Should you stick to the traditional landline phone or move into the cloud with your calls? Deciding between a landline and VoIP phone systems is a tough task. Both the phone systems offer multiple benefits depending on what your business needs are. We will go through the brief of both phone systems to discuss the benefits and conclusion.
What is a landline phone system?
Landline Phone Systems are traditional models of phone services with a hardwired telephone line installed by the local phone company connected to the premises. The Sound in this landline phone system is transmitted using electrical pulses on a wire and the voice service can only travel wherever you trenched and laid wires. Hence, their installations are subjected to bad weather and are somewhat limited with little room for features.
What is VoIP?
VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol phone is a system which enables users to make phone calls over a standard internet connection. VoIP, which is also termed IP telephony, helps businesses in saving huge costs by altering the trouble of installing expensive hardware in case of traditional phone systems. VoIP systems can be used in a number of forms ranging from traditional phones, computers, smartphones as well as VoIP enabled phones.
Traditional or VoIP phone system?
When you are at a stage where you are shifting to a new office or simply considering to upgrade from the existing business phone system you have an opportunity to look through all the options you have. VoIP systems give you an upper hand in certain aspects when compared with traditional landline phone systems.
Features
VoIP phone systems bring along a range of features at their disposal. VoIP systems can enable you to use features like voicemail to e-mail, automatic call forwarding, internal extension dialing, virtual receptionist features, etc.
Tracking
VoIP systems also enable users to track calls with spreadsheets and create dial-lists along with leverage a whole range of online based features. In traditional phone systems you will still be able to hold calls, transfer them, answer them, however, their limitations make them inferior than VoIP systems.
Usability
In terms of their usability, VoIP phone are more technologically advanced and enable you to use communication methods over a huge number of first and third-party options, but are based on the internet connection, so it might be a smart choice to have a backup internet plan in case of fluctuations in the existing one. If you are used to landline phone systems, you might prefer that more for your comfort, which are connected via copper wires and compel the use of heavy hardware as well.
Reliability
Phone systems are reliable and are only dependent on wire-based connections in terms of call quality and resilience but VoIP phone systems are dependent on the internet to assure that they are up and running. In case your internet goes down; you will be unable to use your phone or make calls. Hence, it is essential to have a trusted internet service provider or 4G net connection as a backup before starting your VoIP journey.
Cost
In the race of cost efficiency, you will find VoIP winning. VoIP systems are highly customizable so whatever the size of your business maybe, they can always be trimmed as per your utility in terms your choice of features and the size of package. They save a lot of money in the long run as well due to less physical parts which would have required additional maintenance.
Conclusion
From our analysis, using either of these two systems comes down to the end user’s preferences and the agility of a given business. Having an advanced VoIP system, especially in 2021, gives you an opportunity to avail a number of features which will enable you to stay updated and regularly connected to your customers.