CommPeak's VoIP Termination Blog

Many IT enterprises seek at some point or another solid inbound access they can count on. What is better known as VoIP origination, such inbound access that contains the right mix of qualities can be hard to find.

So what are the key ingredients of a good VoIP origination service? Let's get right to it:

Quality. This goes without saying. You could have the lowest origination rates possible, but if the service is unreliable, your business will suffer. Look for a provider that has taken the time and resources to invest in a redundant network with extensive coverage.
Price. These days, most VoIP origination providers offer decently priced pre-paid or pay-as-you-go plans. All you have to do is figure out which payment plan works better for you and your company. Having that said, it is recommended that you shop around for the best rates (as long as these come in addition to the other three factors listed here).
Global Coverage. This is also an obvious one, but you would be surprised by just how many VoIP providers claim to offer global coverage when in fact their network offers limited coverage at best. Look for specs of the company's actual network, its supported protocols and codecs, and get as many tech details about it as you can.
Support. A genuinely good VoIP origination provider usually comes with an impressive support team that provides sincere, on the spot assistance. And don't forget that, should anything go wrong with your voice origination, you'll want the proper tech support to guide you through it.

Even though these four key ingredients might seem trivial, many companies seeking inbound access often overlook the nitty-gritty qualifications when hooking up with a VoIP origination provider. CommPeak's VoIP Origination service was devised to answer all four core requirements. Visit our website and see for yourself!

Following tremendous success with our Voice Termination service, we have launched this week CommPeak's VoIP Origination solution which delivers super powerful SIP origination and toll free DID numbers to businesses worldwide.

Global Reach Now Has a Whole New Meaning.

Backed by muscular technology, software and purposefully built POP network, your business can receive inbound voice calls, faxes and text messages from over 50 countries, all at the very highest quality and for seriously affordable costs. CommPeak's new VoIP origination service offers local toll free numbers (including special 'golden' numbers upon request) in thousands of rate centers across the globe.

CommPeak is one of the few wholesale VoIP companies that is able to offer such a feature-rich voice origination solution. Here are additional benefits that come as standard for businesses utilizing our origination:

Highest quality of inbound telecommunication (voice, fax, SMS)
Extensive global coverage and capacity (6 strategically distributed POPs)
International as well as domestic DID numbers
Multiple SIP accounts for all users - easy use and integration
Simple conversion of PSTN to VoIP and transportation to any destination
Highly competitive rates

Interested in expanding your international reach and accessibility to customers and business partners? Consider CommPeak's all new and powerful Voice Origination solution and get a great SIP offer!

Impeccable and effective communication is in the heart of any sales and marketing campaign, that's obvious. But if you are running an industrious sales department that needs to rely on high call volume where agents can make numerous calls at the same time, then you should consider a solid dialer termination service.

Over the past few years, CommPeak has gained significant experience working with Forex, binary options platforms and brokers of all sizes. Our specialized short duration termination (SIP Trunking) service allows us to offer many advantages to this unique market segment. How do we do it? Our strategically placed PoPs and long-time relationships with numerous direct telecom operators enable us to offer Forex/binary operators the highest possible level of service. This includes guaranteed Caller ID pass-through to even the most exotic destinations and crystal clear voice quality, thus giving your sales reps the optimal environment for them to convert.

CommPeak's vast footprint gives your platform or brand the access to both well established and emerging markets worldwide - many of which are considered the 'bread-and-butter' of this industry such as the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council), CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), Asia and more.

In addition, you get to utilize our robust yet easy to use Online User Portal, where you can easily create and setup multiple SIP Trunks, monitor account statistics, review past, current and future price lists, examine call records and even fund your account using PayPal and all other major payment methods.

Want to know more about our short duration termination service that Forex and binary options companies favor so much? Here are some key features: Guaranteed Caller-ID pass-through (shorter: "Caller-ID Delivery")

Crystal Clear Voice Quality
7 Strategically Placed PoPs
24/7/365 NOC Support
Online User Portal
Aggressive Pricing
Dedicated Account Manager

Be sure to visit our commpeak.com website to learn more about our VoIP termination and origination services.

