Office (as opposed to mobile) phone systems

Office (as opposed to mobile) phone systems

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One of my least favourite job components is dealing with office equipment - but, hey ho, it's part of SME world..

We currently have an ISDN phone system, that is very aged, but permits basic phone usage. About 12 live 'extensions'.

The thing is, we are probably seriously overpaying, as more and more communication is via email. I have had various quotes in for the use of VOIP (voice over internet) - which in our case would be via our own new hardware in the office - rather than rented.

Cost wise - there appear to be savings.

I am concerned about quality, though, and am looking for other's experiences of the same. We currently have a decent 'fibre to the cabinet' connection.

I may have asked this question some months ago - or maybe I just dreamt that.

Many thanks in advance for sharing.

Replies (7)

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By Clare
20th Apr 2016 12:21

Personally I didn't like it. I understand it's cheaper and easier to move offices & keep numbers etc, but it was infuriating when there was an internet outage for any reason as you're then totally out of contact. I also found the quality was worse, but that may have been the software used (the old firms IT person hated spending more than the minimum!)

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By Wanderer
20th Apr 2016 12:30

Don't hesitate

Just sign up with Voipfone.co.uk

Buy your phones from them for total ease of installation & start making massive savings!

Quality for us (FTTC as well) is better than it was with BT & annual running are about 10% of what they were.

With Voipfone you don't need any hardware other than the phones, they just plug into an internet connection & just work!

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By Cloudcounter
20th Apr 2016 12:40

No problems

We changed coming up to four years ago, and apart from one central system failure (main and backup) for an hour or two there haven't been any problems.

If our internet falls over, we have nominated another number and Voipfone switch calls through to that, so nothing will be missed, or the caller will get an engaged signal (it won't handle more than one call as it's a single number)  We did have a problem with one of the phones and Voipfone support couldnt' have been more helpful.

Costs are a fraction of what we used to pay BT. 

Never regretted the decision

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By jon_1984
20th Apr 2016 12:44

Made the Switch

Just over a year ago and wouldn't go back (FTTC).

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By dnicholson
20th Apr 2016 13:11

Spitfire
We use Spitfire.co.uk. Works well, good support, phones anywhere.

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By feridun
21st Apr 2016 11:35

VOIP

I have two VOIP numbers from soho66 with a fibre broadband, Generally works very well and call quality is good. But yes you will need to make provision for when your internet connection fails such as automatic diversion to a mobile or perhaps a single landline number.

And I really like getting answerphone messages sent to me via email by my service - great for when I'm travelling.  Which is another feature - you might also be able to set up a softphone on your laptop and make calls from your VOIP number wherever you are in the world

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By Fenella
21st Apr 2016 12:51

Works for us, even with rubbish broadband speed

It has saved us a fortune over BT bills, being rural our broadband is rubbish, so there are times when it is a bit 'bubbly' and sometimes calls just cut out. Our bandwidth can't support many calls going on at once, but we've not had that many calls drop out. We get round the internet failure problem by having an old fashioned phone plugged into the BT line, if the broadband goes off (and its not becasue the phone line has been severed somewhere down the lane!) we can still make/receive calls, although obviously only one at a time. It is managed by our IT company, so any problems they sort out.

 

 

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