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What is Telecommuting and What Are the Benefits?

Posted on by Miguel Isabal

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#104357894 ID#27446420

Do you want to offer your employees a telecommuting option? After COVID-19, many businesses switched to telecommuting and have seen the benefits of adopting this employee-work arrangement.

What is Telecommuting?

Telecommuting is an employment arrangement that enables employees to work outside of the office. This means employees can work from home, in co-working environments, near coffee shops and libraries, and so on. Telecommuting is also referred to as remote working, e-commuting, work-from-home, and teleworking.

When employees telecommute, they work outside of the office in a location they choose and communicate with the rest of their team via technology. Now, this is the dream for most employees whose work is solely confined to a laptop and a reliable internet connection. However, for the longest time, businesses have been reluctant to enable such a workplace arrangement.

What Are the Benefits of Telecommuting?

Then entered the COVID-19 crisis. With this pandemic, many businesses enforced work-from-home policies. Businesses in sales, publishing, call centers, software development, and other industries now offer remote working as an option. So, how can telecommuting benefit your employees and your business?

1. Be Prepared for Pandemic-Like Crises

Many businesses that strictly denied work-from-home didn’t plan for a situation where telecommuting would become necessary. Now, your business does not need to switch to an all-remote-work business but keeping telecommuting as an option can help you and your employees easily switch to work-from-home during pandemic-like crises.

This means investing in cloud computing and cloud communication solutions that help your teams stay connected no matter where they are located. This way, all employees are reachable via email, phone, and video interactions. At the same time, all projects and documents can be easily accessed and updated online.

Related: 5 Benefits of Unified Communications for Remote Teams

2. Adopt a BOYD Policy (Decrease Workplace Costs)

Another benefit of telecommuting is the opportunity to implement a BYOD policy. A bring your own device or BYOD policy lets employees bring and use their own devices instead of the business purchasing equipment for them to use. This lets employees use their own devices which they are comfortable and familiar with. It also helps businesses reduce their expenses as they do not need to supply devices to employees.

Similarly, since employees work outside the office, businesses can save on other office supplies and costs. From running the office to paying for utilities, your business can greatly reduce costs. On the other hand, employees can save time and money on commuting to and fro.

3. Improve EX Metrics and Employee Productivity

Telecommuting has a positive impact on employee productivity and employee experience (EX). The 2017 State of Work Productivity Report claims that about 65% of in-office workers say they would be more productive if they worked remotely. Remote workers can work from the comfort of their homes, have more flexibility, and save on commuting expenses. They can optimize their workday to the fullest without worrying about traveling or missing a day because they are sick.

4. Better Results and Lower Employee Turnover

Flexibility allows your employees to keep a work-life balance and enjoy their free time by going for a walk, watching a TikTok live, listening to music, and resting whenever they need. Improving their EX leads to improved wellness of your employees. And this, in turn, will increase their productivity and efficiency. Happy and productive employees are less likely to leave, lowering turnover rates.

Furthermore, happy employees lead to happy customers. Employees that are not stressed and overwhelmed are more likely to love their jobs and perform well. This will lead to desirable results that push your business towards success.

5. Provide Opportunities for Older Employees to Continue Working

Lastly, by offering work-related flexibility, you can appeal to valuable employees such as the older generation. Instead of retiring early, older employees can continue to work from home, if they so desire. Additionally, you will also be providing opportunities to parents of young children, caretakers of sick individuals, etc., to bring their expertise to your company.

Is Telecommuting Right for Your Business?

Telecommuting does not need to be the ultimate workplace arrangement for your business. However, being open to it is a must since post-COVID-19, employees know that remote working is possible and will desire opportunities to work from home. In fact, according to the 2019 State of Work Report, 38% of employees believe telecommuting will be commonplace within the next 5 years and so, businesses should start laying the foundation for such a transition. Therefore, invest in the right technology so your business will be ready and your employees will be satisfied.

Check out our Guide to Remote Team Management if you’re interested in learning more!

9 Ways to Minimize VoIP System Downtime

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#72375311 ID#27446420

One of the top benefits of using VoIP for business communication is that these systems are reliable. With proper redundancy, you can ensure that if your phone system incurs an issue in one location, calls can be routed to another location or line. This way, you can ensure business continuity and minimize VoIP system downtime.

Here we will look at the different ways you can minimize phone system downtime to ensure your business continues operating even during an internet outage or disaster.

How to Minimize VoIP Downtime During an Internet Outage?

VoIP phone systems have consistently proven to be more reliable than POTS lines. However, since VoIP systems work over the internet, they still run the risk of downtime if somehow your system loses connection to the internet.

Keeping Your VoIP Phone System Running Efficiently

With VoIP systems, you can set up backups so your business communication does not suffer during an outage. Service outages do not have to disrupt your business phone calls. You can either wait it out and hope it restores on its own, or you can prepare in advance to minimize downtime. Here are some ways to minimize and prevent phone system downtime:

To Prepare and Prevent Before an Outage

  • Choose the Right VoIP Provider
  • Set Up Automatic Call Forwarding and Routing
  • Invest in VoIP Monitoring Services
  • Route Incoming Calls to Other Locations
  • Have a Backup ISP

To Do After an Outage

  • Check and Confirm the Power Outage
  • Connect to a Backup Battery Power Supply
  • Use VoIP on Your Smartphone
  • Divert Calls to Voicemail or Other Locations

How to Prevent and Minimize Phone System Downtime

So, what can you do to minimize VoIP system downtime and keep your VoIP phone system running during an outage or disaster?

1. Choose the Right VoIP Provider

It is crucial that you choose a VoIP phone provider that meets your needs but also promises reliability. Research a provider’s record for reliability and the options they offer in case of an outage. Ask your provider what steps they have in place to prevent and minimize phone system downtime, especially during an outage or disaster. Ask about their security policies. You also want to check where your provider hosts your VoIP systems in safe locations.

2. Set Up Automatic Call Forwarding and Failover Routing

A popular way to minimize VoIP system downtime is to forward incoming calls to different locations or devices when your main VoIP phone system is unavailable. This way, during an outage or disaster, incoming calls automatically route to offices and employees in other locations or mobile devices.

With United World Telecom’s VoIP service, you can set up call forwarding with various failover rules for each number or line you have.

3. Invest in VoIP Monitoring Services

It is also a good idea to use a third-party VoIP monitoring service. This service keeps tabs on the status of your VoIP phone system. It will look for and identify potential network problems that may cause disruption. By monitoring your system and alerting users of issues, you can quickly troubleshoot any issues and get back to work.

How to minimize VoIP downtime.

4. Route Incoming Calls to Other Locations

When you use simultaneous ringing or sequential call forwarding features, you can forward calls to different locations when needed. With simultaneous ringing, you can ring multiple phones with one number. And with sequential forwarding, you can ring calls down a predetermined list of numbers — when the first line is busy, the call automatically moves to the next person in line. This way, when your main office or service center is not available, calls are routed and rung on other lines in different locations. This is another good technique to reduce VoIP system downtime.

5. Have a Backup ISP

To protect from internet outages, it is also recommended to have a backup WAN provider. Since VoIP services only need a low-latency connection, any broadband connection should work. You can find a high-speed wireless provider as a backup, or use 4G LTE technology from a cellular provider.

How to Minimize VoIP System Downtime After an Outage

While there are ways to prepare for an outage, and even prevent one, certain situations may be out of your control. So, what can you do to recover from an outage and get your communications up and running?

6. Check and Confirm the Power Outage

First, check to make sure you have a power or internet outage in all rooms and among all devices. Check the electric service panel, if you have a circuit trip, flip the circuit breaker to ON and everything should be working again. You may even check what the electric and internet situation is with neighbors and look for updates on local outages.

7. Connect to a Backup Battery Power Supply

Connecting to a backup battery source is a temporary solution but gives you enough time to identify the issue and resolve it. You can use an uninterruptible power supply (USP) and connect your WiFi system and phone system to it to restore connectivity and power. Note that this solution only works if your ISP is not affected by the power outage.

8. Divert Calls to Voicemail or Other Locations

Using your smartphone, access your VoIP provider’s control panel, and adjust call forwarding settings. You might choose to route calls to your voicemail box or to employees in other locations. You can add in multiple numbers and SIP devices that these calls will forward to. This way, callers trying to reach your business can still get the assistance they need. You may even choose to add a new greeting or pre-recorded message letting customers know that your phone system is down but they can leave a voicemail message, and your reps will get in touch with them as soon as possible.

9. Use VoIP on Your Smartphone

Lastly, if your power or internet outage does not affect the use of your smartphone, you can use your VoIP phone service through the smartphone as a temporary solution. For example, you can download our softphone app on your smartphone and make and receive business calls with your business phone number(s). With our softphone, you can:

  • Update customer and contact information
  • Transfer calls to other users
  • Make outbound calls with dynamic caller IDs
  • Access voicemails, and more

Do You Have a Backup Plan in Place?

The best way to minimize VoIP system downtime is to prepare for it. The above are some ways you prevent loss of data and usage by setting up backups in place. Want to learn more about how our VoIP phone service has 99.999% uptime? Call us today and chat with our representatives!

How to Go Green with Cloud Communications

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#381582454 ID#27446420

More and more businesses are looking for efficient and cost-effective ways to cut down negative environmental impacts and make their businesses more green. One way your business can become more eco-friendly is by replacing your traditional phone system with a cloud phone system. Cloud communications can help you cut down on unnecessary costs, space, and material waste while improving business connectivity. But how can you achieve this?

Why Invest in an Environment-Friendly Business Communication System

As climate change awareness grows, individuals and businesses are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and have a more positive impact on the planet.

Businesses are taking action to combat environmental issues in a variety of ways; from including sustainable packaging to following ethical practices to sourcing products produced in sustainable ways.

Another avenue for change is a business’s communication or phone system. With advancements in technology and the development of smarter and cleaner products, you can easily upgrade your business phone system to one that is more environmentally conscious. Here’s how:

Green Communications and Green IT Solutions

Green communications is the practice and process of creating a communication system with energy-efficient technologies and products. By doing this, your business can reduce and minimize resource use in different aspects of communication, and move towards making your business environment-friendly. Green communication practices include:

  • Updating old technology or legacy systems for newer, energy-efficient products.
  • Implementing virtualization where one physical server runs multiple programs and systems.
  • Choosing cloud communications solutions instead of traditional phone lines.
  • Substituting remote work and telecommuting for travel.
  • Investing in Green IT solutions.

Green IT refers to computer and IT systems, applications, and practices that have a positive environmental impact and enhance sustainability. The three facets of green IT include:

  • Greening of IT — focuses on efficiency design, manufacture, use, and disposal of computers, communication systems, and applications.
  • Greening by IT — focuses on using IT systems to reduce energy and resource consumption.
  • Using IT to increase green awareness — using technology to promote awareness of green practices and the importance of sustainability.

You can learn more about Green IT in this handy fact sheet about green IT created by the University of Michigan.

Environmental Impact of Cloud Communications

Can upgrading our business phone systems and business communication services actually help the environment? And, what is the environmental impact of switching to cloud communication solutions?

According to a report by Accenture, “Migrations to the public cloud can reduce CO2 emissions by 59 million tons per year which equates to taking 22 million cars off the road.” This goes to show that moving to the cloud can help your business not only cut down on operational costs but also support your social responsibility efforts.

But why do we need to reduce our carbon emissions? To reduce pollution-related death, to make the air cleaner, and the planet healthier. Want to put into perspective how much CO2 is produced? Check out this illustrious guide to CO2 by the Bank of the West.

