Category: Blog

Phone calls continue to be customers’ preferred communication channel for support and service because it is the fastest and most effective. However, if your phone system is not set up properly, you can run into issues that inhibit your ability to provide uninterrupted, reliable customer service.

In this post, we’ll go over the different ways to optimize your VoIP network so you can get started today!

Improve VoIP Connectivity

Setting up your VoIP system means preparing your network and IT infrastructure to support your provider’s service. While the below tips are recommended to implement as you set up, you can also use them to troubleshoot VoIP issues. You can improve connectivity and optimize your VoIP network in the following ways:

1. Adhere to VoIP Network Requirements
2. Contact Your VoIP Provider
3. Run VoIP Connectivity and Speed Tests
4. Identify VoIP Issues
5. Increase Bandwidth
6. Invest in Quality Hardware
7. Consider Creating a VLAN

When to Optimize Your Phone Network

When your VoIP network isn’t well-optimized, it can lead to reliability and quality issues. And as a business communicating with clients, these issues can interrupt business continuity and make your business appear less reliable and trustworthy.

Common VoIP call quality issues include:

• Latency
• Jitter
• Packet loss
• Dropped calls
• Inability to make calls from a device
• Echoes
• Broken or muffled audio
• No audio or one-way audio
• Phone not ringing on incoming calls, and so on.

And often, these issues originate from your internet and network setup. This is why it’s important to understand what network requirements your VoIP service needs.

For specific fixes for these problems, check out our VoIP troubleshooting guide.

Steps to Optimize Your VoIP Network

Now, when it comes to improving and optimizing your VoIP network, you have multiple options. The key is to identify the problem and then find the best solution. In some cases, your VoIP provider can help. And in other cases, you’ll need to rectify the problem yourself.

So, really, you can start by contacting your provider or running tests on your own. Let’s go over how you can optimize your VoIP network and different factors to keep in mind:

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

1. Adhere to VoIP Network Requirements

To properly set up a VoIP phone system, you must pay attention to network requirements that enable VoIP to function effectively. This includes:

• Using the right equipment
• Having adequate network bandwidth
• Using wired connections over wireless networks (WiFi)
• Setting up QoS for data prioritization
• Network monitoring and testing
• Securing and encrypting the network.

A good way to optimize your VoIP network is to ensure you’ve done the above-mentioned best practices. These will create a healthy environment for your VoIP phone system.

We’ll talk about some of these in more detail below. Additionally, we put together a comprehensive guide to VoIP network requirements to help you get started.

2. Contact Your VoIP Provider

For a quick resolution — especially if you don’t have in-house network or voice engineers — it may help to first contact your provider. Since they know the network requirements needed to run VoIP properly, they can let you know how your current setup is failing.

They can also provide additional testing and monitoring services to identify the problem and offer solutions accordingly. They should already be monitoring your service, so it is easier for them to determine what is causing the issue.

If you want to exhaust all your self-service options before calling your provider, try the suggestions listed below.

3. Run VoIP Connectivity and Speed Tests

To remedy potential issues and optimize your VoIP network, you first need to know what’s wrong. The quickest way to determine a problem is by running speed and internet connectivity tests on your network. VoIP tests measure the speed, jitter, and latency of your internet connection. Similarly, you can even use a ping test to assess where exactly is the delay or issue occurring within your network or phone system.

Now, some VoIP providers offer their own tools that you can use. But others will direct you to different tools that they trust. Check with your provider about what they recommend or look online for internet, ping, and VoIP tests.

4. Identify VoIP Issues

After you run these tests, you’ll get scores for latency, jitter, packet loss, upload speed, and download speed. This will give you a clear idea of how your network is performing. If any of these scores are outside the acceptable range, you will experience issues with call quality.

Another way to identify VoIP issues is by manually monitoring call quality for jitter, delays, audio issues, etc. You can use MOS scores to get user opinions of a call’s quality – something like this:

Then, you can go back and investigate each call using call detail records, activity reports, and alerts. And you can make this process more effective using a call recording feature, as you can actually listen to the calls with low MOS scores to identify the issue.

Once you determine if the issue is latency, jitter, delays, audio problems, etc., you can fix it. Our VoIP troubleshooting guide (linked above) has different solutions you can implement to resolve these issues.

