Advantages and Disadvantages of a VoIP System

Quick guide to the pros and cons of a VoIP system for your business

VoIP is quickly becoming a popular communications medium for business. As Voip becomes more integrated into our daily lives, it is important to recognize the reasons it will benefit your home or office. The following details a few of the key advantages and disadvantages of the system so you can make a clear decision about whether it is a good option for your business.

Advantages:

Cost- Local and international calls are less expensive than traditional phone system calls or even free. The savings alone is a good reason to switch, which can provide huge cost savings for your business.

System Features- Allows added features over regular phone systems like chat or video conferencing. Most of these features are free or inexpensive.

Adapt Traditional Sets- VoIP ATA adapters can be used on existing phone systems allowing ease of travel and use.

Secure Connection- VoIP calls can more easily be encrypted for call privacy than traditional sets. Since not all traditional lines are digital, they must first be converted to digital before they can be encrypted.

Convenience- VoIP calls can be made anywhere there is an Internet connection making them very convenient.

Disadvantages:

VoIP needs Power-VoIP needs an electric source. Typical phone systems run on “phantom power” meaning it always is on, even in the case of a power outage. If you lose power, you lose VoIP, although some companies offer back-up power but at an added expense.

911 Trouble- There is no way to associate a geographic location with VoIP, so if a 911 call is placed and the caller doesn’t know their location, the 911 operator will be unable to route the call to the appropriate emergency responders.

Quality Issues – Since voip phone systems operate over the Internet, calls can fall victim to quality issues like dropped calls or distorted quality. While the technology utilized by these phones is growing, today’s VoIP calls operate at quality levels better than cell phones and almost as good as traditional phone systems.

Security- Although rare, VoIP calls can be susceptible to viruses and other security threats since they travel through the Internet. Developers have stopped most of these issues, but it still is a valid point to think about during your purchase decision.

Computer Processing Power- If your computer becomes overwhelmed by multiple applications used along with your VoIP software, it could force the programs to shut down, thereby losing calls. The performance of the VoIP software depends on your computer’s ability to handle the processing power needed.

With both sides laid out, it will provide an easy-to-read guide to determine whether VoIP is right for your business. While it allows your business to save money and stay on pace with technology, the downsides may not be a good fit for your particular company.

Zack is a writer based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on purchasing and outsourcing decisions for small business owners and entrepreneurs such as phone systems & residential voip service at Resource Nation.