Business Phone Service - An Important Part in the Success of a Business Enterprise

Deploying voice capabilities as offered in a business phone service in integrated routing platform increases productivity, decreases costs, and lowers total costs of business operation. Many businesses have made great improvement in lowering total cost of ownership and increasing employee productivity successfully executing networked applications and consolidating data networks. Nowadays, business conditions are compelling technology trends that have deploy functions suited to an enterprise to small-sized and medium-sized offices with a constant emphasis on increasing investment returns, improving productivity and lowering costs. Your business phone service features should include strong quality of service, network security and intrusion guard to regard the business needs of both small and medium offices.
Today, both business organizations expect a fast and streamlined service. They want easy and convenient access to information they need anytime of the day. They want their needs met real-time. Only a good business phone service answers to this. On the other hand, providers can improve customer interactions by focusing on a reasonable price quote, quality product, and efficient operations. Connecting telecommunications systems to customer information facilitate improvement of customer interactions and provide real-time service and access to needed information. Moreover, it also provides customers with self-service options while protecting private information. Business phone systems create an intelligent network that adjusts to your business needs.
For a business phone service to be successful, it must be able to protect itself against external and internal network information intrusion. It must ensure privacy in all communications any time and place. Reputed and reliable service providers are able to provide these and will help reduce and prevent any form of liability resulting from services and features not met. Consider the nature of your business, its basic operational needs and operation methods. The ability to provide smooth communication and entertain business customers fast has indirect positive result on return of investment. Good and satisfactory telecommunications services after all results to a more efficient and effective business management operation.
Business phone service provides countless benefits along with multiple options to attain effective business communication. The VoIP is an internet based telephone service which is generally high speed. It is entirely different from typical telephone services. This service is also known as broadband or digital phone service.
As people are becoming increasingly phone-dependent and business applications are becoming more interactive, if not intensive, innovative wireless service are critical in helping organizations maintain smooth business flow and good returns. The need for connectivity is highly and widely addressed and wireless solutions are equally in high demands. Choose the kind of business phone service that meets your unique business needs. Proper telecommunications system has an important part in the success of a business enterprise.

How To Acquire A Simple Small Business Phone Service

A key element in a small business is a small business phone service. And with this sort of service, small-scale business companies will be effective in communicating with business associates and other clients, and can also do other business deals without ever leaving the office. Many small-scale business phone services are offered in packages. They are old with a few handsets, a transmitter and other equipments in accordance with the package.
Many people want to use a wireless telephone as it allows connection to wireless intercoms and let them use the receiver anywhere they are as long it is in the range of the base telephone.
The kind of small business phone service that is applied in businesses is very much similar to that of a phone system at home. What is needed is just a base station that acts as the main phone line, a caller ID and an answering machine. Connecting extra phones or handsets is your option.
Some service providers add up to two extra phones or handsets that are included in their packaged service. But of course this type of system is expandable as you can have additional phones to your system depending on your business communication needs.
Many people these days say that Voice over Internet Protocol is what is best for businesses especially for small ones. VoIP can be an effective small business phone service, depending on how you look at it. Using a handset or a telephone that is connected to the Internet will enable you to make calls anywhere in the world without having to talk to an operator and getting billed.
With this sort of business telephone system, configuration of the process is easy. Just Apply for a standard VoIP account and an Internet connection then buy a router, and that is all there is to it. Imagine calling other contacts for free just by using the Internet. That is what we call efficiency.
Always ask qualified personnel regarding how to install the service package if you do not know how to or cannot understand the provided manual. Choosing the right small business phone service is very critical so make sure you purchase the right service that will suit your needs. An effective small business phone service will help you with communication difficulties.
Some small-scale business phone services are being offered by other providers with added features. Obviously, small-scale business companies will really profit from this kind of service. It can be a valuable necessity for business companies, and with its cheaper cost, acquiring a small business phone service for your business is not that hard to achieve. Who knows maybe just by having a small business phone service is what you have been missing.

How to Market Business Phone Services

The Internet is changing the world. Businesses find it easier to connect with partners, customers and suppliers from all over the world. The public network is even changing the way telecommunication companies operate. Today, you can subscribe to business phone services that offer a ton of useful features. Here is how you can market new commercial phone services on the Internet.
Tip 1: Write about free business calls.
Tip 2: Write about new and exciting features.
Tip 3: Establish the benefits of the phone services.
Tip 1: Write about free business calls.
It used to be the case that making International phones incur huge phone charges. But that is a thing of the past. Today, with special applications like Skype, business executives can make free phone calls to any part of the world as long as there is an Internet connection. Many business phone services offer free phone calls too. But customers may not be aware of the conditions when calls are free. Help your readers understand and learn how to make free business calls (e.g. calling another member of the same network is free).
Tip 2: Write about new and exciting features.
Today, you find many service providers competing based on software. Customers are give a web login account, and they can easily add on new services and features from the web dashboard. The process is entirely automated. Special features may include call recording. For instance, those who miss a tele-conference can download an MP3 recording of the business call from the web.
Tip 3: Establish the benefits of the phone services.
Why should businesses pay good money for phone services? Establish the benefits and help potential customers realize the usefulness of such services. Will it help staff become more productivity? If so, in what way? These are interesting topics to write about in your phone related articles.

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Making The Most Out Of Your Chosen Business Phone Service Provider

In the United States, many cheap business phone services are available, as well as the services of international manufacturers. Many systems of business phone services actually consist of a lot of fax machines, internal phones and other devices, all being linked to one another and to outside phone lines by use of a switching system. PBXs, or usually called switching systems are determined by their sizes. Smaller systems are distinguished by the external lines that usually cannot be selected with any individual extension.
Key systems or smaller systems are a lot cheaper compared to PBXs. A particular outgoing line is chosen to make calls and external numbers are dialed on the key system. When making a call using PBX system, users must punch 9 or 0 then dial the external number. Punching 9 or 0 sometimes differ depending on some systems. PBX automatically chooses unused outgoing trunk lines to be able to make and complete the specific call.
A PBX system performs in three essential function, first it establishes the connection between two phone lines of two users, second, it maintains the connection made to both of the users and provides them the duration of the call that has been made and third, it keeps the connection stable and ensures that no disturbances to the connection occurs. Even with the mentioned basic functions, PBXs that are used in businesses still need more improvement in its capabilities.
Other business phone service provider offers different features with a simple goal that they may be able to help companies maximize their future profits. Included in those features are, voice messaging, call forwarding, speed dialing, call waiting options, answering machines, call back features, and many more comparable to such. These extra service features will be rendered useless if used on a PBX system.
Telecommunications services can play an expensive part in your monthly budget. Obtaining quotes from top providers may even take a whole afternoon, and sitting on the phone trying to listen to sales people convincing you, can really be time consuming. We all know that comparing the different providers of telephone service is useless if what they are all trying to do is sell and offer memorandum. Some companies may always have the best and cheapest price introductory offer there is, but are you really going to be able to save money in the long term? Mostly, the answer is no. The offered price is always the bait to catch your attention and may even get you off balance when thinking about subscribing to their service.
There are a lot of business phone service provider that offers almost the same service features. Some may even include network solutions for internet connections. Most may vary on the cost of the provider's services. Make sure that what you are purchasing also have warranties or money-back offers should their services are not enough for you.

