Any business enterprise, when looking for a phone system, would keep in mind features that they need in order for them to achieve a more effective and productive communications suite. The more intelligent and robust phone packages are able to give excellent phone solutions to businesses and help them increase their productivity and work efficiency.

Two key features of a hosted phone service are the auto-attendant and extensions. The auto-attendant answers all incoming calls and directs them to the right extension. Service providers offer different sets of auto-attendant functions. Some have custom greetings and dial-by-name directory capabilities, while some contain only basic functions. The auto-attendant is able to handle multiple calls at the same time so that no caller hears a busy signal.

Call waiting goes together with the abovementioned features. Since all calls are answered, some callers would have to wait on the line before they are attended to. Some service providers feature music and messages on hold, enabling users to upload informational messages to be played to callers who are waiting for their call to be answered.

Voicemail catches all unanswered calls so that you do not lose any caller. Service providers have voicemail through email, letting you download voicemail messages as email attachments. No important call is lost.

Call forwarding allows businesses to have a single number that is connected to extensions. Service providers have different settings and answering rules for call forwarding. For instance, the ‘find me follow me’ feature enables calls to be forwarded to a series of phone numbers, or to a single number which the extension owner may be using. This allows employees to take business calls outside of the office.

Here are the other features that should be present in a comprehensive hosted PBX service:

1. Auto Attendant
2. Extension Dialing
3. Call Waiting
4. Call Forwarding
5. Conferencing
6. Voicemail to Email
7. Toll Free Numbers
8. Web-based call management
9. Complete Call Logs
10. Fax Solution
11. Caller ID
12. Call Transfer

It is best to get a complete hosted phone system. Startups and home-based businesses would benefit greatly from the advanced features of a hosted phone system, since it would help them project a more professional image. Features like call forwarding and voicemail to email can significantly help your employees stay in contact with the clients, regardless of whether they are in the office or out on the road. Even a simple and seemingly trivial feature like music on hold can keep the waiting customers entertained.

A hosted PBX phone system is rated as the best communications solution for small businesses. The features are ideally suited to their communication requirements, and the pricing plans are very affordable. It offers the callers all the functionalities of the traditional PBX phone system through a hosted server, and more.

Cyril Bird is a SEO copywriter for VoIP Phone Service, Internet Fax Service and PBX Phone System. He has written many articles in various topics like IP Phone Service, 800 Numbers and Answering Service. For more information visit: http://www.ringcentral.com/

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There are several instances of people who originally had VoIP for their home connections now wishing to expand the facility to the entire house. This will make VoIP for the entire premises use much more purposeful, rather than using only one or two phones and having a somewhat truncated service. This is not difficult to achieve and can be done after fulfilling some basic formalities. The basic steps to connect the house phone wiring to the VoIP would be to discontinue your current service with your present telecom facility.

Disconnect the previous telecom’s wires from connecting with the home’s wires at the Network Interface Box or Demarc (short for demarcation). This box may be located on the side of the house, usually close to the cable TV box and power. This is the box where the telecom’s wires come from outside and connect with the wires in the house.

Many demarc boxes have two sections, one where you have access to your premises’ section and the other meant for telecom company access. You will have to identify and disconnect each of the telephone company’s lines that connect with the house lines. The disconnection has to be done properly lest any voltage entering the premises can interfere with the VoIP service and damage the equipments.

It is also necessary to wrap each disconnected wire with insulation tape as a safety measure. Then Connect the VoIP RJ-11 cable from the phone jack of the ATA to a wall jack in the house. In certain cases there may be a RJ-11 connecter used to connect the house wires with the streets wires. In such a case, unplug the RJ-11 connector. It is advisable that you should check with a meter for any voltage that may be present across the terminals for the in-home wiring.

After completely disconnecting the previous telecom’s lines from your house lines at the demarc, tit is preferable to test with one of the phones connected to a wall jack inside the house to make sure it is completely dead. Make sure there are no voltages present before closing the box securely. If you are not confident of doing any or all of these, it is better to hire the services of a competent telecom technician.

Now the stage is for your connecting the VoIP to the house wiring. For this, take a telephone cable and connect one end into the ATA’s phone port and the other end into a telephone wall jack. Then go to a phone that is plugged into another wall jack and check for dial tone. Once you have the dial tone, you will be able to communicate and make outgoing calls and receive incoming calls without hindrance.

When choosing to connect the VoIP to the premises’ phone wiring you will have to consider certain a few more important points:

Cyril Bird is a SEO copywriter for VoIP Phone Service, Internet Fax Service and Toll Free Numbers. He has written many articles in various topics like Virtual PBX System, 800 Number and IP Phone Service. For more information visit: Ring Central

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Both hosted VoIP services and in-house IP PBX phone systems have their own merits and demerits. It is therefore necessary to understand the fundamental differences between the two systems and thoroughly weigh the pros and cons before choosing one system over the other.

A hosted VoIP service consists of an Internet phone system that connects phone lines and other communication tools. A service provider carries and manages the technological needs and resources required to make the system work. IP phones that are usually included in bundle packages are plugged into a router on premise. All the signaling, calls and functions are taken care of by the service provider’s IP-PBX server. Subscribers are charged monthly fees for the services rendered.