Reasons to Switch to Cloud Communications

There are many reasons to take your business communications to the cloud: cost savings, gaining a wider reach, access to advanced features and integrations, using a reliable network, and so on.

But if social responsibility and sustainability are core to your business, then the environmental impact of green communications will mean much more. Here are the benefits of switching to cloud communications:

Sidebar: Now this is going to get technical, but bear with us, we will break down these technical terms.

  1. Clean energy transitions — shifting energy production away from ones that release high levels of greenhouse gases.
  2. Material waste reduction — reducing the amount of material wastage to improve resource efficiency and reduce pollution.
  3. Less use of hardware and equipment — gradual dependency on cloud computing and software.
  4. Reduced dependency on paper — paperless alternatives.
  5. Greater flexibility — ability to work and connect from any location; telecommuting.
  6. Adoption of resource virtualization — enabling one physical server to run multiple independent programs or operating systems.
  7. Development of robust data centers — improved data centers with combined heat and power systems.
  8. Multi-function communication systems — eliminate the need for deskphones with computer telephony integration.
  9. Storage efficiencies — storing data in a way that consumes the least amount of space without affecting performance and operational efficiency.
An image showing green cloud communications.
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#77054625 ID#27446420

6 Ways to Go Green with Cloud Communications

How can a cloud-first approach boost business communication and benefit the planet? And how can your business take the necessary steps in the right direction? Here are some ways to make your business more environment-friendly:

1. Switch to a Cloud Phone System

First, if you are still using a traditional phone system, you may want to consider switching to a cloud phone system instead. A virtual or cloud phone system comes with VoIP capabilities and cloud phone numbers.

Such a system uses voice over IP or VoIP to transmit voice signals from one user to the next via an internet connection. Therefore, it does not need traditional phone lines or physical hardware to make and receive calls to function effectively.

Cloud phone numbers or virtual numbers use VoIP to connect users from one location to another. These numbers are not attached to any one physical location or address and can transmit calls virtually.

You can buy local phone numbers from countries around the world. And you can use them from any location. Additionally, you even gain access to various advanced call routing and call management features to create an efficient business communication system.

But the main benefit of switching to the cloud is to reduce environmental impact with lower hardware and equipment use, telecommuting, and virtualization. More on this below!

2. Reduce Use of Hardware and Equipment

A cloud phone system or VoIP phone system only needs a business SIP trunk provider and a stable internet connection. You can then convert any device into a business phone. You don’t need heavy-duty computers or high-end deskphones. And no additional equipment or cables are needed.

This means you can run your cloud phone system through smart or energy-efficient devices instead of bulky setups over-consuming energy. And if you get multi-function devices, you can further cut down on the need for extra devices and machinery.

For example, when you purchase SIP trunks, you can get a softphone to make and receive calls. The softphone is a web dialer that lets you make business calls from any device like a laptop, smartphone, tablet, etc. You simply download a softphone to your device. Log in with your VoIP/SIP credentials and start making calls.

With this feature, you can convert your existing computer or laptop into a phone, instead of getting a deskphone. And you can use advanced call management and collaboration features such as call transfer, conferencing, outbound calling, managing caller IDs, updating contact info, and so on. This way, you have a multi-function and energy-saving device.

Related: How Much Does a SIP Trunk Cost in 2021?

3. Reduce Paper Usage

Unified communications include voice, video, email, messages, chat transcripts, contact/customer information, ticket tracking, voicemail, fax, and file-sharing. So, it’s only natural that you end up with a lot of confidential and important documents and transcripts. And a lot of paper.

But by taking your business communication system to the cloud and using cloud communication and storage features, you can easily cut down on the use of paper. You can:

Share files and documents via your email, control panel, or CRM. Go paperless with an eFax or Fax-to-Email feature that forwards incoming faxes to your email address instead. Automate customer tickets to end up in your CRM. Integrate your phone system with the right CRM and file storage services such as Google Drive or Dropbox to keep all important documents in one place securely.

4. Encourage Telecommuting and Remote Working

Advancements in technology have made it easier than ever for people to communicate and collaborate over the internet. And a cloud phone system helps with just that. It lets you make business calls from any device and location as long as it is connected to the internet. Plus, when you integrate your phone system with other services such as your project management system or CRM, you then have a full-fledged digital workspace.

This means a lesser need for physical office space and running an in-house office. Cut down on commute times and travel costs by telecommuting and letting your employees work remotely. All without losing productivity or connectivity!

Related: 5 Benefits of Unified Communications for Remote Teams

5. Conduct Video Meetings

If the pandemic taught us anything it was the effectiveness of a good Zoom meeting. Zoom and other video conferencing and streaming apps became commonplace for meetings, webinars, tutorials, and even weddings!

We know that video meetings work. So, when possible, conduct video meetings instead of in-person meetings. This reduces time and money spent traveling only for such meetings. And with a VoIP provider that has a video conferencing integration, you can do this cost-effectively.

6. Scale Globally Without Physical Offices

Finally, when it is time to expand your business globally, you will be glad to have an easily scalable phone system. You can set up direct inward dialing from target countries to your existing phone system, and establish a virtual, local presence without opening a physical office immediately.

Scope new markets, test and conduct market research, and gradually grow your business. All without increasing your carbon footprint or burning a hole in your pocket.

Go Green with a Cloud Phone System

So, are you ready to take the next step? Making changes can be overwhelming but we can help you switch to a cloud phone system with minimal interruption and downtime. Call us today or chat with our experts to learn more! We are here to help you create a business phone system that works best for your business.

15 Critical IT Security Policies to Be Aware of

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#32011021 ID#27446420

IT security policies are the backbone of all procedures within an organization. Without the right policies laid out ahead of time, your business may be left open to security attacks with no disaster plan in sight. Let’s look at some critical IT security policies companies should consider having in place.

Why are IT Security Policies Important?

These policies align with the company mission and ensure the security of the company, employees, and customer information. An IT security policy defines what information needs to be protected and how it will be protected. These policies also determine how an organization prepares and handles security incidents. As such, an IT policy is crucial to the efficient and safe running of any business.

  • IT infrastructure, or information technology infrastructure, supports many levels of your business operations.
  • It consists of different components that allow your company to manage internal processes and deliver external services to customers.
  • The essential components of an IT infrastructure include: Hardware, Software, Network, Communication, and Facility (that houses your equipment)

What is in an IT Security Policy?

In general, IT security policies outline the purpose, scope, policy, and procedures to be followed. The IT company policy will also highlight who must follow these rules and regulations. For example, certain rules apply only to an IT team while others may apply to other users (employees).

IT policies should include risks and consequences of not following the guidelines listed within the policy. They should also provide information about who to report to when a breach or issue occurs. When implemented and followed diligently, these policies protect your business’s confidentiality, integrity, and availability of systems and data.

15 IT Security Policies for Business

So, what IT security policies does your business need? There are a multitude of policies out there meant to protect company information and data. In fact, TechRepublic has a list of over 100 IT policies. However, not all apply to every business type and size. Here we list the most important IT security policies you should consider for your business:

1. Acceptable Use Policy

The Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) defines the acceptable use of computer and laptop equipment within the office. The AUP outlines what constitutes inappropriate use of computers and laptops and educates users on the potential risks. This IT policy also determines how employees should handle proprietary or sensitive information about the company, employees, and customers.

2. Security Awareness and Training Policy

This policy highlights how all workplace members and users must protect company information. Employees may sign a confidentiality agreement. They may also complete training as required by the business to educate employees on the business’s security policy and how the policy protects the business, employees, and customers. Key aspects of the training include safeguarding business and customer information, reducing downtime, etc. Employees may be asked to provide proof of completion of the training.

3. Access Authorization, Modification, and Identity Access Management

This IT policy operates on the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) which states that users, systems, and devices are given access only to the information they need to do their jobs. To effectively implement this policy, businesses must create a process for documenting, reviewing, and modifying access. The policy also outlines who will have what kind of access and when access will be terminated. Access can be granted based on valid access authorization, intended use, and other necessary factors.

4. Password Creation and Management Policy

This IT company policy, as the name suggests, focuses on best practices when it comes to creating, changing, sharing, and safeguarding strong passwords. Passwords and two-factor authentication ensure that your information and accounts are kept secure and don’t fall into the wrong hands. This policy should include training and awareness that educates users on how to create strong passwords, what parameters to follow when creating passwords, and why it is important to avoid reusing the same passwords. This policy may also include password log-outs and maximum retry attempts to safeguard from unsuccessful login attempts.

5. Network Security Policy

This policy focuses on best practices when conducting network and information system activity reviews. The core purpose of a network security policy is to ensure your systems and data remain secure. This involves making sure systems have the right hardware and software and that these are up to date. It also includes procedural auditing mechanisms to keep track of usage and changes.

6. VoIP Security Policy

A VoIP security policy looks after your business’s VoIP phone system. This policy identifies common VoIP vulnerabilities and potential risks. It is important to ensure that your VoIP system is secure by educating users on how to identify VoIP attacks as well as keep their devices and phone systems secure.

7. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

BYOD policies let employees bring and use their own devices to conduct business. While this policy has helped businesses cut down on equipment-related costs, it may lead to security breaches if not monitored. A BYOD policy outlines what steps employees must take to keep their devices safe, especially when connecting these devices to your business’s networks. Businesses with remote and distributed teams can use a BYOD policy to ensure information is kept secure.

it security policy
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8. Remote Access Policy

With the popularity of remote working and telecommuting, this policy is more important than ever to keep remote teams connected securely. A remote access policy outlines how users will achieve remote access. This is when working from outside the office and connecting to the company’s network. A remote access policy ensures users know how to keep information and devices safe. This IT company policy should include VPN access and disk encryption instructions. Additionally, employees should be educated on the appropriate usage of authorized devices such as not engaging in illegal activity or mandating the use of strong passwords.

It is also crucial to educate employees about privacy-centered browsers. When considering secure browsing options for remote work, comparing Brave vs DuckDuckGo can help you decide which browser better aligns with your company’s remote access policy and data protection measures.

Related: 5 Benefits of Unified Communications for Remote Teams

9. Incident Response Policy

An incident response policy outlines the business’s response to an information security incident. Although similarly categorized, this policy should be documented separately from a disaster recovery plan or policy. This policy must include information about the incident response team so users know who to report to in the case of a security or data breach. It should also outline actions and resources implemented to identify compromised data and a plan to recover this data.

10. Encryption and Decryption Policy

This IT security policy outlines encryption requirements for all office- and business-related devices such as computers, laptops, networks, servers, storage areas, and so on. All employees, users, and IT members should follow recommendations made in this policy. The purpose of this is to protect information and communication channels while deterring unauthorized access.

11. Vulnerability Management Policy

A vulnerability management policy defines rules for reviewing, evaluating, applying, and verifying system updates. The purpose of this is to reduce or mitigate vulnerabilities and risks within your business’s IT infrastructure. As such, the policy will also include ways to identify, classify, and remediate these vulnerabilities.

12. Change Management Policy

A change management policy discusses how changes are made to information systems. This policy ensures that changes made to computers and laptops are managed, approved, and tracked in a thoughtful manner that reduces negative impact on the business. Timely and accurate documentation is at the core of this policy.