Various Business Phone Service Provider Choices

Communicate with your trading partners and a customer with the most productive way that does not even compromise the features is very substantial. AT&T is a world wide leader in providing telecommunications services. Either you are thinking of implementing a new solution from a telephone service company in the office, replacing the old telephone system, or make changes and substitutions by using VoIP technology, going with AT&T services is the right choice to do. Advantages and benefits are sure to hit your way, knowing that the highly qualified business phone service provider is right behind supporting you.
Choices in picking different kinds of providers, depending on the type of services that they have, is now rapidly increasing because of the competition among business phone service providers. With some providers, or most for this matter, use almost the same technology, and because of this quality calls are basically in every service providers features. Factors such as customer service support and the product price are always to be considered. Some providers offer solutions in bundles or packages and low prices are to be expected from these kinds of offers, but the quality of features included in them may not be in the same level compared to established providers that offer full featured solutions. Always consider calling customer service hotlines about features offered by your chosen business phone service provider. Most providers offer the same basic features as the others. Including them are, call waiting options, call forwarding, and caller ID. All these are part of the standard bundle or package that are offered by the providers. Some business phone service providers offer extended features such as voice mailing system and call conference. Switching back to your telephone service provider is the best thing to do if the hardware is not available or included in the providers' package.
Nowadays, small business operators need to eliminate extra activities to avoid the delay in finishing tasks. With this kind of adjustment, distractions from other unrelated work are avoided. But by this, valuable time is being lost and productivity rate is also sure to drop. This is where the importance of modern technology comes in, with the features offered by today's business phone service providers, efficiency in a company can be achieved easily. And also, with the help of the basic features, such as call forwarding, fax messaging, and voice messaging, tasks that are needed to be send to other colleagues and associates can be done in a lesser amount of time, thus producing more profits and more time for other tasks to be attended to. As obvious as it may seem, a good business phone system is very important and essential for businesses.

Obtaining Reasonable Cheap Business Phone Service

As competition in business telephone services increases, the options for choosing a better and cheap business phone service is also increasing. And since most providers grant the same service features as other providers, the technology aptitude is often equal one way or another. When choosing service providers for your business, always take into consideration the cost of service and the services you intend to buy if it is all worth your money. Some providers offer packages at very low prices. Remember that everyone of them offers good quality. It is quite hard to find a low cost with a high quality. Compared to the more popular products and services offered by large companies that guarantee excellent performance, cheaper services may not always guarantee the same thing but if you're lucky you may find something that works well for your business/enterprise and at a reasonable price.
Make use of the Internet when looking for cheap business phone services. The Internet is a very good source for all kinds of information. It is also convenient and very easy to use especially when comparing quotes and kind of services. You may also call hotlines where you can inquire about the availability of the products and services suitable to your company. Some questions are more accurately answered through customer support. Sometimes they are easier to understand than the ones you find on screen because not all your questions related to the package are readily answered in print. The products of well-known service providers cost a lot higher than the not so popular ones. Your top concern is to find the best service that offers good products at very reasonable prices. But be reasonable as well. You cannot actually expect getting very cheap phone services with very good quality. Sometimes what's important is getting the satisfaction you want.
These days, considering the technology that this generation offers, many services are developed to offer people what they need to make living more convenient. There is no need to rely on old telecommunication systems that make use of copper lines to establish communication in their businesses and to their associates. Given the capability of internet connectivity, you can have almost everything you need and want on your hands in a blink of an eye. Along with this is of course, a modern and reliable business phone service system. Modern business phone services assure less stress and trouble. Now with many companies providing viable business phone solutions, your enterprise is sure to reach its full potential and there will be lesser threats from your competitors. Your business will be easier to manage. More features and services are offered in service packages of every phone service provider. But getting a cheap business phone service varies from a simple network plan to a large business network solution. With lower monthly price assurance, these services are not only cheaper but also prove to be reasonable, reliable and most of all convenient for your enterprise.

Improved Image With Small Business Phone Service

You only get once chance to make a first impression. It is a saying that has been around for a long time, and it holds a lot of truth. When a customer contacts your business for the first time, they need to have a positive impression. If they don't, they will simply move on to the next small business that they find. Getting a quality Small Business Phone Service is a small thing that can have a huge impact on the success of your company. The service that you use speaks to the level of professionalism that your company has. The phone is usually the first means of communication that you customers have, and you want them to leave the conversation with a positive feeling.
A quality Small Business Phone Service will offer many features for a reasonable price. One of those features should be an automated attendant. This feature allows you to have a recording greet your customers and offer them options for what they would most commonly being calling for. When the office is busy, and you don't have enough employees to constantly answer the phone, this feature comes in handy. This feature also can be on 24 hours a day, so it's like having your own personal receptionist.
Another important aspect of any phone service is the amount of money that it is going to cost. Since many of the new services utilize the power of the Internet to make calls, they can save a company a lot of money. A new Small Business Phone Service can save a company anywhere from 30 - 50% over what a traditional phone service will charge. The new services also offer the same great features like voicemail, long distance calling, and conference calling.
Finally, most small businesses today have people that work from home or away from the office for the majority of their days. A quality Small Business Phone Service will allow you to integrate those people right into the system. Whether it is having them use remote phones that are part of the system, or taking their mobile phone and making it part of the system, all employees can be connected no matter where they are. This allows a small business to meet the needs of their employees and achieve a high level of professionalism.

Things to Remember When Looking For a Cheap Business Phone Service

If you're just starting out in business, then you're probably looking for a reliable, yet cheap business phone service that can start you up. It doesn't really matter whether your business is small or big. Be sure to obtain the type of service that would be best for your company.
There are lots of resources that you can access, especially online. Try to look for providers that have good reputation. You are bound to find a website that serves just the right needs for you. Providers offer a whole range of telecommunication products that you can choose from: AT&T long distance, PRI, voice over IP, you name it. You'll also find a number of sites which cater to buyers and sellers alike.
You might want to balance it all out, providing quality services but at affordable costs. At the same time, you also need to think about your workers and clients. What you need is a cheap business phone service provider that offers services suited to your needs. But keep in mind, that you should not trade quality with price.
There are many phone providers in the world today, offering quality solutions in sync with your budget. You just have to know where to look. With business phone service, and the cutting edge technologies in our world today, resources are accessible in just a few clicks from our computer. With this, you'll get high-quality solutions, and be assured that you'll get value for your money.
Your task is to look for providers that offer cost-effective solutions. You can also browse client reviews so you'll know what works and what doesn't, then you can base your decision on that. Look for a reliable company that has good customer service and a user-friendly site. You can also avail of other telecom services and other features in addition to your service. If you're looking for an affordable service, that's okay, as long as you are allowed to take complete advantage of the facility.
Don't just settle for any phone service. Get all the information you need first. Whatever service your business needs, may it be broadband, long distance, or the works, address that. When it comes to your business communication needs, you gotta have the best partner. At the same, you also need to spend within your budget. Therefore, a quality but cheap business phone service is what you need.

PBX - A Small Business Phone Service

In the U.S. there are many good business phone services and services from international manufacturers as well. Many business service solutions actually consists of many faxes, telephones and other internal devices that are linked to each other and even to the outside phone lines through a clutch system. PBX or more often labeled as switching systems are categorized by their size. Small systems are characterized by external lines that can not normally be selected with a single extension.
Small business phone service is also called smaller systems or key systems. They are much cheaper than PBX. In particular, the outgoing line is selected to make a call by dialing external numbers on the smaller or key system. Users must press 0 or 9 then call the external number when using PBX in making a call. The number 9 or 0 may vary sometimes depending on the system. PBX automatically selects unused trunk lines so it can complete a specific call.
PBX performs in three main functions: first, it establishes the link between the two phone lines for two users, the second is maintain the connection of both users and provide the duration of calls made and, thirdly, keep the connection steady and stable with a secure connection and with no interference. Even with these basic functions, PBXs used in a company still needs to improve its capabilities.
Though some service providers offer a different function with a simple purpose, they may be capable in helping businesses max their future profits. Included in the features are voicemail, speed dialing, call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, callbacks, and much more. These additional service functions will be useless if it is applied to a PBX system.
The services of telecommunications can be very expensive in your budget. Getting quotes from major suppliers can take whole afternoon even while sitting on the telephone and listening to sales people convinces you. That can really take a long time. All of us know that the comparison of different providers of phone services is useless if all they do is try to sell you crappy service and offer memorandum. Other companies cannot always have the better and cheaper introductory prices there is, but if the question is are they really capable of saving you money? And if the answer is yes, then you should really go for their services. The price offered is always the bait to attract your attention and make you fall off balance. Always try to reconsider before subscribing to any services.
There are many service providers offering services with almost the same characteristics. Some even include Internet connection solutions for networks. Most of them may differ on their services cost. Do make sure always that the products and services that you are buying have money-back offers in case there is something about the service or product you did not like.

