Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone systems provide many competitive advantages for Orange County small businesses—but not every VoIP system is alike. When making the switch to VoIP, one of the most important decisions you will make is whether to go with hosted VoIP or a regular, on-premises VoIP system. Let’s explore the differences between these systems and discuss some of the pros and cons of each so you can make an informed decision about which is right for you.
Regular (On-Premises) VoIP
Having a regular VoIP system basically means that you own and manage the entire system on your own. All the hardware for your VoIP system is kept in-house, and the data lives on servers contained in your place of business. The primary advantage to regular VoIP is that you own the equipment and have full control of the system and its configuration—plus, depending on how much your system needs to expand as the business grows, your cost of ownership goes down over time. On the other hand, you’ll pay more upfront, and you’ll also have to shoulder the responsibility and cost of upkeep, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades. Likewise, if anything goes wrong, you’ll either have to rely on in-house IT or hire a third party to fix it, which can result in more downtime.
Hosted VoIP
With hosted VoIP, you get all the features, functionality, and flexibility of an on-premises system, but instead of housing the hardware, you pay a monthly fee to access VoIP via your Internet connection, and the servers and other equipment are housed off-site by your provider. The advantages of hosted VoIP include a lower up-front cost, plus the fact that the provider handles all maintenance, repair, upkeep, and upgrades of the equipment at their own expense, and if something goes wrong, they are responsible to fix it. Additionally, hosted VoIP systems can easily scale up or down to accommodate the changing needs of your business.
Which VoIP System Is Right for You?
Choosing between regular and hosted VoIP will depend on such factors as the size of your company and your ability to handle your own IT. If you have the space and budget to maintain the equipment, or if you simply want more long-term control over the configuration, an on-premises VoIP system might be a good option for you. For smaller businesses with lower overhead who want VoIP functionality without having to maintain the equipment, hosted VoIP may be the best solution.
Whichever you choose, NetServ can hook up your Orange County business with a VoIP system tailored to serve your needs. To learn more, call 1-877-NetServ.