13. Vendor Management Policy

This IT security policy validates a vendor’s compliance and information security capabilities. And by doing so, it evaluates which vendors may put your business at risk and how to avoid those risks. In other words, it evaluates whether a third-party vendor should have access to sensitive data. In order to conduct this evaluation, your business must assess the vendor’s ability to create, receive, and transmit confidential information. Your business should also maintain a list of vendors to keep track of risks and be prepared for a data breach. Additionally, prepare an internal response plan, in case a vendor fails and a data breach occurs.

14. Data Retention Policy

A data retention policy defines what type of data must be retained, for how long, and how it will be stored and destroyed. Your business may want to store company documents, transactions and contracts, customer records, emails, call center data, and so on. This policy will help your business store and retain data effectively while determining processes to take care of outdated and duplicated data.

15. Scheduled Downtime Policy

This IT policy defines how to conduct regular maintenance, updates, and upgrades of company systems, servers, and networks. It should also outline how the business will communicate the scheduled downtime to its users, vendors, contacts, and customers to ensure smooth operations.

Does Your Business Have the Right Policies in Place?

Depending on how you run your business and what systems you have in place, you may need some or all of these policies. Conduct a review of different departments, brainstorm with your IT team, and identify areas that need new policies. It’s better to get started now than have to remedy issues later when they may be too late to fix. Bring your business up to date and protect it with the right IT policies.

Top Business VoIP Trends to Know in 2025

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#251896403 ID#27446420

Technology continues to advance over time with new and improved options available to users of all kinds. And for businesses, this is always exciting because there are new ways to improve customer experience (CX) and scale vertically. One of these technologies that impact businesses the most is business VoIP.

Future of Cloud Communications: 2025 VoIP Trends

VoIP, a type of cloud communications, makes it easy for users to communicate through the internet securely and reliably. And VoIP providers are developing new ways to increase their offerings and provide businesses with a well-rounded phone system.

So, what’s new in VoIP? Quite a lot: from leveraging AI to UCaaS and CCaaS to 5G networks. If your business is trying to catch up, you may want to consider an upgrade to your phone system to help improve CX and customer satisfaction.

Here are the top 9 business VoIP trends in 2025.

1. Unified Communications as a Service

One of the top business VoIP trends in 2025 includes bringing all communication and collaboration needs into one platform. This becomes crucial for businesses with multiple offices and locations around the world and for those with remote workers. Unified communications (UC) and cloud communication tools improve a business’ ability to be flexible and mobile and scale as needed. With collaborative features and real-time updates, your teams can stay organized and productive, no matter the location.

2. Mobile Unified Communications

Besides working within your business phone system, UC services are also being extended to mobile. The rise of mobile UC means you can transform your mobile or smartphone into a business powerhouse. You can use this device then to conduct both personal and business interactions and give your business more mobility. Mobile VoIP systems give you access to smartphone and PC apps, which increase productivity on the go.

Related: UC Trends You Need to Know in 2025

3. Advanced Video Conferencing Services

Since the COVID-19 pandemic led to many businesses switching to work-from-home or remote work capabilities, video conferencing became crucial for the proper functioning of many businesses. Video conferencing tools were in high demand and that competition was troublesome for VoIP service providers. This led to one of the newest VoIP trends: video conferencing. VoIP providers are upping their game and now offering multi-channel communication services, including video conferencing. They do this through integrations and partnerships with video conferencing services. And while this is the current solution, evolving technology will open doors for advanced VoIP software with more conferencing and collaborative capabilities to make doing business over the cloud easier and more user-friendly.

4. Customizable Features

Each business is unique and follows specific processes and guidelines that work best for the business and its employees. The same goes for your business phone system. Cloud communication is known greatly for its customization capabilities. Need to upgrade your system, add new lines without interrupting service, or integrate with other services? Cloud communications and VoIP systems can help you create a business phone system that works best for your business needs. Customize your system for the number and type of users you have, where they are located, different departments, and so on.

VoIP trends to watch in 2021.

5. Seamless Integrations

VoIP integrations can help you expand your VoIP phone system’s capabilities. You can connect your office calendar, CRM, content management systems, lead generation platforms, video conferencing services, chatbot automation, and more. Most popular integrations that work well with cloud communication platforms include:

  • Salesforce
  • HubSpot
  • Azure
  • OneLogin
  • Zapier
  • Clio

6. Leveraging AI

As seen in recent years, the use of AI within business has increased. This goes for the business VoIP world too. From handling customers to automating responses and ticketing systems, AI has been used to improve customer experience and satisfaction. Most companies are using AI to automate their websites and communication platforms to streamline services and improve engagement. This VoIP trend will continue in the coming years as AI has exceptional potential. Common uses of AI for VoIP include:

7. Security Issues

For the longest time, users considering VoIP were concerned about internet security and cyberattacks. But VoIP and internet services have come a long way and can provide secure avenues for their services. Business communication involves customer and company data and privacy which needs to be kept safe from intruders and hackers. VoIP security ensures that your business can communicate safely with its customers and employees. Learn more about how VoIP tackles security concerns in our guide to VoIP security.

8. 5G

In our fast-paced world, we expect quick response times and processes. And businesses need to meet these expectations when dealing with customers. 5G networks — one of the most anticipated VoIP trends — are here to solve this very issue and to improve VoIP call quality. With 5G, your business can:

5G networks are built to improve customer satisfaction and CX by making your business more available and responsive.

9. VoIP in More Places

More and more businesses are switching to VoIP to improve their communication and customer outreach. From schools to small businesses to large enterprises, every type of business can benefit from VoIP services. This makes business VoIP more present in more places around the world.

Need a VoIP Upgrade?

Want to learn about United World Telecom’s VoIP number solutions and how we can help your business improve internal and external communication? Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with our experts today!

Cloud PBX vs On-Premises PBX: Which is Right for Your Business?

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#318928734 ID#27446420

When evaluating your options for a private branch exchange, you will often come across the terms: cloud PBX and on-premise PBX. What is the difference between the two services and how do you decide which one you need?

Getting the Right PBX System for Your Business

A PBX, or private branch exchange, is a private telephone network. A PBX system makes internal call management easy and ensures smooth collaboration between different teams and departments within a business.

There are two common types of private branch exchange systems: Cloud-Hosted and On-Premise. And choosing between these two systems depends on a few factors:

  • What do you need from your phone system?
  • Do you want to connect multiple office locations through the system?
  • What communication features do you need?
  • What is your budget?
  • Do you have or need to hire an IT team?
  • The answers to these questions can help you determine which phone system is right for you.

What is a Cloud Hosted PBX?

A cloud PBX is what it sounds like: a private phone exchange that works over the cloud. This means that it does not need a physical space in your office. The host will take care of the maintenance of the system and all you need to do is use it.

You will not have to worry about installing any hardware, saving office space for the system, or high maintenance costs. You won’t even need an on-premise IT team to handle all of it. However, you might not have as much control as with an on-premise system.

How Does an On-Premises PBX Work?

An on-premise PBX system is installed on company premises. This type of phone system is installed, run, and maintained by your company. You might need an experienced IT team to handle such a system.

Choosing Between Cloud PBX vs On-Premises PBX

The bottom line is that if you want a system that is wholly controlled and managed by your in-house IT team, then an on-premises PBX is the choice for you. However, if you don’t want to worry about the hassle of running and maintaining your phone system, then go with the system that’s hosted in the cloud.

Here are the other main differences between the two:

 

Cloud Hosted PBX On-Premises
Hosted by your provider Operated on-site by you
Little to no control over how it operates Controlled and managed fully by you
No physical space needed Physical space needed
No installation or maintenance needed Needs to be installed and maintained regularly
No professional IT experience needed Needs an experienced IT team to operate the system
Uses VoIP tech; Needs a broadband connection May use VoIP tech
Low monthly costs; No installation costs Low monthly costs; High installation costs
Variety of virtual calling features Limited calling features
Scalable as needed Limited scalability
Recommended for small to medium-sized businesses Recommended for large corporations

United World Telecom Knows About PBX Systems

United World Telecom has the PBX solutions you need for your business. You can also choose to set up your own IP-PBX system. This way you can take full advantage of SIP to place calls over the internet. Doing so results in better international calling rates at higher scale.

What is SIP Calling?

Posted on by Luke Genoyer

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#159525026 ID#27446420

Communicating effectively with customers is crucial to the successful running of any business. It is through your customers that you can improve your product and increase sales. And so, if your business isn’t doing everything it can to make it easy for customers to connect with you, then you are falling behind. Learn what SIP calling is, how it works, and how businesses can benefit from using a SIP phone system for business communication.

SIP Calling: The What, How, & Why

To understand SIP calling (or SIP trunking), you must first be familiar with Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). SIP is a signaling protocol that initiates real-time voice calling between two or more parties. This IP is in charge of starting, maintaining, and terminating the call over an internet network. By doing so, SIP technology makes it possible for users to make and receive high-quality calls over a virtual network. Let’s look at how SIP calling works and how businesses can use SIP for improved communication.

What are SIP Calls?

SIP calls use Session Initiation Protocol to transmit voice calls over a SIP trunk or SIP channels. In other words, SIP calls are voice calls sent over an internet protocol or internet connection.

Often used interchangeably with voice over IP or VoIP calls, the two systems are different. VoIP makes SIP calls possible. This is because SIP uses VoIP technology to transfer calls from one end to another destination over a stable internet connection.

How Does a SIP Call Work?

Traditional phone systems consist of a PBX system and phone lines connecting to a PSTN.

SIP technology removes the need for a traditional, physical connection. With SIP, you do not need to be connected to a phone company or geographical location. And, you do not need multiple phone lines for different departments. You will get a SIP trunk, instead, to run your virtual phone system. You can then establish voice communications virtually via the internet.

And what’s the end result? You can get a virtual phone system with call management and call routing features (global call forwarding, outbound calling, etc.) without physical or multiple phone lines. This system can be used from any location, connecting multiple devices.

sip calling for business

Why Does Your Business Need SIP Calling? 5 Benefits of SIP Calls

So, how can SIP calling benefit your business? From being a cost-effective alternative to creating a unified communications platform, SIP trunking can help businesses organize their internal and external communications to connect better and increase productivity and efficiency. Let’s look at the top benefits of SIP calling for business:

1. Save on Business Calling Costs
First and foremost, the cost of SIP calling is highly affordable for businesses needing multiple phone lines and with various departments. Not only can you make and receive high-quality voice calls inexpensively, but you can also bypass international calling rates when offering global customer support.

2. Scale Up or Down as Needed
SIP trunks are designed to support a business’ scalability needs. This means that if you need to scale up and add more direct inward or outward dial numbers, you can do so easily. And the same goes for scaling down; that is, removing lines or pausing certain services and features. And most of these actions can be done by you, reducing the number of times you will panic-call your SIP provider.

3. Improve Communications with Better User Experience
SIP trunks, and SIP technology generally, are easy to use. You do not need to employ new IT teams or conduct rigorous training or worry about setting up complicated software. You and your employees can simply manage everything from a user interface provided by your SIP provider. Use this interface or control panel to set up features and service, make changes or adjustments, add lines, and more.

4. Experience High-Quality Voice Calls
When using SIP, your business no longer relies on physical landlines. This means that your communication system does not easily fall apart due to power outages or weather conditions. SIP calling utilizes redundancy to automatically reroute calls from one location to another if the previous location’s user is unavailable or inactive. This is a reliable way to make and receive high-quality business calls.

5. Offer Excellent Customer Service
Never miss calls by routing them to different locations, in case the first is unavailable. Reduce the number of dropped calls or low-quality calls. All of these factors come together to help your business offer excellent and uninterrupted customer service to not only local but global customers as well.

