![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.techsolutionsinc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/2021July27VoIP_A.jpg\")
Should you consider adopting new phone systems for your business? To help you decide, we’ve defined the various types of phone systems, their different life cycles, and technology options in the past and the present.<\/p>\nShould you consider adopting new phone systems for your business? To help you decide, we’ve defined the various types of phone systems, their different life cycles, and technology options in the past and the present.<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s businesses still use landlines to connect with various stakeholders, such as customers, investors, and suppliers, to service their needs. However, telephony has come a long way from when it first came about in 1876. For instance, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones have virtually unlimited reach, are automated, and are cheaper than ever to acquire.<\/p>\n
VoIP is a telephony solution that uses the internet instead of wired circuits to transmit data. VoIP does more than just transmit audio \u2014 it can also send a variety of data (video, multimedia, SMS, etc.) and perform other tasks as well.<\/p>\n
A VoIP system\u2019s hardware (phone units, cables, CPUs, etc.) and software (one or more applications that run the system) can be either on-premises or hosted:<\/p>\n
With hardware, it doesn\u2019t matter whether it\u2019s on-premises or hosted. Hardware is affected by the wear and tear stemming from daily use. Barring any accidents or physical damage, VoIP hardware should last several years.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, software requires regular updates. It\u2019s worth noting that it\u2019s faster and cheaper to update software that\u2019s hosted in the cloud versus one that\u2019s on premises. However, there\u2019s not much difference in how much either one can last \u2014 software for both types of VoIP systems can last upwards of 10 years, depending on how dependable your IT support is.<\/p>\n
In the past, hardware and software were built to last. Today, they\u2019re built to adapt and change, thanks to cloud technology.<\/p>\n
The effect of this shift on hardware and software is dramatic:<\/p>\n
Most hardware components are very similar, with replacements and upgrades coming every 5\u20138 years on average.<\/p>\n
Cloud software is faster, easier, and cheaper to upgrade than software for on-premises systems. Critical cloud updates can be released almost constantly, and a cloud system may be completely overhauled in as short as 2\u20133 years\u2019 time.<\/p>\n
Whichever phone system you choose, it should integrate smoothly with the other systems in your business, such as email or customer relationship management software. And as your business expands, your chosen phone system should easily scale with it, too.<\/p>\n
Downtime results in loss of potential sales and, essentially, wasted money. If your phone service is spotty and constantly unreliable, perhaps it\u2019s time to switch to VoIP phones.<\/p>\n
Nowadays, it\u2019s not the longevity of a tech solution that\u2019s important, but rather staying ahead of the curve to trump the competition. Call our experts today so you can always leverage the best VoIP and other IT solutions available today.<\/p>\n