When it comes to telephony in the enterprise, three solutions are heard: traditional telephony, cellular, and virtual (or IP). The business chooses IP telephony more often. Let’s analyze how each model works and how it is inferior to the virtual one.
1.IP Telephony
It is virtual, cloudy, digital—a type of telephone connection where the signal is transmitted via Internet channels. There is no need to raise the station in the office, it is with the provider, and you connect remotely. They use smartphones, tablets, PCs for calls; you can connect stationary devices by purchasing adapters. The best out there is Yealink IP Phone.
2.Traditional Telephony
Everyone uses the familiar stationary device. The signal goes through the wires to the office PBX, then to the regional and federal ones. To connect, you need to stretch a cable from the local station, arrange a server room. This is the first inconvenience. There are many disadvantages: the high cost of service and the inability to quickly expand the network (a maximum of 50 people are connected to one PBX). Only voice is transmitted, and an IP telephony – also graphics, text, video.
Pros: A wired connection is often more stable in bad weather than an Internet connection.
3.Cellular (mobile) Communication
Information is forwarded via radio channels between fixed points (operator towers) and mobile (smartphone). To connect, employees buy regular SIM cards with a corporate tariff. There is already provided Internet access; you can communicate through instant messengers, social networks.
Nevertheless, it is better to use cellular communication for small firms with 5-7 employees. It is economically disadvantageous for larger companies.
And the options connected to the number are not enough for comfortable work. At the same time, the PBX used in IP telephony adapts to the business of any size.
Where IP Telephony Wins
The advantage is given by the cheapness of calls and a lot of functions that other systems do not have:
- Multichannel: More than 100 managers can talk on the Fanvil VoIP Phone and any other IP phone simultaneously, and the company will not miss clients.
- Voice menu and flexible routing: The menu reacts to the caller’s commands and directs the call to the required department, voice mail, etc. Mobile operators have 1-3 forwarding scenarios, but here there are about 10.
- Collect statistics: The number of missed calls, the duration of the calls, the answering operator are recorded. You monitor employees and measure the effectiveness of advertising.
- Automatic call recording: The files are stored on the server of the service provider. With mobile communications, the recording would have to be configured on each device separately, download applications.
Weaknesses Of Traditional And Cellular Telephony
Traditional Telephony
- Expensive calls to long-distance and international directions.
- Significant investments in equipment – at least $700.
- The long connection process is 1–2 months.
- Location binding – when you move an office, the structure must be re-created.
Cellular Telephony
- High subscription fee.
- It will take from 1 to 7 days to issue SIM cards. It would help if you visited the office.
- Binding to the coverage area of a mobile operator.
IP Telephony Solution
- Billing is at the price of Internet traffic, and all calls are 3-7 times cheaper.
- Of the direct expenses – payment for the number (from $8), sometimes the purchase of adapters or IP-phones. Further monthly payment from $7.
- Connection in a couple of hours. The application is submitted through the website, and the station is also set up online.
- The PBX is not assigned to a physical address and a specific Internet connection. If the employee is away, calls are made using the local internet provider.
- IP telephony is more profitable both economically and organizationally.