Get SIP Calling with United World Telecom

With a SIP phone system in place, your business is gearing up to communicate with your customers conveniently and cost-effectively. Learn more about how SIP trunking can boost business communication by chatting with our experts or calling us at 1 (877) 898 8646.

The Complete Guide to Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#62213505 ID#27446420

Need to upgrade your contact center software but don’t know where to start? Here’s an in-depth guide to Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) with everything you need to know about cloud contact center software in 2021.

What is Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)?

Contact center as a service, commonly known as CCaaS, is a cloud communication software for businesses and contact or call centers. The most attractive feature of CCaaS is that it enables multichannel communication through one platform. And so, CCaaS is generally used by businesses to help them communicate with customers and leads effectively.

How Does CCaaS Work?

In essence, CCaaS is a call center software based in the cloud; that is, it connects users with essential communication tools virtually. This is a good solution for any company that wants to be in control of its business communication and manage teams from different parts of the world.

Your CCaaS provider is in charge of the software. This means that the provider takes care of developing, updating, and maintaining the software. Your business and employees don’t have to worry about managing hardware or maintaining updates. The tools and features included in such software are designed for easy usage and setup. Additionally, you won’t need a large IT team to make these communications possible.

Since contact center solutions and features benefit sales and customer service teams, sales managers usually make CCaaS purchasing decisions. These leaders look for solutions that make it quick and easy for their teams to connect with clients and leads and move them down the sales funnel.

CCaaS Features

CCaaS solutions were created to help agents and employees quickly and accurately connect with customers. As such, each feature and service involved supports call management, call forwarding and distribution, remote team management, and enhanced caller experience. Some common features include:

By including these features and services, contact center solutions help automate and manage call volumes and call flows more efficiently. With these features and self-service options, CCaaS solutions have grown into a trusted and reliable alternative to traditional contact center solutions and phone systems.

CCaaS vs On-Premise Contact Center Solutions

When it comes to contact center software, businesses have two choices: on-premise or cloud contact center solutions. Deciding which of these solutions is most suitable for your business depends on your business communication needs and budget. Let’s look at the differences between CCaaS and on-premise contact center solutions:

CCaaS On-Premise
Works virtually; located in the cloud Located on-site
Enables remote team management May not be effective for remote team management
No set-up or installation costs Includes set-up and/or installation costs
Software is hosted, run, and maintained by the provider Software is run and maintained by the company
In-house IT team not required for maintenance and updates In-house IT team required for maintenance and updates
Additional hardware and equipment not required Additional hardware, equipment, and installation may be required
Offers contact center features and services Offers contact center features and services
High scalability, reliability, and flexibility High reliability; low scalability and flexibility
Advanced communication features and services Basic communication features and services
Enables cost-effective international communication International communication is more expensive
Cheaper Expensive

Taking note of these differences, you can make a decision for your company based on your company’s size, in-house and remote teams, call traffic, and budget. You may also want to consider what your business hopes to achieve with your contact center solution. Do you want to expand internationally in a cost-effective way or do you want to stay local? Is remote team management a key factor? Do you anticipate scaling up or down and need a solution to back you up? And so on. Answering such questions can help you make an informed decision.

CCaaS and UCaaS: A Business Communication Powerhouse

When looking for communication solutions online, you will often come across a number of viable options. UCaaS refers to Unified Communications as a Service and is growing popular as an internal communication tool.

The main differentiating factor between these two solutions is that UCaaS focuses primarily on internal communication while CCaaS aims to improve customer experience. For this reason, IT managers make purchasing decisions for UCaaS while sales managers make decisions for contact center solutions.

While these solutions work on different aspects of business communication, by bundling UCaaS and CCaaS your business gains a full-fledged communication system that manages both internal and external communication. This way, you can encourage internal collaboration as well as improve customer experience.

Maximize CCaaS with SIP Trunking

CCaaS and SIP trunking together can create a powerhouse for your business phone system. Companies can use SIP trunking to boost their business communication system through hosted cloud solutions. To make unified communications work effectively, your business will need a SIP trunking solution that bundles all necessary telephony solutions together. With SIP trunking, a business can access global coverage are various communication features, all in the same platform, inexpensively. SIP lines are cheaper compared to traditional PSTN solutions, considering the many options the solution offers.

Contact centers and businesses using CCaaS solutions will have multiple locations and customers from around the world. As such, using a single or global SIP trunking provider can prove more useful and cost-effective than working with multiple regional providers. Furthermore, CCaaS and SIP trunking providers offer scalability where a business can expand, as and when needed, without your business having to worry about accommodating compliance with various local regulations. Your provider takes care of everything.

Business guide to Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)
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5 Benefits of CCaaS

So, why should your business consider getting CCaaS? If your company is looking to upgrade its phone system while keeping costs low, consider cloud contact center solutions. Here are 5 reasons to get CCaaS for business.

1. Better Internal Collaboration

Cloud contact center solutions offer multichannel communication in one place. This means various departments and teams can communicate smoothly and share information in real-time through the same platform. Increase team collaboration between departments by choosing CCaaS.

2. Low Communication-Related Costs

When all essential features and services are available through one platform or service, you do not need additional service or equipment to support your communication needs. In fact, CCaaS is a cloud-based solution that does not require hardware and additional equipment to make it work. Your employees can use existing devices and phone systems, and can use these devices from anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, your monthly bill is more predictable since you know upfront how much your service is going to cost. Lastly, CCaaS is equipped to help businesses conduct international communication at low rates as well. With all these benefits, you can see significant savings for all communication-related processes.

3. Better Remote Team Management

By going virtual, your business can easily manage remote teams since users can communicate through the business phone system from any location and any device. Cloud contact center solutions support remote contact centers, virtual call centers, BPOs, distributed teams, and more, by providing tools that let users work efficiently.

4. Low IT Costs and Maintenance

Similar to low communication-related costs, your business can also save on employing a full IT team as well as costs related to updating and maintaining the software. This frees up costs that may otherwise be put towards marketing and sales initiatives to boost brand awareness.

5. Improved Customer Experience

Finally, all of the above reasons make way for enhanced customer experience. If customers struggle to reach your business, they won’t hesitate to look for similar solutions elsewhere. By utilizing a reliable and high-quality phone system, you make it easy for employees to connect with valuable customers and vice versa. This means that agents and reps are given the tools they need to convert more customers and increase the business’ overall sales.

Get Contact Center Solutions for Your Business!

United World Telecom offers various virtual communication solutions for businesses looking to add call center software and features to their existing communication system. We can help you upgrade your business phone system without much work! Call us today to learn more or chat with us online!

What is BYOC? How Can it Benefit Your Business?

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#52465695 ID#27446420

With the wide range of telecom terminology and phone system abbreviations swarming the internet, it is easy to get lost in new technology and systems available for business communication. BYOC is one such term and concept that has been gaining prominence with cloud telephone solutions. So, what is Bring Your Own Carrier and how can businesses benefit from this setup?

Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC): Definition, How it Works, & Benefits

BYOC provides businesses with the option to bring their own carrier or SIP trunking provider and add it as part of their communication setup. This is in place of using an all-inclusive communication platform. Let’s dive into what a Bring Your Own Carrier process looks like and why businesses should care about BYOC.

What is BYOC?

Bring Your Own Carrier or BYOC is the process of businesses bringing or choosing a carrier to plug into an existing phone system. In other words, businesses can choose what carrier to add to their existing UCaaS or CCaaS.

The main reason to consider BYOC as a telecom solution for your business is to shift from using on-premise communication solutions to cloud-based phone systems. By moving to the cloud, your business gains flexibility, mobility, scalability, and more control over your business telephone system.

Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) and SIP Trunking

Moving your telecom needs from an on-premise solution to a cloud solution may seem overwhelming. However, advancements in telecom and cloud communications have made it easier and cost-effective to make this move. Some ways you can switch from traditional phone systems to virtual systems include:

  1. Adding SIP trunks to an existing IP PBX
  2. Choosing a UCaaS that is packed with service features
  3. Switching to a cloud solution

At the core of these options is SIP trunking which provides global communications functionality. SIP trunking replaces the traditional phone system by allowing users to place business calls via their internet connection instead of copper phone lines. SIP trunks in a VoIP system can hold multiple SIP lines (up to 100) at a time, allowing for multiple calls to occur simultaneously. These lines can be spread across different devices, departments, and locations. SIP trunks can be added to your existing PBX system without needing additional equipment or hardware.

Related: SIP Trunking: Everything You Need to Know

The Problem with The All-in-One Approach

For over 10 years, telecom companies have been offering an all-in-one communication solution that offers PBX, SIP trunking, and other business communication services. Not all of these providers own every aspect of their offering. For example, many of these providers have their own PBX functionality but they may get their phone and voice coverage from other SIP providers. This can pose a few issues, such as:

1. Higher bundled costs — Since these providers are getting services from elsewhere, the bundled costs may prove higher than if you were to get an unbundled solution.
2. Uneven quality — Since these providers don’t own all parts of their service, they cannot guarantee voice quality which may lead to coverage and quality issues.
3. Compliance issues — There are many regulations that telephony providers must follow and if the provider fails to comply, your business can face coverage issues such as dropped calls.

So, how can your business combat this issue? Enter: Bring Your Own Carrier!

How Can BYOC Benefit Your Business?

The concerns and issues mentioned above have led to the rise of the Bring Your Own Carrier alternative. You can opt for an unbundled solution where you choose your own carrier. What are the benefits of bringing your own carrier?

  1. Maintain control over call routing and forwarding.
  2. Secure, consistent, and high VoIP quality.
  3. Lower service interruptions that may be compliance-related.
  4. Save money on communication-related costs with low SIP trunk pricing.
  5. Scale up and down as necessary.
  6. Keep existing phone numbers through number porting.
  7. Increase global coverage.

Not having a choice or being stuck with a carrier that doesn’t match your needs can become a liability. Being able to choose a SIP provider or carrier that fits right in with your phone system is a great boon in ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality service.

Choose the Right Carrier for Your Business

Having a solid business communication system in place can determine how well your business performs and how customers interact with it. United World Telecom offers SIP trunks in more than 160 countries around the world with international SIP termination and dynamic local caller ID. As your SIP trunk provider, we are here to offer a customizable solution to help you expand globally. Call us today to buy SIP trunks or to learn more about how this service can help your business improve its communication system and global coverage!

The Business Guide to UCaaS [Updated 2025]

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#11308250 ID#27446420

Don’t know which communication platform or software to use for your business communication needs? Here’s an in-depth guide to UCaaS or Unified Communications as a Service with everything you need to know about unified communications and how UC can improve internal and external business communication.

Everything You Need to Know About UCaaS

Even though it has been around for a while, the term ‘UCaaS’ is still not entirely familiar to everyone. And so, in this UCaaS guide, we are going to go through what UCaaS and unified communications are, how businesses can use this service to improve business communications, and how to choose a UCaaS provider that’s a perfect fit for your needs.

What is UCaaS and How Does it Work?

Unified Communications as a Service — also known as UCaaS or UC — consolidates significant and relevant communication tools in one cloud-based platform. In short, UC as a service combines features of an office phone system with relevant, real-time apps to create a unified business communication system.

By bringing together phone, chat, video, and messaging services in one platform, UCaaS encourages communication, collaboration, and productivity. This service can be used through any device connected to the internet such as a computer, laptop, deskphone, or smartphone. This way, Unified Communications as a Service supports businesses that work remotely or spread across different locations.

