Voice over Internet Protocol has in so many ways modernized the phone systems in the workplace. Today, VoIP runs on cloud-based services and desktop applications. It helps businesses cut operational costs and keeps all employees connected. Upgrading to VoIP comes with so many more benefits than simply alleviating costs; you can expect increased reliability advanced features as well as quality sound. Have you started your migration process to VoIP? Or maybe you are in the process. Either way, there are a few things to keep in mind to make this process successful; and flawless.
Let’s Have a Look at Some of the Tips to Minimize Disruption
1. Prepare your network for VoIP.
VoIP traffic uses the same network as your data transmission, and hence the quality of VoIP voice calls is entirely dependent on the quality of your network. If your network has issues like low bandwidth or frequent downtime, it affects VoIP quality. Fix your network problems before switching to VoIP. You should probably think through your connection reliability, maximum call volume, and also data bandwidth.
So what do we mean thinking through your connection reliability? We advise that you first and foremost run your network speed. This will help you determine whether your network is sufficient to handle your current and future data and voice needs. Generally, while using an HD codec, one VoIP call will consume anywhere between 50-100Kbps. Therefore, the more the Voice calls your business has to handle at a go, the more bandwidth your business will demand. The bandwidth your business needs depends on the data services you choose and the type of connection you use, such as fiber, T1, or coax.
2. Update your business’s phone equipment,
The VoIP technology comes with great features for the phones. These features include call waiting, call barring, and voicemail. They play a key role in any business and help boost workplace productivity. However, they are entirely dependent on the type of system used. VoIP systems are not compatible with just any model of phone systems.
This, however, should not make you frantic! All VoIP providers usually have a list of all compatible phone systems that work well with the network. This includes all other peripherals and devices as well. Remember these devices and peripherals are tested for quality assurance through call quality, operability, and feature performance. We, therefore, recommend that you consult with your VoIP provider when you go hunting for VoIP phones so that you don’t have to pay the heavy price of buying devices that are not compatible. This way, you are assured of the best.
3. Either Segment Or Prioritize Your Voice Traffic
Advance in technology has left the VoIP competing for bandwidth with other apps that it shares with the same network. As much as this is a cutting-edge development, it also has its downside, which is an outright disaster should you not be in control of your bandwidth. With this, applications that are sensitive to delays due to heavy network traffic like VoIP suffer the greatest consequences which by now is very clear. So if you are streaming a video, then you are at the same time affecting your VoIP and hence cripples your business.
However, for every great challenge, there’s always an underlying solution. You can solve this traffic issue by segmenting your VoIP. This can be done using Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) which allows you to divert your voice traffic from the data traffic for more efficient and quality calls. The second option is to prioritize the voice traffic by using Quality of Service settings (QoS). Through QoS, the IT administrators can assign priorities or guarantee a certain percentage of the overall capacity of your bandwidth the VoIP. This frees the VoIP from congestion improving its efficiency.
4. Have a phone Back up plan in pace
VoIP IP calls heavily relies on the status of your internet. Should there be an outage, then your VoIP will most likely suffer the greatest hit keeping all your staff member in the silence. This means you may not be able to connect with partners, clients, service and product providers, and any other relevant groups. The main way to beat the odds is by having a backup plan dedicated to such emergencies. Follow through to see how you can minimize these inconsistencies as you maximize your business productivity.
- Financing for a 4G LTE failover solution or better yet, another internet connection from a separate ISP, should you have an adequate budget. With good programming, the second or back up internet connection will immediately take over the process should the first one go down, and you’ll not be able to note any difference. This should keep you running all through.
- Routing calls to landlines and mobile devices: You can prevent communication delays by choosing a VoIP solution that routes calls to landlines and mobile devices during downtime.
Aside from internet downtimes, you may also experience unplanned PBX phone system server downtimes which will cause the same effects or far worse problems than the internet downtimes. Should you be considering hosted VoIP solution, then a provider with multiple geographical data centers would help. This ensures that in case of severe meltdowns, and your VoIP services can always be rerouted to a data center. For on-premise VoIP solutions, a reliable PBX Hot Standby solution would solve the problem. This is whereby two identical PBX servers run concurrently forming a failover.
5. Proper Deployment Model and solution
This one is a pushover. However if not addressed properly, things can veer off the course and become detrimental to your business. During the evaluation phase for either cloud-based or On-premise VoIP solution pack, you should ask the tough questions. Get to know what the new system will solve and what inconveniencies are likely to occur. Consider a solution that meets all your needs, such as conferencing, CRM integration, and softphone features. Evaluate factors like functionality, redundancy, maintenance, upgrades, scalability, and costs. This will save you an extra dime.
Conclusion
Upgrading to VoIP shouldn’t have to be a painful process or a trip to the moon. The best way to do it is making sure that your VoIP provider is walking you through every step of the way. By reading this, you’re already taking the first steps toward a successful VoIP migration, upgrade, and integration for your business.
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