5. Increase Bandwidth

For voice services and VoIP calls, you need at least 85-100 kbps per call. This number increases when you have additional, concurrent calls. And all of this does not factor in other internet usage and traffic, such as streaming, checking emails, running chat, etc.

Refer to the below table to calculate how much bandwidth you will need for concurrent voice calls:

So, if your business does not have adequate bandwidth, your VoIP network won’t be optimized, and you’ll experience network congestion. As a rule of thumb, try using only 80% of your available bandwidth for all internet-related activities, VoIP calling included. And when you begin to exceed that limit, upgrade your bandwidth.

6. Invest in Quality Hardware

Another way to upgrade your VoIP network is by updating your hardware and equipment. Outdated, legacy equipment may have limited functionality and can degrade over time. Plus, newer software and technologies work better with newer hardware. Consider making the following upgrades if you don’t already have them:

Cabling — Use Cat 5e, Cat 6, or Cat 7 Ethernet cables.

Power — Use a Power over Ethernet (PoE) switch for efficient delivery of data and power to over one wired connection

Infrastructure — Switch to wired connections if currently using WiFi.

Routers — With features like

• Dual and Tri-Band Frequency — Transmit traffic at 2-3 frequencies, so you can separate VoIP traffic from others.
• MU-MIMO — Multi-user, multi-input, multi-output that enables each device to have its own data stream connected to the router.
• WiFi 5 (802.11ac) or WiFi 6 — Higher the wireless, the better.
• VoIP QoS — Prioritize voice traffic over other traffic.

IP devices — Deskphones, computers, and laptops built to support web calling.

7. Consider Creating a VLAN

Finally, consider adding a VLAN or virtual LAN on top of your existing internal local network. Then, you can put VoIP devices on the VLAN and all other traffic on the LAN. And you can configure the VLAN to give the highest broadcast priority to voice packet transmission by applying QoS settings via VLAN tagging.

VLAN tagging tells which packet belongs to the VLAN specifically and can help separate voice traffic from other traffic passing through your network. Your internal IT team can help you set this up within your infrastructure. However, you can also work with your ISP for professional help.

Optimizing VoIP for Business Communication

VoIP phone systems go a long way to ensure your business can communicate with customers reliably. And this is why many B2B enterprises choose to add IP telephony to their communication stack. But that includes setting it up properly and checking every now and then for potential issues.

We can set you up with a reliable, high-quality VoIP phone system. And our cloud communication experts can help you integrate VoIP into your business infrastructure smoothly. Want to learn more? Call us at +1 (561) 276-7156 or chat with us online!

Is your existing phone service effectively supporting your communication needs? If not, it may be time to change VoIP providers.

This article will discuss when switching to another service is necessary and how to do it. So, let’s jump in.

Why Change VoIP Providers?

It’s important to note that not all VoIP services are created equal. Some vendors offer users advanced features and better pricing, while others deliver 24/7 global customer support and greater reliability.

Since the market is saturated with many different VoIP products, finding the right one that fits all your needs may be challenging for some. So, what happens if you sign up with a provider that falls short? Or, what if your communication needs change and your existing service no longer supports your goals?

In these cases, you must change your VoIP provider to sustain business growth, optimize your phone system, and maintain effective communication. This way, you get out of a low-quality service and improve the functionality of your network.

Related: What is Hosted VoIP?

7 Signs it’s Time to Switch Services

So, how do you know when to change VoIP providers? Here are 7 reasons to switch your phone service ASAP:

1. High, recurring monthly bills
2. Poor voice and call quality
3. Lack of global country coverage and call management features
4. Unreliable, unresponsive customer and technical support
5. Issues with network connectivity and reliability that lead to an increase in dropped calls
6. Long-term contracts or commitments with minimal value
7. Growing need for a flexible and scalable phone solution with high uptime

These are all major signs that your current vendor is holding your business back. Not only is the service hindering your business’s ability to grow, but it’s also preventing you from accessing the many benefits of VoIP. This means it is time to move to a new service that can offer you more while charging less.

How to Change VoIP Providers: 5 Simple Steps

You can switch VoIP providers in the following straightforward steps:

1. Evaluate Current Service

Start by analyzing your current service. What does it do well? What do you wish you could change or add? You can determine your pain points and priorities by evaluating your current service. Make sure to write down your service analysis, as it will come in handy for the provider research phase (more below).

2. Identify Your Communication Needs

Next, you must identify gaps in your system and what you need to improve caller experience. This will not only allow you to quickly narrow down your search but also ensure you get the best service based on your specific needs.