UCaaS Features

UCaaS providers offer various call center services and features that can include telephony, video conferencing, messaging, and VoIP integrations. Here are some of the top features offered:

  • Advanced call routing
  • Hosted PBX
  • APIs and CRMs
  • Automatic call distribution (ACD)
  • Auto-attendant
  • Interactive voice response (cloud IVR)
  • Local and international call forwarding
  • Local phone numbers
  • International toll free numbers
  • Softphones and web dialers
  • Outbound calling (caller ID)
  • Fax and voicemail
  • SMS forwarding
  • Voice and video conferencing
  • Call recording
  • Chat and SMS
  • Encryption
  • Call analytics and metrics
  • Inbound call display
  • Call transfer
  • Extensions and DID numbers
  • Call detail records

Types of UCaaS Architecture

Businesses looking into UC as a software for their business communication needs must first understand the two UCaaS architecture options offered: single-tenancy and multi-tenancy. Choose the UCaaS model right for your company depending on your communication needs and budget.

1. Single-Tenancy UCaaS
The single-tenancy model is a UCaaS architecture where the organization is the only user (tenant) of the software. This type is highly customizable and can be tailored to meet the customer’s specific needs. Additionally, this type of UCaaS model keeps customer data separate and private. The single-tenancy model can prove expensive as the user pays for the service including updates and maintenance.

2. Multi-Tenancy UCaaS
In multi-tenancy UCaaS, more than one user is using the same software. This type of UCaaS architecture offers limited customization options. However, it is more cost-effective than a single-tenancy model as updates and maintenance are shared by all users.

On-Premise vs Cloud UCaaS

There are two ways to set up UC as a service for business communication: on-premise and cloud (hosted). The difference between these two types of systems is who is in charge of them: the business or the UCaaS provider. And deciding which type of UCaaS architecture and service your business needs depends on:

  • What is the communication budget?
  • Does the business have an in-house IT team or plans to hire one?
  • What is the stage of business growth — starting out or established?
  • Does the business have an existing PBX system or plans to replace it?
  • Does the business need to purchase a new communication system?

With on-premise UC, the servers are located in the business’ office and involve acquiring the necessary hardware. This means that the business will need an internal IT team to install, update, and maintain the system. And the upfront costs plus the cost of hiring an IT team can prove expensive.

Hosted UC or UCaaS, on the other hand, relieves businesses of software maintenance and management — all of this is taken care of by your UCaaS provider. You can even eliminate upfront hardware and equipment costs. With UC as a service, your business can scale up and down as needed.

UCaaS vs CCaaS: How They Work Better Together

UC as a software used to compete with contact center as a software (CCaaS) as the better communication platform alternative. However, lately, users and providers are realizing that UCaaS and CCaaS combined leads to better results.

CCaaS is basically cloud call center software designed to enhance customer service. It offers various cloud communication tools in one platform. By integrating it with UC as a service, you have a business communication system equipped for effective internal and external communication. A UCaaS-CCaaS solution, therefore, encourages and optimizes in-house collaboration as well as customer interactions.

A Comprehensive Guide to Unified Communications as a Service
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#180062976 ID#27446420

UC Trends and Benefits

More and more businesses are adopting UCaaS as part of their communication setup. Before we delve into why businesses are choosing UCaaS and how your business might benefit from this service, let’s look at UCaaS trends for 2022:

  1. More cloud solutions
  2. Adoption of AI
  3. Higher adoption for remote teams and digital workspaces
  4. More focus on customer experience
  5. Growing focus on improving employee experience
  6. Rise of additional service extensions
  7. Improve data management and analytics
  8. Rise of global SIP trunking

So, how are companies using and benefiting from UCaaS solutions?

1. More Internal Collaboration and Communication

UCaaS solutions allow various departments and teams to communicate smoothly. This way, marketing, sales, and services teams can work together to develop better products and advertising strategies. However, interruptions in communication can disrupt and discourage an easy workflow. UC solutions work to eliminate this issue letting teams share information and knowledge seamlessly.

2. Better for Business Continuity

With this platform, your business can secure business communications and reduce downtime by engaging its disaster recovery settings. What this means is, if your communications fail, calls and emails can be routed elsewhere for business continuity.

3. Low Communication-Related Costs

Furthermore, you can expect lower communication and IT-related costs. Since your provider handles updates and maintenance, your business does not need to pay for those costs. And you don’t need to worry about purchasing additional software, hardware, or equipment. Furthermore, hiring an experienced IT team becomes unnecessary as well.

4. Improve Customer Experience

By using the various communication features that come with your UCaaS software, you can practice effective call management and improve caller experience. This means reducing call wait times, routing calls to the right departments, increasing first call resolution rates (FCR), and more.

In fact, with a well-designed IVR, callers may even be able to resolve their call without needing to speak with an agent. This is because interactive voice response can provide certain self-service options that customers can complete. For example, providing business hours, processing a payment, or renewing a service, etc.

5. UC for Remote Team Management

Businesses have also been using UCaaS to enable smooth remote working. UC for remote teams allows all users and employees to stay connected and share data and information, irrespective of their location. UCaaS has, therefore, given rise to remote or virtual call centers and work-from-home call centers.

6. Access to a Unified Platform

In one cloud-based platform, UCaaS offers multiple features to support business messaging, collaboration, telephone (voice and video calling), email, and more. This reduces time wasted on moving between different services and platforms.

How to Choose a UCaaS Provider: 6 Steps

When looking for a new UCaaS provider for your business communication system, consider the following steps and questions:

Step 1. Check for Reliability

As with any new product you purchase or new service you sign up for, research the business and check for reliability and credibility. How long have they been in business? Have they been discussed by others in the industry? Have they participated in industry events? What are their customers (current and past) saying about the service? And so on.

Step 2: Browse Through Features and Integrations Offered

Look at all the features, services, and integrations they offer — do they match your company’s needs? Would it take long for your employees to learn how to use this system? Are these features easy to use and set up? What percent of the software is self-service?

Step 3. Look for Customer Reviews

Browse through customer reviews on Google and software review websites such as G2, Capterra, PCMag, SoftwareWorld, SaaSGenius, etc. Read through customer testimonials and case studies, when available, as they can give you more insight into how specific companies are using these services.

Step 4. Consider Scalability Options

If you’re a growing company, then scalability is a prime concern for you — you want to be able to scale up or down without much change or interruption. Can this UCaaS provider help you grow as and when needed without delays and service issues?

Step 5. Consider Security

Since UCaaS solutions manage much of your company’s data and communication, you want to find a provider with voice security and encryption protocols in place to protect consumer and company data. What protocols does this provider have? How do they handle data and security breaches? Do you need specific features and services to maintain compliance and does this provider offer these services?

Step 6. Check for Customer Service Accessibility

Lastly, how accessible is the UCaaS provider’s customer service team? Are there multiple customer service channels — phone, email, chat, support tickets? What is their response time? If it is hard to get in touch with the customer support teams, you may want to look for another provider. This is because when your UCaaS solution fails or starts acting up, you will need a responsive provider to jump on it and resolve the issue quickly.

Learn About United World Telecom’s Solutions

Still don’t know what type of office phone system will work best for your business communication needs? Speak with our telecom experts. We can guide you through the different features and services we offer and how you can customize your business phone system to match your needs. Call us today at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online!

What is Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)?

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#165155810 ID#27446420

When researching business phone service or VoIP providers, you will come across the term CTI or computer telephony integration. Here we explain what computer telephony integration or CTI software is and how businesses can use this technology to streamline business communication and increase agent productivity.

Computer Telephony Integration: What is CTI Software?

In simple terms, CTI is a technology that connects computers and telephony. Computer telephony integration or CTI technology enables computers to interact with telephones or perform telephone functions like placing and routing calls.

A CTI software is designed to streamline contact center operations and improve agent performance and productivity. Mostly used in call centers, CTI software can also be used in businesses of various sizes that have a steady stream of call traffic.

CTI Functions

So, what can your business use computer telephony integration for? There are many functions for CTI technology — here are some ways to use this technology:

  1. Make phone calls from your computer at the click of a button.
  2. Identify callers by matching the incoming phone number to a database of customer records.
  3. Route and transfer calls through advanced routing and self-service options such as IVR.
  4. Display customer information on agents’ screens before they take the call, also known as screen popping.
  5. Access to call logs, reporting, and recording functions.
  6. Access to manual and automatic dialing options such as click-to-call, autodialers, and softphones.
  7. Conduct basic phone controls such as answer, transfer, conference, hold, etc.

Computer Telephony Integration Applications

What are some common applications of computer telephony integration technology and what businesses can take advantage of this software? Some computer telephony integration applications include:

  • Call and contact centers
  • Business with distributed teams and remote employees
  • Business process outsourcing (BPO)
  • Small-to-large businesses with high call traffic (fluctuating and consistent)
  • Businesses with multiple offices and customer service locations spread geographically
  • Companies with global coverage and international clientele
A photo of a man using CTI (Computer Telephony Integration)
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#69202587 ID#27446420

5 Benefits of Using CTI Software for Business Communication

How can your business use CTI and benefit from this type of VoIP integration?

1. Place Calls With Any Device

The main attraction and benefit of using CTI software is that users do not need telephones or desk phones to make and receive business calls. Instead, they can simply click to call through their computers or laptops using headsets. This helps cut down costs on additional equipment needed.

2. Caller Authentication Through Integrations

Computer telephony integration technology easily integrates with most CRMs, further simplifying and streamlining agent processes. The CTI preemptively identifies the caller by screening the phone number or email address through the customer database and then displaying the information on the agent’s computer screen. This is also known as screen popping or screen pop. By automatically authenticating the customer, the agent is prepared to offer fast service.

Additionally, depending on the type of CRM used, call records may be automatically added to the customer’s record for data analysis in your call center. Think: call history, call detail records, transcripts, metrics, and other important caller information.

3. Advanced Call Routing Options

Another key feature of CTI software is providing call routing and transfer. With computer telephony integration technology, your business can route and manage calls more effectively. You can use an interactive voice response system or automatic call distributor to route calls automatically based on predetermined rules.

To do this, design and create an easy-to-use and informative IVR system. When callers call your business, they will be presented with menu options and prompted to speak or push buttons for further options or to be transferred to the right department. Based on their input, they will be assisted or transferred to the appropriate department. Some ways to route calls include:

  • Caller input — Callers indicate what they need through the IVR menu
  • Caller history — Based on the caller’s previous interactions with the business
  • Agent availability — Routes to the next available agent or employee
  • Location-based routing — Based on the location of the caller
  • Time-based routing — Based on the time of day of the call
  • Skill-based routing — Based on the skill or expertise needed (for example, language preferences)
  • Department needed — Callers indicate what department they need

These call routing options help with call management so your callers get to the right agent and receive assistance as quickly as possible. You can reduce wait times and frustration related to being routed to the wrong person or department.

4. Collaboration Tools

Besides making it easy for customers to connect with your business, CTI technology also supports in-house collaboration through:

  • Voice and video conferencing
  • Call whisper and call barging
  • Warm call transfer
  • Call monitoring
  • Call recording

With these training and collaboration tools, teams can work together and managers or supervisors can listen in on calls and provide coaching.

5. Unified Communication Tools

Finally, along with phone calls, CTI software can also be used to receive faxes and emails. This makes it a UCaaS trend that lets you access all you need about a customer and their history with your company.

Want to Learn More About Advanced Telephony?