CommPeak has been around for a while now, offering VoIP termination and origination to a variety of companies and business sectors. This past year we've established sector-specific services to accommodate the growing needs of different market niches lacking high quality voice solutions.

As these new services eve loved, we wanted our website to reflect these changes, and make the information available to those companies we were starting to provide for. So, we are happy to announce that we've done a semi-face lift to our VoIP termination website and you are more than welcome to check us out.

What's new? We've added a carrier-grade short duration termination service as one of our main offered solutions. This service is particularly relevant to (but not limited to) call centers and businesses in need of high volume of concurrent calls. In addition, we have a beefed up voice origination service as well as toll-free numbers.

So feel free to explore our upgraded website, and feel free to sign up and try us for free!

These days it seems there are hundreds of thousands of wholesale VoIP service providers, all fighting to get a piece of the market’s pie. But only a few will last the long haul, no matter how amazing their technology or service features are. What is that one thing that makes all the difference? The #1 rule of success is an old one but also the most powerful one: impeccable customer service and support.

It doesn't matter how far reaching your company’s global coverage is, or how alluring are its redundancy and low rates. If your customer care is lacking, or if your customers are faced with technical difficulties and your support department isn’t quick to solve them, it’s only a matter of time till those clients of yours switch to another provider.

VoIP termination provider CommPeak is proud to offer a large support and customer service department, with an entire team of eager professionals to help each and every one of our customer’s issues. Always aim for the VoIP provider with a killing support capability.

We’ve been working on it for quite a while, tested it to near exhaustion and now we’re happy to offer a state of the art predictive dialer to a wide range of businesses in need of agent and sales related high volume communication.

So what is a predictive dialer, anyway? According to Wikipedia, “A predictive dialer is a computerized system that automatically dials batches of telephone numbers for connection to agents assigned to sales or other campaigns. Predictive dialers are widely used in call centers." Another explanation (via voip-info.org) is that it’s a system of outbound call processing designed to handle high usage levels in a cost-effective way for the business or contact center. What the dialer essentially does is call a list of telephone numbers, and it does the screening of irrelevant calls (ex. voice answering machines, busy signals, etc.), and then connects one of the available agents with the customer on the line.

CommPeak has been developing its predictive dialer technology over several months, and has done an extensive cross-industry research to identify the common weak points of predictive dialers. This helped us in providing an all-in-one dialer termination service solution that stands out from the crowd.

Feel free to learn more about CommPeak’s dialer termination services today. We can hook your business up with the best plan.

VoIP has made strides in the past two decades in terms of its capabilities and overall efficiency.

It’s intriguing to take a look back at how VoIP has changed and improved so dramatically since its creation and how currently many businesses couldn't imagine working without it.

Image by Flickr user: procsilas

VoIP began as a system that worked computer to computer, and both users had to download the same software to access the same server. The users had to install sound cards on to their computers in addition to the use of external microphones. What a process this seems compared to where we are today with VoIP technology! During this stage, the sound quality and connectivity were incredibly poor.

As the technology evolved, eventually companies were able to offer computer to phone VoIP service, which gradually led to them being able to offer free calling services. The largest breakthrough came when VoIP technology was able to process and successfully send voice data packets to devices other than computers, thus making VoIP free of its computer dependency.

In the early 2000’s, broadband internet connection became more affordable, which helped VoIP services to become more qualitative and to compete directly with the sound and connection quality of a traditional telephone call.

Since these improvements were made, many providers have jumped to the opportunity to offer VoIP services to the masses. Many businesses have made the switch and have reaped the benefits of not being tied down by land-lines. As VoIP technology becomes more refined, with call quality surpassing expectations, it will soon be the go-to communication method for any rising business in the 21^st century.