Here are some questions to help you determine your needs:

• Overall Budget – How much are you willing to spend on equipment, features, add-ons, monthly/annual plans, etc.?

• Desired Services & Features – What is the primary use of your current VoIP service? What services and features do you consider “must-have” vs “nice-to-have”? Which ones can you live without?

• Current Setup – What does your current setup look like? Does it meet the minimum VoIP requirements (adequate bandwidth, stable connection, etc.)? Do you have broken or damaged equipment? How do you plan on deploying your new service? Will it be hosted in the cloud or on-premise?

• Number Porting vs New Phone Number – Do you want to keep your existing business phone number by porting it to a new vendor? Or, are you planning on selecting a new one when you change VoIP providers? And if you want a new one, will it be a local, toll-free or international phone number?

• Commitment & Activation Times– Are you currently stuck in a long-term contract? If so, when does it end or do you plan to break it? How fast do you need a new service to activate?

• Call Traffic Logistics – How many lines or users do you need? What is your average number of calls? Do you see this number increasing? And how does your call traffic typically behave (does it fluctuate or is it consistent)?

In addition to the list above, it’s also essential to consider your business goals, particularly expansion plans. This way, you know that your new service can support your future growth.

3. Research and Select a VoIP Provider

To successfully change VoIP providers and improve your system in the process, research a variety of available services. And remember to compare their service offerings to the needs and pain points you identified in the first 2 steps of this process.

On top of that, pay attention to:

• Pricing models and hidden/setup fees
• Specific VoIP requirements and equipment compatibility
• Service activation times
• Available services, features, and add-ons
• VoIP uptime guarantee, network reliability, and crisis management initiatives
• Long-term contract requirements
• Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Customer and technical support offerings
• Telecommunications and industry experience
• Case studies and customer reviews

Now, this step may take a while to see through, as it involves in-depth research. But, it is crucial because it helps you find a reliable solution that’s right for your business. And if you’re struggling to pick between a few services, book consultations to get an even better idea of how they can help your business.

4. Notify Your Current Provider

If you plan on getting an entirely new service and phone number, talk with your current vendor about your plans to change VoIP providers. This way, you know if they charge any termination fees and you can determine a service end date.

On the other hand, if you plan to port your current number to a new service, notifying your provider helps you avoid delays, understand next steps, and, again, allows you to set up a service end date.

Whatever route you take, it’s extremely important that you maintain your current phone service until the activation or porting process is complete. This ensures that you maintain contact with your customers and business continuity.

5. Installing your New Service

While porting your number may take an extended period of time, getting an entirely new service may be fully operational the same day you sign up.

In most cases, installing VoIP doesn’t require any additional equipment. But, the specific VoIP setup process depends on your provider, existing infrastructure, deployment method, and what equipment you want to use.

For instance: If you plan on using softphones for business communication, simply download your provider’s softphone to an IP-enabled device. Then, connect it to your service using your login information. However, using your existing hardware, such as IP and legacy phones, requires more setup. This is because they need to be physically connected to your router or a gateway.

Once you’ve configured your hardware and software, make sure to add your desired users and set up advanced features such as:

• Call routing and forwarding destinations
• IVR and call flows
• Voicemail
• Caller ID management
• Call recording and so on.

Change VoIP Providers to Improve Efficiency

As you can see, moving to a new provider can make all the difference to the quality and efficiency of your business VoIP system.

United World Telecom offers enterprise-grade VoIP services and phone numbers for businesses worldwide. After 26 years of telecom experience, we’ve established long-term relationships with reliable Tier-1 carriers across the globe. This enables us to deliver high-quality voice services at affordable rates.

And we also provide number porting services if you want to keep your current business phone number. Simply fill out our number porting form to get started.

To learn more, speak with our representatives today over the phone or online! We’re here to help.

When you sign up for a hosted VoIP provider, you’ll rely on your monthly invoices to understand usage and calling charges. But these invoices can look confusing if you don’t understand how your provider bills their service.

To help you understand your VoIP bills, we’ve put together this article on VoIP billing increments.

How are VoIP Calls Billed?

Your VoIP calls are billed based on your provider. Each provider has a different pricing model and different types of costs.

