In today’s fast-paced business world, the right communication tools are essential to your success. Small businesses and large corporations are leaving traditional phone systems—and all their limitations—behind and transitioning to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication platforms. This modern communication solution can save you money and boost the efficiency of your workforce whether they work in the office or at home. 

When you know how to setup VoIP, the transition can be simple and painless. In this blog, we’ll tell you what you need to setup VoIP and walk you through the step-by-step process. 

VoIP 101: The Basics

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a communication technology that uses an internet connection, rather than traditional, analog phone lines (also known as landlines), to make voice calls. VoIP systems use IP phones or softphones (mobile and desktop apps) to convert audio into digital data that is transmitted over the internet using the internet protocol (IP). 

To setup VoIP at your business, you don’t need to host any hardware or software, nor do you need to deal with the cost and hassle of installing and maintaining the phone lines and dedicated phone jacks that are required with traditional analog phone systems. VoIP phones work through an internet connection (via Ethernet cable or WiFi) to make and receive phone calls. Your VoIP provider maintains the VoIP server and all the other technical infrastructure needed.

The ability to use the internet for voice calls gives businesses greater flexibility and scalability while reducing costs per call. It can help to increase productivity and enhance the customer experience with features like:

• Intelligent call routing
• Call queues
• Ring groups

It also enhances team communication with features such as:

• Extension-to-extension dialing
• In-app chat
• On-demand  videoconferencing
• Instant messaging (0ne-to-one SMS)

What You’ll Need to setup VoIP

• High-Speed Internet 

VoIP calls require a reliable high-speed internet connection with sufficient bandwidth (100 kbps of bandwidth for each concurrent call) to seamlessly transmit audio data. Most of today’s broadband internet services meet this requirement.

Although a wi-fi connection will work, a wired ethernet connection is preferred to limit interruptions or interference and quality issues.

• VoIP Service Provider

VoIP calling requires a reliable VoIP provider like CloudG. When you subscribe to our hosted service, our platform routes your calls over the internet. You can choose to implement new phone numbers or transition existing phone numbers to the system. Subscription costs are based on the number of features and phone lines you need.

• VoIP-enabled Hardware

VoIP-enabled handsets, IP phones, wireless headsets, and/or a softphone application (which works through your computer, tablet, or smartphone) are needed to make and receive VoIP phone calls.

It is also advantageous (though not required) to have VoIP-compatible routers which allow you to configure quality of service (QoS) to prioritize important calls (data packets). 

If your business has numerous phones, you can save some money by purchasing Analog Terminal Adapters (ATAs) which enable regular analog phones to connect to your router to work with your VoIP system.

How to Setup VoIP: 6 Easy Steps

Now that you know how VoIP works and what you’ll need to get started, here are the steps you’ll need to take to setup VoIP at your business.

Once you have subscribed to a VoIP service and setup VoIP at your business, all that’s left is to train your staff how to use the new system. Providing proper training is a must to ensure that your staff is using all the capabilities the system offers. Most VoIP service providers like CloudG have training guides and customer support teams available to assist you in training your staff so you don’t have to go it alone.

1. Test your internet connection to make sure you have the required bandwidth to support VoIP calls. As we mentioned before, a wi-fi connection will work, but an ethernet connection is preferred to minimize interference. If using VoIP-compatible routers, configure QoS to prioritize calls.
2. Acquire VoIP-enabled hardware as mentioned in the “What You’ll Need to setup VoIP” section above.
3. Subscribe to a VoIP service with a reliable, trusted provider like CloudG. Make sure your provider has advanced call routing features and offers all the other features and services you need, including encryption and security protocols. We can explain all the features available, stuff like auto attendant and interactive voice response (IVR), analytics, videoconferencing, instant messaging and much more.
4. Determine your phone number. To setup VoIP you will need to decide if you will “port over” existing phone numbers or obtain a new phone number(s). Your VoIP provider can handle this porting process for you.
5. Install and configure your VoIP devices as follows: VoIP-enabled phones/IP Phones: Connect to your internet router with an ethernet cable, then enter your VoIP Provider account information to setup VoIP on the phone. VoIP-enabled Wireless Headsets: To setup VoIP headsets , follow the instructions that come with these devices to connect with cables or pair to a Bluetooth connection. Softphone application: Download and install the softphone app from your VoIP service provider to setup VoIP and enable calls to come through your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Once the software is installed, configure your account settings (username, password, server information) with the credentials provided by your VoIP service provider. 
6. Test the quality of your setup to troubleshoot any issues with the connection and audio quality (including static, echoes, and latency/delays). Make sure to test for calls during typical high volume network activity periods and test calls for at least 30 minutes to ensure that the system’s firewall does not terminate calls inadvertently.