Cheap Business Phone Service Guidelines

A cheap business phone service system is an affordable way to get your business communication needs met without compromising quality. Whether you have a small business or a big one, it doesn't matter. Look for a phone service that you think is just right for your business. You can't go wrong if you know what you need. If you browse the Internet, you'll find various resources at your disposal. Learn the trends, and find a provider that is already known and considered by many as reliable.
You can choose from a wide variety of telecoms products they're offering, from voice DNA to long distance calls, and so on and so forth. You'll soon find quite a few places where you can learn more about telecommunication products and services, as well as discuss things with other consumers before actually buying.
It's possible to reduce costs while maintaining quality of service. You just need to know how to do it. All you need to find is the best provider to help meet your needs, both in terms of quality and price. Just remember to find a cheap business phone service that offers quality services also.
There are lots of phone service providers that offer cost-effective solutions. Meaning, you get effective service for an affordable price. Telecommunications are now as high tech as ever, especially when it comes to business phone service. Whether you have a small, medium or large business, you not only save money you also gain better returns.
There are plenty of companies out there that provide both quality services at an affordable price. Try to do some research and read customer feedbacks and reviews for a certain provider, so you'll know what to expect. When it's cheap business phone service you're after, see to it that its features give you the chance to take advantage of the facility. Search for a good provider that gives the best customer service and offers excellent products. You can also enjoy other telecommunication features that they offer.
Do not settle for a service, unless you know all the things you need to know about it. Do your research. Determine your business needs, whatever those are. It can be voice over ip service, or AT&T long distance, etc. There are so many telecommunication services out there. Determine what you need from a cheap business phone service, and look for it out there.

Selecting a Business Phone Service - Many Affordable Ways to Go

The phone service that a company uses is as critical to a business as the product it is offering. How many times (unfortunately) have you had to call the company of a product that you have bought for technical or support help? What about intra-office communication, including having conference calls with a team in another city (or country for that matter)? The telephone system is more important then you may think. That is why it is absolutely critical to choose a telephone service that is the best fit for your business and its unique needs.
The world of business telephony is very large and complex, with hundreds of companies, both small and large, offering very different solutions. You can buy a traditional PBX unit and have it in-house, purchase an IP PBX and rely on your company's data connection to handle phone calls, or choose a Hosted PBX solution, where the provider houses the equipment in another location, and you set up and manage features via a web interface. With these drastically different choices, it is important to know the attributes of each to choose the one that best complements your company.
PBXes
PBX units have been the standard, 'go-to' business phone service solution when companies need to set up a phone system. A PBX is the central hub of an office phone network, linking all of the phones in the office together and to the PSTN network. It also allows for an assortment of calling features such as extension-to-extension dialing, call transferring and auto-attendants. However, PBXes are very expensive, and need to be housed in the office itself. An IT specialist is needed to manage and operate them, and making any changes can be time-consuming and complex.
PBXes are the best solution for large businesses that have a workforce that is working from a central location. These businesses can afford the high cost of purchasing and maintaining the PBX, and having the unit in the same location as the employees who are using it is useful.
IP PBXes
IP PBXes are similar to traditional PBX phone systems, the difference being they use VoIP to conduct phone calls. There is still a centralized unit that connects all phones to each other and needs to be housed in the office. However, IP PBXes support VoIP, which grants companies all of the associated benefits. Traditional phone devices can be used, along with newer IP phones.
The presence of VoIP allows for greater flexibility and lower costs when compared to traditional PBXes. However, their high cost also prohibits smaller businesses from using them.
Hosted PBX or Virtual PBX
Hosted PBXes are new to the market, yet they are the most innovative in leveling the playing field for small and large businesses. These providers offer drastically cheaper prices for the same assortment of features, allowing businesses of any size to employ a professional telephone service. Hosted PBXes rely on VoIP. This eliminates the need for separate phone lines in your office, since the data connection is used to conduct phone calls. VoIP calls are cheap, and create useful features, like voicemail-to-email. On the other hand, only IP phones can be used with this service.
Hosted PBX providers also house and manage the PBX equipment themselves. Customers who sign up for the service can set up features like voice mailboxes and auto attendants via a web interface, without having to go to the PBX itself. This grants an unparalleled degree of flexibility, allowing businesses to scale up or down as needed, without calling on a specialist. It also gets rid of the headaches of maintaining a bulky and complex piece of equipment, which is a plus for any business!
These factors drive down the cost of operating an enterprise-class phone service. Hosted PBXes are ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that have workforces spread out over many locations (such as if some employees work from home). Even though they are in different locations, the hosted PBX will connect them all as if they are in one office space, allowing the company to present a single and united face to the public. Hosted PBXes also give smaller businesses access to corporate telephony features due to its low operating costs, and without having to invest in an expensive unit.

Get Best Business Phone Lines and Services at Cheap Rates

Today, it is not easy to run a business and there are several aspects which need to be seen for proper functioning of the same. Telecommunication services top the list of aspects as this tool is exclusively used to communicate with the clients. It is quite obvious that each company wants a low rental telecommunications service. Several organizations are operating these days which provide special telecommunication services and packages to small as well as large scale companies. These companies support various media lines like analogue lines, ISDN30 and ISDN2.
These organizations set up the BT lines using their expert BT engineers. There is no need to change the existing BT lines or phones. These business lines start to benefit companies with cheap line rental plans from the day one. Consumers are provided with special 24 hour help lines for complete customer satisfaction. These customer care departments provide solutions to any problem faced by the consumer and have high retention rates.
Special devoted account managers are there to help the customer with all flat line services as they are available on one point contact. Companies do not have to spend on hardware or infrastructure, which saves a lot of money and valuable time for the companies. There is nothing that these business lines do not support other BT networks, you can surely have access to other BT lines through these phone lines. The service providing companies shed off the unwanted BT accessory components from the lines which customer may not even know that he is paying for them unnecessarily.
Business line rental providers offer various cheap business phone lines and low business rental plans to suit the requirements of the business organizations. By having these plans, a company can call with a lot of freedom to their clients and business partners anywhere. Several organizations have already been benefitted from these calling packages. Achieve high business goals by having clear and cheap telecommunication service.