Generally speaking, you can expect two costs:

• Monthly VoIP line fee and
• Costs for usage (charged in increments)

While the monthly fee is usually obvious when signing up, the cost for usage (billing increments) is more challenging to determine. So, it’s a good idea to ask your new provider how exactly they bill for phone calls occurring over a month.

What are Billing Increments?

Billing increments refer to the unit of time used to charge a particular service, specifically to indicate the minimum and incremental measures of time.

Most VoIP phone calls incur fees based on a minimum and increment charge set by your carrier. Let’s define these terms:

Billing minimum — the minimum amount of time your provider will charge for each call.
Billing increment — the amount of time your provider will charge you after achieving the minimum time.

Here’s an example of VoIP billing increments with a 12/6 rate:

In this case, your billing minimum is 12 seconds and your billing increment is 6 seconds.

So, after the first 12 seconds, your provider will charge you again after every 6 seconds.

Again, every carrier does this differently, so it’s important to understand how your desired provider will charge you.

Related: Is VoIP Reliable?

Different VoIP Billing Increments and Pricing Models

Each VoIP carrier offers a different pricing model. And some even offer multiple models, so you can choose what works best for your particular situation.

Here are some of the billing increments currently present on the market:

• 6/6 billing increment — minimum billing 6 seconds and subsequent billing 6 seconds — talk for 8 seconds, pay for 12 seconds
• 12/6 billing increment — minimum billing 12 seconds and subsequent billing 6 seconds — talk for 14 seconds, pay for 18 seconds
• 30/6 billing increment — minimum billing 30 seconds and subsequent billing 6 seconds — talk for 34 seconds, pay for 36 seconds
• 60/60 billing increment — minimum billing 60 seconds and subsequent billing 60 seconds — talk for 62 seconds, pay for 120 seconds

Affordable VoIP Phone Services

United World Telecom offers competitive and cost-effective cloud communication solutions. Learn about how to install VoIP and how we can help your business grow and expand internationally. Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online!

Upgrading your business communication system doesn’t have to be time-consuming or full of roadblocks.

In fact, VoIP makes migrating to a modern phone system seamless – especially with the right provider.

In this article, we will discuss how to set up VoIP by breaking down both the preparation and implementation processes.

• Getting Started with VoIP
• Preparing to Install VoIP
• Determine Communication Needs
• Audit Hardware and Satisfy VoIP Requirements
• Explore VoIP Deployment Options
• How to Install VoIP Network
• Research and Choose a VoIP Provider
• Set Up VoIP Hardware and Software
• Configure Business Phone System
• Test Your New VoIP Network

Why Should Your Business Set Up a VoIP Phone System?

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows your business to make and receive phone calls using an internet connection and packet switching technology. This tech replaces the physical lines of a traditional phone system with digital pathways – making VoIP more efficient than PSTN and landlines.

Benefits of Using VoIP for Business Communication

Other benefits of installing VoIP include:

• Reduced Overhead Costs – Save on international and long-distance calling fees as well as the cost of routine maintenance and equipment upgrades.

• Ability to Scale – Make changes to your system (such as adding or removing users) as you see fit without applying major changes to your network.

• Increased Mobility and Flexibility – Enjoy access from any location or IP-enabled device. This means you can place and receive business calls from smartphones, tablets, computers, and more. And, you can use Voice over IP to connect your widespread and remote teams.

• Access to Advanced Features – Use advanced communication features like call recording, IVR, and routing. These allow you to customize and build a better phone system that increases caller experience.

• Improved Reliability – Access failover functionalities and ensure your system’s reliability – even during power outages or severe weather conditions. Failover options typically come with a VoIP service.

• Manage Communication in One Place – Manage and access your core communication channels like voice, video, text, and more through one centralized platform. You no longer need multiple services to manage your business’ communications.

Getting Started with VoIP

Whether setting up VoIP within a small business or enterprise, you’ll need a few components to get started. It’s worth noting that your setup may look different depending on your existing infrastructure. But to properly power this technology at its most basic level, you’ll need:

• A strong internet connection and adequate bandwidth (equipment needed: a modem, router, Ethernet cables to connect everything, and an Internet Service Provider (ISP))
• IP-enabled devices such as desktops, tablets, smartphones, and IP phones
• Or media gateways to connect legacy phone systems
• A reliable VoIP provider (more on this later).

Preparing to Set Up VoIP

Before configuring VoIP, you must define your communication needs, assess your existing system, and do your research. While these steps are not mandatory, it helps streamline your transition. Let’s break these steps down further.

