Johannesburg, 25 Oct 2012
Effective, efficient communication channels are essential to the functioning of any business. In the current market economy, where competition is cut-throat, it is the effectiveness of a company's ability to communicate its products and services to its ecosystem that makes the difference between success and failure. As an affordable business communication solution that is flexible enough to keep pace with changing market trends in a cost-effective way, VOIP is providing a competitive edge for many businesses.
However, not all VOIP services are created equal. The convergence of communication channels onto integrated platforms has become the mantra of well-connected corporate - and this has led to a multitude of providers offering a wide variety of solutions. While each has its benefits, companies should evaluate what their provider's offering entails in order to find the best fit for their business, says www.whichvoip.co.za MD Mitchell Barker.
He explains that for those companies looking for a specific or fully comprehensive solution, a tier 1 provider that owns its own network will be able to offer more value than a reseller. "In order to get value out of your VOIP installation, it is essential that you partner with a provider that delivers excellent service and essential features. While these are important, a robust network and competent switching platform are the core foundations on which all other features rest, so for companies that are looking for a solution that carries guarantees, VOIP from a pure reseller might not be the right answer. A tier 1 provider owns its network, controls the connectivity, and supports the solution."
As an example, he points to Vox Telecom, one of South Africa's biggest and most successful tier 1 VOIP providers. "Vox Telecom has an advantage over many others in the market, because it has been operating in both the voice and data markets for over 10 years. Any VOIP business achieves success by providing uninterrupted service, but Vox's innovative approach has kept it ahead of the pack," Barker says.
Telecommunications is no longer a technology business, says Vox Telecom's Douglas Reed, and customers should reconsider their suppliers accordingly."Telecommunications has become a service business," says Reed. "As a customer, all you really want is for your phones to work and your data to move where it should. Whether that's achieved using wires or cellphone towers or tin cans and string, it shouldn't matter - that should be the service provider's problem.You want a supplier who can take you into the future, using technologies that may not have been invented yet, so we remain strongly focused on staying ahead of the game."
Vox Telecom ensures all technologies which intertwine with communications and infrastructure are part of its portfolio, in order to ensure its offerings remain innovative, and the company offers a number of products and a number of solutions in a number of packages to provide the flexibility its customers are used to. "They are also one of the most competitively priced providers in the market today. They don't force customers to purchase equipment on capex, but also offer a range of products on an opex model, where they finance the kit themselves and basically 'rent' it out. This is a plus for any company looking to ensure the cost-effectiveness of their installation," Barker adds.
A VOIP network offers integration of most communication tools that a modern office has to offer, including new, sophisticated features of its own. Combining technological know-how with a world-class network, superior voice quality and great service, tier 1 providers like Vox Telecom offer companies a chance to reduce costs, increase revenue and plan for long-term growth. "All this indicates that business VOIP is truly the revolutionary technology that it was anticipated to be. With more and more VOIP products and services in the market today, reliable and optimum quality VOIP is enabling uninterrupted business," Barker concludes.
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