On-Premise vs Hosted Phone Systems

Modern VoIP business phone system come in two major flavours. One is an on-premise IP-PBX, and the other is hosted, or cloud based solution.

If you are looking at new options for upgrading your telephone system in your office, it is a good idea to take a look at the hosted PBX systems. We are aware that local, on-site telephone systems are something that everyone is quite familiar and comfortable with. However, hosted PBX systems are the latest trend in the market, and it has several advantages. If you are looking at options to replace the old telephone system at your office, then it is important to weigh all the options.

Some businesses have compulsions to have on-premise IP-PBX. Keeping track of calls, keeping tight control on call costs, privacy, and a number of other factors contribute to this requirement.

There are certain facts that distinguish on-premise phone systems from hosted PBX phone lines.

On-Premise Business Phone System:

The biggest difference in an on-premise phone system is the greater upfront costs. An estimate is approximately $500-$800 per employee which includes all expenses such as individual handsets, the main IP-PBX hardware, cabling/wiring which is mandatory to operate the system. Many newer phone systems are considered to be a hybrid as they are capable of handling both IP as well as PSTN circuits.

Another factor to consider is the maintenance of an on-premise phone system.  Maintenance has to be done regularly, so there may be a need for a network and/or technical engineer.

If you are using a hybrid system, there are additional monthly costs for the use of PSTN trunk lines. The telephone service company then adds taxes, surcharges, and additional fees.  These charges add up and can really become excessive.

Hosted PBX Service:

A hosted phone system is basically a cloud-based solution. A service provider hosts all the hardware needed in a data center, and gives you connectivity through the internet.

First, there is no need to purchase or install an IP-PBX. You only have to buy the number of IP phones you need.  All the hardware is installed in an alternate off-site data center. There is no other cabling or wiring cost because the IP phones are simply connected to your existing computer network which is connected to the Internet.

Second, since there is less hardware to maintain, monthly maintenance costs are reduced. The user simply picks up the phone, plugs it into an Ethernet jack, and the rest of the work including registration of the phone is done by the hosted IP-PBX server.

Service providers offer very attractive rates for hosted VoIP business phones. For example, Toshiba hosted phone service is available for as low as 24.99 per month.

Take a look at your requirements, and choose the best VoIP phone system ideally suited for you needs.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

Improving VoIP Voice Quality

VoIP is the new technology in telephone service which uses the Internet. This is a great way to be in touch with family and colleagues, irrespective of their location. VoIP does not distinguish between national, international and, local calls as it uses the data network. This emerging service helps business owners stay in touch with their clients, employees and others. VoIP has its own set of unique advantages and disadvantages.

Since VoIP is a relatively new technology, call quality can be a concern at locations where Internet connections are slow. The calls are more often rife with many issues like unclear sound, echoes, jitters etc. VoIP depends on the Internet and it requires genuine bandwidth or speed to function without any issues. Given below is a list of tips that can help you overcome the problems that can mar the overall experience of using VoIP technology:

  • The first and foremost countermeasure is to have a fast Internet connection. Opting for a VoIP based on a dial up connection is not a meaningful way to use VoIP as it will have poor audio quality. DSL connections do not help either, so the first need for a high quality VoIP call is a high quality Internet. Look at broadband options where you can allocate a minimum bandwidth for VoIP calls.
  • The next problem is interference from natural elements. Natural elements like rain, thunderstorms, snowfall and other factors can affect VoIP calls and increase static noise. In those circumstances, the only option left is to reboot the entire system to remove static noise. A more permanent solution is to have a connection that is immune to the vagaries of nature. Your service provider needs to change the cables with some high quality cables to reduce static noise. Inside your premises, protect you wiring and make sure they are not close to electrical wiring.
  • VoIP works by transmitting voice-turned-data packets over the Internet. In this process, software compresses large data into a smaller size for transmission. Low quality compression software can lower the quality of voice that is being transmitted. Make sure that a high quality voice compression software is used.
  • Hardware can be another reason for bad audio quality. The hardware is directly responsible for the transmission of data through the Internet. The most important piece in the system is the ATA or Router. ATAs have support for echo cancellation, security firewall, etc. There are several instances where the equipment used in the system can interfere with each other to create feedback resulting in noises and call drops. Therefore, it is mandatory to place the hardware and the equipment for the system in such a way that there is no interference.
  • There are many things that can affect the VoIP call quality. So regular maintenance of the computer is vital. There should be enough memory for the high quality microphones and speakers.   This will secure the quality of VoIP calls.
  • The sort of phone as well as the frequency can also affect the class of one’s VoIP. A lot of people have the belief that the higher a phone’s frequency is, the better the excellence of VoIP. However, in some cases, a lower frequency phone may be more suitable for one’s connection than ones with higher frequency. It may be desirable to attempt a phone with a lower frequency if someone is experiencing a lot of audio feedback.

