What are the advantages and disadvantages of VoIP?

Voice over IP (VoIP) is an alternative way of making phone calls using the internet. Analogue voice signals are converted into digital formats that can then be sent across the internet.

Image Credit

VoIP is one of the fastest-growing developments in the telecommunication world. Indeed, Future Market Insights (FMI) research indicates that there will be in excess of 200 billion corporate consumer VoIP users by 2021.

What are the advantages of VoIP? Are there any downsides?

Advantages

Costs: Initial and ongoing costs for VoIP systems are considerably less than those associated with more traditional phone systems. There is no requirement for a traditional phone line, which means one account and one bill that covers internet and phone calls. Calls over the internet (from PC to PC) are free, and PC-to-landline calls are cheaper than traditional calls.

Accessibility: Location and distance don’t affect VoIP systems. This makes communication possible anywhere there is an internet connection.

Image Credit

Flexibility: VoIP networks offer great flexibility and capacity. In theory, there is no limit to the number of connections that can be made.

Extra or cheaper features: VoIP comes with a selection of extra features such as call waiting, call forwarding, voicemail, and caller ID. Data files can also be sent during conversations. VoIP also allows video conversations, connecting multiple people from multiple locations.

Businesses can now opt for wholesale VoIP packages that will usually include freephone numbers, APIs, Ethernet, PBX hosting/colocation, SMS/text messaging services, and origination and termination.

If you would like to know more about how VoIP can benefit your organisation, why not take a look at the website of a specialist such as www.idtexpress.com today?

Disadvantages

Reliability and connection quality: The suitability of VoIP when it comes to making calls is highly dependent on the quality of the broadband connection. Call quality tends to decline considerably when multiple connections are established concurrently and the bandwidth struggles to cope. A reliable and fast connection is crucial.

Security: Because it is essentially transmitting data over the internet, there is the potential for viruses and cyberattacks. The risk to data can be reduced using encryption, but there is still an overall vulnerability that has yet to be fully addressed.

Power outages: No power means no internet connection and thus no phone system.