Once you have decided to make a switch to VoIP phone systems, you will be up against a monumental task – that is to select the best VoIP service provider. There are quite a few service providers available but they are not all the same. Therefore, it can be quite confusing to make a decision. Certain recommendations may help you make a better decision, but it all comes down to your unique circumstances and special requirements.
Here are a few things to consider before selecting a VoIP system or a VoIP service provider:
- Know what features you really need in your VoIP phone system. Sometimes, you can really work well with basic features, but on other occasions, you need an IP phone with routing capabilities. It means that some offices work just fine with only one Ethernet run per workstation. If that is the case in your office, you will have to use the same Ethernet connection for the IP phone and the desktop computer. Selecting a right phone is important in this situation because you cannot use a system that does not come with dual Ethernet ports. Therefore, it is important to consider if you can really work with or without the routing capabilities.
- Know if you would need to use Power over Ethernet with your new deployment or not. If you want to use Power Over Ethernet or you have a plan to use it in the near future, it is important to ensure that you have selected an IP phone accordingly. You should also keep this important point in mind when selecting a service provider and ask them if they can guide you in this regard.
- Get to know more about specific codec and protocols your VoIP service provider supports. It is easy to find an IP phone that supports SIP as well as other voice codec, but sometimes, you may have to be careful because your service provider may be supporting a limited number of voice codec. Therefore, it is important to select an IP while making sure that it will be compatible with the kind of voice service you are going to get.
- Consider your budget before you start looking for a VoIP phone system or service provider. In case of IP phones, you can find so many of them and all coming with a different price tag. You can find an IP phone that costs you only $40, but there are IP phones costing more than $400. It all depends on what your budget constraints are and what features you want in your IP phone. The same holds true when you start looking for a service provider. The packages they offer may be vary a lot as well.
The crux of the matter is that you can find many types of IP phones and VoIP service providers in the market, but you have to take your time, consider your needs, and then finalize your decision.