The above tips would help to improve the quality of the audio in VoIP, and it will ensure high performance of communication one needs to run a business conversation effectively.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

VIPedge Wins 2014 Cloud Computing Excellence Award

2014 Cloud Computing Excellence Award

Toshiba’s VIPedge® has won a 2014 Cloud Computing Excellence Award from TMC, a global, integrated media company. “Toshiba is recognized as a leader in the advancement of cloud computing with the announcement of Toshiba’s VIPedge cloud-based business telephone solution as a recipient of the Fourth Annual Cloud Computing Excellence Award,” said Rich Techrani CEO of TMC. “Toshiba is honored for its achievement in bringing innovation and excellence to the market, while leveraging the latest technology trends.”

2014 PRODUCT AWARDS

TMC Excellence Award

VIPedge® Cloud-Based Solution 2014 Cloud Computing Award

Toshiba is honored for its achievement in bringing innovation and excellence to the market.

Internet Telephony

IPedge App Server 2014 Product of the Year Award

Recognized for representing the best in technology and communications products and solutions.

TMCnet Customer Magazine

VIPedge Call Manager Mobile 2014 CRM Excellence Award

Toshiba Telecom for being a true CRM partner to its customers.

Communications Solutions

IPedge® App Server Wins 2014 Product of the Year Award

Toshiba’s IPedge Application Server has demonstrated true innovation and is amongst the best solutions that facilitate voice, data and video communications

TMC CUSTOMER

VIPedge Call Manager Mobile 2014 Product of the Year

Honored for improving customer experience through innovation.

Toshiba Award - Internet Telephony

Toshiba Award - Customer

Toshiba Award - Communications Solutions

Toshiba Award - Customer - Product of Year

 

Benefits of Unified Communications

Unification is the buzz word for UC. It combines business data and telephony in the same network and allows businesses to use and combine voice and data information in a common business application. One can save and forward faxes, instant messages, emails, use video conferencing or do voice phone calls as just a simple chunk of data. Above all UC can encrypt the data. Thus when your data floats on the web, there are no chances of it being intercepted by the wrong person.

Unifed CommunicationsThe advantages of Unified Communication go beyond this and can be experienced when an employee uses a single phone number or handset and an inbox, which is unified for all their communications. It is different from other standard systems which are server-based and use digital networks and IP. Here are some of the applications and their benefits.

Advanced Telephony

If your business is spread over multiple geographical locations, your employees can communicate directly with each other by using UC. Unlike with a normal PSTN system, they don’t even have to remember the area code. You can also offer advanced call forwarding to various devices. With hunt groups, the incoming calls may search for an idle extension. Regardless of the location, UC can offer ringing of multiple devices like mobile phone, desk phone and desktop simultaneously. Thus, as a phone user you are benefitted by having a single number for all your devices.

Users also benefit from UC by only having a single unified voicemail box to check messages. These messages can also be sent to your email inbox for more convenience.

Cheaper calls and simplified billing

UC offers lower cost calling than the traditional telephony as it is mainly based on a digital network. As the voice and videos are carried as data over the various networks, businesses receive the benefit of reducing their phone bills by using this unified system in their organizations.

With it, the billing system can be simplified and even system administration becomes much easier. And combining the disparate services through a single vendor also reduces the total cost of conferencing. With UC, businesses can get predictable bills and thus can estimate their monthly costs.