Advantage of Business Phone Service Provider

Currently, small businesses need to eliminate the extra work to avoid any delay in finishing some tasks. And by this kind of method, distractions and complications to unrelated tasks are eliminated but precious time is lost and the rate of productivity is also certain to drop. So this is what the importance of our modern technology is. With all the features offered today by business telephone providers, the effectiveness of every company can be obtained easily. And with the additional help of basic functions such as voicemail, fax mail and call forwarding, tasks that must be sent or reviewed by other colleagues and partners can be done on a lower amount of time, therefore producing more efficiency and time for the other tasks to be done. While it may seem obvious as to what a good phone system provides, having this service would be very crucial and convenient for business.
Every business phone service provider features the same functions as the others. This includes, call waiting, a caller ID and call forwarding options. All of these are mainly part of its standard package offered by suppliers. Other service providers include extended features to their package such as mailing and voice conference calls. The transition back to your phone provider would be best done if some machines are not included or available in the service's package.
Communicating with business partners and customers more efficiently that does not affect the properties of the communication is very valuable. AT&T is a leading provider of telecommunications services. Even if you are considering of introducing a new solution of phone services to your company office and replace the old phone system, or simply just make changes by getting VoIP technology, advancing with AT&T services will still be the best choice to make. The benefits and advantages are certain to be attained knowing that an established phone service provider namely AT&T is supporting you.
The choice of what phone service provider to choose, depending on the services they offer is now rapidly growing as competition in the telephone business service providers are also increasing. Most service providers are using the same kind of technology and therefore the quality of calls are, in principle, in the features same as the others. Factors regarding customer care service and the price of the product should always be taken into account. Some companies that offer telephone services solutions in bundles at a low price can be expected from such deals, but quality features are sometimes not in the level of the same performance compared to other established service providers. Do consider always calling the toll free customer service about offered features by the provider of your chosen business phone service provider.

Indispensable Business Phone Service Features

One of the many ways to keep a good business running is to obtain a reliable small business phone service arrangement. Considering the technology today, there is a large archive of communication services. With many different business phone services coming, conference calls would be the best solution to several businesses issues nowadays. With conference calls you can organize a meeting anywhere in the world and discuss business issues easily. This increases the rate of productivity and helps enterprises and business players save both money and time on business meetings. Moreover, employees and colleagues can continue their work after the meeting, without having to waste precious money and time.
Another small business phone service to your advantage is the answer and message feature. This terrific service handles business calls, especially during busy hours inside the office. One of the many features of answer and message is its answering device that automatically activates for calls under the company name. This answer and message feature has an option for email, pager, fax and messaging including SMS message, it is almost complete. It has the ability to alert you once it receives a call and that is just amazing. It also informs you by means of its speakers the message content, so it has the option to reply to or send a message to the caller. The answer and message can also divert all calls made to a specific number. Hence, a call from a client can be diverted to a business coworker if you are away so that customers can get immediate responses from their queries and calls as soon as possible.
The Voice over Internet Protocol is currently widely worldwide since it is one of the several kinds of business phone services. It also offers a lot of features and costs cheaper for it compared to the traditional telephone system making it accessible and affordable. In fact it does not only save cost but also contains fascinating features such as data services, voice mail, email and instant network messaging. The services offered by VoIP are used chiefly for small and medium sized businesses making it the ideal small business phone service.
What is more, the toll free phone number is still another essential type of business phone service. It is very important to acquire this type of service for your business or enterprise. It helps both clients and customers ask questions and queries conveniently and deal with issues regarding their business fast and easy. It also allows clients and customers to get a hold of desired information quickly thereby improving overall productivity when it comes to output and in many cases the business revenue. Many telecommunication companies offer the kind service that provides for local and long distance calls to business individuals. This kind of package is a combination of basic local and long distance calls which are all out for grabs at a very reasonable monthly fee. It is easy to find a lot of useful information about the small business phone service over the internet. You can also browse and search several websites for attractive features and packages at very good offers all too enticing for your small business.

Small Business Phone Service is Better Than Ever

The small business phone service has always been the main type of telecommunication service for the small business owners, although large businesses have upgraded to more advanced technology today. Most businesses own a PBX or key based phone system. The need to own a dedicated private branch for communication exchange was a need that business owners assumed part of the normal business functions. The traditional PBX was expensive, rigid, hard wired and lacked integration with other technologies. But small business owners were stuck with traditional TDM based small business phone service as large enterprises migrate to IP based switches or PBX systems. Large businesses usually have the resources to take advantage of new technologies.
But today, the IP based PBX system is now balanced in size and price. Small business owners can now afford to take advantage of the latest in IP PBX technology. However, many are questioning the significance of owning a phone system. Investing in technology can either increase productivity or increase risks for failure such as rapid depreciation and failure to meet expectations, if not the loss of scarce commodity that lags your business process. For many of us new technologies can be enticing, but they can also be major distractions. Small business owners having only limited resources can hardly afford the cost of a technology patch. Given the complex issues of modern business phone systems, owners have options to hire a consultant in arranging the technology, or register to an external small business phone service. The majority of small business owners normally choose the latter option for the next few years.
In choosing the 'quality' of small business phone service, see it has several features for a reasonably combined price. A good feature would be an automated attendant. This offers a recording system which you can set to greet callers/customers and at the same time offer them options for what they need. This feature offers convenience and simply answers to the direct needs of your customers. So if you do not have enough employees to attend to all phone calls constantly, this feature especially comes in handy during busy business hours. It can be 24 hours a day, so it is like having your personal assistant do the extra work for you at no additional cost. Another important consideration in a business phone service is the cost, of course you cannot overlook the cost aspect when it comes to business. Since many new services use Internet capability to make calls, among other things, this saves a lot of money for the company. New phone service systems can save a company or enterprise about 30-50% more than the cost of traditional phone service systems. The good thing about these new services is that they offer not only reasonable price but also the same great features like long distance calling, conference calling and voicemail.

Starting Out With a Small Business Phone Service

 

Telecommunications is very important when it comes to business. It doesn't take a genius to know that. Years ago, the phone system used is the old one. It's called the analog system. In the dawn of technology, the old system has been replaced with an upgraded service. Business phone service has become high-tech. If you notice, a lot of small business phone service providers have made it their business to provide products and services at various prices.
For businesses that have branches in the rural areas, communication to and from offices becomes a bit difficult. Thus, there is a need to establish reliable business phone lines among the offices, to ensure smooth transactions. The only solution is to install a business telephone system in place. This way, you can communicate with your branches, as well as accept calls from clients and colleagues. In addition to that, the service should also have features like call forwarding. This is useful because it allows an employee to direct phone calls to the appropriate office or person.
For a small business phone service, it doesn't really matter how many phone line connections or extensions your office wants. You can obtain a standard telephone service at an affordable price. When people call, they will hear nice audio greetings, plus warm automated voices in the system. And in the instance that the user is busy or not available, callers will be given options. They can choose to send an email instead, or a voice mail to deliver their message.
When choosing a small business phone service, you need to consider a few factors: 1) the capacity of your organization, 2) the number of employees you have, 3) budget costs, and so on. Consider all these factors first before you actually decide on one service. Is this what my business needs? Will this service be able to meet or exceed my expectations? Will I get the service that's worth what I spend it for? The provider you choose should be able to answer all these questions for you.
A lot of providers offer a customer service hotline for their customers. And usually, this is toll free. This serves as a help line where customers can air out their concerns and ask questions of a company's services. It's usually open 24 hours and you can call anytime. These features are a surefire way of attracting customers to your business. You will definitely benefit from a provider that offers an easy, user-friendly phone service interface. If it helps in raising your profits, then for sure, this small business phone service, is the right one for you.