Our telecom experts can help you find the right business communication set-up for your company. Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online to learn more!

Virtual Phone System: What Is It and How Does It Work?

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#86515806 ID#27446420

With more dependence on cloud communications, it’s time for businesses to upgrade their phone systems to ones that can be accessed virtually. Cloud phone systems make it possible for companies to manage remote teams as well as expand their global coverage. Learn how a virtual phone system can improve the way your business communicates with customers locally and globally. In this post, we discuss virtual phone communication systems and their benefits.

Virtual Phone System: Definition

Virtual phone systems or cloud phone systems are becoming the new normal as businesses prepare for remote working possibilities. A virtual phone communication system or cloud-based phone system is a communications platform that allows users to make and receive business calls from anywhere through an internet connection.

How Do Virtual Telephone Systems Work?

More specifically, a virtual phone system uses virtual phone numbers and voice over IP (VoIP) to transmit calls over the internet. Because of this, users can make and receive calls from any location and any device (deskphone, softphone, app, smartphone, etc), as long as they are connected to the internet. VoIP phone systems convert voice signals into digital packets and move them from one user to the next. By doing so, VoIP calls use internet bandwidth to maintain high quality and speed.

While traditional phone systems work from one location, virtual phone communication systems can work from any location and can connect people from multiple locations. Companies that have multiple office locations or remote offices and teams can use a cloud phone system to stay connected and take advantage of virtual communication features for call management.

Benefits of a Virtual Communication System

There are many advantages of using a virtual phone communication system over a traditional phone system. These systems are cost-effective and can assist your business expansion plans. Furthermore, they can support your business’ call volumes by providing call management tools and features that can make the customer experience better.

1. Scalability
Need to add or remove certain users, locations, and lines? No problem! With virtual communication systems, you can control how big or small you want to go. Add new lines and users as needed, and make necessary adjustments without needing to change or update your entire system. You can scale up and down as needed — and pay only for what you use — nothing or less.

2. Cost-Effective
By switching to a virtual phone system, your business can cut down on costs when it comes to purchasing multiple phone lines, hardware, and equipment, and even long-distance and international calling rates. Your cloud phone system is equipped to add or remove phone lines as and when needed. Even your virtual phone numbers can be adjusted depending on need and usage. Calling internationally or enabling global customers to call your business becomes easier with virtual phone numbers. You can bypass international boundaries and cut down on international communication costs. Lastly, you won’t need to worry about purchasing and maintaining hardware for a virtual telephone system.

3. Access to Features
Virtual communication systems come packed with a variety of features and services to enhance connectivity, smoothen call management processes, and improve customer experience when they call your business. Top features that come with a virtual phone system are international call forwarding, call recording, customizable caller IDs, automated response systems (IVR), and more.

Why You Need a New Virtual Phone Communication System

So, why would your business need a new phone system? Evaluate your phone system and watch how it has been performing. Can you connect all necessary users (agents and employees) effectively? Are calls being forwarded seamlessly to the right department or location? Are you paying too much for minimum or basic services? These are some questions to consider when thinking about switching to a new system. Here are some important factors to include in your evaluation.

1. High Pricing, Low Reliability

Check what other providers are offering and what their plans include and cost. Are there providers offering more for lesser or similar rates? If your virtual phone system provider is not offering all the necessary features and charging you high rates, you may want to look for a new phone system. Similarly, if your provider is not reliable and the service quality is low, this can exponentially impact your customer service efforts.

2. Commitments Needed

Another thing to consider is being locked in long-term contracts or worrying about high cancellation fees. A reputable provider who knows their business’ worth won’t ask you to enter long-term contracts or charge high service and cancellation fees. Their service and its quality will speak for itself.

Related: 5 Signs You Need a New Business Phone System

3. Less Variety of Necessary Features

Are you missing specific features that can boost your communication system? Review what other providers offer, both their basic and advanced features and services. Additionally, if you need to expand or grow your service, can your current provider offer you what you need? Are these additional services reasonably priced?

4. Fewer Customer Service Options

Lastly, evaluate your provider’s customer service. Your cloud phone system connects you to your valuable customers. When your phone system fails or the quality drops, can you quickly reach out and connect with their customer service teams? For example, United World Telecom offers various customer support options such as phone, live chat, email, and support tickets. This way, we can cater to customers through their preferred mode of contact and resolve more issues and concerns.

Looking for a Change?

You can upgrade your virtual phone system when you get a virtual phone number from United World Telecom. We offer an array of features and services to give you the tools your need to build strong customer relationships. Speak with our representatives to find out how we can support your business needs today!

Call Center BPO: Everything You Need to Know in 2025

Posted on by Nadine Sampson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#11310033 ID#27446420

Wondering if outsourcing your communication processes to a BPO is the way to go? Learn how a BPO in a call center works and what the advantages of using a BPO for your business communication needs may entail.

What is BPO (Business Process Outsourcing)?

Businesses often choose to outsource communication-related services to a BPO in a call center. In other words, these businesses hire a third-party organization to handle business processes like customer service, sales, marketing, and so on.

BPOs are call centers that take on a company’s business processes so as to ease the various burdens they may face. Companies have used such services for years as a way to reduce communication-related and hiring costs.

What Services Does a BPO Call Center Offer?

A call center BPO offers a variety of communication-related services including:

1. Lead generation and sales calls: Agents make calls based on lists of predetermined prospects and leads. They track leads, qualify them as valid leads, make sales pitches, and follow-up with interested customers. The goal is to increase sales for their business clients.

2. Market research-related services: This includes agents trained in marketing services who interact with potential customers and target demographics to understand the customer base better. The goal is to identify customer needs, expectations, and preferences so that the business client can serve these customers better.

3. Customer success and interaction services: Customer success focuses on proactively taking care of existing customers, welcoming new customers, making follow-up appointments, collecting feedback, checking in on customers, and more.

4. Customer service and technical support: Customer service reps answer calls and offer assistance regarding products and services, as well as IT, technical, and troubleshooting help to customers.

Benefits of Using a BPO in a Call Center

From small businesses to large corporations, all types of businesses can take advantage of BPOs and call center outsourcing services to boost their customer support and sales endeavors. Here are some reasons to consider outsourcing:

1. Cost-savings:
By utilizing a BPO in a call center, you can reduce costs that would otherwise be spent on running in-house customer service and sales teams. Additionally, you do not have to spend additional capital on call center software and equipment, and its maintenance.

2. More advanced call management tools:
Contact centers are equipped with all the right tools and advanced technology to handle large call volumes effectively. Common features include:

    • International call forwarding
    • Call routing strategies: time-based, location-based, skill-based, and more
    • Call recording: inbound and outbound
    • Advanced IVR
    • Outbound calling with customizable caller ID capabilities
    • Call center reports and analytics
    • And more

These services boast better call management to ensure calls don’t go unanswered and callers are served efficiently.

3. Low staffing requirements:
Since your BPO takes care of hiring and training reps, your business does not have to worry about training agents and evaluating performance on a regular basis. This can further save you money and time, which can then be spent on marketing services and product development.

4. Offer reliable, accessible, and around the clock customer support:
Some call centers tend to have multiple geographic centers and cater to international business needs. Because of this, your business can provide around the clock sales and customer support to your customer base in different regions and time zones. This way, your business is always reachable, increasing customer satisfaction.

Is Call Center Outsourcing the Right Option for You?

Deciding whether you need to outsource your communication needs depends on the size of your business and pocket. Consider what your business needs to improve sales and customer service. Can your budget handle in-house call center software? To learn more about cloud call center software, speak with our experts at 1 (877) 898 8646 today!

What Is SIP ALG and Why VoIP Users Should Disable It

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#9135188 ID#27446420

In this post, we discuss what SIP ALG is and how it can affect the quality of your VoIP phone calls. Disable SIP ALG to improve VoIP call quality and ensure there are fewer interruptions.

What is SIP ALG?

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is an internet protocol with voice data packets that initiates, maintains, and terminates voice communication between two users. SIP is used for voice calling over LTE and VoIP phone systems.

Routers used to connect to the internet also segment the provider and your internal network through Network Address Translation (NAT). This is to add an additional layer of security through a firewall allowing only authorized systems access as they connect with a network’s computers and devices.

The main purpose of SIP ALG — Application Layer Gateway — is to prevent problems caused by a router’s firewall. ALG prevents these issues by keeping an eye on the VoIP traffic (voice data packets mentioned earlier) and modifying them, when necessary. ALG works as a proxy to rewrite the destination for these packets. By doing this, ALG can improve connectivity.

Why VoIP Users Should Disable SIP ALG

Many routers have the SIP ALG feature turned on by default. With this feature on, VoIP traffic (voice data packets) can get lost due to router firewalls when transferred between the phone and the VoIP provider.

And because of this, it can lead to multiple VoIP problems, including:

  • One-way audio
  • Phones not ringing on incoming calls
  • Calls sent directly to voicemail, especially when not set to do so
  • Dropped calls, even after connecting

This is why one of the best ways to improve VoIP call quality, among others, is to disable the SIP ALG feature.

SIP ALG phones
Source: DepositPhotos.com – Lic#13851940 ID#27446420

How to Disable SIP ALG in your VoIP System

Disabling SIP ALG is quick and easy, and depends on the type of modem your business uses. For most routers, you will need to:

  • Log into your router’s control panel.
  • Navigate to Advanced or Security settings.
  • Locate SIP, ALG, or Firewall settings (depends on your router’s set-up).
  • Uncheck the SIP or ALG box.
  • Save and reboot/restart your router.

If your router’s settings are not as clear, you can always reach out to your provider and ask for specific instructions.

Protect and Maintain VoIP Call Quality

Disabling SIP ALG is a common way of troubleshooting VoIP issues. However, there are other VoIP call quality issues such as jitter, packet loss, and latency that can affect the way your business communicates with its customers. Most of these issues stem from low-quality internet or insufficient bandwidth. Speak with our representatives today to learn how your internet bandwidth can affect your VoIP phone system. Call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online today.

What is an Auto-Attendant and 3 Benefits of Using One

Posted on by Nadine Sampson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#29737367 ID#27446420

Need an automated telephony service to help you manage business calls? Learn how an auto-attendant works and how your business can use one effectively.

What is an Auto-Attendant?

Auto-attendant refers to a telephony service wherein a voice menu system answers incoming calls and transfers callers to the appropriate extension without the help of an operator or receptionist. Other terms for auto-attendant include automated attendant, digital receptionist, and interactive voice response (IVR).

How Does an Auto-Attendant Work?

The automated attendant can be understood as an automated call answering system that helps transfer incoming calls while providing callers with general information about the company and its services. But the main point of an auto-attendant is to manage incoming calls effectively so callers are not left confused or arrive at the wrong agent or department. An auto-attendant may have the following features to ensure better call management:

  • Greeting messages
  • Business information (office hours, location, list of services, etc.)
  • Automated company directory (with extensions for users and employees)
  • Call transfer and routing options
  • Menu prompts such as Repeat, Exit, Speak to Representative, Operator

Auto-Attendant vs IVR: What is the Difference?

The terms auto-attendant and IVR are often used interchangeably. However, there are a few differences between these services. The main difference is that the interactive voice response system is a more advanced system with additional features.

Auto-attendants route and transfer incoming calls so customers don’t wait in queue for long. And if waiting is required, then hold music is played. IVR systems include more smart features. For instance, IVR systems have voice recognition that enables callers to speak or say what they need instead of pressing a button on their keypad. This way, callers are not limited to the set menu available and can explain the reason for their call better.