Presence and knowing when you can take a call

With UC, businesses get Presence technology which allows different business associates and colleagues to find out who is available online and whether they can be contacted or not. Just as one sees the status of their friends in social networks, the presence of one individual is indicated if they are available either on their home phone, mobile or desk phone. The users can also state whether they are driving or are in a meeting and are allowed to put a comment about their status.

Another way presence is beneficial is that with it, an employee can easily locate an expert on a specific issue and get connected to them easily with UC. For example, if there is a problem of any critical technological aspect, one can get to the expert and get the solution. In such situations the communication starts with a simple SMS or instant messaging, and then they may be escalated all the way up to video conferencing if required.

Unified Communications and Contact Management

Last but not the least, contact management integration can be easily done with UC; hence, employees can easily access a single phone book for all business contacts, throughout the organization and across the globe.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

5 Important VoIP System Features For Your Business

As technology advances, so does the technology of VoIP over traditional PSTN. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has advantages over Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) as it can be more cost efficient and offers many more features. It offers more advanced calling options and at a reasonable cost, less costly than PSTN. When a stable VoIP system is implemented, it enables users to move a step forward towards Unified Communication. Here are 5 important features of that are useful for any business.

1. Auto Attendant

With this feature the user is allowed to access a menu through which he can easily choose a desirable extension. Automated attendant is like a virtual assistant, which performs the job of a telephone operator. When someone calls, the auto attendant answers the call and guides the caller through a variety of options like business hours, directions, departments, extensions or any pre-recorded messages. With an auto attendant, small organizations can appear to be a large enterprise. An auto attendant is programmable and works 24/7.

2. Voicemail / Call Forwarding

Commonly known as ‘find-me follow-me’ in VoIP services, you can set a number of IP addresses to forward your incoming calls. Users are allowed to route several numbers so that their clients are able to reach them when they want. This is possible with Presence software which allows the important calls to reach the person whom they need, irrespective of the time and date. This is useful for users who have overseas workers too, as calls can be routed to them easily. A caller may also leave a voicemail if they are unable to reach you through call forwarding. Thus, important messages are always accessible to you and your colleagues.

3. Call Recording

In a PSTN network, you need to install special devices for recording calls. Since VoIP uses a computer network, all calls can be easily recorded. These calls can be saved or forwarded as necessary. It is important to understand that recording calls without the permission of the other party may be illegal in some states. It is best practice, to request permission to record a phone conversation. However, some states (i.e. – Louisiana) are a one-party recording state which means that only one party in the conversation needs to know the call is being recorded. So, it’s perfectly fine to record a phone call you are on.

4. DND

Do Not Disturb or DND gives you privacy when needed. It leaves you undisturbed by any calls. Once you turn it on, you can easily stop incoming calls to your number. When you are attending any conferences, seminars or meetings you can easily stop unwanted calls from disturbing you. And not only that, it allows you to program the VoIP system in a way that, while you are ignoring the call, you can forward the caller to a voice mail or any other destination so that you may get the information once you are done with your meeting. It is always good idea to tell the caller why you are not able to answer the call. This can be programmed.

5. Conference Calling

When one is using PSTN, you may have to bear some extra charges for conference calls. In VoIP, conference calling is built into the system. You can start a call and simply rope in your colleagues and others into the call. Of course, the system can be programmed to allow conferencing for certain extensions, or even the number of participants that can attend a conference all. These are for security reasons.

These are just some basic features that VoIP provides its users. Apart from these, some other features available are Voicemail to email transcription, call screening, music on hold, and coaching tools like barge and whisper.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

Why we use VoIP, and you should, too!

From small businesses to large corporate houses, everyone seems to have come under the spell of VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol. If you too have a strong urge to dump your PSTN phones and migrate to the latest VoIP system, it is time to learn about some of the features that it offers. This is just an attempt to make you feel more confident about your choice and at the same time outline the immense power of VoIP technology:

Voicemail to Email transcription

This is probably an extension of the digital PSTN phones that we got in the early 80s – voicemail became a part of the phones. Since then voicemail had become an important part of our lives. From business communication to personal messages – it has become a way of life. With the advancement in technology, now the voicemail can be attached to our email as audio files. This is a significant improvement as it allows all our important voicemails to be converted into email transcriptions that can be accessed at our convenience. We also get to enjoy another big advantage – no messages can now be missed as the storage of voicemails as audio files can be accessed at any point in time.

