VoIP Cloud Hosting
In our previous article the Ultimate Guide to VoIP, we talked very briefly about cloud hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and how it uses an Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange (IP PBX).
However, we just scratched the tip of the iceberg there, as understanding VoIP Cloud Hosting requires us to go into further detail.
Let’s get into it!
How does VoIP Cloud Hosting Work?
Cloud-based VoIP is hosted at your VoIP provider’s data centre, rather than ‘on-premise’ at your business’s location. Using a cloud phone system means that your business doesn’t have to manage any physical phone system hardware. Instead, your business will use an IP PBX software to make phone calls over the internet rather than through the old school public switched telephone network (PSTN).
The business will pay a subscription fee for access to an IP PBX system like 3CX. This software drastically reduces costs involved with installing an on-premise PBX system. Not only that, the ongoing maintenance and management of a cloud based PBX is simpler and easier which lowers operational costs too.
The IP PBX
The IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) is a telephone switching system that is vital to the function of VoIP. An IP PBX switches internal and external calls between components and users inside the system.
Most IP PBX systems also allow a VoIP user to contact someone with a traditional PBX system.
Unlike a traditional PBX system, an IP PBX uses data and voice networks to be accessed. This means that with just one internet or mobile data connection, a user can access the internet, VoIP calling and traditional telephony.
In the case of cloud-hosted VoIP, the IP PBX will be accessed through the internet as the physical hardware would sit with the cloud & telephony provider.
The Benefits of Cloud Hosted VoIP for Businesses
So how is Cloud Hosted VoIP helpful for businesses? Well, there are many reasons that it can prove beneficial for any business, including the following;
Cost Savings
While switching to a Cloud Hosted VoIP service isn’t going to completely remove your business phone expenses, you’re likely to enjoy the benefits of multiple direct and indirect cost savings.
Using VoIP within your business is likely to cost you half as much as using a traditional phone service would.
VoIP calls are generally cheaper than calls made through the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or the traditional circuit-switched telephone network.
With low data carriage costs, free international calls within your company, and included features such a call queuing and auto attendants, VoIP offers a range of cost-saving services for businesses of any size, and from any industry.
As mentioned previously, as the hardware for a Cloud Hosted VoIP system is offsite and is based on a subscription payment, installation time is saved and a hole isn’t burned into the business owner’s pocket as it might be when paying for installation, maintenance, and upgrades.
Because the VoIP provider handles the hardware, you don’t need to worry about maintaining the hardware or fixing any problems in relation to the service, the provider handles that and obviously is an expert in that field.
VoIP also allows employees to stay connected while working remotely, in a way that is simple and efficient, which not only provides a substantial productivity boost, but also cuts down on office space and overheads.
High ‘Up-Time’
‘Down-time’ comes with major consequences in this day and age; It’s an automatic loss of productivity, a threat to the reputation of your brand, and a direct hit to your sales and revenue.
C2 Communications host their PBX systems with Amazon Web Services (AWS), who boast an uptime of 99.95% for all hosted instances.
During an on-site power or internet outage, your PBX will be unaffected due to the off-site cloud hosting. This results in business critical telephony remaining up and running. Allowing you to keep working, even when other services are failing.
Improved Quality
Cloud PBX is able to deliver clean and crisp sound far superior to a standard phone system.
Now almost everyone in this day and age is familiar with the torture and frustration of poor quality calls, having to repeat yourself over and over, and of course, dead air.
Those days are almost behind us, as more and more people switch to VoIP systems. And why wouldn’t you? Provided you have a decent internet connection, HD voice codecs offer twice as much bandwidth so that you enjoy a more reliable connection and a far greater overall call quality.
Security
While we might be looking forward to putting the days of poor call quality behind us, it seems we are only now starting to face the harsh reality of business security in the digital age.
It’s interesting that we tend to overlook phone system security in favour of cyber-security, when we talk about security in a business setting, as personally identifiable information (PII) is often sought out this way.
A common tactic is for a fraudulent call to be made to your business and an unwitting staff member tricked into giving our important information.
Unexpected? Maybe. Preventable? Absolutely.