 

The Benefits of Having a Business Phone Service Provider

In business, communication is very essential, whether it be with the business partners, clients or employees. And our advanced telecommunication technology is the very best way in achieving it. It plays a very major role in sending and receiving information. Some barriers emerge in this kind of communication system. That is why, air time and a good audio quality is very crucial.
As the competition in business phone service providers rapidly increases, the wide range of options would also increase. And since many providers offer and grant almost the same features and deals as others do, choosing the better one turns out to be very confusing. When selecting a service provider for your business, you should take into consideration the cost of the service. The services you are planning to purchase should also be worth the price. As a customer, you should be very wise in choosing. Make sure that the service with the low cost will also have the quality. Do not forget to call their hotlines for inquiries. It is better to ask questions through customer support than the ones written on the manuals. Most probably, the services of the well known providers will be way too expensive than the others, but in return, you will be rest assured that the satisfaction you will get from their service is priceless.
Some additional features are included in the phone service. Such features include fax messages, Emails, and voice messages. Other phone equipments and accessories are also included in the package to some telecommunications company. The billing processes of some companies differ from one another. Some providers issue bills via phone call, while some are fixed billing rate per month. One example of a business phone service provider is AT&T. It is very well known in matters such as helping business owners to achieve quality calls with their colleagues, business partners, clients, and employees.
With features like the ability to make conference calls, you will be able to communicate from anywhere around the globe. This will be very beneficial since it can save you more time and money. You won't have to spend on business trips anymore. Your main goal here is to improve your business. And with the best service provider, the possibility of achieving your goal is higher!

Why Choose Your Business Phone Service Provider Carefully?

Communicating with your partners and customers more productively without losing the characteristics of important features can be very valuable. AT&T is a leading provider of telecommunications services around the world. If you are planning to implement a new solution of a telephone system in your company, or replace the previous phone system and modifications and substitutions by trying VoIP technology, then going with AT&T is probably the best thing you can do for you business. Benefits and advantages will surely be heading your way after acquiring the best technology they have to offer. AT&T is also well known for supporting their clients and providing them with the best assistance and customer care. It's always a win-win situation with AT&T.
Picking different services of phone service providers, depending on their type of service is now increasing rapidly all for the main reason of competition against other business phone service providers. Most of the service providers out there today features services and technology like the other providers. And with these, quality calls are, in principle, a basic functionality of every service provider's. Factors like customer service and the price of the product should always be taken into account. Some providers of phone service companies offer packaged solutions or introductory bundles at low prices. These are always expected from companies who want to sell their product more, but of course, the quality of their service features are much less compared to stable service providers who offer top of the line service solution.
While other providers offer unique service features, most business phone providers offer the exact same features as the other. These are composed of call waiting, a caller ID and call forwarding options. These are all part of a standard package offered by most providers. Call conferencing and voice mails are offered by other business phone service provider as an extended feature. The transition back to your old service provider is best done if some hardware is not part or available in the package of your chosen provider.
Today, small businesses need to eliminate the extra work to avoid further delay in accomplishing tasks. And with this type of adaptation, the distractions from work unrelated tasks are easily avoided but precious time is lost and the rate of productivity is sure to decrease. With the assistance of today's modern technology and with hi-tech features offered by service providers today, the effectiveness of a company can now be obtained easily. And with the support of basic services like voice messaging, fax messaging, call forwarding, work related matters and documents needed to be sent to business partners and colleagues are done in a shorter time. With the efficiency of this kind of service and the benefits that you are getting from it, your business generates more profit and employees will have more time when taking a break.

A Basic Cheap Business Phone Service

These days, companies are searching for methods and different ways to save more money, but as the same time maintaining the characteristics and advantages for their business. There is actually a different way in doing this more effectively, and that is with one of the systems you are using right now. And that, is your business phone service system.
During the time when you started your business, you might not have thought about this because you already knew that you must have a telephone system, and as there were no competition, you must take what you have been offered. Well this is not the case anymore.
Getting an 800 toll-free number and an associated PBX system will give you maximum control over your communications system. And with this, a cheap business phone service system is very affordable.
A number, a single system. The 800 toll-free number that you bought should be linked to your business telephone number. And this will allow you access to your basic PBX system. Busy lines for callers will be gone. Multiple lines gone. You can save more money by canceling the other numbers you will not be using anymore. You can also install extensions and program them to the system so workers and contractors may be part in your PBX network. This enables you to keep everything intact and contained in a manageable manner.
Focused on the client. With a basic cheap business phone service, callers hear an automated attendant answer calls, just like what other big companies have. Routing is not done with the touch screen on the telephone, but rather the voice of the caller. Not only are you able to add features such as information extensions that allows you to get set up for pre-sales and after sales. Callers may also divert their calls to specific people or offices as well.
Prices are difficult to beat. With the current rate of a cheap business phone service calls nowadays, the price ranges in 4 cents a minute and that is a fixed rate without the double leg billing included.Toll-free service such as pay as you go can free you from monthly bills. Other offered services from your telecommunication service provider may also help you customize you PBX system so it can meet your business needs.
If you are searching for methods to cut costs and still keep the firm operating at the same high level of services and customer support, then the 800 toll-free number and the PBX is the best answer. You will enjoy the savings and the value of options and low cost. Geting better with customer service will also be reachable. Phone calls are no longer a burden in your day as you can now manage them with ease. The advantages a good cheap business phone service are so many that it is kind of difficult to list them all. The best part is that you are going to achieve your goal in your communcation system. So what else is there to wait for? Start today.

Defining the Three Kinds of Business Phone Service

There are actually three kinds of business phone service - there is analog and conventional business phone service, there is digital business phone service and of course there is digital small business phone service. Analog and conventional is what we have been familiar with over the decades before the advent of the Internet. Long before cellphones were invented, these are what we have been using. And yes, we still do use them today. It is through these phones that we connect with business associates in the same city that we are in or even across the state. But from state to state, we now call long distances and this would naturally reflect on the billing. The billing increases if you incur calls from country to country even if they are as near as Canada or Mexico.
Many experts say that among the best ways to keep a business running at manageable levels is by obtaining a small phone service arrangement. Remember that there are a lot of telephone service providers today because of the rapid development in communication services. With the discovery and development of the Internet, here comes a new business phone system - the digital business phone service. It is subdivided into two categories - small digital and digital. They are divided into two categories because their pricing is different. The small digital is obviously for small business firms which are usually called here in the States as mom and pop startups.
They usually don't have branches and they are standalone outlets only. But they still use a small business telephone system to communicate with clients and other stakeholders such as suppliers. The feature of the digital phone system is that there is no unnecessary noise from the other end. The signal is really clear since you will be using the computer to communicate with each other. You can see the caller on the other end with 3G technology. It actually uses a regular phone but the phone is hooked to the computer. And for digital small phone service to work, the person on the other end must likewise use a digital business telephone system. The not-so-small digital business phone service is likewise ideal for big businesses occupying a three-level building. They use quite a number of phones, around 30 for instance.
And the business telephone provider usually will install Cisco phones for your company's perusal. The phones are merely loaned to your company, you do not own the phone. If you wish to terminate the small business phone system subscription, then the phones go back to the provider.

Deciding Upon a Small Business Phone Service Made Easy

Small and medium enterprises or what exactly is typically known in other areas as SMEs are now making use of the small business phone service considering that they find it highly cost-effective compared to other services. This can undoubtedly take care of the communication needs of these small organizations. Actually, the reality is, telecommunication providers can supply their services to all sorts and sizes of companies which demand even a small business phone service.
It ought to be also kept in mind that a few years in the past, small telephone phone services have evolved and advanced its services technologically. The truth is, it is now digitally organized and installed by nearly all of the telecommunication companies worldwide. It's less expensive compared to other telephone services, especially those which are now being utilized by major organizations. A small business telephone service can still be helpful for the users because of its tested and proven user functions and other specialized characteristics. Nonetheless, considering that superior telephone services continue to be to be expensive, small businesses would rather settle with the small business telephone service.
The good news today is the fact that there is a totally new solution in phone service which was developed not long ago and this makes use of the world wide web as a means to contact any loved one, business co-workers or other business clients. This brand-new innovation is called the VoIP (voice over internet protocol) Here, it can be so easy to make a call at any moment when the two persons are all set to exchange ideas over the phone. The phone call over the internet is even free of charge in some other companies since it has become a part of their additional services or features which also fascinated lots of customers. This simply suggests the concept is also fine and becomes part of a very successful marketing campaign.
New components for communication systems had been developed from recent years and it is what service companies have already been utilizing in their own services. A lesser cost of their particular product is what numerous companies are offering these days to provide small business firms with a tiny business phone service. Of course a small business phone service should not be compared to the full featured phone services that giant service providers provide since it just consist of the essential functions and functions.
You will find some suppliers who give a small business phone services that has extra functions incorporated. Obviously, a small firm that goes with that kind of service will gain more from it because of the extra capabilities. It will later on prove to become a valuable asset in your corporation. And because of the more affordable amount that it has been presented, acquiring this type of small business phone service is just not too difficult to obtain.

