges, call charges, etc., which can vary among service providers. Depending on the nature of your business, you can get a vanity number with memorable letters, such as 1300-MY-BIZ. Check with the service provider for availability.

Compare the features offered by different VoIP service providers. These may include international forwarding, call routing, outbound calling, and call recording. Choose the provider whose offerings align with your business requirements.

Other factors you should consider are

• Ability to port an existing number
• Local compliance and regulations related to 1300 numbers in Australia,
• Call quality,
• Contract terms such as contract length, cancellation policy, etc.

7 Best 1300 Number Providers

So, where do you start looking for an Australia phone number provider? Here’s a list of the best 1300 number providers based on their features and pricing.

Calling Australia with United World Telecom

With this introduction to the best 1300 number providers, you are better prepared to test new waters. Expanding into Australia offers vast business opportunities with a strong economy and innovation support. Using an Australia 1300 number lets you enter the market and test out new products and services. And you can start small with a local number and a virtual presence. Then, scale and expand as needed.

As a global telephony provider, United World Telecom can help you unlock the potential of Australia with our well-established global presence, feature-rich services, and flexible pricing plans.

Ready to make your mark in Australia? Contact United World Telecom and let us help you grow your business! Chat with us online or request a demo!

Collaborated with Meryl D’Sa-Wilson

When managing a business, it is imperative to make cost-effective decisions in order to maintain a budget. Internet-based calling — like using voice over IP (VoIP) instead of traditional phone lines — proves much more effective at saving business communication costs.

But how exactly can you use VoIP to reduce costs?

From eliminating the need for new or expensive equipment to reducing long-distance calling fees, your business can switch over to a cloud solution that better meets your communication needs and budget.

How Exactly Does VoIP Help Cut Costs?

The simple answer: VoIP phone systems use the internet to send and receive quality calls, and this means lower calling charges, especially for long-distance and international calls.

But that’s not all! Switching over to the cloud brings you more reliability and flexibility letting you save on equipment and overhead costs. This is why hosted VoIP is generally recommended for businesses looking to expand to new locations with tight budgets.

When running a business or preparing to expand, communication budgeting is an important factor to consider. Most management positions are aware of the fees involved in seemingly menial tasks and daily activities. Customer phone calls are one of these expenses, especially if you have customers located outside your state or country.

So how does VoIP reduce these costs? Let’s dive into the rest below.

1. Lower Calling Fees

Since VoIP uses the internet to transmit calls, callers no longer have to pay high long-distance fees. This is because sending calls through the internet is cheaper than using the traditional telecom infrastructure like the PSTN.

This means that your business does not need to have physical offices in different regions where your customers are simply to cut down on calling fees. You can have all incoming calls automatically forwarded through digital routes directly to your team wherever they are already located.

By eliminating this extra cost, you have the ability to reach out and engage with your customers without hesitation. And you can extend sales and customer service to new regions without relocating. In the sales part, you can integrate sales prospecting tools into the process.

2. No New Hardware or Equipment Required

In most cases, you can integrate VoIP with your existing infrastructure and devices. Providers will often offer a softphone app that you can use to make and receive calls from your computer, IP desk phone, laptop, or smartphone.

The best part about this is that these devices will work on the same VoIP network, so your calls work as normal phone calls going through your business phone line. This means employees don’t need separate phones or extra cell phones to protect their privacy.

You may need to upgrade your internet a bit to match VoIP bandwidth needs but that depends on how many calls your business makes simultaneously. Here’s a table for reference:

Plus, since the network is hosted by your provider, VoIP is easy to set up and requires little-to-no maintenance on your business’ part. This means, no complicated wiring, routine maintenance, or quality checks. Your provider will take care of it all, leaving your teams to focus on serving customers.

3. Little to No Overhead Costs

When expanding locally and globally, most businesses are concerned with overhead costs such as opening or renting new offices, adhering to local regulations, etc.

However, VoIP lets you extend operations to new locations and regions without needing to open physical offices. In other words, you can have a local presence by powering your global, remote, and distributed teams with VoIP.

And since your business isn’t limited geographically, you can hire employees in countries with lower labor costs. All you have to do then is forward incoming calls to their devices wherever they are located.

4. Access to International Coverage for Less

Perhaps the most significant selling point is that businesses can use VoIP for international calls. As this technology allows your company to make and receive calls from anywhere through the internet, you spend less on international, long-distance calls.

In this way, VoIP encompasses a modern way to communicate with people around the globe without the costs typically associated with landlines and PSTN calling.

VoIP providers like United World Telecom can provide you with international phone numbers like local and toll-free numbers from as low as $7.95 per month. And you can forward calls coming in to these numbers to multiple users and teams within your company.

5. Scalability and Flexibility

While expanding your business is important for sustainability, you need to grow at a reasonable pace. Taking things at a comfortable and appropriate speed for you and your teams can ensure a steady road to success. While this process unfolds, VoIP can follow along with your business, letting you adjust your business phone service as you see fit.

VoIP’s flexibility allows you to add phone lines and numbers, as needed, instead of pushing forward with a big expansion plan. And you only pay for what you need. Add and remove users and teams, route calls to new destinations, and more when you switch to VoIP.

6. Prepare for Emergencies & Extreme Circumstances

VoIP can also help you maintain business continuity in a contained and safe fashion during emergencies. We’re talking about extreme weather conditions, safety concerns, health issues, etc.

Mitigate the risks posed to your business with VoIP calling. For instance, you can send calls to different office locations or remote employees, if your main office suffers an outage or disaster.
Another example is switching to virtual communication during an event like the recent COVID-19 pandemic, where the whole world put a pause on operations and worked remotely.

As the business world adapted, the global VoIP market expanded. Even now it continues to grow, as it is expected to reach $145.76 billion USD by 2024. Making the switch allowed for all industries to continue operations despite adjusting to a new normal, and provides unique features now used in daily activities.

7. Operate Remotely

With remote work becoming a staple in the modern office setting, businesses can use VoIP to maintain their communication with customers and other team members.

By choosing to incorporate VoIP, your business not only cuts costs but also keeps up with the ever-evolving technology and workplace trends.

How Can I Make Money with VoIP?

Many of our clients are looking to use VoIP to cut costs, however, we’d like to highlight how much money can be earned with a better reach to new clientele.

While VoIP helps to save money, it can also boost sales by opening your business up to new markets and regions with low expansion costs. And by using local virtual and toll-free numbers, you can expect an increase in response rates and callbacks, giving your teams a better chance to close international sales.

There are many benefits of using VoIP besides cost-savings, such as:

• Improving customer service and retaining more customers
• Allowing for remote work to be at its most efficient
• Increasing global coverage
• Centralizing business communication and improving call management, etc.

So switching to VoIP also gives you access to advanced calling features and reliable telephony functionality.

Why Choose United World Telecom?

If you’re looking for a VoIP provider who can help you cut communication costs without interrupting call quality and reliability, we at United World Telecom can help!

Over the last 27 years, we have rapidly expanded our service offering and global presence. Our wide global network ensures we’ve got you covered no matter where your business or customers are located.

To get started, all you need to do is sign up through our website. Speak with our dedicated VoIP experts today! Call us at +1 (561) 276-7156 or chat with us online today!