There are many options for implementing VoIP in your business. Because of the flexibility of the technology, you can choose what’s right for you and not subscribe to a single standard unlike the PSTN phone system. As with everything, there are advantages and disadvantages to each method. In this article, we focus on the choice to set up a VoIP system in house complete with all the hardware and software. You’ll see what it takes and what your options are if you don’t wish to go all the way.
Setting up a VoIP system
Apart from the equipment you need to have regardless of what system you choose such as VoIP enabled phones and an Internet connection, the most important component of your VoIP system will be a server. This is what will host the coordinating software which will connect your VoIP phones to each other, your offices and even the outside world which may not be VoIP based.
The server itself is specialized with ports etc which are unique to its purpose of serving and delivering VoIP. It has to be powerful and can cost quite a bundle. But having the server isn’t enough of course. You need to have something to run on it. Luckily, there are some powerful open source solutions you can install which won’t cost you anything to purchase, though setting it up accurately can be quite a pain.
Which leads us to the next requirement – technically competent manpower. If you’ve only had basic IT experience so far, you’ll have to hire people who know what they’re doing with VoIP. They have to configure the server, set up the VoIP infrastructure and maintain it. As you probably know by now, you have to manage your network after you’ve set up VoIP to ensure that you always have sufficient bandwidth to cater for your VoIP needs. This means your technical administrators will have to stay on their toes to take preventive action in case something seems to be going wrong.
It’s not difficult to see that setting up an in house VoIP system takes time, effort and cash. Not to mention expertise and experience. It’s not an enterprise which one sets out on without a lot of thought. For small and medium sized businesses it probably makes a lot more sense to outsource the setting up and management of the VoIP system to a hosted PBX service. Then all you have to do is ensure that your Internet connection is up to the mark and you can start making VoIP calls immediately!
Bhagwad is an expert consultant on creating a secure Secure SIP Proxy Servers. He also specializes in Mobile VoIP Server
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