VoIP services can be broken down into 2 types, which are business and residential.
Before companies like Vonage made it into our home, businesses were already using VoIP for their phone service. The reason for this was that VoIP can very complex to manage, but the long term cost savings to the business was substantial due to the money they saved from dropping traditional phone service (POTS).
Advances in the user friendly technology has allowed the technology to be brought into your home if high speed Internet is available. The reason residential Voip did not catch on quick was that for residential customers, traditional phone service was not all that expensive compared to what VoIP was at the time. Today though, the cost of having VoIP is much cheaper than traditional phone service and you can get many more services as well. VoIP for small business can be very affordable now as well and with a hosted service, there is no requirement to maintain a techie on staff.
More on residential voip for your home phone needs. I cover business Voip HERE if you would like to read up more on that. If you wish to do some comparison between your current service and VoIP services available, then CLICK HERE.
I am always spending a great deal of time reading stuff on the web related to telecommunication and information technology. One of the missions for Brochin.net, when I redesigned our site and added the members area, was to use my time for your good.
I wanted to:
1.) Save you time looking and researching on the web to find solutions to your problems.
2.) Find you free or affordable tools to help in your home or small business.
I am always looking and playing around with free or cheap software, downloading and reading e-books, articles and news posts. When surfing around I occasionally find sites with web design or graphic templates that are free or very cheap.
This week we found a little e-book title Increasing Your Computers Performance the Easy Way. All it takes is a couple minutes every week to keep your computer in your home and out of the repair shop or worse yet, the trash bin. This e-book covers some of those simple steps and recommends some free software to help you with this basic computer maintenance. So we downloaded it to our free Advantage members area for your download and viewing pleasure.
That said, when I find the items stated above, they will be posted to our Advantage members area for download. All you have to do is join the Advantage, it’s free and costs you nothing. Once you join the mailing list you will receive a link to continue your sign up process and access to the Advantage members area. To sign up visit the Advantage members page or sign up from the floating form on the left side of this website.
This week has been a little different. I am running behind a little on the next series, which I have decided to be on a technology that is taking the world by storm and that is Voice over Internet Protocol, also known as VoIP or Voice over IP.
The upcoming series on VoIP will address the small business, home office and residential customer. It will provide a brief overview of what VoIP is and how it works, different types of VoIP services, advantages and disadvantages of VoIP.
Of course the Software Information will allow you to research and learn about the various types of business and life enhancing applications. Operating Systems Uncovered is focused on OS’s specifically.
So if you want to read more about business software, such as data recovery software, so you can receovery quickly from unforseen disasters, then Software Information is a place to start.
Operating Systems Revealed provides you a little history and helpful tips when dealing with various operating systems, from Windows Vista to the much loved Unix operating systems.
With that said, I would also like to share this little link with you. It is a Free Computer Maintenance Manual. Looks like it can possibly help you save your business or home some money when it comes to basic computer maintenance and repair.
Last week we concluded our little series on free-anti-spyware and even had a free anti-virus thrown in there for good measure along the way. We may continue later with a series on free anti-virus software, but not for now, unless it is requested by popular opinion.
What I want to be sure about is that everyone has an understanding of software licensing. If you don’t know what I am talking about you soon will when you read on.
You know those pesky little windows that come up when you are installing software and ask if you “agree” or “disagree” with the licensing terms or something to that affect? Yes, that stuff that almost no one reads at all, and we just click “agree” so we can get the software installed and start using it.
I am here to tell you that if you run your own home based or small business and use free software you are still required to follow the license agreement you agreed to when installing it.
So what is a software license? From Wikipedia a software license “is a legal instrument governing the usage and redistribution of copyright protected software.” Just because software is given away for free does not mean you are not beholden to the licensing agreement.
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Please read through these agreements and the big thing is pay attention to how many computers you are allowed to load your free software on. Typically my experience is that most free software allows you to load it on up to three computers.
Just like with software you pay for at the store or online, you can get yourself in big trouble legally if you do not follow the agreement you made when installing the software.
That concludes this post, if you have any requests please contact us.
Selecting the Right Small Business Phone System
by monatoc
Choosing a phone system is not usually the first thing on a new small business owner ’s mind. Even after your office is established and operational, your small business’ phone system will likely function so smoothly that it will fade into the background.
But what do you do when you need to install a new small phone system or replace an existing phone system? Do you know the choices available to you and what every option means? Small business phone systems can seem confusing, but knowing the basics can help you buy the phone system that ’s just right for your business.
The first thing to remember is that there are four basic types of commercial phone systems to choose from. The first, Private Branch Exchange (also known as PBX) systems, are known to most of us as the huge and confusing cabinets with dedicated operators. Luckily, there are smaller-scale PBX systems for your small business. Since many office workers are familiar with PBX systems, which are becoming more affordable every year, this is often the best choice for small businesses.
Another very popular option for small to mid-size businesses is the key system. This type of phone system consists of a key system unit that controls all of the other phones in the business. The KSU controls the features and functions of each phone, such as voicemail, and ensures that one line is never in use by more than one user at a time.
The key system allows in-system phones to dial each other directly via extension and lets the operator of the KSU supervise the operation of the entire system to ensure that all users’ needs are met. The key system is also very expandable with new software.
These two types of phone systems have become very similar as technology has progressed. Features that were once available only on PBX systems are now readily available on systems that are referred to as key systems. Phone systems that share features of PBX and key systems are often called hybrids and offer the most features with the most expandability.
For very small businesses of two to 10 employees, a KSU-less system may be the most appropriate choice. A KSU-less system features phones that each contain the KSU-type technology so that they can provide the functions and features that key systems provide, but without the central unit.
One of the largest benefits to the KSU-less system is that it is not permanently wired into the building like other types of phone systems. Since the technology is contained in the phones, there is no complicated equipment to move when your business moves to a new building.
A newer technology in the small business phone system realm is voice over internet protocol, or VoIP. VoIP phone systems send voice calls over a broadband connection rather than phone lines. VoIP technology can facilitate your small business phone needs for a much lower cost and higher quality than traditional phone systems.
The type of phone system that you choose for your small business depends on your needs and expectations. The easiest way to see if a small business phone system is appropriate for you is to try it out. Just picking up the phones and pressing buttons can give you a feel for how the system operates. Make sure that features are easy to access and understand.
Any time you purchase a new system for your small business phone needs, remember to think of how your business will grow in the future. Ask the installer to give you much more wiring than you need currently to avoid having to pay for pricey future rewiring.
Keep your staff in mind. If you have a large staff, a KSU-less system probably will not be adequate for your needs; you will need to invest in a PBX or hybrid. Luckily, the prices of these sophisticated phone systems are coming down every year. If you time your purchase to coincide with the end of the quarter (when sales reps are hungry for sales), you may be able to get a new small business phone system for much less than you expect. Having the right phone system for your small business can make a huge difference in the way that you and your staff interact with each other and with your customers.
About the Author
Copyright 2008. Chris Monato. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyright 2008. Chris Monato. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
“Joe puts customer service up front. He seeks what people want and provides a result quickly to let people know he is dedicated to producing quality products. As a consultant he constantly teaches me more each time.” December 13, 2007
Top qualities: Personable, On Time, High Integrity
Bradley Bathgate
hired Brochin.net for Graphic/Web Design work in 2007
VoIP services can be broken down into 2 types, which are business and residential.
More on residential voip for your home phone needs. I cover business Voip HERE if you would like to read up more on that. If you wish to do some comparison between your current service and VoIP services available, then CLICK HERE.
