VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol and is a technology that enables voice communication over the internet, rather than through traditional telephone lines. VoIP telephony is set to become the new normal for all voice communications given the impending 2025 PSTN switch off.

How does it work?

Analog voice signals are converted into digital data packets, transmitted over the internet, and then reassembled into voice at the receiving end.

What are the advantages?

• Convenience and efficiency – With VoIP, users can make and receive calls from anywhere with an internet connection. Incredibly relevant in our new world of remote and hybrid workers, allowing employees to remain connected and integrated in to the business’s communication system regardless of their location. Handsets become optional, with most VoIP systems having a smart phone compatible app. Users can even make and receive calls via their work computers and a headset.
• Enhanced features – VoIP telephony offers a myriad of advanced features that enhance communication efficiency and productivity and would previously only have been found on large, expensive, physical telephone systems. Call waiting, hunt groups, on-the-spot diverts, detailed call reporting, answer phone messages or faxes sent directly to your email and call recordings are all features available on a VoIP system.
• Scalable and flexible – VoIP systems are highly scalable, capable of accommodating the evolving needs of businesses of all sizes. Whether expanding operations or downsizing, businesses can easily adjust their VoIP infrastructure to match their requirements without the need for extensive hardware installations or overhauls. Additional users are added with just a few clicks and routing calls to different users or groups is just a matter of programming that can be scheduled and amended quickly and easily.

Is my internet connection/network sufficient for a VoIP system?

Where possible everyone should by now be looking at ensuring their internet connections are 2025 compliant. This might be with a dedicated fibre leased line, FTTP (Fibre To The Property) or SoGEA (Single order Generic Ethernet Access) and we rarely see any connectivity issues for customers running their VoIP systems over these products. Some of our customers will choose to have a dedicated internet connection for their VoIP telephony and this often has the benefit of doubling as a backup for their main operations however isn’t often a necessity.

Internal cabling and network requirements can vary depending on the scale of the VoIP system being installed and the method of deployment. A business with remote/hybrid workers making calls using an app on their smart phones for example will require almost no infrastructure. A call centre rolling out a large number of IP desk phones on the other hand will need certain levels of cabling, power requirements and a comms cab to house some equipment. We are always happy to discuss with each customer their requirements and make our recommendations accordingly. We can quote for any additional engineering work that might be required to get you ready for install.

For some specific case study examples see our news article linked here and for further information or to discuss your VoIP requirements contact our helpdesk team (helpdesk@rylandcommunications.co.uk).