The business world is changing fast, with international business, remote work, and technology now more important than ever before. To give your business an extra edge in this hyper-competitive world, you’ve likely begun exploring cloud telephony.
The cloud and the dispersed communication system it supports allow you to conduct business from home, client offices, cafes, or even an airplane thousands of miles above earth – when you’re literally in the clouds.
But how does cloud telephony work? What are its main benefits? And most importantly, how do you choose the best system for your business? If you’re considering making the switch, we can help answer your questions.
What is cloud telephony?
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Cloud telephony is a type of unified communications system that allows your business phone system to operate via an internet connection. The cloud today is more powerful than ever before. It hosts everything from file storage to voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone systems, enabling your business to grow without the restrictions of traditional business hardware.
Also referred to as cloud calling, cloud telephony provides users access to business voice services. These services are virtual private branch exchange (PBX) solutions managed by third parties off-premise, meaning they’ll never fill up your office space. You’ll never have to worry about maintaining your system hardware either.
Cloud telephony isn’t limited to basic voice calling, either. From SMS and MMS messaging to file sharing to business integrations, cloud telephony offers a whole new realm of possibilities.
Your legacy phone system is no match for a cloud-hosted VoIP setup. A VoIP phone system offers so much more — a way to centralize customer relationship management (CRM) systems, communicate internally with your team, and (most importantly) streamline your business practices.
How does cloud telephony work?
Cloud telephony works exactly like most VoIP services. It converts analog voice data into data packets, which are then transmitted to the receiver over an internet connection. When the signal reaches the receiver, it’s converted back into sound waves, and your conversation gets underway without a noticeable hitch.
The cloud handles the entire call routing process, allowing you to access your phone systems through a web browser or mobile application. From your online dashboard, you’ll easily be able to assign numbers to your team, initiate call forwarding, and take advantage of the numerous calling features modern VoIP providers like OpenPhone offer. Your provider will take care of all the behind-the-scenes aspects of your business phone system.
In this way, cloud telephony releases you of the obligation to manage your own PBX/PABX. Your VoIP service provider will be the party responsible for building and operating the servers that run your new business phone system. You’re free to enjoy the convenience of your cloud telephony system, however you see fit — hosting two numbers on a single cell phone, enjoying a reliable internal messaging feature, or accepting a call on the beach. 🏖️
What are the major benefits of cloud telephony?
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Now that you know more about cloud phone systems, it’s time to ask yourself, “Is cloud telephony the best solution for my business?” If you like modern user interfaces and phone systems that grow alongside your business, you’ll love the benefits of a cloud-based VoIP system like OpenPhone. We’ve outlined a few of the major perks below.
Simple-to-use
Tired of your PBX system gathering dust in the closet? How about dealing with the obnoxious copper wiring that seems to be everywhere? Or having to call in IT whenever you have a simple question?
With cloud telephony, you’ll be able to finally get rid of old school, desk phone hardware. Best of all, you’ll still have access to all the traditional features you expect from a business phone system, plus lots of bonus features.
You’ll access your account information from a user-friendly dashboard, where intuitive design helps you navigate your way around available phone customization options. OpenPhone lets you set business hours and enter detailed contact information, for instance, so you can stay organized and professional. We’ve designed our platform to streamline all your phone and text communication.
Scalable
With traditional business phone systems, you have to devote a large amount of time and effort to scaling them as your business grows. Every time you hire a new employee, you have to purchase a new desk phone, get the person trained, and try to anticipate the increased cost on your phone bill. The whole thing can quickly begin to feel like an expensive logistical nightmare.
With OpenPhone, there are no setup fees, and signing up for a new number takes only a couple of clicks on your phone or computer. Once you’re signed up, you’ll enjoy access to your phone system from anywhere on the planet, from any supported internet-enabled device.
It’s equally simple to add new team members and communicate internally. You’ll never again have to worry about equipping each employee with a cell phone or desk phone or waiting for equipment to arrive. OpenPhone works on any computer or smart device. Plus, OpenPhone’s user interface is sleek and easy to use. Your teammates will get the hang of our system in no time at all.
VoIP providers like OpenPhone give you the option of paying by the month or by the year. The amount you’re charged will depend on the number of users (or, more accurately, phone numbers) on your plan, not how many minutes your team spends on the phone or how many texts they send.
Always up-to-date
With traditional PBX systems, all of the wires and hardware remain on-premises. That means your in-house IT department (or whoever handles technical requests) is in charge of maintaining and updating your business phone system. Chances are updates don’t happen too frequently. When they do, they aren’t anything to call home about. These updates may also drain your business bank account by requiring purchases of new equipment, servers, and other technology.
In contrast to legacy business phone systems, your service provider will handle all of the technical aspects of cloud telephony, like debugging and system maintenance. All you have to do is occasionally update your mobile application to have access to all the new features and improvements. It’s really that easy.
Flexible
Flexible working arrangements are on the rise in America. From remote and hybrid working models to bring your own device (BYOD) policies, businesses and employees alike are realizing the value of non-traditional working arrangements. And what better accompaniment to a modern work model than a modern business phone system?
Flexible workers have more autonomy over their work, which means it’s often carried out in a more efficient and timely fashion. Flexible workers also tend to stay longer with companies, with one 2019 FlexJobs survey revealing 80% of respondents stating they would be more loyal to their employers if they had flexible work options.
As a result, hybrid or remote workers cost companies less money on infrastructure and technology. Plus, this working style means they have more flexible business communications needs, as they won’t be tethered to their office desks all day long.
OpenPhone helps teams strike a healthy work-life balance while maintaining strong company-wide communications. After all, in a flexible working environment, communication is more important than ever before.
Money-saving
With each passing day, traditional business phone systems grow more costly to implement and maintain. That’s partially because telecommunications companies are only investing in newer technologies, like VoIP.
VoIP phone solutions allow you to manage your business communications for a fixed monthly cost. Your business can also expect to reduce (to zero) setup and maintenance costs. Whereas legacy phone systems grow more expensive over time, VoIP systems become more accessible and affordable.
How does cloud telephony differ from VoIP?
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VoIP phone systems are an easy and efficient way to manage your business communications. But with all the technical jargon, you may find the terms “cloud telephony” and “VoIP” get misunderstood. The two are often used interchangeably, but you know that’s not entirely accurate. So, how exactly does cloud telephony differ from VoIP?
The main difference between cloud telephony and VoIP is that all cloud telephony is hosted in the cloud. Some VoIP providers still offer on-site VoIP setups, though. In other words, there are two kinds of VoIP phone systems: VoIP virtual hosted phone systems and on-premise VoIP PBX systems.
Keep in mind also that an on-premise PBX’s job is to serve as a call director. A hosted VoIP system, on the other hand, goes beyond directing calls and provides you with the professional phone system features your business needs.
In short, some (but not all) VoIP systems make use of the cloud, and specifically cloud telephony, to get your phone system up and running. We recommend using a cloud-based VoIP service rather than an on-site system to get the most out of your phone plan. But with all the providers on the market today, choosing the best cloud-based VoIP solution is easier said than done.
Who Is In–Telecom? In-Telecom is a U.S.-based company, founded in 2009 as a consulting and business telephone system solution provider. Since then, we have evolved into a full service technology company providing customized solutions for cloud telephone, voice over IP, managed IT services, video conferencing, cyber security & data backup, physical security, internet services, and more. We attribute much of our success to the ability to supply the highest level of customer service and technical expertise, thus becoming the singular solution provider for our customers. Telecom can help steer your company toward efficiency and success. All our solutions are customized and scaled to your specific workflow needs and your budget.