An IP PBX phone system, on the other hand, is like a conventional PBX set up in an on-premise location. Users purchase hardware and equipment and have them installed and connected using gateway cards. Signaling takes place from the IP phone to the PBX server over LAN. Calls may take place through traditional PSTN connections or over the Internet using VoIP.

If you decide to use an IP PBX phone system, you need to buy and maintain equipment, including a server with the correct interface cards. On the other hand, subscribing to a hosted VoIP service requires that you buy only the IP phone units that connect to the Internet.

The initial costs for subscribing to a hosted VoIP service is therefore more affordable than setting up an IP PBX system. Moreover, it does not demand continuous maintenance and technical attention. With a hosted VoIP service, all problems can be solved remotely by the service provider. This may turn into a disadvantage if the host system is unreliable. You would have little or no control over the performance of your phone system, and can cause you communication problems.

Even as IP PBX eliminates the risk of monthly user fee hikes, hosted phone service providers will obviously have a lot more features to offer their subscribers. Users can expect system upgrades and enhancements as competition in the hosted VoIP industry compete against each other. If you want professional communications equipped with advanced features, it would well be worth to spend your money on comprehensive plans from VoIP service providers.

Hosted VoIP also gives users mobility. Since units are not dependent on hardware and equipment stored in a single location, you can take your communications anywhere there is an Internet connection. An advantage of having your own PBX system, on the other hand, is the control that it gives you. As opposed with hosted services which highly depend on settings from the provider, a PBX system gives you the ability to fine tune the system down to its littlest detail.

With a hosted VoIP service, you are mainly dependent on the service provider. The signaling and voice quality of calls are dependent on the host’s system. When you lose your Internet connection, you also lose your access to calls, voicemail messages and faxes. Your phone number, as well as all the features and functions that go with it, rests with the provider and their financial and operational stability.

On the other hand, an IP-PBX requires constant attention of a technical staff, requiring additional costs for manpower. As you expand your communications system, you would face risks of having a more complex PBX system that is more prone to problems. In the unlikely event that your IP PBX manufacturer closes business, you would be stranded without the ability to manage the system at its root.

Making the choice between a hosted VoIP service and an on-premise PBX system depends on your needs and capabilities as a company. It is best to review actual products and services to help you decide on the best choice for your communications.

Cyril Bird is a SEO copywriter for VoIP Phone Service, Internet Fax Service and Toll Free Numbers. He has written many articles in various topics like Virtual PBX System, 800 Number and IP Phone Service. For more information visit: Ring Central

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From a marketing perspective, it can be said without fear of contradiction that any advertisement – be it on electronic or print media – a toll-free number is sure to attract a larger response. Businessmen who use toll free numbers are fully aware of the benefits of it, but others are blissfully ignorant how much business they are losing by not using the toll-free number.

Marketing professionals are convinced that advertising with a toll-free number can bring in 30% more orders than advertisements that carry no toll free number. Additionally, statistics show that product return rates can be decreased by as much as half. Interestingly, it is learned that customers call in to resolve their problems after buying rather than return the goods if a toll free number is provided.

There is no denying that numbers are a great boon for the business community. The 800 number by itself motivates consumers to readily respond. Vanity numbers – in other words, the toll-free numbers that spell out a word or words associated with a product or brand, are far more productive though some may consider it not cost-effective. A market survey was conducted to compare the impact of numeric toll free numbers versus toll free vanity numbers in radio advertising. Half of the ads mentioned a numeric phone number, and the other half mentioned a vanity number. The results: The vanity number received a whopping 14 times more responses than the 800 numeric.

Here are some valuable tips on how to fully take advantage of toll free numbers:

1. When you print sales promotion materials like – business cards, pamphlets, brochures, and catalogs, make sure to prominently print your toll-free number preferably in a couple of places.

2. Make a habit of coloring or bolding the words – “toll free”.

3. When you advertise in print medium, mention your toll-free number and preferably use the phrase “Contact us TOLL FREE at…”.

4. Customers must be firmly reassured that the phone call to your business will cost them nothing.

5. Make sure you display your toll-free number on your website in several areas and be sure to include your email address so customers have two options for contacting you.

6. If your business can afford it, create a vanity number, so that people easily remember your business and contact details.

Further, toll free numbers attract customers to your business because they give it an air of professionalism. They also increase the customer’s confidence in the security of financial transactions with your company. You can also create a virtual office in your home-based business. A huge benefit of your toll-free number is – calls can be forwarded to your cell phone, pager, email address, and even you home phone – thereby no longer tying you down to your office desk. Its numbers also carry a lot of features including audio conferences, professional voice announcement feature, call screening, call recording, call forwarding, auto attendant etc.

Please know that apart from businesses, there are enough this benefits to your personal life as well. A toll free number will tempt everyone in your life to regularly contact and stay in touch with you. Even less affluent relatives will find it easy to call you regularly by getting a personalized. The toll-free number benefits both you and all your friends and relatives, as they can stay in close contact. A toll free number will benefit school-going children and college-going children as they will be able to call you at any time, even when they have no money.

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