VoIP Blog and Virtual Phone System Guide

VoIP Solutions and Non-Profits: Swimming with Sharks

Calling for non-profit After TEVA Canada adopted a network utilizing Microsoft SharePoint, Strategy-Nets and Moxie, they announced an unprecedented 95% order fulfillment rate for 2011. At the same time, IBM announced that they had reduced completion time by 30% and had a 33% reduction in component costs.

But as Bloomberg let on that monitoring trend in online sentiment was leading to accurate stock predictions, even industry giants like Microsoft were suffering the effects of an outdated one-way communication system. Escaping a potentially devastating 62% dissatisfaction rate in customer service provision through the generation of blogs, websites and forums, Microsoft, along with all these other companies, demonstrated the power of streamlining networks. Read More…

Working Remotely with a Cloud VoIP

VoIP phones in the cloud

You may have got used to the concept of going to the office every day, working for a certain fixed number of hours, and heading back home post that. But what if it can be changed? What if you could make use of the full power of the internet and dispense the daily routine by working remotely? Cloud computing has made it possible to work from remote places as efficiently as being in office and, in many cases, even more than that.

Cloud VoIP services help in taking the matter a couple of steps ahead with its whole arsenal of useful features. Imagine using your office telephone number at home or while travelling. Yes, it is possible with full-fledged and feature packed VoIP systems. There are a good number of ways in which you can make use of VoIP services to work efficiently from remote locations or away from office. Read More…

Five Fun Facts About VoIP

Kid on the phone using a VoIP Phone service is a basic utility that many of us, especially business owners, cannot do without. But just because it’s necessary, doesn’t mean it is always interesting or exciting, and many business owners may dread the chore of setting up phone service.

But for business owners who are really interested in getting a high quality IP phone service, there is lots of interesting things to know that make the process of buying a new phone system that much more fun. Read More…

What About “Free” Internet Phone Systems?

There has been a lot of advertising on the TV, and radio attempting to entice people to purchase voice over internet phone service. What about a “free” internet phone system are there any that are good? The answer depends on which phone service you choose. A simple search of the internet will produce several companies claiming to have a “free” or “free to try” internet phone service.

Available Free VOIP Services

Skype

Skype has long been a favorite for many internet calling fans. With Skype, phone calls are computer to computer. All a person needs to use the service is internet access and a Skype phone or equivalent. If a person chooses they may instead use a headset and microphone. The advantage of this service is that calling another Skype user is free, the disadvantage is the free service does not include calls to non-Skype users. An individual can purchase time to call other phones. The rate for calls from internet to other phones is significantly less than a regular phone line.

Halloo

Halloo is a phone service that offers quality phone service while using existing phone equipment. On the Halloo.com website, they offer a 30 day free trial. For a monthly fee, Halloo provides high quality business phone service with many standard-calling features including 800-service, caller ID, auto-attendant, call forwarding and voice mail.

Services with Special Required Equipment

Ooma is a “free” internet phone service. The only caveat is the need to purchase a product called a Telo pad. Retailing for around $200.00, and available at many consumer electronic stores online, and brick and mortar stores as well. The site states that there is a 5000-minute per month limitation, for residential service. The advantage to this system is that it uses your existing phones, and it requires nothing more than high-speed internet access. There is no need to have a computer.

It is important to note that free doesn’t really mean free. Many of the phone services offered using VOIP have fees attached to them. The per-minute rates are lower for sure than the landline rates of the local phone company, but high-speed internet access is a requirement.

Virtual Phone Systems Going Mobile

Virtual systems are improving businesses everywhere and benefiting business owners on the go. Having a virtual phone system allows busy company owners to have a mobile office anywhere and at any time. The Phone.com app offers owners many key office features that will allow them to check messages, fax, transfer calls, and even hold music. There are several more features included with the Phone.com app that will help progress an owner's business. With an ever-expanding society and economy, having a virtual phone system for a busy business owner is essential. With a virtual phone system owners can manage their companies from anywhere.

Phone.com's iPhone Web App

Virtual Phone System Comparison: Phone.com vs RingCentral

VERSUS

When you are thinking about getting a virtual phone system setup for your business, you need to be informed well before you sign up for the first service that you find. Two of the top virtual phone system providers at the moment are Phone.com and RingCentral. Both of which are solid choices but they differ in a few key areas that might make you want to choose the other.