Additionally, the IVR system can collect information about the customer and route calls accordingly or inform the agent beforehand. This includes account numbers, customer IDs, and so on. As such, the IVR can prepare the appropriate agent before they proceed to assist the customer. Furthermore, the IVR’s self-help menu allows for callers to complete certain actions and tasks without needing an agent. For example, the IVR can assist callers in paying bills, checking one’s account balance information, scheduling appointments, and so on.

3 Benefits of Using an Auto-Attendant

So, what does an auto-attendant do and how can your business benefit from such a service? Automated attendants or IVR systems have countless benefits that support call management and improve caller experience. Here are some of the top benefits of using an auto-attendant:

1. Effective Call Management

Since calls can be automatically distributed based on set rules, callers reach the appropriate department or agent quickly and accurately. This is especially useful for businesses that have large call volumes and struggle with answering calls effectively.

2. Increased Productivity and Efficiency

You can study your customers’ needs and preferences and customize your auto-attendant to provide them with more useful options and reduce wait times. Additionally, you will also reduce the number of times agents receive calls that are not related to their department, increasing efficiency and productivity.

3. Cost Savings

With smart call routing, you will not need a secretary or receptionist working to manage your calls. Your company can save on hiring extra staff and place more emphasis on improving customer experience.

Where Can I Get an Auto-Attendant?

You can get an auto-attendant from virtual phone number providers like United World Telecom. Speak with our experts to learn more; call us at 1 (877) 898 8646 to get started today!

Troubleshooting the 7 Most Common VoIP Issues

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#148054683 ID#27446420

Having VoIP problems and don’t know how to solve them? Here we go over troubleshooting for the 7 most challenging VoIP issues.

7 Common VoIP Troubleshooting Problems

VoIP phone systems help businesses save about 50%-75% of communication-related costs. This is because such systems offer flexibility, mobility, and scalability which helps users connect from any location and communicate through advanced technology.

However, even VoIP phone systems — with their advanced features, high voice quality, and more — are not devoid of possible quality issues. Thankfully, most VoIP call quality can be improved without IT help so you can continue communicating effectively.

The Ultimate Guide to VoIP Troubleshooting [2022]

Is your VoIP system not working? Here are the most common VoIP issues and a simple guide to troubleshooting them.

1. Inability to Make Calls from a Device

Struggling to make VoIP calls from your device? An inability to make calls can be due to a failure to connect, inadequate internet support, and more. For some businesses — like a call center — not being able to make outbound calls to customers and leads can essentially shut the business down until you find a solution.

Most likely, the cause of this problem is the SIP ALG feature is turned on, on your router. Session Initiation Protocol Application Layer Gateway (SIP ALG) is a common feature in commercial routers and is turned on by default. The main task of a SIP ALG is to reduce or prevent issues resulting from router firewalls. It does so by constantly inspecting your VoIP call traffic. However, SIP ALG may modify packets (voice signals) in unexpected ways, leading to problems such as incoming and outbound calls failing and phones not registering.

Solution: A simple solution for outbound VoIP calls failing would be to turn off the SIP ALG feature. If you still experience the issue, then try repositioning the VoIP devices onto a VLAN.

2. Dropped Calls

One of the most common VoIP problems is dropped calls. This causes a lot of frustration, especially during business calls. This is when the call suddenly ends mid-conversation without the speakers hanging up. Call centers or large enterprises with large call volumes face this issue the most.

Solution: First, ensure all devices, software, and hardware associated with your VoIP phone system are updated and running on the current version. If you are still experiencing the issue, disconnect all devices and turn them back on one at a time.

This may be time-consuming but it will help you identify exactly which device is the root cause of the problem. Speak with your small business VoIP provider if you notice that calls get dropped after a certain amount of time. They may have an automatic disconnect feature to ensure calls are not left open by mistake.

3. Jitter

Jitter is one of the most common VoIP problems. Network jitter directly affects voice quality and communication, leading to jumbled, muffled, or missing audio. As voice data packets travel from one destination to the next, some packets may arrive before the other. This leads to out-of-order or missing parts. If such voice quality occurs for more than 30 milliseconds then the overall call quality is impacted. As such, when finding a new provider, look for one that can keep the delay under 20 milliseconds.

Solution: Your internet may not have enough bandwidth for VoIP. Upgrade your internet connectivity by contacting your ISP.

Fixing VoIP issues at the tap of a button.

4. Echo

This is a pretty straightforward VoIP concern. Telephone echo leads to voices being repeated at various points, leading to confusion and possible miscommunication. Often the recipient of the call hears the echo while the caller may or may not be aware of this VoIP problem. Echo can be a result of either feedback during the conversation or a VoIP phone system issue. As such, it can be troublesome when conducting important business calls such as conferences, sales, and support calls.

Solution: First, if your phone is using the speaker option, take the call off the speakerphone. When using a speakerphone, the voice has to travel through multiple microphones and speakers leading to disruption in the audio for the recipient. Additionally, you may even need to test the phone headset you use and consider getting a high-quality replacement. Lastly, echo can be a result of a bad internet connection or inadequate bandwidth. Check your speed with an Internet speed test and also reevaluate your wall jacks, Ethernet cords, and other cables to ensure there are no damages.

5. Broken/Muffled Audio

Broken, muffled, or choppy audio refers to words and audio being dropped, interrupting calls when connected. This is one of the most common VoIP issues users face. Thankfully, it has a solution.

Solution: How you solve the problem of broken audio depends on who is experiencing it. If your business is experiencing the issue, it is most likely due to insufficient bandwidth that leads to packet loss as all voice packets are transferred successfully. A common VoIP troubleshooting solution for this problem is to turn off other applications that take up a lot of network space and are not needed for business. This includes streaming services like YouTube or Netflix and so on. Additionally, make sure your router’s Quality of Service (QOS) settings have the VoIP service on priority.

6. No Sound

Similar to broken audio, a voice call with no sound after connecting can lead to frustration and interruptions in communication. No sound in a voice call can be a one-way issue (where one party hears but others can’t) or a two-way issue (where both parties cannot hear).

Solution: One reason for a lack of sound during calls may be because of firewalls blocking RTP packets. Examining and possibly disabling your SIP ALG can solve this problem.

7. Phone Doesn’t Ring on Incoming Call

This VoIP issue is pretty straightforward: missing calls from important customers and clients because the phone doesn’t ring. Another version of this issue is if your calls are sent directly to voicemail instead of an employee.

Solution: Thankfully, this common VoIP problem has an easy solution. First, ensure your device is registered within your VoIP phone system and VoIP provider. Also, check to make sure your device is not on the Do Not Disturb setting and has the correct call forwarding settings and configurations.

Choosing a Reliable VoIP Provider

If your VoIP system is not working, you might need a new, high-quality system that comes that comes with easy problem-resolution.

Finding a reliable VoIP provider for your small business can be tough if you do not know what to look for. United World Telecom has been in the business for over 25 years and we offer top-quality communication services.

Try our VoIP phone system solutions! Call us today at 1 (877) 898 8646 or chat with us online!

What is a RespOrg?

Posted on by Miguel Isabal

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#185038774 ID#27446420

A quick guide to what RespOrgs are, how they work, and how businesses can benefit from using a RespOrg service provider for their toll free numbers.

RespOrg: Definition

A Responsible Organization or RespOrg is a company (usually a telephone company) that is certified to have access to a centralized database of toll free numbers. This centralized database is known as the 800 Service Management System or SMS/800.

How do RespOrgs Work?

RespOrgs are in charge of managing toll free databases, assigning numbers, and keeping records. If you want a toll free number for your business, you will need to contact a RespOrg. For customers, RespOrgs come into play when porting a toll free number. To port a toll free number, a current user will have to change the RespOrg ownership from the old carrier to the new carrier. You will need a Letter of Authorization from your new carrier and your current RespOrg must authorize the release of the number to the new RespOrg or carrier.

A business that has high toll free traffic can take advantage of one of the below choices:

  • Become their own RespOrg
  • Use a single carrier for all of their call volume
  • Use a RespOrg service provider

Port your toll free number to United World Telecom.

How to Become a RespOrg?

RespOrgs can be large or small companies or even run by a solo business owner. Some toll free number carriers or business phone service carriers may also be RespOrgs. Currently, the US has about 400 RespOrgs. To become a RespOrg, a business goes through a certification process.

Technically, any company or organization that uses a toll free number can become a RespOrg. To become a RespOrg, your business will need to do the following:

  1. Complete and submit a ten-page service establishment form
  2. Pay a deposit (avg. $4000)
  3. Pass a certification exam to be certified

Should My Company Become a RespOrg?

While becoming a RespOrg is an easy process, there are a few factors to consider. For example, you will need to factor in the salary of the employee managing the toll free traffic. The cost of being a RespOrg for your business — as opposed to using a RespOrg provider — may entail increased expenses. Plus, if your employee leaves, you will need to train and certify a new employee, which will require additional costs.

Many businesses, therefore, choose to work with a RespOrg service provider to reduce costs. RespOrgs will work with your business and your specific needs to offer you the best pricing. Some benefits of using a RespOrg include:

  • Ability to route calls to different carriers
  • Routing calls at different times of the day
  • Taking advantage of low-cost carriers in different countries
  • Access to Disaster Recovery — in case your toll free carrier is shut down, traffic can be routed to a secondary carrier

A company with high toll free traffic will find it beneficial to utilize a RespOrg service provider instead of becoming their own RespOrg.

Get a Toll Free Number for Your Business Today!

United World Telecom offers toll free business numbers for more than 160 countries around the world. You can get a toll free number to enter new markets and extend sales and customer support services to more customers. We also offer number porting services for businesses that currently have a toll free number but are not satisfied with their service. Sign up on our website today or call us to learn more!

PRI Explained: What is a Primary Rate Interface?

Posted on by Beny Mouen

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#12814344ID#27446420

Choosing a business phone system for your company is a necessary part of creating the perfect communication system. With advancements in technology, there are many different systems available for businesses to choose from. Here we will discuss primary rate interface (PRI) and the advantages and disadvantages of this phone system.

What is PRI?

A primary rate interface or PRI is a communication system that is provider-free. This system allows businesses (users) to send and receive voice, data, and video files through a copper wire network. PRI systems or lines constitute two pairs of copper wires. This feature of primary rate interface networks provides secure data transmission. You can get two types of PRI systems:

  • Basic rate interface solutions (BRI) for personal and small business use
  • PRI for large enterprises and corporations.

Features of Primary Rate Interface

To understand how these communication systems work, it is first crucial to be aware of their features. Key features of a PRI system include:

  1. Lines are made of two pairs of copper wires connecting the provider and the user.
  2. You can have 23 B-channels on a single telephone line. And by doing so, it enables businesses to have multiple extensions and telephone numbers via one connection.
  3. Each channel has 64 kbps for data transmission.
  4. Can connect two private branch exchange or PBX systems together and can also work with an IP PBX system.

Advantages of a PRI Phone System

There are different ways a primary rate interface phone system benefits businesses. However, whether or not your business needs this system depends on what you hope to achieve through your business communication system. Let’s look at how PRI systems boost business communication:

1. Extensions and DID numbers:

Direct inward dialing refers to direct numbers assigned to individuals within a business. This means that callers from outside can dial this number and reach a contact directly. Extensions work in a similar way with an additional code attached to a number to let callers reach an individual or department directly.

