You may, therefore, be wondering whether or not the system is right for you and your business.

What would VoIP mean for your business?

VoIP systems work by converting your voice into a digital signal transmitted over the internet. If the device you are calling is a traditional phone, the signal will be converted to normal telephone wavelengths to prevent any loss of information in the transfer.

However, it is worth noting that, for VoIP to be an attractive prospect for your business, it is necessary that you have an internet connection fast enough to handle whatever quantity of calls you expect to answer.

A good broadband connection is the suggested minimum to ensure you can handle these calls without damaging the reputation of your business with an unclear phone line when clients try to reach you. In much of the United Kingdom, this should be a simple matter, but some regions such as in the north of Scotland have very slow maximum broadband speeds.

It is worth finding out your regional broadband speed on the British broadband speed map. A surprising number of areas – both urban and rural – have much slower broadband than might be expected, so do not take your speed for granted.

Weigh the positives and negatives

If you believe you do have a sufficiently fast connection, the question becomes: should I install a VoIP phone system? Many popular modern technologies are far more effective in large businesses than small companies due to economies of scale.

It is worth noting that, while 40% of businesses use VoIP for their telecommunications, the number among small businesses is only 20%. However, changing from a normal phone to VoIP can be very straightforward, as there is no specialist equipment needed – and the sound quality can often be better than that of a landline call.

Once you have secured your VoIP number, it is possible to make savings of up to 90% on your phone bill – as your calls are part of your internet spending and therefore not billed separately.

A major positive of this is an additional saving on maintenance costs. If you often find technical issues with your landline, which can be down to problems anywhere from your handset or router to the cable itself or even further along the system, you will know it can take a substantial amount of time for the problem to be fixed, damaging your bottom line.

With VoIP, you have the option of free international calls. The Federal Communications Commission highlights the advantages of being able to connect to free Wi-Fi wherever you find yourself in the world, allowing you to call clients and colleagues and stay on top of work even when you need to be out of the area. Dispensing with expensive international call fees frees you up to run a more flexible business.

Related:

The 6 best VOIP providers for small businesses – We’ve compared the competition to bring you our pick of the best VoIP providers – complete with features and pricing

5 of the best phone systems for your remote workers – With more firms working remotely, business owners are reviewing their phone systems. We talk you through some of the best ones around.