Switching Your Business Phones to VoIP: 8 Questions to Ask First

If your business still pays for traditional copper phone lines or an aging phone system, VoIP (voice over internet) can cut costs and add features you’d pay extra for elsewhere. But not all VoIP services are the same. Before you switch, ask these eight questions.

1. Can I keep my existing phone numbers?

You should be able to. Moving your numbers from one provider to another is called “porting.” Customers already know your number, so make sure any new provider will port it for you. With our VoIP service, you keep your existing numbers.

2. How is pricing calculated?

Most business VoIP is priced per user or per extension, per month. Ask exactly what’s included — calling minutes, features, the mobile app — and what costs extra. Our business VoIP starts at $24.99 per extension, per month.

3. Is my internet connection good enough?

VoIP calls travel over your internet connection, so call quality depends on it. Each call needs only a small amount of bandwidth, but a connection that drops out or is saturated by other traffic will cause choppy audio. A good provider will look at your connection and your network setup before you switch, and can prioritize voice traffic on your network.

4. What happens if the internet or power goes out?

Ask where the provider’s servers are and what happens when a data center has problems. Our phone system runs from a primary data center in Philadelphia, PA with failover in Phoenix, AZ. If your office internet goes down, calls can be forwarded to cell phones or answered in the mobile app so customers still reach you.

5. How does 911 work?

With VoIP, your 911 address is registered with the provider rather than tied to a physical phone line. Make sure the correct address is on file for every location, and update it if a phone moves.

6. Which features come standard?

Look for an auto-attendant (“press 1 for…”), voicemail to email, call forwarding, ring groups, business hours routing and a mobile app that lets you make and take business calls from your cell without giving out your personal number.

7. Do I need new phones?

Sometimes existing phones can be reused; sometimes they can’t. Ask your provider to check your current equipment before you buy anything new.

8. Who do I call when something isn’t working?

This matters more than any feature list. A national provider may put you in a queue. A local provider who also handles your network can troubleshoot the whole picture — phones, internet and computers — in one call.

See what you’d save

Bring us your current phone bill and we’ll show you what your business would pay with VoIP, line by line. Call 620-960-8711 or see our VoIP plans.