Getting Set Up With a Small Business Phone Service

One key element of small businesses is a phone system. With this kind of system, businesses are able to communicate with other colleagues and clients, and also make other business transactions without even leaving the office or workplace. Many small business services are being offered in packages or bundles. They are being sold with few receivers, a transmitter and hardware depending on the package.
A lot of people prefer to use wireless telephone systems because it enables to link intercoms and use a receiver wherever they are in the room. A transmission signal is being used in this process. For small businesses, the type of phone system being is used is very much alike of that being used at home. You must have a base station which consists of the primary telephone that has an answering machine, an address book, a caller ID and so on. You can connect a few handsets to it if you want.
Other companies add two handsets as an extra in their offered package or bundle. But mostly, they are expandable. That would mean that you can add more wireless phones to the kind of phone system you just have installed. A lot of people nowadays recommend VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol to small business. VoIP is an efficient small business service provider. This kind of phone system enables you to make a call from you handset using the Internet. The best thing about VoIP is it is a lot cheaper compared to other small business phone service.
With this kind of business phone system, getting set up is easy. Apply for a VoIP account, have an Internet connection and a router, and that's it. Imagine calling other people for free using the Internet and that is what you call convenience to the highest level. You only need to connect the right cables from the modem to the router, router and to the computer, computer to the handset and you are done. Just customize the settings to meet your specific needs and that is about it.
Always ask the right persons on how to proceed with this if you already have or own a small business. It is crucial for you to know how to pick the right phone structure for your office so it can function effectively. With a reliable phone structure, you do not have to worry about missing important calls anymore. Small business phone service offers more features in some of their packages. It is quite obvious that small business companies are sure to benefit from these kinds of services. It is a necessity to business companies and at the same time is also cost effective. In other words, having this small business phone service in your company could be the best thing that will ever happen to your business.

Fix One Way VoIP Audio

The Problem - When making VoIP calls (particularly with SIP) you can ring phone numbers but once the call is answered there is either no voice or it is only one way.
The Cause - I am pretty sure the cause of this will be the same regardless of what protocol you are going to use for your VoIP solution but I only have experience of SIP. So this will definitely be an issue with SIP but I haven't confirmed it with the other protocols.
The problem arises because VoIP uses dynamic UDP ports for each call. This causes problems when traversing a NAT device for two reasons; the NAT device changes the source port of outbound packets as part of the NAT process. The second is because UDP by its very nature is designed for one way traffic (broadcasts, video stream etc). Where TCP traffic is bi-directional across the one connection UDP can have 1 connection for inbound and another for outbound meaning they can use different ports. If the inbound connection uses different ports as the outbound connection the inbound traffic will be dropped because the NAT device does not have a mapping for it in its NAT table. If you are confused by now I suggest you read up on NAT first.
What is SIP and why is it important to VoIP Just as TCP/IP is not a protocol by itself but rather a family of protocols like TCP, IP, PPP, PPTP, ARP etc so is VoIP. There are several protocols you can use with VoIP each having their own pros and cons. The one we will focus in this article though is SIP. SIP stands for Session Initiate Protocol. It is responsible for setting up the call, ringing, signalling, engaged tones etc.
In most SIP environments there will be several VoIP calls in use concurrently. Every one of these calls will be managed through the VoIP switch, each one requiring its own voice channel. Each channel (or phone call to look at it another way) must use a unique port. If there are 100 concurrent VoIP calls in use there must be 100 ports available for the VoIP switch to allocate to each call. This is where SIP comes in. It basically controls everything that is needed in setting up the call. For each call SIP will find a spare port, allocate it, send these details to all parties, set the call up and ring the phones. Once the call has finished SIP terminates the session and informs the phone switch that this port can be reassigned to another call.
The range of ports is usually configurable, Avaya for example allow you to configure this in the VoIP portion of the system config. The default range for Avaya VoIP is 49152 to 53246. This gives us a possibility of 4094 concurrent VoIP calls licensing permitting.
In a LAN environment this is not a problem as firewalls usually permit all traffic on all ports for all devices. Once the internet is involved where the traffic has to traverse a NAT and firewall we start to run into problems. In the Avaya example above it can pick a port anywhere in the range of 49152 to 53246. You can't just open this port range to the internet. A range of 4000 ports open isn't very secure.
How SIP is meant to work on the internet As with all network traffic one endpoint must initiate the connection first. This means at least one port must be open using port forwarding to the VoIP switch. SIP usually runs on port 5060. For the two offices to call each other both sites must have this port being forwarded to the phone switch. When you read documentation on SIP most of it will say that this is all you need to do...But in all likelihood this is not the case.
The following happens when you dial a VoIP number:

• You dial the number and your local VoIP switch matches this up with a site ID which locates the public IP address of the remote location.
• Your local VoIP will connect to the remote IP on port 5060 using SIP (which is why the port must be open).
• The two phone switches now negotiate and set up the phone call. Several things are done in the negotiation process but the most important one (for this article) being the ports that they will use to transmit the UDP voice streams.