As VoIP is becoming more of the standard, providers are focusing on what types of unique features they can provide businesses to enhance their productivity and work flow. Some of these features include voice origination, predictive dialing, and even international toll-free numbers.

Want to learn more? Visit www.commpeak.com to see just how your business can benefit from VoIP services.

Increase your professionalism and boost your customer satisfaction with toll-free numbers.

Toll-free numbers provide a great way for customers to reach you without having to shell out money for the call. They tend to be associated with larger businesses with multiple locations, but recently, businesses both large and small are beginning to use toll-free numbers through their VoIP service more frequently for a number of reasons.

Image by Flickr User: Sh4rp_i

Strengthen your company brand

Toll-free numbers can help smaller companies stand out from the crowd. Combine a toll-free number with catchy company marketing and you could a have a nice tool for customers to better recognize you with and for use in promotional materials. Toll-free numbers make businesses seem more professional and credible as they are easier to contact, and the numbers themselves can even serve as a brand identity if done right.

Expand your international presence
Providing toll-free numbers for customers abroad can make a smaller company look like a giant. When customers can reach you from wherever they are located free of charge, this instantly boosts credibility and customers are more likely to call you concerning your services or products. By having an international presence whether you are a small or larger business, there is a higher likelihood of calls coming in and ultimately sales made! Toll-free numbers are a great way to increase your market reach.

Costs are relatively low
Compared to traditional toll-free numbers used with wired phone systems, those through VoIP services are available at much better rates, and can even assist businesses in saving money overall.

It’s all about the customer
Always try to give the impression you are always available to your customers when they need assistance or are looking to make a purchase. It is important to indicate that you have your customers’ interests in mind. With toll-free numbers, customers not only can reach you with ease, it is free for them to call you. Once you assure your customers you are easy to reach, watch the number of calls increase and ultimately sales will follow suit.

Looking to bring your business to the next level? Commpeakcan get you started by providing you a quality, VoIP package based on your specific business needs.

Switching to a VoIP service can dramatically reduce your costs in ways you may not have guessed!

By tossing out those hard-line phones and upgrading to a VoIP service, you not only are simplifying your communication system, but you are cutting your costs almost immediately.

Image by Flickr user: Images_of_Money

Using your internet connection to make phone calls is a great solution for companies as the infrastructure needed is basically already in place, and most systems require minimal set-up to get started. What’s important to note here is that with standard land-lines, the costs associated with installation, upgrading, or expansion are much more extensive than those for VoIP.

Monthly rates are substantially lower with VoIP service providers. When calling internationally, calls made to other VoIP using individuals is free, and calls made to all other mobile and land-lines are incredibly cheap.

In addition to making phone calls, there are a lot of features you can take advantage of that are sometimes included in the package price depending on the provider including options such as predictive dialing, caller ID, call forwarding, video options, etc.

With VoIP, the service and maintenance expenses will decrease as your VoIP provider will handle all the dirty work. Since the communication system is a lot more simplified, maintenance will be much easier to handle, thus decreasing expenses. In addition, before using VoIP, many companies hired third-party providers to assist with installation and maintenance, which, if relevant to you now, you will no longer require.

If you want to simplify your communication system and lower your expenses, Commpeak definitely can assist you in reaching these goals. To learn more, visit www.commpeak.com and discover how your business can benefit from making the switch to VoIP.

Although VoIP has been making grounds within the last decade, people still are hesitant to make the jump to VoIP. Not only are businesses unaware of the potential benefits of using VoIP services, there are some common misconceptions that I would like to address here.

Image by Flickr user: Tsahi Levent-Levi

It’s expensive
By switching your system to VoIP, you actually save money when it comes to regular upgrades. As you are not in charge of the upgrading but rather your service provider is, you don’t have to worry about the expense of maintaining the system. In addition, expect lower rates when receiving call packages from your VoIP provider. A big plus!

