Small business secrets...

For many businesses, telephony is the preferred and important method of communication for customers.

Having a reliable telephone number should be at the forefront for small businesses in providing consistent customer service. Whether your business is a new sole trader or has considerable business experience the power of the telephone cannot be disputed. Picking the right number is pivotal.

There have been many variations of ‘internet killed the television’ but in recent years it has killed traditional telephony as well. For many, Voice Internet Protocol (VoIP) is seen as a disruptive technology. Due to VoIP, once considered for personal use has now entered the world of business. This has led to traditional telephony to be regarded as not built for the 'digital age'. We consider how and why VoIP has come to be seen as a disruptive force.

For many small businesses, telephony is needed to provide consistent communication between suppliers, customers and business contacts. In recent years, VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) has disrupted the market. Previously, considered for personal use it's now been introduced and used within businesses but can cloud phones truly replace traditional telephony?

We look at how cloud phone features are changing telecommunications for the better.

For small businesses looking to switch their telephony to the cloud, many articles use VoIP and IP telephony interchangeably. Well, in reality, VoIP is a subset of IP telephony enabling calls to be made via the internet. While the two are similar there are differences which need to be made clear.

In a new series developed by the bOnline team, we give you a round-up of the most important news in UK telecom.

More and more businesses are switching to the cloud for both their internal and external communications. Surveys show that this trend is being adopted more by large companies than smaller ones. In fact, 41% of surveyed businesses are planning to expand spending on cloud technologies.

So, why all the interest in cloud computing? Here are the ways cloud computing is drastically changing the world of business.

With high-speed Fibre broadband now readily available across most of the country, VoIP is fast becoming the most progressive form of business communications due to the landline set to come to an end.

Often the implementation of a VoIP system in an organisation focuses on replacing porting numbers and setting up voicemail services. One function that can be overlooked is that of virtual numbers which can benefit small businesses and amplify both internal and external communications.

Once you are aware of the many benefits that Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has to offer, your business may be eager to make the switch or at least give cloud phones are chance.  So what's next? Getting your first VoIP system! Here are areas to think about when making the switch to cloud-based telephony.

The landline is facing extinction and soon small businesses around the UK will need to find communication alternatives. One stand out device to replace traditional ISDNs is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) which allows calls to be made over a secure internet connection.

While considering VoIP for your small business communications we outline whether cloud phones are a good choice for small businesses and weigh up both the advantages and disadvantages.

We’ve talked at length on the benefits of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and how it is shaping and enhancing communications in the business world.

One of the biggest advantages of having a cloud phone system is the huge savings it can bring to your small business. Statistically, switching to VoIP systems can help save the average business up to 75%.