Determine Communication Needs

It’s important to start preparing for your VoIP installation by determining your needs. This information should guide you through the decision-making and transition process – ensuring you stay on track to the best solution. And it will make the selection process more efficient since you’ll know exactly what to look for.

So, how do you define your business communication needs? Start by asking yourself:

1. What are you planning to use VoIP for exactly? Inbound calling? Outbound calling? Or both?
2. What is the budget? How much are you willing to spend on equipment, a provider, features, and other add-ons?
3. What features are “must-haves” for your business and teams? And which ones could you live without, but would be nice to have?
4. Do you have an existing communication infrastructure? If so, are you planning on completely replacing it? Or do you want to modernize your legacy phones by upgrading them with VoIP? And based on these answers, how do you plan on deploying VoIP? (more on this later)
5. Are you looking to port your existing business phone number, or will you choose a new one? And if you select a new number, will it be a local, toll-free or international phone number?
6. How many lines or users do you plan on having?
7. What is your current average number of calls, or how many calls do you expect to receive? And how does call traffic typically behave (does it spike, or is it consistent)?

Defining the full scope of your communication needs helps you find the best service and setup for your business.

Audit Hardware and Satisfy VoIP Requirements

Auditing your hardware means assessing your equipment and IT infrastructure to evaluate its life cycle and current ability to perform its job. These audits help businesses identify outdated or broken equipment, prevent double-purchasing, and determine what equipment still has value. Once you have a good idea of your infrastructure, you can select a VoIP deployment model (see below) and decide if additional hardware purchases are necessary.

During your audit, it’s also worth evaluating your IT infrastructure to ensure it can support the solution you envision. In other words, make sure your system meets the minimum requirements for installing VoIP. This way, you get the best possible call quality and VoIP performance.

Ensure your infrastructure has:

• Adequate Bandwidth for VoIP – Check that you have an adequate amount of bandwidth available to power your devices and services. Your minimum bandwidth speed for one call or SIP channel should generally be 100 kbps.

• Low Latency – VoIP relies on the internet to transmit calls. So, you need a strong and reliable internet connection. Opt for wired Ethernet connections over Wi-Fi, as it increases internet speed, lowers network latency, and offers a more stable connection. And, perform a VoIP speed test to evaluate your network speed and stability.

• Data Prioritization Options – A congested network leads to problems with VoIP errors. Because of this, make sure your router has data prioritization capabilities like Quality of Service (QoS). This capability will allow you to prioritize and optimize your network traffic – ensuring that VoIP calls receive enough bandwidth.

Satisfying these network requirements will set you up for success with most VoIP services, but double-check your selected provider’s specific requirements.

Explore VoIP Deployment Options

Part of the preparation process is research and information gathering. So, let’s review the different options for VoIP deployment. This way, you understand what is available to your business.

• On-premise Solutions

With this deployment model, you install VoIP infrastructure at your business’ physical location. Companies must purchase hardware like servers, switches, and IP phones. And, you’re responsible for routine maintenance, monitoring, and upgrades. As such, you’ll experience higher overhead costs with this setup.

Best For: Large businesses or enterprises, businesses with high communication needs and a large amount of phone lines, companies with infrastructure already in place

• Hosted Solutions

A hosted VoIP solution means your provider installs VoIP equipment and manages the system for you at their locations. So, you receive cloud phone services without the hassle of routine maintenance, system upgrades, or network routing.

Luke Genoyer, Business Development Manager at United World Telecom, says,“It’s much easier to set up VoIP when you’re going through a hosted provider. This is especially true when compared to installing a PRI or POTS system or even wiring together an on-premise PBX.”

Not only does your business save on costs associated with purchasing and maintaining equipment, but you also avoid the hassle of installing complex hardware. And, your business gains greater mobility and flexibility as hosted VoIP solutions are accessible from anywhere.

Best For: Remote and distributed teams, businesses of all sizes, companies looking for affordable communication solutions

• Hybrid Solutions

The hybrid deployment model allows businesses to plug VoIP solutions into their legacy phones via a gateway. So, the VoIP service is hosted while the equipment is on-premise.

Best For: Businesses looking to migrate to VoIP while keeping and upgrading their legacy phones.