The problem here is that SIP doesn't know it is behind a NAT. Let's say your local switch IP is 192.168.1.1 and the remote IP is 192.168.2.1. Although NAT modifies the SIP packets to the public IPs when traversing the internet it does not change the actual data in the SIP packets themselves (the payload). It is the payload that contains the information about what ports and IP addresses to use for the actual phone call. The local VoIP tells the remote VoIP (via SIP) to send voice data to its local IP of 192.168.1.1 and vice versa. As we all know this is never going to work as internet routers drop packets from and to private IP addresses. Once the call is set up and the UDP voice data actually starts transmitting it will be sent to private IP's and consequently dropped. So how do we fix this?
STUN Stun stands for Session Traversal Utilities for NAT and as you may have guessed by its name it is a collection of utilities to aid in the traversal of a NAT devices.
STUN (as in our case) helps a program or device learn whether it is behind a NAT and modify packets accordingly. It requires the help of a 3rd party server on the internet known as a STUN server. This now means that our VoIP phones can modify their SIP content to contain the public IP instead of the private one. Some of you may be thinking this same problem also affects ports.
It is common with NAT to also change the source port of an outbound packet to a new randomly generated one. When the remote device responds it does so to this new random port. When packets come back in on this port NAT allows it through because it mapped this port to the internal client. As you might have guessed it this is also an issue for SIP. The STUN server also takes this into account. The STUN client (the VoIP switch) sends a UDP packet outbound on the port it wishes to use for the VoIP call to the STUN server. This will be NATTED to the public IP and a new port number. The STUN server sends this information back allowing the VoIP switch to learn its public IP and mapped (modified) external port for the voice traffic. Now we have all the info we require to modify the SIP data with the correct information to traverse a NAT. The local switch now contacts the remote switch via SIP and tells it to send the UDP voice call to its public IP and public port. Once this data comes back the NAT has a mapping for this in the NAT table and sends it to the internal VoIP switch. This how I thought it should work...Have you found what is wrong with this yet? I was stuck on this for a while...
The reason I was stuck was not through a lack of understanding the technologies (honest ), it was because of the stupid documentation (from Avaya) I had on setting up SIP and my confidence in that it was right. I checked everything again and found I had done everything correctly then it hit me...I thought "Hold on, when the UDP voice packets start coming in ON A RANDOM port how does it get through the NAT device when the only port forwarding I have is 5060 for SIP???"
I mislead you above a bit on purpose to see if you could spot it yourself. I said there was a mapping for the incoming UDP traffic in the NAT table but there isn't. You, like me may have assumed this because you don't have to port forward any other ports. The only way traffic can come into your network through a NAT without port forwarding is if it was first requested from an outbound connection. The outbound connection adds the entry in the NAT table to map incoming packets on this port to the internal client. This added to my confusion. The documentation clearly states you only need to port forward 5060 but the voice calls use random UDP ports so how do these get past the NAT? If you are still confused it will be because you don't understand (or have forgotten) one fundamental difference between UDP and TCP which is very important for us here.
TCP requires that one end point must first establish a connection for data to be sent back. As we know you have inbound and outbound connections. If I am making an outbound connection then it is an inbound connection at the other end. And inbound connection requires port forwarding which we don't have set up in this scenario. Also for data to be sent back the socket MUST BE ESTABLISHED. This is very important as it is not a requirement of UDP. UDP is connection-less remember (see The Differences Between TCP and UDP for more info). It can send data without ever being aware of the remote location. It is this key difference between TCP and UDP that allows you to traverse a NAT using UDP without port forwarding. The technique is called UDP hole punching.
UDP Hole Punching Let's add all the technologies so far to get a working solution. The two VoIP switches learn of each others public IP and ports to be used via the STUN server. They then use SIP on port 5060 to send this information to each other then they use UDP hole punching for the delivery of the VoIP packets.
UDP hole punching is a clever technique. It works by "punching" holes through the NAT device to create the NAT mappings. The local VoIP sends UDP packets to the remote VoIP to the port and public IP it was told to use from the SIP data. When this data hits the NAT device at the remote location it will not be delivered because there is no port forwarding in place and no outbound data has been requested yet. The exact same process happens from the remote VoIP to your local VoIP and packets are dropped as well. The purpose of this though is not to send the packets, it is to "punch" a hole through the NAT and create a mapping of the external port and IP to the internet port and IP consequently allowing incoming traffic on this port. As this happens at both ends we now have NAT mappings for these ports to the internal clients. Because these mappings now exist the NAT device sees these as outbound requests and will accept new packets coming back in on the same port. So in summary the first packet exchange will always fail from both parties but this "punches" holes through the NAT allowing all subsequent traffic to pass through. This is why you don't need to port forward these ports when using UDP. This technique is exclusive to UDP because UDP doesn't guarantee or even check as to whether the packets arrive. When the first packet fails it doesn't matter because the sender doesn't even know it failed (as UDP does no error checking), it just sends more UDP packets. This won't work with TCP because it creates a socket before sending data. As the initial packet will always fail TCP will error and keep trying to establish a socket first before sending any data. The socket will never connect so no data will be sent.
So Why Does The Thing Still Fail?? OK, sorry for the long post but I am big believer that the best way to learn is by the teacher (me, ha) leading you down the path so you solve it yourself rather than me. This is the last bit now I promise.
If you never knew about UDP hole punching then you would naturally think that you need to open ports to allow the UDP traffic through. This would explain why you get no voice at all. But what about one way traffic? This means that the port is open at one end and not the other. How is it possible to have UDP hole punching working at one end and not at the other when both NAT devices are configured the same?
In all likelihood you have different types of NAT at each site. To complicate things more NAT isn't standardised and there are various implementations of it. In an ideal world the documentation I read about setting up SIP would be correct because UDP hole punching would take care of the port forwarding of the UDP traffic. But as we often find out this is never the case...
It gets complicated and I am not going to re-invent the wheel. What you are looking for is what type of NAT device you have. It is probably a symmetric NAT as this is the one that is incompatible with STUN. Yes this is the problem!! STUN doesn't work with a symmetric NAT, here is why.
All the other types of NATs allow traffic from different IP's to come back into the network as long as it is on that port regardless of where I sent the packets to. So if I connect to the STUN to learn the external IP and port to use for VoIP this mapping now existing. A DIFFERENT IP can send packets to me as long as they use the same port I sent the UDP packets out on. In other words once a mapping has been created and linked to the internal client it will accept connections from any IP as long as it is on this port. This is not allowed in a symmetric NAT. An outbound packet sent to a specific IP and port will only allow packets coming back from that IP and port. So, we do the same as above and contact the STUN server to get our public IP and port. This info is sent to the remote VoIP via SIP. It now tries to send data back to your local VoIP via this port but because it is a different IP a symmetric NAT blocks it. This NAT mapping is exclusive to the STUN server. To allow data to come in from the remote VoIP which is a different IP a new mapping must be created, which uses a different port... As you can see this is a problem because the port that will be used for the actual UDP voice call is different to the one the STUN server detected. Because the ports are dynamic and STUN won't work, your local VoIP can never learn what that external port is to be used for the traffic to and from the remote VoIP.
This is why you get one way traffic in some scenarios. If both NAT devices are non symmetric NATs they will get the correct information through STUN and voice flows both ways ok. If one device is symmetric and the other is non symmetric only one of them can get the correct info through STUN and data can pass one way producing the one way audio. If both are symmetric you can't hear anything at all because traffic can't get through either NAT device.
So How Do I Fix It!?!? Buy a new NAT device! One that isn't a symmetric one!!
Replacing your NAT device is one solution but the other is far more simple than the you might think. All you need to do is the following:

• On your phone switch (Avaya in my case) reduce the dynamic port range. How many VoIP calls do you think you will have going at any one time max? Most of you reading this will be 10 at a guess, maybe 20. In my case the range was 49152 to 53246 so I reduce the max range to 49162 giving me 10 ports.
• On your NAT device set up port forwarding for the 10 ports to your VoIP switch.

The reason this works is because you are effectively mapping your external port numbers to the same internal port numbers (remember that NAT replaces port numbers with random ones by itself). You now know that your VoIP will only use a range of 10 ports and STUN will fail. This means that the SIP information sent over to the remote VoIP will actually list the internal ports and not the NATted ones. This means your traffic goes out on random ports (because it is NATTED) but the remote VoIP sends back to ports in the range you specified in your local VoIP. There won't be a NAT mapping for this of course and it should be blocked but this is why you use port forwarding instead. Have Fun!

Switching to VoIP Phone Service - Does it Add Value to Your Business?