My business is too small to really benefit
Not true. Businesses both large and small are benefiting from the use of VoIP to connect with customers both locally and internationally at an affordable price. There are multiple different plans that can be adapted to your particular business needs.

It’s complicated to set up
Actually, the set-up is surprisingly simple. The VoIP service connects directly through the internet network and then basically is set to run. Quite an easy process compared to setting up a hard-line phone system.

The sound quality is poor
Not necessarily. The sound quality depends more on your internet connection and what type of device is being used. You need to be checking that the amount of bandwidth you are using can support your VoIP service and how much call traffic you are dealing with.

The connection is unreliable
At times VoIP connections can experience interference, but mainly due to issues out of everyone’s control; natural disasters, power outages, etc. As a VoIP user, you need to be aware of the quality of your network and how much bandwidth you are running on to avoid any mishaps at an inopportune time.

The connection isn’t so secure
Security issues shouldn’t be your main concern as long as your internal network is secure and your protection plans up to date. As long as you are on top of this, your VoIP should run smoothly without any security hitches.

Hopefully this article has cleared up the air surrounding VoIP and you are leaning towards testing it out! Check out www.commpeak.com to see what types of features may be suitable for your business and feel free to contact us for any questions you may have.

As many businesses are making the move to VoIP, you are probably wondering if VoIP technology is right for you. You may be hesitant as your business is smaller, but in reality, using VoIP is an essential choice for a growing business.

Image by Flickr user: Rue89

Take a look at some of the benefits:

Easier Maintenance
From installation to continual maintenance, you currently may need to hire an experienced IT representative to keep your system functional and up to date. By using VoIP, your communication system will be consolidated, thus removing the need for additional IT assistance.

Employee-Friendly

Forget the long support calls, many VoIP systems offer easy to understand platforms when it comes to altering settings, adding new lines, or any regular maintenance related issues. If you are a smaller business, it will be easier to instruct your employees on managing the system.

Affordability
With traditional land-lines, the cost of maintaining or adding new lines can make a big dent in your budget. With VoIP, you will have significantly less maintenance costs to attend to and overall more productivity. In addition, monthly phone bills will be lower, especially since international calls will be available at a much better rate. Special features such as toll-free numbers or voicemails can be included in your VoIP package that may be very expensive to integrate otherwise. All packages can be customized to fit your personal business needs, no matter how large or small.

Mobility
Especially with smaller businesses, being able to take your work on-the -go without interruption is essential to maintaining a productive workflow. Making international calls and receiving incoming toll-free number customer calls directly to your mobile phone is a great way to keep business running when not at the office. With more mobility comes more productivity.

Are you a smaller-sized business looking for a cost-effective way to increase your reach and productivity? Visit www.commpeak.comand check out the variety of service options we can customize for your particular business needs.

Not quite sure how to set up your SIP account? It’s actually quite simple. Follow the steps below and you should be up and running in no time.

Once logged into your user portal, go to the Settingstab => SIP Accounts => New Account. You will then see the section titled ‘Password Authentication’. Here, you can input the username and password that you choose to assign to this specific SIP account. Refer to your inputted SIP account details when configuring your SIP capable device.

Another approach to setting up your SIP account is to input your IP address as a means of authentication. Make sure to double check the IP address you are inputting into the IP authentication spot below or the device you are setting up will fail to authenticate.

Please note: The IP address must be in CIDR format, for example: 1.1.1.1/32 for a single IP.

As an extra measure of security, you may opt to use both a username/password AND an IP address to register your SIP account. You should enter your details in the labeled spaces below. If you need to add an extra IP to sign in, fill in the space with your IP address and click on the green button labeled Add IP to ACL.

It truly is that simple to register your new SIP account! Keep in mind that this same information will be used when you are trying to configure your softphone, PBX, or SIP capable device. If you have any further issues, feel free to contact the CommPeak support team at support@commpeak.com

Stay tuned for future posts, as we take an in-depth look on how to best secure your SIP accounts and your VoIP Termination service as a whole.

