VoIP in an Office Situation

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Xt1ncT

110 posts

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#31703 27-Mar-2009 15:21

My business is growing and I need a new phone system. I've been told that VoIP can be more cost effective and is scaleable.

My question is this - what is the best broadband to get to achieve this. The broadband also needs to connect the office to the internet for email CRM etc.

I'm going to need about 5 lines initially and want to be able to increase this.

Also, a potential business partner has 2 landlines already and he doesn't want to lose those numbers. Can we port those to the system along with my existing number and fax number and then have the calls route to where they need to go?

Thanks for the help

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sbiddle

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#203742 27-Mar-2009 15:32

Where in NZ are you located? Being a business operation I'd suggest you get some expert advice rather than attempting to do anything yourself. What sort of options are you looking at? Do you need a PBX? Or are you just planning on using IP phones or an ATA with analogue phones plugged in?

Yes moving to VoIP can save you money but one of the big advantages is that it can offer you far more flexibility which I'm sure you're aware of.

Virtually any number from an existing major telco in NZ can be ported to a VoIP carrier that supports number portability (and all the major VoIP providers in NZ do) so there should be no issues moving your numbers.

Xt1ncT

110 posts

Master Geek

#203743 27-Mar-2009 15:35

sbiddle: Where in NZ are you located? Being a business operation I'd suggest you get some expert advice rather than attempting to do anything yourself. What sort of options are you looking at? Do you need a PBX? Or are you just planning on using IP phones or an ATA with analogue phones plugged in?

Yes moving to VoIP can save you money but one of the big advantages is that it can offer you far more flexibility which I'm sure you're aware of.

Virtually any number from an existing major telco in NZ can be ported to a VoIP carrier that supports number portability (and all the major VoIP providers in NZ do) so there should be no issues moving your numbers.

Yeah not going to do anything myself - we're in Apollo Drive Mairangi Bay

Options I am looking for are the ability to have more than one call going at a time, be able to transfer calls between users and voicemail - maybe voicemail to email.

Also to port 3 numbers so one of my staff members can have 2 dedicated numbers, and the other number to be the main office one. Maybe other DDIs as well.

nate

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#203758 27-Mar-2009 16:43

Xt1ncT: Options I am looking for are the ability to have more than one call going at a time, be able to transfer calls between users and voicemail - maybe voicemail to email.

Also to port 3 numbers so one of my staff members can have 2 dedicated numbers, and the other number to be the main office one. Maybe other DDIs as well.

All you have described above is easy to accomplish with any decent VoIP phone system, such as this one here (sidenote: I am a shareholder in that company).

I did a check to see if fibre/UNS (like ADSL but can support up to 2Mbps up/down) for a client towards the Constellation Drive end of Apollo Drive, at the middle of last year - unfortunately there was nothing cost effective available - ADSL won't cut it if you want 5 concurrent calls.

Not sure about wireless, this might be a path to explore.

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek

#203794 27-Mar-2009 20:56

Based on my experience last year using VOIP on an ADSL/2+ service in Sydney, I found it was fine with 3 or 4 concurrent calls PROVIDED there was little or none in the way of data traffic happening at the same time.

If there was heavy data traffic, then the VOIP system with more than 2 concurrent calls was struggling to cope and at times was almost un-useable.

Depending on your data traffic, you may want to consider separating your data & VOIP traffic with two independent ADSL services....

richms

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#204318 30-Mar-2009 22:11

I have had calls (g729) over a domestic adsl connection without problem in the past - 3 were IAX to tesco phone in the UK and 4 were on 2talk and italk locally, all into a meetme room and it worked ok.

Richard rich.ms