Phone.com vs RingCentral Comparison Chart

[superchart id=0 posts=169,154 width=530px]

Phone.com

Phone.com‘s Enterprise plan comes with 6 phone numbers. You can mix and match these phone numbers in any combination of local or toll free; they come with unlimited minutes for both faxing and calling. If six phone numbers aren't enough, then combine that with their four extra free extensions to use as you want. If necessary, you can also purchase their business call IP phones provided by Linksys, Cisco, or Polycom.

Their enterprise plan is abundantly customizable and designed to grow with your business. You can add a phone line for an additional $3.88 a month, or if you need another unlimited minute extension you can get one for an additional $21.88 a month. The service also comes with an iPhone app, so you can have access to your office phone from anywhere, which is pretty handy at times.

RingCentral

RingCentral has an office package that provides both unlimited calling and faxing to anywhere in the US and Canada. You also get a local toll free primary line for your company, another local or toll free fax number, and even a local number for each user on your account. These are a lot of free phone numbers and pretty much all you will need for most businesses. Combine that with their offering of purchasing a business class IP phone provided by Polycom and you literally have everything your business needs. Their services are only available in the US and Canada, so international users might want to go with an international friendly virtual phone system instead. All plans have access to their iPhone app that gives you access to your phones from anywhere you happen to be. This is especially useful for those situations where you can't get to the office. Read More…

Does a Vanity Phone Number Really Help?

Statistics show that the small home office and larger business owners could benefit greatly from a vanity phone number. A vanity phone number is not something that is new. Vanity phone numbers are major players in the marketing game. First, it is important to take a look at exactly what a vanity phone number represents to understand their benefits to the business owner and marketing. The numbers are essentially an alphabetic translation of the phone number.

Vanity Phone Number Benefits

A vanity number has plenty of benefits to offer to the new business owner or a well-established business owner. For example, a business owner finds that his new electrical business has hit a slump and would like to drive up interest and familiarity with his company. He searches for a vanity phone number via a vanity phone number generator such as PhoneSpell.org and it delivers a very memorable alphabetic representation of the company’s number. The phrase generated is very easy to remember or memorize by just about anyone. Soon his phone is ringing off the hook. Many business owners use this method to drive up sales and attract more customers. Read More…

Virtual Phone System Comparison: Nextiva vs iTeleCenter

Through this virtual phone system comparison we will analyze whether Nextiva or iTeleCenter offers better quality and service to their clients, based on selection of local numbers, pricing options, special features, and customer treatment history.

Nextiva: All The Features You Need

For businesses that want to get noticed across the country, Nextiva offers local numbers in almost any area code nationwide, so potential customers will feel more comfortable calling you. These local numbers even include automated attendant and advanced call forwarding features, among other great features that help you handle larger call volumes. iTeleCenter also offers additional local numbers, yet primarily focuses on five major US cities for these, which are: Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Phoenix, and New York.

When comparing the pricing plans, iTeleCenter has upfront pricing options listed online, with no obligation to pay until after your free trial. Nextiva asks you to send them a request of the services you need, and they contact you with a tailored quote.

iTeleCenter Video Introduction

iTeleCenter has these Unique Advantages that Nextiva does NOT:

Applications for use with both Android phones and iPhones: Nextiva primarily allows users to fax from their cell phone through email services such as Gmail for instance, instead of through tailored applications that can offer additional features.
Free Trial Period of 14 days: Nextiva has no free trial options.

Which service is the most helpful to its customers?

Customer support, especially for communications technology systems, is a crucial aspect of service that makes all of the difference between having a “great” service that you can't rely on, or having a dependable service that is easy to maintain. Especially for anyone using Nextiva or iTeleCenter to expand their business communications, sometimes a small glitch in the system can cost you lost business opportunities.

Nextiva Video Introduction

Comparing The Two

At first glance, both Nextiva and iTeleCenter seem helpful enough considering that they offer customer support through email, frequently asked questions pages, and by phone; yet to know more about their reputation, let's investigate further. Read More…

Virtual Phone System Comparison: VirtualPBX vs Grasshopper

These two providers offer similar features so sometimes it helps to conduct a virtual phone system comparison in order to find out where the real differences are between the two services. It is always important to consider the specific needs that dictate your business' daily operations; finding the right provider to fulfill all the areas of concern should be the top priority. Evaluating the business before looking at one of the providers helps maintain standards while addressing all the particular details of interest. Read More…

# 1	RingCentral	Reviews
# 2	Grasshopper	Reviews
# 3	eVoice	Reviews