A hosted VoIP phone system means you’re protected not only by encryption and improved identity management, but also by the team hosting your service.
Multi Factor Authentication of the cloud hosted instance, 3-way authentication of SIP Trunks, Encryption of data, IP Blacklisting, Geo-blocking country codes – these are just some of the security benefits that cloud hosting a PBX can provide for peace of mind for businesses.
Flexibility
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or a large enterprise, VoIP’s flexibility is second to none, and allows you the freedom to adapt to change in the workplace.
To put it plainly, if you have a decent data connection, you can make and receive calls for your business.
No seriously, if you want to call your client from the icy arctic tundras of Svalbard, Norway, you got it!
Features not offered by traditional phones such as call queues, IVRs, instant video calls, custom messaging and hold music, and more, allow you to customise your phone system around your business operations and reduce dependency on resources, giving you greater flexibility and efficiency.
Plus, softphone apps allow your team to stay connected wherever they are in the world and allow you to navigate workplace changes, increased activity (during sales or a holiday period), and just about anything the business might go through.
However, if you can’t get service, or can’t answer the call for any reason, there’s no need to worry, voicemail, intelligent call forwarding, comfort messages, and more, can be utilised until you’re back in action again.
With cloud based VoIP, all you need is a softphone app to stay connected wherever you are in the world.
Scalability
It would be fairly unwise not to invest in a phone system that can be customised and scaled to fit your business.
This is where the benefits of cloud hosting’s mobility and flexibility really pays off, as you grow your business in the way you want, and your phone system simply grows with you.
And again we see cost-saving benefits as you avoid replacing, adding or purchasing new expensive hardware on-site. The Cloud can be upgraded or downgraded in mere seconds as IT resources are at the click of a button. This goes the same VoIP with greater SIP lines, storage, RAM, memory or capacity achieved easily, quickly and cheaply.
Reporting Insights
Many people want to focus on the cost-saving benefits of cloud based VoIP and as we’ve pointed out above, there are many. However, one of the most powerful benefits of cloud based VoIP is being able to use detailed reporting to review performance and make strategic business decisions.
Think about it. You won’t just save money and enjoy a more productive, customisable, and hassle-free phone system now. You’ll also be able to use the information from this system to drive the performance of your business overall. And that’s nothing to sneeze at!
You can create a custom dashboard for KPIs and monitoring, and create reports or view in real time , the following data, and much more, depending on your business goals.
- Key Call Metrics
- Incoming Calls
- Current Calls
- Call Queues
- Wait Times
- Call Length
- Percentage Answered
- Targets
Automatic Software Updates
Because a cloud PBX system isn’t hosted on site, there’s no need for a technician to come on site for updates or troubleshooting.
With the software updating automatically and new features able to be implemented remotely, you save time, hassle and costs avoiding callouts and work interruptions.
Remote administration saves you from having to dedicate resources to your phone service operations, and gives you peace of mind knowing that your phone service is managed, protected and updated by professionals proactively, and off site.
Sustainability
For all of the reasons listed above, cloud hosted VoIP is a sustainable solution for any business, able to grow and be customised to fit various styles of working.
However, one underestimated benefit is the reduced environmental impact that implementing cloud hosting and VoIP has compared to traditional on-site telephony practices.
Your business no longer requires hefty infrastructure installed in your office. Most of this old equipment cannot be recycled or reused, hence going to landfill and causing environmental issues. All of this infrastructure is now installed in the cloud with minimal impact to the environment.
Because VoIP systems allow employees to work remotely, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced with less people being on the road, travelling to and from work. This also means a reduction in utility use on site, including electricity, water, air conditioning, amenities, etc.
While these ‘green’ benefits may seem like minor upgrades, they go a long way in creating a smarter, more sustainable business.
Want to learn more?
Due to its money-saving capabilities and its handling by the provider, VoIP cloud hosting is a worthwhile investment for just about any business.
We love talking about all things communications, and of course that includes VoIP, cloud hosting, IP PBX and much more.
If you’ve got any questions at all or would like a free quote, get in touch with us today.