Music on Hold

Music on hold is another significant feature offered by the latest VoIP systems. This feature will help us to create a professional image in front of our clients. We get the opportunity to professionally keep our callers waiting till someone from the authorized department attends the call. Often callers tend to get restless when they are kept on hold but if the waiting time can be filled with some soothing music or some interesting information about the company then the wait might not be so boring. It is very important that the callers (rather the customers) are made to feel special and music on hold is just another way to achieve that goal.

Conferencing

Conferencing feature offered by VoIP has been taken to another level where the advanced technology is helping people located in the most remote location of the world to take part in virtual meetings. Small business owners are using this future to the fullest as they are able to log in from a variety of devices and take part in vital meetings of companies and government agencies. Some of the most advanced conferencing solutions have been integrated by the VoIP service providers to pep up their service bouquet.

Unified Communication

UC or Unified communication is the most intelligent way of integrating all the communication tools and channels on a single platform. Unified communication allows multiple communication devices to be linked to the same VoIP network. The single platform allows easy management of all the communication channels and keeps them all in sync with one another. The administrator or owner can keep a tab on the calls being made from the system and can even limit the number of calls for a user. Unified communication has given a complete new management style for a variety of devices using a common VoIP network.

Cost cutting

People are finding VoIP to be an economic alternative to their old PSTN telephone systems. VoIP systems allow the owners cut down their operating costs and maintain profitability for the company. VoIP calls are cheaper than the calls made from traditional calls and this is true for even the international or overseas calls. Thus cheaper alternatives allow the company owners choose the VoIP above others.

About Universal ComOne

Universal ComOne offers award winning business telephone systems that are right for any business. We can design a solution to fit your needs. Call 337-205-9364 for all your communication needs.

Tsunami Gift Card Winner!

Congratulations!

The Winner of our $100 Tsunami Gift Card is Cheryl Addison!

We sincerely appreciate everyone who participated in our Facebook promotion!

We are Proud to Celebrate the Launch of our New Website
and All its Cool New Features:

  • Submit Service Orders Online
  • View Current Promotions
  • View Training Videos
  • Learn the benefits of a Cloud vs. On-Site Phone System
  • Post a Testimonial (we’d love to hear your thoughts)
  • And Much More…

 Keep in touch with us for future Giveaways!

facebook_32 Like us on Facebook
google+32 Follow us on Google+
youtube_32 Subscribe to us on YouTube
twitter  Follow us on Twitter

And don’t forget to check out our current promotions Click Here.

Universal-ComOne-Universal-ComOne-Offical-Logo
As always, we appreciate your business 
and the opportunity to serve you.

How to Solve Multi-Party Conferencing

Conferencing is a regular activity in an office space. Individuals need to be able to meet with other team members as well as clients to discuss upcoming projects, planning, ideas and more. In today’s business world, technology is continuing to evolve at a rapid rate. Because of this, offices have even more capabilities when it comes to conferencing. With such options as VoIP, individuals can meet with team members anywhere the world with just an Internet connection.

The Need for Multi Party conferencing

Individuals can use technology to host conferences with individuals anywhere they choose. With voice, data and even video capabilities, the choices are endless. In many instances, an individual may need to meet with team members or clients based in other areas around the globe. This is when multi-party conferencing is needed.

With multi-party conferencing, individuals from different locations can converge in one area online. This can be done via several different channels, preferably with telepresence, VoIP or unified communications. Each individual will use the same technology to be gathered in one place online to be able to discuss a project, host a business meeting, etc.

While conferencing is a normal occurrence, there are some business minded individuals who have yet to host or be part of a multi-party conference. One must be well-versed in the basic features of this type of conferencing to make sure that the best solution is used. There are several options for video conferencing in multi-party format but key features must be included for optimal performance. Below are a few key features to consider.