Following my post on how to correctly authenticate your SIP account, I wanted to discuss the authentication options on a security level. There are always security concerns when accessing sensitive information via the Internet, and this is why CommPeak offers several different levels of security when setting up your SIP account.

As you can see in the image below, we offer 3 authentication methods. Each method has a different level of security when registering your SIP account, and you have the option to choose which level best fits your business’s needs.

1. Username & Password

This method of authentication provides the basic level of security for your SIP account. This is the most common method of signing in and most individuals are perfectly fine with this level of security. The only setback is you should change your password on a regular basis to avoid the possibility of an account breach. Changing your password is common practice for any type of online account, especially those containing more sensitive information. In addition, you should always choose a strong password of at least 8 characters. Try to create a mix of numbers, letters, and characters so it’s harder for an outsider to guess.

2. IP Address

Using your IP (Internet Protocol) address to authenticate is a more secure option as your IP address is a unique set of numbers than is difficult to replicate.

3. Username/Password & IP ACL

This is the most secure authentication method as you have to provide your username and password plus an IP ACL. IP ACL stands for Internet Protocol Access Control List, and its basic function is to specify which users or system processes are allowed access to your SIP account.

All three options I've mentioned offer a certain level of security. It is up to you to decide which level is relevant or even necessary for your SIP account.

Have any further questions concerning our authentication security options, be sure to comment below!

As soon as you catch yourself thinking I wish I could do this and that with my corporate phone system: the time for a change has inevitably come. Communication technology has made a giant leap over the last decade, and using obsolete solutions now equates to killing your business. Still, you might not even realize there is room for improvement while the old system is working smoothly. Only taking a closer look at your business practices and expenses will tell you it is time that your company embrace VoIP.

Sign #1: High repair and maintenance costs

When was the last time you repaired your phone system? As time goes by, phone equipment grows old, manufacturers stop supporting it, and fixing it becomes a great deal of trouble. If you are spending more and more resources to revitalize your desk phones, then probably it will be more cost-efficient to replace them completely.

Sign #2: Future (or existing) need for new infrastructure

Planning on new offices and locations? Even if these are only plans, it is better to think in advance and get ready for the related costs. Establishing the telephone infrastructure from scratch in a new location is time-consuming and expensive. VoIP termination on the other hand does not entail any additional expenses and saves time, as no additional infrastructure is needed. You can use your existing Internet equipment.

Sign #3: You can’t make or receive as many calls as you would like to

Do your customers have to hold more often than not? Are you getting an avalanche of phone calls you can’t possibly answer? It means that your phone system is not coping with its tasks, i.e. it is not functional enough to meet your business needs. Another possible scenario is when an employee picks up a receiver to call a client and finds out there are no lines available.

Sign #4: You pay too much for landline connection

Are your phone bills skyrocketing? This is another sign you should start using VoIP. Due to its cost efficiency, you can start saving instead of paying more and more.

Analyze your phone practices. Most likely, the old system does not suffice any more, and you just haven’t noticed it until now. Services such as SIP trunking and VoIP origination can be essential to support your growth, as well as to have your back on an already existing business level. Embrace the change, and it will pay off a hundredfold.

Flickr image by Eduardo A. Suck B.

Are you a small business with a few employees looking to make a name for yourself in an extremely competitive market? Or a large company with many departments and a multi-level hierarchy? In both cases, Direct Inward Dialing has something to offer you in terms of convenience and cost-saving.

With this technology, you will be able to increase productivity, improve the level of communication with customers and between employees, as well as make sure that no business opportunities are lost because of busy phone lines.

How Does DID Technology Work?

DID technology allows for multiple extensions on a customer’s private branch exchange (PBX) to be reached by individual outside numbers. One or more trunk lines are provided for connection to the customer’s PBX for the allocation of calls. The PBX receives calls through the trunks along with the dialed destination number, enabling it to forward the caller to the proper extension within the organization.