VoIP phone systems are flexible, feature rich systems that reduce telecommunication budgets without compromising on voice quality or features. In fact, VoIP has uses way beyond the capabilities of conventional phone systems such as virtual phone numbers, voice mail and fax forwarding, switching from Wi-Fi to cellular network, and more.
In spite of the strides in VoIP technology, many businesses have reservations about adopting VoIP. Their concerns are - substandard voice quality, insecure network, dependence on internet connectivity, cost and complexity of implementation. In this article, we discuss how the benefits of VoIP overshadow the drawbacks, and how to maximize your VoIP system.
Why should you select VoIP phone systems?
VoIP will undoubtedly add value to your business. Here's how:
Improving VoIP technology
Early VoIP restricted users to computer systems and average voice quality. Today's standard phones (with VoIP adapters) and IP phones promise high voice quality, mobility, and various useful features. Existing data networks are utilized by businesses to manage phone calls within the office, leading to huge savings and increased productivity.
VoIP reduces telecommunication costs
Traditional phone systems involve the administration and maintenance of costly infrastructure as per industry regulations. With VoIP, businesses reduce implementation and maintenance overheads by maintaining a single network for voice and data. Movement of employees that typically costs $100 per head is now as simple as plugging an IP phone into another broadband network jack. VoIP providers too fall cheaper than traditional phone system vendors.
Mobility and accessibility with VoIP
An IP phone can be used wherever there is broadband. You can take calls from clients and associates from office, home, a hotel or even a friend's place without their trying your cell phone. Many VoIP systems include software that allows you to make and receive calls on your laptop with a headphone and microphone unit.
Easy VoIP configuration
VoIP phone systems can be configured to forward voice mails and faxes to your email inbox and read emails into voice mail. You can easily manage your messages and mails from one place.
Virtual phone number
You may want your business to have an area code of another region if you are targeting customers there. With VoIP, you can have a virtual phone number with the desired area code.
VoIP improves productivity
Studies show that VoIP systems improve productivity by almost 4 hours per employee per week. VoIP phone system features cut down on the time wasted in managing calls. You can even set your VoIP phone number to ring simultaneously on your cell phone and landline before reaching voice mail, making sure you never miss an urgent call.
Making the most of VoIP phone systems
As you can see, VoIP has much to offer. If you still have concerns about potential hurdles, these tips will help you stay on top of them.
1. Hire VoIP service vendors
Though a standard VoIP phone system is fairly simple to install, hire a VoIP service provider for larger projects. Your network provider may also have a VoIP solution for small businesses and can install and configure it for you.
2. Run a pilot project
Have a small group of people use the VoIP system and verify its usefulness to your business. Once you're satisfied, roll it out across the office. Retain your traditional phone system as a backup during this phase.
3. No missed calls with call forwarding
Configure VoIP phone systems to forward unanswered calls to a cell phone or landline. If there's ever an electricity outage, you won't miss any calls till your backup (generator, etc.) gets going.
4. Secure your network
The only way to circumvent call hacking is to protect your network from denial-of-service attacks and digital hackers. Network security should always be updated and meticulous.
VoIP phone systems are an economical option with all the advantages of a technologically evolved telecommunications system. Small businesses can reduce travel costs with high quality videoconferencing in real time, call center applications, and other compelling benefits of VoIP. With latest wireless phones offering seamless switching between mobile and Wi-Fi networks, VoIP users can look forward to more cost savings and attractive offerings.

Why Should I Go VOIP?

I have been in telecommunications for over 10 years, and with experience I can say that nothing has changed this field more than the internet. Today, voice over internet protocol or VoIP is the most talked about subject among my customers and the salespeople selling telecommunications services. As a consultant I am often asked by business owners, "Should I go voice over IP?" For my customers asking this question let me briefly and in layman's terms answer this here and now. Maybe.
There are certain aspects of VoIP that are very attractive depending on the client I am consulting with. Let me give you a few things to ponder about your own business to decide if VoIP might be a savvy strategy for your company or a waste of money.
First of all what does the typical VoIP plan look like? Most of the VoIP companies are going to charge you a per phone monthly cost of between $20 and $50 per month. Inside of that cost is usually bundled all your features and long distance. You still need to purchase the VoIP handset which can range from $80 to $700 with the average phone being $250 one time charge. On top of that you need an internet service provider for your phones to work--DSL, Cable, internet T1, etc.
Add up all the costs to go VoIP. You will quickly figure out that only in certain cases does VoIP truly make sense. What are those scenarios? Let me share with you a few of the most common questions I ask to determine if VoIP will benefit you:
1. Do you have multiple locations? Many of my larger customers that have multiple locations enjoy VoIP solutions because with VoIP you can connect all your offices as if they are on one network. For example, my company, Telcom National, has offices in different parts of Utah, Arizona, as well as Colorado. In the past we communicated by calling each other's desk phones and paid for long distance charges for those calls. Today, with VoIP, we are all extensions on the same network as if we are all in the same office! I am extension 101 in Arizona, for example, and one of my remote workers is extension 103 in Montana. We can communicate with each other by dialing each other's extensions or even hitting intercom. This gives our company a sense of unity where before we felt separated all on separate systems.
2. Do you make a lot of long distance? Long distance has gotten so cheap. I can get most of my customers long distance plans as low as one cent per minute and sometimes less, but I do have customers that still spend quite a bit on long distance. With these heavy users we may consider going VoIP because with most VoIP plans long distance is absolutely free. I have had customers go from spending thousands of dollars a month to a few hundred just by switching to a good VoIP plan. The truth is, though, most customers do not make enough long distance to warrant going VoIP for long distance alone.
3. Are you in multiple markets or do you want to be? One of the neatest things about VoIP is how you can deliver phone numbers from many markets on one circuit. Let me give you an example. I have a customer who has one location but wants a national presence. Out of this one location with only 12 VoIP phones, they have phone numbers ringing in their office from every country in the United States as well as from many parts of the world. On VoIP this is very simple and costs next to nothing so this can be a huge benefit. You might have many market expansion lines that you pay the phone company for monthly--these cost next to nothing on VoIP so this can be a huge cost savings for you.
4. Do you have many mobile workers? Most of our company's workforce is mobile meaning our employees are rarely in the office. The nice part about VoIP is being able to go mobile from either a laptop client (software built into your laptop that imitates your desk phone at work), or having a VoIP phone at home or your remote office. In any of these situations you are still able to make calls from your desk phone despite not being in the office. For me personally, this is a great benefit. If I am in California visiting my American Red Cross customer, as long as I have an internet connection I can still make and take my calls as if I was on my desk phone at the office. My voice mails go to my emails as well! I absolutely love the flexibility that VoIP provides me.
These above reasons are the TOP reasons to consider VoIP today, but I have run into many other reasons to go VoIP that I thought you might find interesting as well as comical:
1. To get away from the phone company. I have actually had customers that wanted to ditch their carrier so badly they went to VoIP despite not needing it, in my professional opinion.
2. To get lines when everyone else told them they couldn't. I can not tell you how many customers have tried to get a pack of 20 lines from the phone company only to be told "there are no facilities". In some cases the phone company has been able to rectify their facilities issues but in other cases my customers can wait months to get a phone. I have earned many VoIP customers "on accident" because of this reason alone.
3. Because VoIP is cool. I have had so many customers order VoIP from me even after I have told them, "I do not think you should go VoIP...there is no reason". The most common response from these customers has been, "Yes, but it is so cool". I think this is a foolish reason to go VoIP but I would never stop a customer from trying to look cool, right? I have to admit, VoIP does some pretty cool stuff, but you still want to treat going to VoIP like any other decision and look at your Return on Investment (ROI).
After I wrote such an article you can probably assume I am a big proponent of VoIP and really believe it is the way to go for many businesses. If you believe that you would be completely wrong.
Less than 5% of my sales are VoIP, and there are many reasons for this. The biggest reason is most people do not fit the above characteristics to warrant going to VoIP. And even if they do I still do not feel VoIP is always the best choice. I am convinced that the safest and most reliable way to make a call is NOT over the internet, yet with true voice over IP that is what we are relying on...calls being made over the internet. The public internet is a horrible entity to rely on, and most companies can not afford redundant circuits to make VoIP more reliable (in some cases we can have a back up if the internet fails so calls can still be made).
So as a consultant in the telecommunications field I feel it is my job to steer most of my customers away from VoIP because of its unreliability and sometimes because of the cost. If you are looking into going VoIP or wondering what all the hype with VoIP is, I hope that my brief article helped you clarify that a little.