Participant Numbers

The standard video conference will allow you to see one individual or possibly two. For a multi-party conference with more individuals involved, more coverage is needed. Concentrate on using a video conferencing method that allows for multiple parties in a video call. Cutting edge technology has been created that can cater to more individuals been seen during video call’s and, with HD capabilities, you will be able to see every facial expression and body language clearly.

Application Sharing Support

Having the ability to share applications is also important when conducting a video conference. Businesses want to use a service that provides sharing over all application aspects from documents to programs and more. With an easy ‘Share’ button, individuals will be able to quickly share the items they feel is important during the conference.
File transferring is also important. Many video conferencing solutions will provide the option to Drag and Drop files for transfer. Some even have the capabilities to drag and drop on an individual’s picture to send the document straight to that person.

Enterprise Grade Security

Companies also want to use a video conferencing service that is secure. Top quality providers of video conferencing technology will provide a user-friendly interface that has above average security standards to keep the information shared over the network private and secure.

Intelligent band management (light on network)

It is also important to use video collaboration tools that are light on a network to have intelligent band management. Most services can provide capabilities on a 3G cellular level making it easy for a quick conference call or video chat.

Budget Friendly

Most options are also budget friendly and customizable to what is really needed for a business. This way, the company can have exactly what they need for video conferencing capabilities without an additional cost.
By using providers who offer such features, companies are able to provide video conferencing capabilities that will only be of benefit to both the employees as well as the bottom line. Multi-party conferencing will be a breeze and provide the potential for unlimited growth and development.

Move Your Phone System To The Cloud

Toshiba VIPedge_Web Banner_964x355 Pixels  (TSD.9136)

Universal ComOne Louisiana is locally owned and operated in Lafayette, LA, with additional offices in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Houma & Gulfport. We enjoy serving the Acadiana area, and we are proud to offer VIPedge, a robust cloud phone system.

LOCAL DISPATCH: Our local technicians will install and program your VIPedge phones on-site. We will also run any cabling necessary. Other Hosted Phone System providers simply ship you the phones and require an IT specialist to install.

TRAINING: We offer FREE user training after your VIPedge phones are installed. We don’t expect you to know how to use all of the advanced features, and sometimes a User Guide is just not enough. We take the time to educate all of your end-users during an on-site or teleconference training session.

SUPPORT: We offer local support and customer service.  Have a question about your phones or voicemail…or maybe you just forgot how to make a conference call…give us a call, and we will assist you with any problems you may have.

UPGRADES: Let us manage your system for you. Software upgrades are FREE and are done automatically in the cloud. We want you to stay on the cutting EDGE of technology.

ADVANCED FEATURES: VIPedge includes an entire suite of telephone features for FREE.

MOBILITY: Stay connected using a cell phone, laptop, or tablet PC. Don’t be confined to a desk. With VIPedge’s mobile options, you can be equally productive when you are away from your desk. Access internal extensions, external lines and voicemail from anywhere on-site or any remote locations that have internet service.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Universal ComOne takes it a step further and offers FREE UNLIMITED remote program changes with Professional Services agreement.

OLD EQUIPMENT BUY-BACK: If you have old or antiquated telephone equipment that you will no longer need after switching to VIPedge hosted telephone solution, Universal ComOne may offer to buy-back your equipment based on the fair market value as well as supply and demand.

If the hosted system application does not seem like a good fit for your company at this time, allow Universal ComOne to consult with you to design a solution that best fits your business needs.

Cloud-Based Service or On-Site PBX?

Which approach is right for your IP business communications?

Most business owners realize it doesn’t make sense to do everything in-house. It is not realistic—or necessary—to maintain all the services and infrastructure needed to run the business. For example, for most small to medium-size businesses (SMB), it usually makes more sense to have the building owner handle HVAC and landscaping, a security company to watch the property, and an agency to handle PR and marketing. It just doesn’t make sense to maintain staff and facilities for those support functions when quality services are readily available from specialists.