What Benefits Does DID Offer a Business?

Sophisticated business owners all over the world are converting to DID technology, as it has proven to be an extremely efficient and convenient course of action. Here is a list of benefits is can provide.

1. A unique number for every employee or department

DID gives you an opportunity to allocate an individual number to every department or employee of your company, regardless of how many physical phone lines you have. This increases efficiency of communication with clients and partners, as well as between employees.

2. No need for an operator

Inbound calls are handled automatically, so there is no need for a receptionist to sort them out and forward manually. It reduces the hold time and increases the number of successful connections.

3. Cost efficiency
As no physical phone lines have to be added to your existing ones, you can cut costs significantly. Find out the affordable rates we offer to our customers here.

4. A chance to handle a larger call volume
If you expect a larger number of inbound calls, then DID is your first choice. As all calls will be allocated straight to the corresponding extensions, your customers won’t have to hold. Hence, the ability to handle more calls in a shorter period of time.

DID is an extremely affordable way to boost performance of your company in terms of telephone communications. Try this cutting-edge VoIP technology, and you won’t be able to imagine your life without it.

Also, check out what other VoIP services we are ready to provide to help you develop your business.

We've discussedpreviously in our blog the benefits of toll-free numbers and why they are a great way to boost customer satisfaction and enhance professionalism. This is very true and we stand firm behind our words, but we also would like to admit that there are cases when using a toll-free number may not be the best option available for particular businesses. Why, you might say? I have an international toll-free number and it works like a marvel! Good for you, we’d answer, but there are businesses that could benefit from the use of a local phone number just a bit more than a toll-free one.

The first and foremost reason why local phone numbers can come in handy is because local brick and mortar establishments still enjoy more trust from a certain segment of customers than their international counterparts. If your business offers a ‘local’ touch, then a local phone number will work to enhance it. Customers still won’t be able to walk two blocks to visit your head office, but thetelephonenumber will make you seem more accessible.

Besides, many people take pride in their countries and hometowns – this kind of sentiment will make them choose you over another company that has no local contacts.

Talking about being personal, a study conducted by CRM Associates a couple of years ago proved that ads with local phone numbers received 60% more calls than the ones with toll-free numbers. To most readers toll-free translated to ‘waiting’, ‘call centers’, ‘answering machines’ and ‘not local’. Hardly the right sentiment for a company that puts large emphasis on personal customer service and being ‘closer to people’, don’t you think? As the number of international companies has grown in recent years, customers have gotten used to seeing toll-free numbers. This is not necessarily a positive, as the stigma or negative feeling that have always accompanied answering services has more than likely grown even stronger.

Even further, having a local phone number may improve your ratings in search results, as Google will be able to associate you with a certain location and thus show you on the SERP for a certain geographic-related query.

The bottom line is, choosing the right telephony option depends on the needs of your business. Large companies willing to limit their customers’ expenses and enhance their images as big international brands should no doubt go for toll-free. Local numbers, however, will be more suitable for companies that want to seem closer to their clientele and add a ‘local touch’ to their image.

Whichever your choice is, we are able to fulfill it. Signup now and enjoy all the benefits that VoIP can offer. Need more information? Visit our FAQ page or contact us and get answers to your questions.

Many small businesses, as well as big international companies have adopted VoIP technologyand have started enjoying all the benefits it has to offer. Few, however, take VoIP security issues seriously enough and implement necessary protection measures. We have already talked about Asterisk security in this post. Here, we’d like to add a few general recommendations.