With PRI, SIP trunking, or virtual phone systems, you do not need additional lines for each number or extension. For PRI, specifically, you can have up to 23 conversations happening simultaneously on one line. That means you can have up to 23 users using the system. And that is considering everyone uses it at the same time. If you need simultaneous communication, you can add more users to these existing lines and they can use it as and when needed.

2. Scalability and expansion:

As your business traffic grows and communication needs increase, you will want to scale and expand. And a primary rate interface will allow you to do that. If more users are needed, you can simply get another PRI line and add it to your existing system, giving 23 more users the ability to communicate.

PRI vs hosted voip

PRI Drawbacks

While a primary rate interface system changed the way businesses communicated over the years, phones have come a long way since. Advancements in telecom technology have given rise to more modern and user-friendly systems.

The biggest drawback that PRI systems have is the ability to expand in bundles of 23. This means that if you have just one or two extra employees and all channels are used constantly, then you will need to buy 23 more channels for those extra employees. You will end up paying more than you need.

On the other hand, if you run a large corporation with 100-150+ employees, then you will need multiple PRI lines to work efficiently. Additionally, it gets more complicated if you need to add multiple locations or remote workers.

To combat these issues, you have a few alternatives to consider: Hosted VoIP and SIP trunking.

PRI vs Hosted VoIP vs SIP Trunking

Most businesses today have adopted a cloud VoIP or hosted VoIP solution. Hosted VoIP means that your service provider hosts your phone solution and takes care of all your software needs and maintenance. All you do is use the service. You do not have to worry about purchasing hardware and software, maintaining it with a professional IT team, and so on. This helps your business save on communication and IT-related costs.

SIP trunking is a session initiation protocol (SIP) feature that enables transmission of voice communication over a data network. SIP trunking works similarly to POTS except that the phone lines are virtual instead of standard copper lines. And your phone system connects to your provider via your internet connection. SIP trunking has often been used as an alternative to POTS and PRI systems.

PRI, unlike VoIP and SIP trunking, does not rely on internet bandwidth for transmission, and therefore does not suffer from jitter or packet loss. However, there are limitations in terms of scaling upwards, mobility, and features available.

Here’s a table to demonstrate the differences between these business phone systems:

PRI SIP trunking Hosted VoIP
1. Upfront costs Medium-High High Low
2. Maintenance costs Medium-High Medium-High Low-High
3. Connectivity Physical Virtual Virtual
4. Service quality Low; calls may experience muffled or distant quality, frequency range is limited High; good bandwidth required, low bandwidth can lead to jitter, packet loss High; good bandwidth required for VoIP, low bandwidth can lead to jitter, packet loss
5. Scalability Low High; very scalable High; scalable
6. Mobility None; no routing ability Medium; calls can be transferred to predetermined locations Very high; can be used anywhere and through any device

Choosing the Right Phone System for Your Business

The phone system that is ideal for your business purposes depends on what you want to accomplish with it and what your budget can include. Speak with our experts today to see if VoIP or SIP trunking is a good fit for you!

5 Ways to Reduce Contact Center Costs

Posted on by Meryl D'Sa-Wilson

Source: DepositPhotos.com - Lic#73434617 ID#27446420

Running a contact center comes with many overhead costs, leading you to charge more from your customers than needed to sustain your business. Thankfully, there are many different ways you can reduce contact center costs and optimize your spending.

Let’s first identify where you can save costs and then go over the different ways to cut down.

How to Save Money on Your Contact Center?

From needing office space to using various software, contact center costs can quickly rise up. This is especially true if you run an in-house or on-premise contact center and offer customers an array of solutions. You will need advanced technology and software to offer those solutions, and those costs can slowly creep up. So, what is your contact center spending on the most?

Contact Center Costs

Before you identify ways to cut down on costs, you need to review where your contact center is spending its money. This may be different for different types of contact centers (on-premise, in-house, or cloud contact centers) but generally speaking, here is where most contact center costs lie:

  • Office space,
  • Office equipment and hardware — desks, chairs, computers, desk phones, headsets, and so on,
  • Contact center software,
  • CRM and customer service solutions,
  • Salaries, benefits, and hiring costs.

Now, you pin down areas where you can reduce contact center costs. For instance, you need to hire quality customer services and sales representatives, so that may not be the best place to get stingy. However, you can cut down the amount of office equipment and software needed by finding providers that offer packages and combined services.

For example, you might find a phone service provider that lets you make and receive business calls from a computer, removing the need for a desk phone. Similarly, if you hire remote agents, then you can cut down on the need for more office space and computers by having these employees use remote phone systems.

Reduce Contact Center Costs in 5 Ways

So, what can you do to save money on your contact center? The solutions listed below are suggestions for new processes and technologies. Not all of these solutions will work for your exact business needs. Evaluate your current options and make a decision accordingly.

Here are 5 ways to reduce contact center costs without compromising on the quality of service:

1. Take Your Contact Center to the Cloud with VoIP

If you run an in-house or premise contact center, the first step to reducing costs is moving to the cloud. Switching to a cloud VoIP communication system can drastically bring down the amount your center spends on core telephony services.

Cloud VoIP services have monthly subscriptions that can easily be scaled or canceled as needed. Additionally, these subscriptions come packed with features, services, and integrations that let you expand your offerings without needing to purchase additional services.

One such example is the softphone offered by United World Telecom. This softphone can be downloaded on computers and smartphones as an app or web browsers as an extension. By doing so, users can make and receive calls through the business phone number from any device. This cuts down the need to purchase high-quality and feature-filled desk phones.

2. Consider BYOC & SIP Trunking Services

Bring your own carrier (BYOC) enables organizations to add their own carrier or SIP trunking provider to their communication or CCaaS system. SIP trunking is a bundled telephony solution that gives you access to multiple cloud phone lines in one trunk.

BYOC and SIP trunking, together, make a quality cloud-based contact center solution that brings more flexibility, scalability, and control over your communication system. By mixing your suppliers and choosing ones that you want, you can:

    • Add new markets by choosing providers that have access to global regions and countries.
    • Customize and control call routing and forwarding.
    • Avoid regulatory and quality issues.
    • Reduce costs spent on high-priced carriers that offer little-to-no flexibility and control.

Related: The Complete Guide to Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)

3. Hire Remote Agents

Next, you want to consider hiring remote and distributed teams. Remote employees can stay connected and do their jobs effectively through your cloud communication solution and cloud-based CRM. By doing so, you can save on office space and equipment costs.

With advanced call center software, you can monitor agents on call and even join these calls silently. This way, remote agents don’t work in isolation, and you can track their progress through reports and metrics.

Additionally, with remote agents and international call routing, you can offer 24/7 support for customers who call outside the 9-5 workday. This way, you don’t pay your regular employees overtime or have employees work in shifts. You just forward incoming calls to the few remote agents working outside of office hours. This way, your contact center continues to offer services even when most businesses are closed.

4. Consolidate Services into One Platform

Another benefit of using a cloud communication service is bringing all your services to one platform. With Unified Communications (UCaaS), you can access your contact center’s communications, data, reports, and management systems, all in one place. By consolidating services into one platform, your contact center can have:

    • Improved collaboration and business continuity.
    • Low communication- and IT-related costs.
    • Easy management of remote teams.
    • Improved customer and caller experience.

Want to learn more about unified communications? Check out our UCaaS guide for business.

5. Utilize Automation and APIs

Communication and customer service automation can help you reduce contact center costs quite dramatically. Using APIs and automation features, you can save time and money on manually completing tasks and moving processes along.

One example is to use an automated voice response system (IVR) to answer common questions asked by callers. This reduces the number of calls coming to agents and gives them space to work on more complex calls. Similarly, you can even have the auto-attendant route calls to the right department based on caller input, saving costs on hiring an operator or receptionist.

Reduce Contact Center Costs Try United World Telecom’s Cloud Phone Service

With United World Telecom’s phone service solution, contact centers have access to a full suite of business phone services for reasonable prices. We offer five different plans so that you can choose one that works best for your contact center. Additionally, you do not need to get into long-term contracts with us. Use your service on a month-to-month basis and cancel whenever you need to. Give us a try! Speak with a representative to learn more about what we offer and how we can help your contact center save money!

LNP Explained: What is Local Number Portability?

Posted on by Miguel Isabal

Looking to change your phone service provider to one that has better quality and prices but you don’t want to change your current phone number? Local number portability (LNP) makes this possible with little to no work on your part. Here is an in-depth post explaining how LNP works and how you can switch phone service providers without losing your number.

Local Number Portability (LNP): Definition

Local number portability (LNP) or number porting enables users to port or “move” their phone number from one service to the other while keeping the number intact. In other words, with number porting, you can switch providers but keep your local number the same. This is a feature offered by telecom service providers.

Originally, changing your phone service provider meant getting a new phone number. Users would then have to go through the hassle of providing their contacts with a new number. Businesses, on the other hand, would have to start advertising their new number and may still miss out on valuable customers that call the old number instead.

To ease this issue, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 mandated that local exchange carriers make this feature available for users in large metropolitan markets. LNP is regulated by the Number Portability Administration Center appointed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In 2003, the FCC required all wireless providers to offer wireless number portability. This allows mobile users to retain their numbers when switching mobile providers.

How Does LNP Work?

Local Number Portability works through the Location Routing Number (LRN) feature. With this feature, users can switch service providers or even physical locations and still retain their phone number. When customers switch providers, a new LRN is assigned to their phone number (instead of a new phone number being provided).

Every local exchange carrier and long-distance carrier must know what LRN this phone number has attached. This way, when someone calls this number, the carriers can route the call to that LRN. The NPAC logs, updates, and monitors all LRNs in the Local Service Management System (LSMS) databases and distributes the information among carriers.

Local Number Portability Rules for Carriers

To use LNP, you must contact your new carrier and they will begin the process of porting your number by contacting your current carrier. Users may have to provide identification such as a recent bill with their name and address registered in the current carrier’s database. According to the FCC rules, carriers:

  • Must port a number upon receiving a valid request
  • May not refuse to port a number
  • Are allowed to charge for porting services
  • Are allowed to charge an early termination fee, especially for long-term customers
  • May refuse to port if the customer has not paid for porting

Benefits of LNP

So, why should you change phone service providers? And why should you port your number? There are many reasons why a personal or business user will want to port their number to a new provider. Reasons to change your phone service provider include:

  • Changing physical locations or relocating
  • Low voice quality and high monthly bills
  • Limited access to advanced virtual communication features
  • Stuck in long-term commitments
  • Lack of reliable customer support

By using local number portability, you can easily port your current phone number to a new provider to get better and cheaper service and access to more features. Additionally, you can even retain your number when you move to a new location within the country.

How Can I Port My Number?

Porting your number is easy but requires a few steps, most on the part of the carriers. In fact, the FCC has a comprehensive number portability checklist that interested users can check out.

To port your number to a new service, you can simply submit a request on the new carrier’s website or get in touch with their customer service/ sales team. A representative will contact you and let you know the next steps; these include:

  • The old service provider confirms the user’s identity and notifies the new provider.
  • The new provider notifies NPAC.
  • NPAC creates a pending port and notifies the old provider to concur.
  • The new provider asks NPAC to activate the port.
  • Upon activation, the port is broadcasted to the telecom industry network.
  • Your new service will be activated.

Port Your Number With Us!

To port your number to United World Telecom, simply fill and submit this porting request form. Our customer service team will get in touch with you to get the process started as soon as possible. To learn more about our local number portability service, speak with our representatives today!