Now that you know what tools you need and how to setup VoIP at your business, contact CloudG to get started.

When it comes to providing telecommunication services like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)—a requirement in today’s digital world—Utah businesses can get a custom-built solution that meets internal and external communication needs from a trusted, LOCAL partner—at nearly half the cost of the other leading VOIP service providers Utah. In addition to being a more economical option, our VoIP solution is fully managed by our team of professionals. This means that we will not only set up and customize the voice solution, but will also provide ongoing support and management of it. Whether you are a large corporation or a small business, you need a reliable service provider that can provide the right solution for your business; one that connects you to your customers and/or remote employees through today’s digital communication channels, including phone, video conferencing, text, and social media. 

One of the most critical communication technologies in today’s fast-paced world is VOIP. This scalable communication platform enables you to unify your hybrid workforce, improve productivity, and provide better service to your customers. Our hosted VOIP service includes features like mobile app, auto-attendant, intelligent call routing, call queues, music on hold, voicemail, CMS integrations, to keep you connected to customers and giving employees access to all the necessary tools whether they are in the office or working from home. And the best thing about our solution is that you get all the experience and features offered by the other leading VOIP service providers Utah at a more affordable price. 

Our solution gives you all the communication tools you need in one unified platform. Combined with easy access to performance analytics and an experienced customer support team, our solution allows you to stay connected with customers and employees no matter where they are and to log important business information from every interaction. Our reliable service is designed to minimize disruption—with an uptime guarantee of 99.99%—so you can stay connected and conduct business in snowstorms, thunderstorms, or any weather condition.

Our coverage area reaches across the state, covering all counties, so no matter where you are in Utah, we have you covered. Coverage areas include:

Explore our customizable VOIP solution, see how our hosted VOIP solution compares to those of the other VOIP service providers in Utah, and request a quote.

Two and a half years after Covid closed offices around the world and required millions of workers to perform their jobs from their homes, the work-from-home “job feature” has gained a foothold across varying demographics, occupations, and locations, and remains a reality for more than half of the US workforce. According to a recent McKinsey & Company report*, more than 58% of the American workforce (approximately 92 million people) have the option of working from home at least one day a week and 35% have the option to work from home five days a week.

While this flexible staffing model is convenient for workers and typically more cost-effective for employers (less office space is required), issues can arise if you don’t have the right technology to support a work-from-home model. If your office staff fields customer calls, you need to ensure that the customer experience remains consistent whether your staff is in the office or at home.

One of the ways to ensure productivity and minimize issues is to upgrade your phone service to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). This technology, which allows office-based and remote employees to work on the same system, keeps your remote employees connected to your business no matter where they are. 

How it Works

VoIP uses the internet to digitize the user’s voice and send it to the receiver. Calls can be routed throughout offices and to remote locations without having the phone company run “lines.” This digital setup includes many features you can’t get with analog phones, including intelligent call routing, video conferencing, screen sharing, voice-to-text and call recording, analytics, and more.

Further, employees can be assigned a single number whether they are in the office or at a remote location and can integrate the technology—through an app—with their smartphones, allowing them to perform their work from anywhere.

Benefits of VoIP

Efficiency – VoIP uses an automated attendant to route customer calls, getting your customers to the right agents no matter where those agents are—all with one call to a single number.  In addition, changes such as adding more lines, scaling back, or reallocating lines, are quick and easy.

Cost – VoIP is a cost-effective option for most employers. No hardware is required to run the system; all you need is an internet connection and a subscription plan. There is no need to purchase additional hardware or pay setup fees every time you add a new employee.

Security – When used over a virtual private network (VPN), VoIP encrypts the data being sent over the company network, giving you a secure method of communicating and sharing data.

Tracking/Monitoring – VoIP records calls and reports data to you, so it is easy to track performance of in-office and remote workers. Metrics such as missed calls, call volume, and availability are easily monitored.

To get started with VoIP for your workforce, contact us.

*McKinsey & Company, Americans are embracing flexible work—and they want more of it