The same is true of your company’s business communications as well. There’s no need to buy, install and maintain an on-site PBX (private branch exchange telecommunications server)—unless you want to. With cloud-based voice over IP (VoIP) service from a trusted service provider, you can get advanced IP business communications as a pay-as-you-go service from a specialist.

An affordable alternative to an on-premises business telephone system, VIPedge enables companies to pay a monthly service fee based upon system size and usage instead of purchasing a telephone system.

Here are some of the top reasons hosted VoIP offerings such as Toshiba’s VIPedge cloud service are gaining traction with SMBs.

Trade a capital expenditure for a predictable monthly operating expense.   With cloud-based VoIP, the central intelligence of the telephone system resides in a service provider’s secure data center. All you have to buy or lease are the end-user devices—such as phones and routers—and the local area network (LAN) to connect those devices to the provider’s IP network. Instead of an upfront capital acquisition for the server, you simply pay a monthly service fee based on the number of users and the selected calling plan.

Reduce the cost of business communications—without compromise.   Toshiba’s VIPedge starts at an average of a dollar per day per user. The standard business user fee includes VIPedge capabilities and unlimited free local and long-distance minutes. International calls are charged on a per-minute basis.

With VIPedge, your company can budget for communication services as a predictable monthly operating expense. There are no added costs for annual maintenance contracts, software upgrades and other system support requirements. You also do away with the cost of office space and energy to house, protect and power the phone system. You also reduce network costs by running voice and data on the same IP infrastructure and the same trunk connection to the managed IP network.

Hosted VoIP package for any size business.   Some vendors offer very limited capabilities with their hosted VoIP solutions. Toshiba’s VIPedge service delivers a comprehensive feature suite, such as advanced call processing, voicemail with unified messaging, unified communications, and the ability to use a PC or laptop as an IP soft phone. With advanced IP communications capabilities, any small business can present a big-business persona to the public and compete with much larger organizations.

Toshiba’s VIPedge service provides the award-winning benefits of an on-premises business telephone system, but without the need to buy, install or maintain your own servers.

Keep users in command of their preferences and customizations.  Using the administration application via a PC, tablet or laptop, users securely access the phone system over the Web to:

  • Personalize telephone settings such as key button programming and call forwarding instructions;
  • Retrieve information, such as voice mail or email messages and chat; and
  • Activate or deactivate phone features.

Get better performance from your business phone system.   With the VIPedge cloud service, your telephone system is managed by IT specialists in world-class data centers that have power protection, survivability and disaster recovery resources far beyond what any small business could provide. You don’t have to worry about powering, maintaining or updating the server. Toshiba takes care of all that in the cloud, and you always benefit from the latest firmware, software and features.

Become a more agile business.   With a cloud service, you’re not locked into a long-term commitment to on-site equipment or a specific communications approach. Pay only for what you need today, and expand on demand. It’s easy to open a new location or add seats to meet short-term or unexpected requirements. New applications are efficiently deployed and managed in the cloud rather than on individual devices. With this flexibility, the business can respond rapidly to new opportunities and changing market conditions.

Advantages of the VIPedge service vs. Purchasing an On-Site telephone system

  • Gain the benefits of an on-site PBX without having to buy the system.
  • Reduce capital expenditure to purchase equipment.
  • Get the award-winning benefits of an on-site phone system.
  • Budget exact telecommunication costs with fixed monthly fees.
  • Eliminate costly software upgrades.
  • Avoid PBX equipment obsolescence.
  • Save facility space and power by reducing telephone system equipment requirements.
  • Eliminate the costs of system management.
  • Easily expand VIPedge to support more users, locations and applications.
  • Enjoy premium uptime with rigorous data center protections and integral survivability.
  • Migrate to an on-site IPedge system at any time.

One of the most exciting things about VIPedge is the surprisingly low price for the number of powerful, enterprise-level features you get.  Larger enterprises spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide their employees with these advanced calling features that Toshiba provides for about a dollar per day per seat.

With VIPedge, there is no PBX equipment to buy, install, maintain and replace, no maintenance contracts or IT personnel to pay, and no software upgrades to install.  It’s all fully managed for you.