Is your network
set up for VoIP
implementation?

Businesses need reliable communications that can mobilize alongside their workforce—especially in unpredictable work environments. And the topsy-turvy business climate that's defined 2020 has highlighted that critical need. When deployed correctly and managed properly, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services can deliver a better experience for employees and customers—no matter where they are.

VoIP implementation augments the call experience with boosted internet speeds by integrating internet-enabled advancements such as voicemail-to-email linking, call recording, simplified conferencing and improved sound quality. VoIP also enables significant cost savings by eliminating the capital cost of installing elaborate phone systems and cutting the pay-per-minute fee structure of traditional phone lines.

VoIP is a cloud-based technology that translates a voice call into data packets and transmits them over the internet. VoIP works with a standard Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi (provided it's fast enough), and prioritizes calls in the same network used to send the call data instead of requiring separate lines.

VoIP is not right for every business, though. The amount of data transfer requires speed, and lots of it—at least 100 kilobits per second (Kbps) per line for a single call. Because most plans now offer speeds surpassing 50 megabits per second (Mbps), speed is less of an issue than it was, but you'll still need to make sure that your internet is fast enough to meet the requirements for VoIP implementation.

If you do business around the world, VoIP could save you significant money as currently, you’re likely paying a premium for international long distance calls.  And if your team is mostly remote—and likely to be for the foreseeable future—VoIP can unify communications and your team, even while they’re working in the office.

To ensure that your business deploys internet calling effectively, you'll need to consider the following requirements for VoIP implementation.

Speed is critical to implementing VoIP, and the bandwidth needed increases exponentially as more team members join the network. Fiber-based systems such as Fios are built to provide the speed and bandwidth that VoIP demands.

Latency is the time it takes for data to reach its destination, and can vary based on how the data is routed—high latency can mean dropped calls or poor call quality. Latency should be less than 30 milliseconds to successfully meet the requirements for VoIP implementation.

Adding internet-based equipment to your technology suite is one of the essential requirements for VoIP implementation, and your hardware needs to be compatible with the VoIP solution you select. The hardware should capably process the amount of data you plan to transmit, and it should account for planned company growth and the speeds at which your network runs.

The growing remote workforce is well suited for VoIP. A unified communications solution streamlines external business partners' interactions with your team and allows for multiple extensions from a single phone number. This benefit also arms your remote team's mobile devices with the full features and protection of your corporate VoIP system.