How to Set Up a VoIP Phone System

After completing the necessary preparations, it’s time to install your VoIP network. Let’s break it down into 4 steps:

• Choosing a reliable VoIP provider
• Setting up hardware and software
• Configuring your phone system
• Testing your network

1. Research and Choose a VoIP Provider

It’s crucial to analyze multiple VoIP providers and services before selecting one. This research guarantees that you get the best solution for your business. Compare your communication needs with each provider’s offering.

Specifically, look at:

• Pricing & Hidden Fees – Review each provider’s pricing options and compare them with your budget. Be aware of per-user, per-month pricing models, as these tend to be more expensive than a flat monthly price. And double-check if they have any setup or hidden fees.

• VoIP Requirements – Ask about the provider’s specific VoIP requirements. Can your system support their solution as is? Or will you have to modify your current infrastructure to run the service?

• Activation Times – Consider how long it will take to get your service setup and if it meets your timeframe requirements.

• Available Features – Compare the provider’s range of available features with your list of must-have and nice-to-have features.

• Uptime & Network Reliability – Assess each provider’s network reliability. Start by looking at their uptime guarantee and crisis management initiatives. And take into account how many Points of Presence (PoPs) they have to fall back on in case of service disruptions.

Customer Support – Pay attention to their customer support offerings. Does the provider offer support in your time zone, region, and desired language? And does your account come with a dedicated account manager?

While this step requires quite a bit of research, it’s worth it in the long run as you’ll end up with a trusted provider and solutions that fit your specific needs. Take your time with this step. With the right provider, you can successfully install VoIP and maintain your system with minimal roadblocks.

2. Set Up VoIP Hardware and Software

Once you’ve activated your service, you’re ready to set up your equipment and install the VoIP system. The specific setup of your system depends on your provider, existing infrastructure, how you plan on deploying VoIP, and what equipment you want to use.

If you plan on using softphones to make and receive business calls, the setup process is quick and easy. Simply download your provider’s softphone to your desired IP-enabled device. Then, connect it to your phone service using your login information.

You can also purchase hard phones, also known as IP phones, that connect directly to your VoIP server. While these phones look like regular deskphones, they have Ethernet ports instead of phone jacks. To set this hardware up, connect the IP phone to your router via an Ethernet cable. Then, assign the device to the appropriate user or extension.

For those planning on upgrading legacy phones with VoIP, you’ll need to purchase a gateway. This bridges the gap between the PSTN and digital networks. Start by connecting your legacy phone to the gateway using the phone jack, also known as a register jack-11 (RJ11). Then, connect the gateway to the internet using an Ethernet cable.

For additional equipment like headsets and microphones, simply plug these directly into your computer, phone, or device. Or connect them via Bluetooth if they are wireless.

3. Configure Business Phone System

After setting up your equipment, start adding your users and configure your desired communication features. Which features you choose and how you go about configuring them depends on your business communication needs. But if you defined them earlier, you’ll know exactly which feature you need to configure.

Consider the following:

• Create call flows and set up an IVR to handle incoming calls and guide callers through your system – ensuring they end up at the appropriate destination.
• Implement different routing strategies for after-hours calls, holidays, 24/7 global support options, or to match the caller with their preferred time zone and language.
• Incorporate failover strategies such as failover forwarding to guarantee all calls get answered, even if the first location doesn’t pick up. This is also great for disaster recovery, as it redirects calls to an available destination.
• Equip call recording on all or a fraction of your calls for training, quality assurance, or liability purposes.
• Establish ring groups to effectively manage call volumes and reduce wait times for callers.

4. Test Your New VoIP Network

At this point, you’ve fully installed VoIP, and it’s almost ready to use. But before you start making and receiving business calls, test your system and lines for issues.

When testing, pay attention to:

• Audio quality
• Latency or delays
• Dropped calls
• No audio or one-way audio
• Connection reliability
• Network speed
• And make sure any features you’ve configured operate how you want them to.

Gregory Porras, Senior VoIP Engineer at United World Telecom, explains that VoIP issues can occur for any number of reasons, which is why it’s important to test your system before going live. He suggests testing your system from your internal, external, Wi-Fi, and VPN networks. Greg adds that call quality should be a top priority – so he recommends double-checking your router’s firewall, QoS, and SIP ALG settings. And, open ports on your router to your provider’s recommended settings.

If all else fails, work with your provider to troubleshoot the problem.

Make the Most of Your VoIP Network

While setting up VoIP may seem daunting and complex to some, it is possible to do on your own. Simply follow the steps above and start using your new VoIP phone system.

