Business Phone Services Are Calling

​Will you pick up or let it go?

The "Clicking on all Cylinders," series is designed to help small businesses run more efficiently by making the most of their online and digital efforts. Today, we tackle phone services from simple yet powerful POTS to sophisticated SIP Trunks, you'll see how to evaluate your needs and make the best choice possible, maximizing your online and digital efforts in the process.

Your business telephone system connects you to customers in ways your website and email can't. In an age where personal service continues to matter, it's still the next best thing to being there. Whether you run your business solo and simple or have a staff of several with a variety of needs, choosing what fits is key.

Here's a quick guide to understand business phone systems

Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)

The acronym says it all here, describing analog service everyone used before advanced digital services emerged. Still widely used in homes and businesses, it boasts reliability and low cost. The term is sometimes used to distinguish that service from the newer telecommunications services (described below) which are digital and have much larger bandwidths. If plain old reliable conversation is primarily what your business demands of a phone service, POTS may fit the bill.

What is a VOIP phone service?

With the advent and evolution of the web came digital technology capable of transporting great things to online users. Voice Over Internet Protocol phone service happens to be one of them. Voice over IP providers use the web's infrastructure to facilitate calls, so the big plus is its ability to reduce expenses by bypassing the phone company's network.

What is SIP Trunking?

SIP Trunk, or Session Initiated Protocol Trunk, is a form of Internet-based phone service. SIP trunking can offer significant cost-savings for business, eliminating the need for local PSTN gateways, costly ISDN BRIs (Basic Rate Interfaces) or PRIs (Primary Rate Interfaces). SIP Trunk allows a company to manage voice calls and related multimedia streams that may include video conferencing and messaging.

What is Bonded T1?

A Bonded T1 line provides speed and bandwidth and can be easily adapted to accommodate growth. For companies running VoIP and video conferencing, bonded T1 service allows adequate bandwidth at reasonable monthly costs. For companies with many employees (and plans for more), Bonded T1 phone service can be an attractive option.

Wireless

It takes a degree of chutzpah to forego a landline altogether, but wireless cellular service can reward you handsomely for making the leap. Like today's small businesses, wireless is nimble, flexible and ever-evolving. All you need is a smart phone plan for you and any employees, and the ability to talk, text, transport data and more is with you wherever you go.

How to Choose Phone Service Providers

Before adopting a phone service, take stock of your current needs. Will any employees require their own lines or voicemail? Will traveling employees need smart phones to access important sales information and stay in touch with the home office?

Think about the present, but don't forget the future. Will you be expanding your physical space? Adding employees with phone needs of their own? The more questions you can answer early on, the more likely you'll get a phone provider that fits.

Cable ONE Business Phone Service

Save time and money with reliable, business-class phone service from Cable ONE Business. With advanced features like simultaneous and sequential ringing,  you never have to worry about missing another call. Plus, our secure Web portal gives you 24/7 control over all of your phone features no matter where you are.

For more information about Cable ONE Business Phone services, click or call 855.873.9596.