FAQs

Cloud is simply the transmission of voice traffic over IP-based networks, such as the Internet. The Internet Protocol (IP) was originally designed for data networking. The success of IP in becoming a world standard for data has led to its adaption for voice networking.

There are many benefits to using a Cloud Phone System. The biggest advantage is for businesses with multiple locations for a number of reasons:

• Any and all offices on a LAN or WAN can have the benefits of having a common office phone system such as extension dialling, seamless call transfers, and other features such as a single receptionist, auto-attendant and voice mail system.
• Sharing of features can enhance collaboration as employees at different locations can truly feel like they are part of the same organization.
• If calls are on the company network, the phone calls are free – even if offices are located thousands of miles apart.
• A more streamlined network infrastructure and improved administration. For network administrators, Cloud systems mean they only have one network to maintain instead of two. There is still separate phone system hardware to maintain – but only one network. The Move, Add, Change (MAC) process also is greatly simplified, because almost all Cloud systems are configurable through a web interface that can be managed by the administrator.
• Streamlined network infrastructure and improved administration, as for network administrators, Cloud systems mean they only have one network to maintain instead of two.
• Simplification of the Move Add, Change (MAC) process, as almost all Cloud systems are configurable through a web interface that can be managed by the administrator. This also removes the need to call your vendor for every relocation of an internal phone or change in call diversions or other simple administrative change in your phone system.
• Mobile and remote employees can connect to the company network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) through a Cloud phone system which allows them to make phone calls from the road at no extra charge.

Other familiar and essential phone system features like caller ID, call forwarding, simultaneous ringing across multiple phones, and other features you would find in traditional phone systems are available in most Cloud systems. Cloud phone systems can also support advanced Computer Telephony Integration applications, such as call centre management.

Cloud phone systems have the ability to save your business money in a number of different ways. These include:

• If calls are on the company network, the phone calls are free – even if offices are located thousands of miles apart.
• Low ongoing costs and savings which stem from the streamlined network infrastructure and improved administration. For network administrators, Cloud systems mean they only have one network to maintain instead of two. There is still separate phone system hardware to maintain – but only one network. The Move, Add, Change (MAC) process also is greatly simplified, because almost all Cloud systems are configurable through a web interface that can be managed by the administrator. This means lower ongoing costs — you will not need to call your vendor for every relocation of an internal phone or change in call diversions or other simple administrative change in your phone system.
• Multiple offices can share a single receptionist, auto-attendant, and voice mail system.
• Another significant cost saving is for benefit is for remote employees. If a remote users connect to the company network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN), a Cloud phone system allows them to make phone calls from the road at no extra charge. One salesperson on an extended trip can save hundreds of dollars in cell phone or hotel long-distance charges. All the user needs is a “soft phone,” (software that lets a laptop function as an IP phone), a PC microphone, and speakers.

For SMBs, the most commonly important features you should be considering include:

• Interactive capabilities, either with voice or button presses, or both. You need to make use of menu trees so that customers can at least get most of the way to the department they need.
• Call queuing, generally used in call centres, where systems like this distribute incoming calls to specific recipients based on what the caller wants, extensions dialled, or other criteria.
• Hold music or more common these days, advertising. You can try to sell products and services to your current and would-be customers while they wait on hold. Just make sure your hold music is sufficiently annoying that you don’t lose status among your peers.
• Extension assignments, including some sort of easy-to-use dialling directory.
• Call recording so you can use phone experiences for training, sales, and marketing intelligence purposes.
• Voicemail to email transcription so your employees can read or play their voicemail from wherever they receive email.

One of the most exciting and clear differentiators between a cloud PBX provider and a standard telephone system is software. Your IT staff will find a host of new software tools to help monitor and manage the system. But what catches most business operators’ eyes are two key capabilities that software provides: back-end integration and softphones. The latter is exactly what the name implies, a phone that’s rendered entirely in software allowing any compatible device to become a phone as long as it has an internet connection, a speaker, and a microphone.

Back-end integration with custom and third-party apps, like CRM systems, also open a whole new world for your calling data because now it can extend the phone system beyond just basic voice communication. Such integrations allows users to transfer calls to and from their mobile phone, place and receive calls from their personal phone (that appear to be coming from the business), and interact with colleagues and customers via voice and text — all from a variety of devices. But it also allows recording and analysis of call data to measure things like customer satisfaction, understand your sales audience at a new level, and even handle customer requests and problems automatically without the customer ever being aware they never spoke to a human.

