Modern phone systems are seamlessly integrated with PCs

• Auto-dial a phone number from your ACT or Outlook contact book
• Archive important voice mail messages on your PC
• Manage multiple calls using your PC screen and mouse
• Link branch offices together using VoIP

Reasons to upgrade now:

• - Most telephone systems older than 5 years lack technology and features that can save time and money.
• - Failure of key components that are in constant use (such as the Power Supply) makes older phone systems more likely to fail.
• - Finding parts for older systems can be difficult, especially in emergency.
• - Emergency replacement of an entire telephone system is a lot more expensive than a planned replacement.
• - Using the latest digital technology can reduce your phone bill

VoIP

Voice-over-IP (VoIP) is a technology that converts voice conversations into digital data. The data is sent over the Internet, rather than over traditional telephone lines.

VoIP has 3 major advantages:

• Branch offices and residential-based offices can be linked together with the main office, with all telephone sets operating seamlessly together as though under one roof
• The per-minute long distance cost of calling between offices is completely eliminated. All calls made between company phones operating on the same VoIP system are 100% free
• VoIP can eliminate the need for a traditional business telephone line at branch or residential-based offices, lowering your monthly costs

Benefits of operating a multi-location company with a unified telephone system:

• - Intercom are fast, easy, and free -- from any phone to any phone
• - Incoming calls can be quickly and efficiently transferred to another extension, regardless of physical location
• - Outbound calls show the Caller ID of the main office -- not a residential or cell phone number
• - All users share the same voice mail system, and can efficiently forward an important message to any staff member

Digital vs analog

Analog service has been the standard offering from the telephone company for almost 100 years. This is the type of service delivered for use by residences and most small businesses. Digital telephone service has been available for many years, but until recently, the cost has been prohibitive for all but large businesses.

Some of the advantages of VoIP:

• - 7-digit direct-dial telephone numbers can be assigned to individual staff members, so that select callers can bypass the receptionist or automated attendant and reach the staff member without delay
• - Digital clarity means no background hum or buzz and consistent volume for every call
• - The cost of domestic long distance calls is included with VoIP service compared with a per-minute cost for traditional analog service