As VoIP is an Internet-based technology, it requires protection from DoS attacks, unauthorized access to and abuse of sensitive information, etc. In most cases, even basic protection measures will help you improve the level of security. To maximize your VoIP user experience and to prevent any illegal activity, we recommend you to do the following:

Run a security audit before installation. No matter how secure your VoIP system is, if there are inherent security problems in your network, they will compromise telephony as well.
Install an effective firewall and make sure it is updated to work with VoIP telephone systems. Configure your firewall settings to maximize protection and keep it in line with the amount of traffic going through VoIP.
Change default passwords and use your own alphanumeric passwords and user names that can’t be easily deciphered. Although it is a common advice (and although we’ve talked about it already), you’d be surprised to find out how many businesses neglect to implement this measure and compromise their telephone security.
Use encryption for sensitive information. It will not only prevent anyone from listening to your conversations, but will also help avoid unauthorized and costly overseas calls.
Use different routers for Internet connection and VoIP. An unencrypted VoIP router is an open door for hacker attacks.
Make sure that your user profiles and calling plans are configured properly. Introduce call restriction by users and devices and provide access based on device certificates or passwords.
Make sure your staff is familiar with security features of your system and that they fulfill the requirements in regards to changing passwords, deleting sensitive voicemails and reporting any unusual behavior within the system.
Keep up with staff changes. Delete users in a timely fashion and make sure that all hardware is set back to default before you dispose of it.

By following these simple rules, you can prevent most VoIP security risks. VoIP is a cost-efficient and extremely convenient technology; all the benefits it offers are worth a couple of extra protection efforts.

Flickr image by Afrizalnet

More and more companies are choosing to incorporate VoIP terminationand originationinto their business communications, which is easily explained by the convenience and affordability of this technology. Few, however, manage to avoid certain related pitfalls.

We want you to gain the most from your VoIP solution, so we've decided to warn you of some of the largest mistakes you could make in the process. Take a minute to read through the list to be sure you keep your VoIP experience trouble-free.

Not doing your homework

By ‘doing your homework’ we mean understanding the functions offered, and how they correlate with the needs of your business. After all, VoIP serves to fix the flaws of your existing telephony system. To remedy them effectively, you need to successfully identify them first. What are the main issues of your system? What is the current/expected traffic? What functions does VoIP offer and which of them should be used in your case? The one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for all users in your network, so you’ll have to define which of them need more functions than others.

No preliminary assessment and low-quality hardware

VoIP can’t be implemented successfully in a low-quality network. First, you have to make sure that your security protection, bandwidth and hardware are of the appropriate level. VoIP is rather demanding in terms of bandwidth, so it’s possible that you’ll have to upgrade your existing connection. An old router won’t do either. Make sure to choose one that is business-grade with a QoS (quality of service) feature. Also note, some systems (faxes and alarms) still rely on the analogue technology so you will have to provide a solution for them, too.

No deployment or emergency plans

Like any new technology, VoIP needs a deployment plan, and like any Internet technology, it needs an emergency protocol defining what to do in cases of power outages and connection failures. The system should be implemented gradually, preferably overlapping the regular telephone network to give time for adjustment.

Lack of training

Even if your company has only five employees, they’ll need time and guidance to master the use of VoIP. What if you have hundreds? Schedule a few training sessions and don’t pressure them – people aren’t always friendly to new technologies and sometimes reject them on a subconscious level.

Doing it on your own

Implementing VoIP is not that difficult, but a few consults from your provider will definitely help you out. We are ready to provide you with all the assistance you need, and can advise you on the most efficient VoIP implementation. Feel free to contact us at any time.

Take measures to avoid these stumbling stones, and your business will enjoy a powerful boost in terms of cost efficiency and flexibility of your telephony system.

Every powerful and multi-functional network needs management, and a VoIP telephony system is no exception. The negligent use of your VoIP termination or SIP origination, can prevent your business from fully benefiting from these services. This is why applying Quality of Service (QoS) is the best course of action for every savvy VoIP user.

So, what is QoS? Put simply, QoS is a combination of practices and technologies that provide guarantees of acceptable call performance. More specifically, it is a number of settings on your router that will help prioritize data flows. (Remember we told you to buy a router with the QoS feature? We hope you heeded the advice.)