And with the right provider, you’ll be able to tackle any issues you run into along the way. United World Telecom offers dedicated account managers and 24/7 global support to all users. While some providers charge a “professional services” fee to help with implementation and training for employees, we include it for free with any of our business plans.

Speak with our telecom experts to understand how we can help you set up a VoIP phone system for your business. Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646!

Are you looking for a phone system that offers affordability, flexibility, modern capabilities, and so on. Or perhaps you’re planning on modernizing your current communication setup.

Either way, the solution is simple – hosted VoIP.

In this article, we’ll define hosted VoIP, how it works, its benefits, key business features, and use cases.

Understanding Hosted VoIP and How it Works

Before delving into hosted VoIP, you must first understand VoIP on its own. Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) digitally transmits voice calls over an IP network. This allows you to make and receive business calls through the internet.

To accomplish this, it uses packet switching technology, which converts your voice data into digital packets. These packets are then sent to the receiver via the internet. And once they arrive at the destination, the packets reassemble into voice. This process occurs in a matter of seconds and allows callers to communicate seamlessly.

Now, this brings us to hosted VoIP. There are two general ways to deploy VoIP: hosted or on-premise.

This deployment model allows you to access hosted VoIP services from any IP-enabled device or location. Additionally, this setup is far more affordable than on-premise solutions. This is because you don’t have to worry about routine maintenance, monitoring, and upgrades.

With an on-premise model, your business owns and manages all VoIP infrastructure. In other words, the equipment typically resides on-site. While this option offers full control, it is expensive to set up and maintain as it requires plenty of free space, energy, monitoring, and upkeep.

How Can Your Business Benefit from VoIP?

Many companies choose VoIP as their business phone solution because of its many advantages and capabilities. Here’s how your business can benefit from hosted VoIP services:

• Substantial cost-savings – Save on additional equipment and routine maintenance while avoiding costly international and long-distance calling fees.

• Increased flexibility and mobility – Accessible from any location or device, providing more mobility than traditional deskphones.

• Highly scalable – Upgrade or downgrade your service when needed without changing your entire system.

• Enhanced call quality – Experience clearer sound and better call quality, since VoIP calls travel faster than over traditional phone lines.

• Easy configuration – Integrate it within your existing system, as no additional equipment is required.

• Improved functionality – Enhance your business phone system’s functionality with features only accessible through the cloud.

Hosted VoIP Key Features

As mentioned above, many VoIP providers offer users a number of advanced cloud features with their services. This way, you can effectively manage and improve your business’ communication. Let’s take a look at the top hosted VoIP features:

• Phone numbers (local, international toll-free, etc.)
• Call recording
• Caller ID management
• Advanced IVR
• Call flow designers
• Call routing and forwarding
• Failover capabilities
• Softphones or mobile apps
• Voicemail to email
• Call detail records and analytics
• Integrations / APIs

4 VoIP Use Cases

With a clear picture of hosted VoIP and its capabilities, let’s discuss how companies can use this technology to grow their business.

1. Expand Globally

IP telephony is not tied to a specific location. So, you can use it to expand globally, enter new markets, and access a broader customer base. The best part? You can do this without opening a physical location or increasing overhead costs. Simply set up cloud phone numbers in your desired countries or markets. Then, forward incoming calls to your business headquarters.

2. Improve Network Reliability

With access to hosted VoIP’s failover strategies, you can build your network’s redundancy by minimizing downtime and preparing for potential outages. So if your system experiences an interruption, calls are automatically rerouted to an alternate, predetermined location.

3. Offer 24/7 Global Support

Cloud communication services are typically fully customizable to your business’ unique needs. This includes predetermining routing rules and features like time-based or location-based routing. You can use them to offer customers 24/7 global support, increasing customer satisfaction and accessibility.

4. Connect Distributed Teams

You can manage hosted VoIP services in one centralized location and from any location or device. This means teams can communicate via smartphones, computers, tablets, and desk phones. These capabilities make it the perfect solution for connecting local and distributed teams.

Get Started with Hosted VoIP

As you can see, hosted VoIP helps keep costs down, improve business communications, enhance call quality, and much more. All you need to get started:

• a stable internet connection with adequate bandwidth,
• an IP-enabled device or media gateways,
• and a reliable provider.

