[Niche Site Articles]

By: Christine Harrell

When you own a business you want to embrace innovations that will give you a competitive edge but you don't want to get tied up in a technology that is the hot trend of the moment but will be useless in a year. This is especially true for small businesses where the investment may be a major expense. The question many organizations face today is whether to convert to a digital phone system.

What Is a Digital Phone System?

With "digital" one of the big buzzwords of the day it's hard to know just what is meant by it. In the case of office phone systems, a digital network is one that uses a technology called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). VoIP service providers provide telephone communication over your business's internet connection rather than traditional telephone lines.

From a user's point of view what makes the technology attractive is that it works just like a normal telephone system. There is still a phone on an employee's desk. The fact the phone plugs into the network port instead of the telephone jack certainly won't matter to the worker. The phone makes and receives calls just like a traditional telephone and adoption of the technology will be invisible to outside parties and even to employees.

What Are The Advantages?

The leading reason many organizations switch to small business VoIP is the reduce cost. Local calls are cheaper since VoIP users don't have to pay the array of additional fees traditional telephone companies charge. Many plans also allow calling anywhere in the US for free, which can be a huge savings for companies with many clients outside their area code.

A digital phone system brings other advantages, ones that traditional phone systems can't match. How many of your workers have to give out a work phone number, a cell phone, and maybe even a home number if they occasionally telecommute? With VoIP that one number can ring all three phones, either at the same time or in sequence, making it easier for your clients to reach the people they need no matter where they are.

What is the Future of VoIP?

VoIP may seem like a new development but it has in use in more primitive forms for over twenty years. It has evolved from a curiosity played with by computer geeks to a major component of the world's telecommunication infrastructure. For example, VoIP provide approximately 30% of international telephone communications.

With the digital phone system now an established and mature technology, efforts are being made to expand its capabilities. New generations of VoIP networks are being created that will seamlessly integrate with video conferencing applications, e-commerce solutions and professional networking sites.

Whether your business needs basic telephone services or an advanced multimedia communications infrastructure, a digital phone system provides the features you need for less than traditional telecommunications choices.

Author is a freelance copywriter. For more information on a Digital
Phone System, visit http://www.telesynergy.com/.

Tags: Business/Tools and Resources digital phone system VoIP

Digital Phone Systems - Business Asset or Passing Fad?