Imagine that one of your employees wants to watch the latest episode of his favorite TV show at lunch (you are a very lenient employer). Or maybe someone is downloading multiple videos (for work purposes, of course). This additional load takes too much bandwidth, thus the quality of VoIP callsdeteriorates, leading to echoey and choppy voice quality.

Increasing the amount of bandwidth is hardly a solution – after all, you can’t do it every time the problem occurs. What you need to do to avoid this unfortunate outcome, is to assign priorities to the data flows, recognizing voice traffic as the most important. In essence, this is what QoS is used for.

By default, routers transmit data using the First In First Out principle. You can change this by means of QoS tagging (prioritizing). That way, high-priority packages will be send first, while others wait in line.

There are three ways to use prioritization:

· By device (You type in MAC-addresses of the devices used for calls and mark them as high priority)

· By TCP/IP Port (In this case, you assign priorities to a port or a few ports; all traffic that goes through these ports will be marked as high-priority.)

· By Ethernet Port (Similarly, the traffic going through the Ethernet port of your router will be recognized as the most important)

Although some equipment provides for complex QoS settings, it’s better to stick to the basics and use only a few prioritization rules. Conversely, a small router might be unable to serve a more complex telephony system. This is why we recommend that you evaluate the needs of your business before purchasing equipment and applying QoS.

Also, please note that QoS practices will not improve the connection itself; they will only make sure that no bandwidth-intensive applications affect the quality of calls.

In case of any questions, be sure to contact our support team at support@commpeak.com.

Also, stay tuned for future posts – we’ll provide more advice on effective integration of VoIP technology into business communications.

In recent years, Voice over Internet Protocol, or simply VoIP, has been making advances in all kinds of businesses, and we are quite sure that soon, it will kick legacy telephony systems out of the market. Indeed, its benefits can’t be ignored and are forcing more and more companies to revamp their telephone practices.

However, businesses are not the only ones who can benefit from implementing VoIP. Today, we’d like to take a closer look at the reasons why hospitals and other healthcare institutions should be next in line.

Lower costs

Hospitals can’t possibly function without everyday telephony communication, especially long-distance calls, as often medical experts and patients live in remote locations. This results in hefty telephone charges and higher prices for medical services. It’s an old truth that customers look for cheaper prices, and so by reducing the costs through VoIP, medical institutions can attract more clients. For instance, Longmont United Hospital was able to cut 60% of its telephone expenses by incorporating VoIP solutions.

Better organization

With VoIP in hospitals, inbound calls can be sorted and prioritized to achieve better customer service. The use of this technology will also simplify patient registration and handling of bills, sending appointment confirmations, and general interaction between patients and doctors.

Doctor-to-doctor communication will enjoy a boost from VoIP as well: medical specialists will no longer have to meet in person to discuss clinical trials and innovative treatments; instead, they will be able to use high-quality video communication any time of the day.

Medical secrecy is important, and VoIP offers a higher level of sensitive info protection – especially if you take into account the security tips we described earlier. Furthermore, it allows for data storage, and to have access thereto around the clock.

Flexibility

Implementing VoIP in medical institutions will help evaluate the volume of inbound calls and define the number of staff required to process them. For instance, calls to a number of offices can be forwarded to one receptionist. Conversely, a hospital might conclude that it doesn’t cope with the number of inbound calls effectively enough and decides to launch a small call-center. The beauty of VoIP is that its size and functionality can be adjusted to the actual needs of a certain medical institution.

No downtime

Healthcare institutions can’t afford not being connected for even a couple of hours, and the implementation of VoIP doesn’t force them to. The bulk of the required infrastructure is already in place in most hospitals. Therefore, the new system can be implemented while the old one is still working to ensure sufficient time to adjust and provide training for the hospital staff.

Add system reliability and faster disaster recovery to the equation and you will see that implementing VoIP in a medical institution is simply the best course of action. Time means life in healthcare, and VoIP can ensure that no precious time is lost.

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