Today’s phones aren’t what they used to be, and that’s not a bad thing. Whereas old telephones were constritive and faulty, today’s phones are about internet-based systems such as VoIP. With modern VoIP phones, there are a couple methods of hosting ? via the cloud or on site. But what are the differences between the two options?
Installation and Management
On site VoIP phone systems are installed and hosted at your company?s office, often managed and maintained by inside personnel. While you can hire a third party to manage the phone system for you, there is no way to avoid hardware cost of setting up your VoIP phones.
Cloud-based VoIP, on the other hand, hosts all the software and hardware off site and is maintained by a VoIP provider. Other than the physical phones your employees will use, everything is provided virtually. This means you won?t be bothered with expensive hardware costs, nor will you need an on-site employee to manage the system.
Security
You might think having an on-site VoIP is the obvious choice when it comes to security, but you’d be surprise to find that’s not often the case. If you have a large amount of accessible IT resources, deploying VoIP on site gives you a better control over your security, since you will know your system?s capabilities without the need to contact a provider. However, cloud-hosted VoIP remains a favorable option for many small to medium sized businesses, since security is taken care of by a the provider, whose reputation rests on maintaining the most stringent security measures. They are well-versed in identifying vulnerabilities, reducing the area of attacks, and protecting all entry points.
Control
An on-site solution will give you much more control of your VoIP phones, since you can design systems suited to your needs without relying on a third-party to make changes. This makes it a popular choice for larger businesses, often with dedicated IT technicians that can customize and work on the system. With cloud-hosted VoIP, you relinquish certain control to your service provider, which is the price you pay for the convenience of professional deployment and maintenance. This doesn?t give your provider the right to monitor your calls or conduct any activity that breaches your private business conduct.
Scalability
On site VoIP systems rely on your in-house employees to add or remove features to accommodate your business’ needs as they change and grow. There are various backend processes involved, and each expansion or upgrade often increases the complexity of the processess. With a cloud-hosted solution, you?ll have an entire team of technicians at your back. This means features can be added or removed as things in the company change. If you?re anticipating any future changes or growth, a cloud-hosted VoIP system will be much easier to manage.
Whether you?re looking to host your VoIP phone systems on site or in the cloud, Info Advantage can help make the process run smoothly. Call one of our VoIP experts at (585) 254-8710 today to learn more about what VoIP system is right for your business.