You may think about the idea of switching systems as quite a laborious task, however in reality the transition from traditional phone lines to a VoIP system is relatively simple. It is basically a matter of registration, surveying your company’s particular needs, and service provisioning. In fact, one of the most attractive things about switching to VoIP is certainly the plug in and go simplicity of it.

As a very general rule, the Cloud service should be up and running for you after between 3 and 15 business days. As you can see, that’s quite a large range. The length of the VoIP set-up period really depends entirely on both the size and the requirements of your business or organisation.

There has been a lot of talk about the NBN and the apparent benefits it will bring to everyday Australians. But what exactly is the NBN and how will it actually benefit your business?

Basically – the NBN roll out is an upgrade to Australia’ s copper telecommunications infrastructure, and is being carried out by the NBN Co. When it is installed in your area, existing copper networks will be removed, you will have access to faster internet, and so the way your business makes and receives phone calls will change.

As the NBN co disconnects all the existing telco infrastructure across the country, making sure your phone system will work with the NBN should be one of your top priorities today.

The most important thing to know is that the NBN isn’t a choice. Once it’ s in your area, you will have a certain amount of time to migrate all of your services to an NBN solution. That includes your phone lines, internet service, fax machines, EFTPOS, and your phone system. Yep – everything!

Traditional PSTN phone lines will be removed or made redundant, and the future for your Phone System will be Cloud. The way you make phone calls will change, and you will need to prepare your business before the existing infrastructure becomes disposable. As we mentioned – the NBN is not a choice. That means Cloud is not really a choice either, so getting to understand what it is and how it works will benefit you no matter what.

While some users might be concerned about the quality of a Cloud system and how it sounds, the technology has come so far that it’s virtually impossible to tell the difference between landline and internet-based calls.

To ensure call quality is clear and strong, your business has to be conscientious about how you set up your data network. You have to ensure you have enough bandwidth to handle your call volume and that your network is set up to prioritize voice calls over other types of internet traffic.

If your supplier doesn’t set you up a system with allowance for redundancy, then in thnetwork If there is an internet or power failure you will not be able to receive or make phone calls.

Hence, be sure to keep in mind when setting up any Cloud solution, that its a very good idea to ensure that redundancy measures are in place. This is an absolute must for any phone critical businesses or organisations.

Very generally speaking, with an average business-class cable modem connection your VoIP system should be able to handle up to roughly 3 simultaneous calls, and if you were to upgrade to a fast cable modem connection (or a T1 connection) you should be able to handle closer to 6-10 simultaneous calls at peak times. This is also assuming that those users will also be using the internet.

With its features, adaptability and cost savings, Cloud phones are here to stay. Cloud is easily updated to the latest versions of software, giving you access to the newest technology available – keeping you a step ahead of your competitors. The future offerings are limitless with further integration likely to include customised business protocols such as CRM.

As we have seen people migrate their IT networks over to the Cloud more and more businesses are using the benefits of a total Cloud Solution.

At the simplest level, Business Phone Systems are generally divided into 4 categories in relation to size and the number of employees that will be users of the Phone System.

• Small: 1-9 Employees
• Medium: 9-20 Employees
• Large: 20-49 Employees
• Corporate: More than 50 Employees

Establishing how many lines and extensions you need (and what exactly this all means!) as well as ensuring enough room for positive and negative growth is absolutely essential in ascertaining exactly what you require from your system before purchasing, which when done properly can save you thousands of dollars in installation fees as well as services in the future.

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There are two main factors that will determine the size of the office phone system you need:

Licences

• The number of users your business requires. Because the Cloud handset can be used from work or home or even on the mobile each user needs their own license. This allows the person to take the calls anywhere and to stay connected even when they leave the office. This new technology doesn’t need a total number of external phone lines, or ones that move outside the office, that are used by the company. Varying systems and other equipment are dependent on and can be adjusted to support the required number of external phone lines.

Extensions

• The number of ‘extensions’refers to the total number of devices within the company that will require connection to the phone system.

While most of these ‘extensions’ will refer to telephone handsets, it also includes other equipment such as fax machines, credit card terminal, door phones and modems. Basically, any equipment that requires a phone connection must also be connected through the phone system and is therefore considered an ‘extension’.