United World Telecom provides enterprise-grade VoIP phone services for businesses around the world. After 26 years of telecom experience, we’ve established long-term relationships with reliable Tier-1 carriers across the globe. This enables us to deliver users with high-quality voice services.

Reach out to learn more about our reliable service and if we are the right VoIP provider for you. Speak with our dedicated telecom experts at +1 (561) 276-7156 or chat with us online today!

More and more SMBs are switching to cloud communication solutions and moving away from landline systems. But why?

Companies adopting hybrid and fully remote workforces need communication solutions that stretch across geographic locations.

This opens up the space for more advanced communication technology such as VoIP, UCaaS, CCaaS, CPaaS, and more. So, how do you decide what solution is best for your business?

This article will look specifically at VoIP versus UCaaS, so you can better decide what phone system will improve your team’s productivity.

Building a Business Phone System: VoIP versus UCaaS

As a network professional, you’ve certainly heard about VoIP before. Voice over internet protocol and IP telephony solutions replace traditional PSTN by using the internet to route calls.

On the other hand, unified communications as a service (also known as UCaaS or UC) groups together various communications technologies into one centralized platform.

You’ll notice in the comparison below that both VoIP and UCaaS have very similar benefits. However, the main difference lies in how they are built and how you can use them.

One way to understand the difference between these services is that VoIP makes UCaaS solutions possible.

VoIP, for example, refers to one specific communication technology, whereas UC is an umbrella term for many different types of communication technologies. Therefore, it is not an easy, 1-1 comparison.

VoIP is typically a voice service that handles inbound and outbound calls. UCaaS, in comparison, brings all communication channels (voice, video, messaging, chats, etc.) into one platform and enables them using IP.

Because of this key difference, VoIP is less encompassing than Unified Communications.

Let’s look at these solutions more closely.

What is VoIP and How Does it Work?

VoIP was designed to provide a landline’s functionality along with cloud-based service’s flexibility and capability. This enables phone calls through an internet connection, removing location-related restrictions.

And since VoIP is software-based, you can easily integrate it with other similar cloud communication software and build a wholesome phone system.

What can you do with VoIP?

• Place and receive calls online
• Forward calls from a desk phone to a mobile phone
• Access call recordings and logs
• Utilize voicemail to email forwarding
• Access advanced calling features such as IVR, caller ID management, and more
• Automate call routing based on various rules
• Easily manage dial-in conference calls.

Benefits of VoIP:

• More affordable and helps many businesses drastically reduce costs
• Easier to scale, both locally and globally
• Supports local, remote, and global teams through one phone system
• Provides uninterrupted, high voice quality.

What is UCaaS and How Does it Work?

UCaaS solutions go a step further than VoIP by bringing more than voice to your phone system. As mentioned above, it gives you access to multiple communication channels and apps under one cloud-based roof.

This way, your teams can communicate with each other and customers through the channels they prefer.

And by streamlining communication through one platform, your teams can be more productive as everything they need is located in one place.

What can you do with UCaaS?

• Integrate email, SMS, video conferencing, chat apps, etc., into your phone system
• Access various communication features and apps
• Centralize call management from one platform.

Benefits of UCaaS:

• Cost-efficient and scalable solution
• Use and manage from anywhere in the world
• Supportive of global and distributed workforces
• No hardware or maintenance required.

Related: 5 Unified Communications Trends You Need to Know in 2022

Which Communication Solution Should I Choose?

As you can see, there are benefits to both VoIP and UCaaS solutions.

However, which solution you need depends on your requirements and resources.

For instance, enterprise-level businesses might find more use in a UC solution that supports their teams and provides more communication and collaboration options. However, if you’re an SMB that needs only voice support across local and remote teams, then a VoIP solution will meet your needs.

One important thing to note is that both solutions will allow you to centralize and scale your solutions as needed. VoIP lets you consolidate different local, regional, and global voice carriers under one carrier (i.e. your VoIP provider). And UCaaS lets you consolidate different communication channels and apps under one service provider.

In fact, you can even add a VoIP service to your UC stack for voice support. By consolidating, you reduce your overall total cost of ownership (TCO) across different channels or providers.

So, whether you start with VoIP or UCaaS, you can grow your communication stack at your own pace via integrations and APIs. The real question is — what do you need right now, and what can support your plans for the future?

Learn how to scale with VoIP by speaking with one of our telecom experts today! Call us at +1 (561) 276-7156 or chat with us online!