Voice over internet protocol (VoIP) is a technology that excludes traditional phone lines and allows communication through the internet. It is a highly easy and affordable method of communication. (1)
Introduction
The method of communication through the internet is much the same as conventional telephone systems. But VoIP is an efficient, fast, cheap, and convenient way of interacting with each other. This system provides a bundle of benefits that are not provided by conventional phone systems. For instance, one can easily place or receive a call regardless of a place or gadget. All he needs is an internet connection. People can use smartphones, computers, tablets, or VoIP hardware to keep healthy interactions with their loved ones. This technology also offers a suite of features like call routing, multiple contacts, and refined on-hold messages. At the upper end, packages provided by VoIP are having incorporated tools including email marketing, online fax, and video conferencing.
Cost of VoIP
The VoIP cost can fluctuate greatly. There are many free solutions for personal use. In terms of business purposes, premium plans range from a few dollars/year to several thousand/month. Most of the VoIP solutions provide unlimited video and voice calling, and unlimited SMS to particular regions. Usually, subscriptions are single user-based. This means if a person is going to add some more members then he will have to pay for this. Moreover, the cost may increase for advanced features, external integrations, and international calling preferences.
Working of VoIP
VoIP technology establishes communication among people via internet connection. The internet changes the audio signals into digital data packets. These packets are then sent to another user on the other end. When these packets reach there, they are converted back to the audio signals that are audible by the person.
Benefits of VoIP
- Audio and video conferencing
Many advanced VoIP handsets are coming with built-in cameras and screens. This eliminates the use of desktop computers or laptops particularly. Audio conferencing is also very convenient for users who cannot afford camera gadgets.
- Voicemail
Voicemail is an important element in both VoIP and traditional phone systems. The benefit of VoIP voicemail is that it is easily accessible from any device such as a smartphone or laptop. A person will never miss his calls.
- Screen sharing
Screen sharing means collaboration between the screens of different devices. This feature is great for viewing what other team member is doing. Moreover, helping each other in solving issues and making graphs also become easy. This feature also serves a controlling purpose with the help which parents can control activities of their child.
- Mobile/home working
Everyone knows that VoIP works on the internet so it can be accessed easily through any supported device. This allows individuals to receive or make calls from anywhere.
Best VoIP companies of 2021 (2)
- RingCentral Office
RingCentral Office solution is appropriate for all businesses of any type. It includes all the core features such as a company directory, auto-attendant system, call handling, and forwarding, and multiple extensions.
Why buy:
- The best VoIP solution
- Divers pricing plans
- User friendly
Why avoid:
- Low price plans do not offer much
Specifications:
- Integrated phone
- Video conferencing
- Messages
- RingCentral App
Support:
- Support case, live chat, knowledge base, and app integration
Price:
- Essentials plan costing $19.99/month
- Standard plan costing $24.99/month
- Ultimate plan costing $49.99/month
- Ooma office
For smaller businesses or firms Ooma is a great choice as it offers affordable pricing plans. A particular feature of this solution is Ring Groups. With the help of this feature, organizations are grouped for simultaneous rings. The call is then sent to the employee who answers first.
Why to buy:
- Easy to use
- Has the ability to integrate with other solutions such as home security solution
Why to avoid:
- Configuration of the phone by Ooma is essential
- Some features have not been developed yet
Specifications
- Mobile apps
- Ring groups
- Video Conferencing
Support
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
- 24/7 phone facility
Price
- The basic plan costing $19.95/user/month. It comes with a call-forwarding feature, a virtual receptionist, and a mobile app.
- The Ooma Office Pro plan costing $$24.95/user/month. It offers voicemail transcription, video concerning tools, and several other tools.
- Nextiva
If a company is focusing on cloud-based interaction for up to 4 customers and employees, Nextiva is certainly in the favor. It offers a vast range of features at flexible prices. One is allowed to place unlimited calls to Canada or US. It also permits users to see who is active in real-time. Nextiva permits screen and file sharing during the conference. The system of Nextiva is designed by keeping its functionality and usability in mind. Several integrations are also available.
Why to buy:
- Free trial is available
- Quality calls are HD
Why to avoid:
- No email support
- No 24/7 services
Specifications
- Had phone
- App
- Team chat
- Conversational Al
Support:
- Live chat
- Knowledge base
- Ticketing
Price:
- The basic plan costs $20/month
- The pro plan costs $25/month
- The enterprise plan costs $30/month
- Dialpad
Dialpad is evidence of the changed essence of telephone communications. This solution is well-designed and cost-effective. The Dialpad talk enhances employee flexibility and productivity by using Al and cloud calling. Staff members can work by using any gadget from anywhere for business conversations. This solution comes with a single central administrator portal. It permits companies to add more users, provide them contact numbers, and link them with office programs such as Microsoft 365 and Google workspace.
Why to buy:
- Extremely price competitive
- Easy to use
- An array of features at initial levels
- Created for the cloud
Why to avoid:
- Video conferencing is not a standard feature
- The platform is less accessible
Specifications:
- Call and routing
- Voice intelligence
- Video conferencing
Support:
- Knowledge base
- Live chat
Price:
- The standard plan costing $15 per month
- The pro plan costs $25 per month
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